Classic Varsity Cardigan

MATERIALS

• Yarn: Aran / worsted weight yarn (approx 180–200 yds / 165–183 m per 100 g)
  • Main Color (MC – body, pockets, bands): 450 (500, 550, 650, 750) yds
  • Contrast Color 1 (CC1 – sleeves): 250 (280, 320, 380, 450) yds
  • Contrast Color 2 (CC2 – accent stripes): 60 (70, 80, 90, 100) yds
• Needles:
  • US 5 (3.75 mm) straight or circular for ribbing
  • US 7 (4.5 mm) straight or circular for stockinette
• Notions: Stitch markers, stitch holders or waste yarn, tapestry needle, 6 buttons (¾" / 19 mm), sewing needle & matching thread for buttons and pockets

GAUGE

20 sts and 26 rows = 4" (10 cm) in stockinette stitch on larger needles after blocking. Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain gauge.

SIZES

Child 2 (4, 6, 8, 10) years Shown in size 6 (5–6 years) Finished chest circumference: 26 (28, 30, 32, 34)" [66 (71, 76, 81, 86) cm] with approx 3–4" positive ease Finished length: 15 (16.5, 18, 19.5, 21)" [38 (42, 46, 49.5, 53.5) cm] Sleeve length to underarm: 10 (11.5, 13, 14.5, 16)" [25.5 (29, 33, 37, 40.5) cm]

ABBREVIATIONS

• BO = bind off
• CO = cast on
• dec = decrease
• k = knit
• k2tog = knit 2 together
• p = purl
• pm = place marker
• RS = right side
• ssk = slip, slip, knit
• st(s) = stitch(es)
• St st = stockinette stitch (knit RS, purl WS)
• WS = wrong side
• wyib = with yarn in back
• wyif = with yarn in front

NOTES

• Cardigan is worked flat in pieces from the bottom up and seamed.
• Body (back & fronts) is worked in MC; sleeves in CC1.
• Double contrast stripes (CC1 & CC2) appear on lower ribbing of body and on cuffs.
• Button bands and neckband are picked up and worked in MC after seaming.
• Patch pockets are knit separately in MC and sewn on.
• When shaping, work decreases as ssk at beginning of RS row and k2tog at end of RS row unless otherwise stated.
• Slip first st of every row purlwise wyif for a neat edge (optional but recommended for seaming).
• Keep all stripe sequences identical so hems and cuffs match.

BACK

With smaller needles and MC, CO 66 (70, 76, 80, 86) sts. Ribbing with double contrast stripes Row 1 (RS): *K1, p1; rep from * to end. Row 2 (WS): *K1, p1; rep from * to end. Work 2 more rows in established 1×1 rib with MC. Join CC1 and work 2 rows rib. Join CC2 and work 2 rows rib. With CC1 work 2 rows rib. Break CC1 & CC2. Resume MC and continue rib until piece measures 2" [5 cm] from CO edge, ending after a WS row. Change to larger needles. Body Work in St st until piece measures 9.5 (10.5, 11.5, 12.5, 13.5)" [24 (26.5, 29, 32, 34.5) cm] from CO edge, ending after a WS row. Shape armholes BO 4 (4, 4, 5, 5) sts at beg of next 2 rows. 58 (62, 68, 70, 76) sts. Dec 1 st each end of every RS row 3 (4, 4, 4, 5) times. 52 (54, 60, 62, 66) sts. Work even in St st until armhole measures 5.5 (6, 6.5, 7, 7.5)" [14 (15, 16.5, 18, 19) cm], ending after a WS row. Shape shoulders BO 7 (7, 8, 8, 9) sts at beg of next 2 rows, then BO 7 (8, 8, 9, 9) sts at beg of following 2 rows. Place remaining 24 (24, 28, 28, 30) sts on holder for back neck.

FRONTS

LEFT FRONT

With smaller needles and MC, CO 34 (36, 40, 42, 46) sts. Work ribbing with double contrast stripes exactly as for Back until rib measures 2" [5 cm], ending after a WS row. Change to larger needles. Work in St st until piece measures same as Back to armhole, ending after a WS row. Shape armhole BO 4 (4, 4, 5, 5) sts at beg of next RS row. 30 (32, 36, 37, 41) sts. Work 1 WS row. Dec 1 st at armhole edge (beg of RS rows) every RS row 3 (4, 4, 4, 5) times. 27 (28, 32, 33, 36) sts. Work even until armhole measures 3 (3.5, 3.5, 4, 4)" [7.5 (9, 9, 10, 10) cm] less than Back armhole depth, ending after a WS row. Shape neck Next row (RS): Knit to last 8 (8, 9, 9, 10) sts, place these 8 (8, 9, 9, 10) sts on holder for front neck, turn. 19 (20, 23, 24, 26) sts. Dec 1 st at neck edge every RS row 5 (5, 7, 7, 8) times. 14 (15, 16, 17, 18) sts. Work even until armhole matches Back length, ending after a WS row. Shape shoulder BO 7 (7, 8, 8, 9) sts at beg of next RS row, work to end. Work 1 WS row. BO remaining 7 (8, 8, 9, 9) sts.

