purlJam

<pattern>

# DOUBLE KNIT CARDIGAN
## A Beginner-Friendly Reversible Cardigan

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## MATERIALS

**Yarn**: Approximately 1400-1600 yards (1280-1465 m) worsted weight yarn
- Main Color (MC): 700-800 yards
- Contrast Color (CC): 700-800 yards
- Recommended: Medium worsted weight, approx. 220 yards/100g

**Needles**: 
- US 9 (5.5 mm) straight or circular needles (24" minimum for body, 16" acceptable for sleeves)
- US 8 (5.0 mm) needles for ribbing (optional, for tighter edge)

**Notions**:
- 6 buttons, ¾" (19mm) diameter
- Stitch markers
- Tapestry needle for seaming
- Stitch holders or waste yarn

**Gauge**: 18 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in double knit stockinette with larger needles, measured flat (counting stitch pairs as single stitches)

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## GAUGE

**Critical Gauge Information for Double Knitting**:
18 stitches (stitch pairs) and 24 rows = 4" (10 cm) in double knit stockinette stitch with US 9 (5.5mm) needles.

**How to measure double knit gauge**:
- Cast on 24 stitch pairs (48 total stitches on needle) using double knit cast-on
- Work in double knit stockinette for 5" (12.5 cm)
- Lay flat and measure: 20 stitch pairs should equal approximately 4.5"
- Count only the visible stitches on ONE side of the fabric
- Do NOT stretch the fabric when measuring

**Gauge is critical**: Each stitch off in gauge will add/subtract 2+ inches to the finished bust measurement.

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## SIZES

This pattern is written for one size with a 40" (101.5 cm) finished bust measurement.

**Finished Measurements**:
- Bust circumference: 40" (101.5 cm) [closed, measured flat = 20"]
- Body length from shoulder: 22" (56 cm)
- Sleeve length from underarm: 18" (45.5 cm)
- Cross-back shoulder width: 15" (38 cm)

**Recommended for**: 36-38" (91.5-96.5 cm) actual bust with 2-4" (5-10 cm) positive ease

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## ABBREVIATIONS

- **CC**: contrast color
- **CO**: cast on
- **BO**: bind off
- **DK**: double knit
- **k**: knit
- **p**: purl
- **MC**: main color
- **pm**: place marker
- **RS**: right side
- **WS**: wrong side
- **st(s)**: stitch(es)
- **st pair**: one double knit stitch unit (appears as 2 sts on needle)
- **DK st**: double knit stitch - k1 with MC, slip 1 wyif with CC (or reverse)

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## NOTES

**About Double Knitting**:
Double knitting creates a reversible, double-thick fabric with MC on one side and CC on the other. Each "stitch pair" consists of 2 stitches on the needle - one for each layer.

**Double Knit Stockinette Stitch** (used throughout):
- Setup: Cast on with alternating colors: *MC, CC; repeat from *
- Row 1 (RS): *K1 with MC, slip 1 purlwise wyif with CC; repeat from * to end
- Row 2 (WS): *Slip 1 purlwise wyif with MC, p1 with CC; repeat from * to end
- Repeat Rows 1-2 for pattern

**Key Technique Notes**:
1. Always work with BOTH yarns attached
2. Carry yarns loosely up the side edge
3. When slipping stitches, always slip purlwise with yarn in front (wyif)
4. The fabric will be exactly reversible - MC shows on one side, CC on the other
5. "Stitch count" in pattern refers to stitch PAIRS unless otherwise noted
6. Actual needle count is always double the listed stitch count

**Double Knit Cast-On** (used for all pieces):
With larger needles and using long-tail method:
1. Make slip knot with both yarns held together
2. Separate yarns: MC over thumb, CC over finger
3. *Cast on 1 st with MC, cast on 1 st with CC; repeat from *
4. This creates alternating MC and CC stitches on needle

**Double Knit Bind-Off**:
1. *K2tog (taking 1 MC st and 1 CC st together), slip st back to left needle; repeat from * until 2 sts remain
2. K2tog, cut yarn and pull through last stitch

**Construction Notes**:
- All pieces are worked flat in double knit stockinette
- Seaming joins the double-thick edges
- No selvage stitches needed (double thickness provides clean edge)
- Button bands are worked separately and sewn on

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## BACK

**Stitch Count**: 90 stitch pairs (180 total stitches on needle)

**Cast On**:
Using larger needles and double knit cast-on method, CO 90 st pairs (180 total sts, alternating MC and CC).

Setup Row (WS): *Slip 1 wyif with MC, p1 with CC; repeat from * to end.

[MATH CHECK: 90 st pairs × 4" ÷ 18 sts = 20" back width ✓]

**Ribbing**:
For double knit 2×2 rib (reversible):
Row 1 (RS): *[K1 with MC, sl 1 wyif with CC] twice, [sl 1 wyif with MC, p1 with CC] twice; repeat from * to end.
Row 2 (WS): *[Sl 1 wyif with MC, p1 with CC] twice, [k1 with MC, sl 1 wyif with CC] twice; repeat from * to end.