RIGHT FRONT

Work as for Left Front, reversing all shaping.

• Armhole BO occurs at beg of WS row.
• Armhole decs are worked at end of RS rows (k2tog).
• Neck shaping begins on a RS row by knitting the first 8 (8, 9, 9, 10) sts then placing them on holder; decs at neck edge (beg of WS rows or end of RS rows as convenient) 5 (5, 7, 7, 8) times.
• Shoulder BOs occur at beg of WS rows.

SLEEVES (make 2 alike – work in CC1)

With smaller needles and CC1, CO 34 (36, 38, 40, 42) sts. Cuff with double contrast stripes Work 1×1 rib as for Back: 4 rows CC1, 2 rows CC2, 2 rows CC1, 2 rows CC2, then continue with CC1 until cuff measures 2" [5 cm], ending after a WS row. Change to larger needles and CC1. Sleeve shaping Work in St st, increasing 1 st each end of every 6th row 0 (0, 2, 4, 6) times, then every 8th row 8 (9, 8, 7, 7) times. 50 (54, 58, 62, 68) sts. Work even until sleeve measures 10 (11.5, 13, 14.5, 16)" [25.5 (29, 33, 37, 40.5) cm] from CO edge, ending after a WS row. Shape cap BO 4 (4, 4, 5, 5) sts at beg of next 2 rows. 42 (46, 50, 52, 58) sts. Dec 1 st each end of every RS row 8 (9, 10, 11, 12) times. 26 (28, 30, 30, 34) sts. Then BO 2 sts at beg of next 4 rows. 18 (20, 22, 22, 26) sts. BO remaining sts.

BUTTON_BANDS

Block all pieces to measurements. Sew shoulder seams. Button band (Left Front for girls; Right Front for boys – instructions assume buttons on Left Front / buttonholes on Right Front; reverse if desired) With smaller needles, MC and RS facing, beginning at top of Left Front neck edge, pick up and knit 3 sts for every 4 rows along front edge to hem (approximately 62 (68, 74, 80, 86) sts). Adjust to an odd number if needed for 1×1 rib. Work in 1×1 rib for 7 rows. BO loosely in rib.

Buttonhole band With smaller needles, MC and RS facing, beginning at hem of Right Front, pick up and knit the same number of sts as for button band along front edge to neck. Work 3 rows 1×1 rib. Buttonhole row (RS): Work 4 (4, 4, 5, 5) sts in rib, *yo, k2tog, work 8 (9, 10, 10, 11) sts in rib; rep from * 4 more times, yo, k2tog, work remaining sts in rib (6 buttonholes). Work 3 more rows rib. BO loosely in rib.

Neckband With smaller needles, MC and RS facing, beginning at Right Front buttonhole-band edge, pick up and knit 8 (8, 9, 9, 10) sts from Right Front holder, pick up and knit 12 (14, 16, 18, 20) sts along Right Front neck edge, knit 24 (24, 28, 28, 30) sts from Back neck holder, pick up and knit 12 (14, 16, 18, 20) sts along Left Front neck edge, knit 8 (8, 9, 9, 10) sts from Left Front holder, then pick up 5 sts across top of button band. Approximately 69 (73, 83, 87, 95) sts. Work 1×1 rib for 6 rows. BO loosely in rib.

FINISHING

Patch pockets (make 2) With larger needles and MC, CO 16 (16, 18, 18, 20) sts. Work in St st for 3 (3, 3.25, 3.5, 3.5)" [7.5 (7.5, 8, 9, 9) cm], ending after a WS row. Change to smaller needles and work 4 rows 1×1 rib. BO in rib. Position pockets on each front approximately 1.5" [4 cm] above top of hem ribbing and 1.5" [4 cm] in from side seam (or side edge). Pin and sew neatly in place with whipstitch or mattress stitch using MC.

Sew sleeve caps into armholes, matching center of cap to shoulder seam and easing to fit. Sew side and sleeve seams, matching stripes at underarms. Weave in all ends. Sew buttons to button band opposite buttonholes. Block finished garment lightly if needed.