Repeat Rows 1-2 until ribbing measures 2" (5 cm), ending with a WS row.

[MATH CHECK: 90 st pairs ÷ 4 sts per repeat = 22.5 repeats - ADJUST: Use 88 st pairs for ribbing (22 full repeats), increase to 90 st pairs on first body row]

**REVISED Ribbing Cast-On**: CO 88 st pairs (176 total sts).
Work ribbing as above for 2" (5 cm).

**Transition to Body**:
Next Row (RS): Work in DK st as established, and evenly increase 2 st pairs across row. [90 st pairs]

To increase in double knit: *Work to increase point, [k1 with MC, k1 with CC] into same stitch pair (creates 2 new st pairs from 1); repeat for each increase.

[MATH CHECK: 88 + 2 = 90 st pairs ✓]

**Body**:
Work even in double knit stockinette until piece measures 14" (35.5 cm) from cast-on edge, ending with a WS row.

[Row count check: 14" × 24 rows/4" = 84 rows from ribbing]

**Armhole Shaping**:
Next Row (RS): BO 5 st pairs at beginning of next 2 rows (bind off both MC and CC sts together in each pair). [80 st pairs remain]

[MATH CHECK: 90 - 5 - 5 = 80 st pairs ✓]
[WIDTH CHECK: 80 st pairs × 4" ÷ 18 sts = 17.8" across back at armhole ✓]

Work even in double knit stockinette until armhole measures 8" (20.5 cm) from beginning of armhole shaping, ending with a WS row.

[Row count check: 8" × 24 rows/4" = 48 rows for armhole depth]

**Shoulder Shaping**:
BO 8 st pairs at beginning of next 4 rows. [48 st pairs remain]
BO 7 st pairs at beginning of next 2 rows. [34 st pairs remain for back neck]

[MATH CHECK: 80 - (8×4) - (7×2) = 80 - 32 - 14 = 34 st pairs ✓]
[SHOULDER WIDTH: 8+8+7 = 23 st pairs = 5.1" per shoulder ✓]

BO remaining 34 st pairs for back neck using double knit bind-off method.

[NECK WIDTH: 34 st pairs × 4" ÷ 18 sts = 7.6" back neck ✓]

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## LEFT FRONT

**Stitch Count**: 44 stitch pairs (88 total stitches on needle)

**Cast On**:
Using larger needles and double knit cast-on method, CO 44 st pairs (88 total sts).

[MATH CHECK: 44 st pairs × 4" ÷ 18 sts = 9.8" ≈ 10" front width ✓]

**Ribbing**:
Work 2×2 double knit rib as for Back.
Row 1 (RS): *[K1 with MC, sl 1 wyif with CC] twice, [sl 1 wyif with MC, p1 with CC] twice; repeat from * to end.
Row 2 (WS): *[Sl 1 wyif with MC, p1 with CC] twice, [k1 with MC, sl 1 wyif with CC] twice; repeat from * to end.

Work until ribbing measures 2" (5 cm), ending with WS row.

**Body**:
Change to double knit stockinette and work even until piece measures 14" (35.5 cm) from cast-on edge, ending with a WS row (same length as Back to armhole).

**Armhole Shaping**:
Next Row (RS): BO 5 st pairs, work to end. [39 st pairs remain]

[MATH CHECK: 44 - 5 = 39 st pairs ✓]

Work even in double knit stockinette until armhole measures 5.5" (14 cm), ending with a RS row (ready to work WS neck shaping row).

[Row count: 5.5" × 24 rows/4" = 33 rows]

**Neck Shaping**:
Next Row (WS): BO 10 st pairs at neck edge (beginning of WS row), work to end. [29 st pairs remain]

[MATH CHECK: 39 - 10 = 29 st pairs ✓]

Continue working armhole edge straight while shaping neck edge:
Decrease Row (RS): Work to last 4 sts (2 st pairs), k2tog with MC, sl2tog wyif with CC. [1 st pair decreased]

Repeat decrease row every RS row 6 more times. [23 st pairs remain]

[MATH CHECK: 29 - 6 = 23 st pairs ✓]
[SHOULDER CHECK: 23 st pairs matches Back shoulder (8+8+7) ✓]

Work even until armhole measures 8" (20.5 cm), matching Back, ending with a WS row.

**Shoulder Shaping**:
Row 1 (RS): BO 8 st pairs, work to end. [15 st pairs]
Row 2 (WS): Work even.
Row 3 (RS): BO 8 st pairs, work to end. [7 st pairs]
Row 4 (WS): Work even.
Row 5 (RS): BO remaining 7 st pairs.

[MATH CHECK: 23 - 8 - 8 - 7 = 0 ✓]

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## RIGHT FRONT

Work as for Left Front, REVERSING