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# Floral Lace Closed Cardigan
### A Beginner-Friendly Worsted Cotton Crochet Pattern (UK Terms)

A relaxed, boxy cardigan worked in a pretty floral shell-lace stitch. Constructed as simple rectangles (kimono-style T-shape) for easy seaming, but finished as a **closed-front** cardigan with a button band. Straight, un-tapered sleeves keep things beginner-friendly.

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## 1. Materials

- **Yarn:** Worsted weight (Aran/10-ply) 100% cotton yarn, approx. 170–180 m per 100 g.
  - **Recommended:** mercerised cotton for crisp lace and good drape.
- **Yardage required (approx.):**
  | Size | Yarn needed |
  |------|-------------|
  | XS | 900 m (~5 balls) |
  | S | 1000 m (~6 balls) |
  | M | 1150 m (~7 balls) |
  | L | 1300 m (~8 balls) |
  | XL | 1450 m (~9 balls) |
  | 2XL | 1600 m (~10 balls) |
- **Hook:** 5 mm (H/8) crochet hook (main hook). 4.5 mm for border.
- **Notions:** Tapestry/yarn needle, stitch markers, scissors, 4–6 buttons (15–20 mm).

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## 2. Tension (Gauge)

Worked in main lace pattern with 5 mm hook, blocked:
- **14 tr and 8 rows = 10 cm (4 in)** measured over plain treble.
- **One lace repeat (6 sts) = approx. 4.3 cm wide.**

> ⏱ **Make a tension square first.** Chain 25, work the lace pattern for 12 cm, block, then measure. Adjust hook size if needed.

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## 3. Abbreviations (UK Terms)

| Abbrev. | Meaning |
|---------|---------|
| ch | chain |
| ss | slip stitch |
| dc | double crochet (US sc) |
| tr | treble crochet (US dc) |
| sp | space |
| st(s) | stitch(es) |
| rep | repeat |
| sk | skip |
| beg | beginning |
| RS / WS | right side / wrong side |
| ch-sp | chain space |

> **Note:** This pattern uses **UK crochet terms**. (UK tr = US dc.)

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## 4. The Floral Lace Stitch (Practice Swatch)

**Multiple of 6 sts + 1**, plus turning ch.

- **Foundation:** ch a multiple of 6 + 4.
- **Row 1 (RS):** 1 tr in 4th ch from hook, *sk 2 ch, (2 tr, ch 2, 2 tr) in next ch — this is the "flower"; sk 2 ch, 1 tr in next ch*; rep from * to end. Turn.
- **Row 2:** ch 3 (counts as tr), 1 tr in first tr, *1 dc in next ch-2 sp, (2 tr, ch 2, 2 tr) in next tr (the single tr between flowers)*; rep, ending 2 tr in top of turning ch. Turn.
- **Row 3:** ch 3, *(2 tr, ch 2, 2 tr) in next dc, 1 tr in next ch-2 sp*; rep, ending 1 tr in top of turning ch. Turn.
- **Rep Rows 2–3** for pattern.

> 💡 Beginner tip: each "flower" is just **2 tr, ch 2, 2 tr** worked into one point. Count flowers per row to stay on track.

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## 5. Sizing & Finished Measurements

Designed with **15–25 cm positive ease** for a relaxed fit.

| Size | To fit bust | Finished bust | Body length | Sleeve length | Sleeve width |
|------|------------|---------------|-------------|---------------|--------------|
| XS | 76–81 cm | 96 cm | 58 cm | 44 cm | 32 cm |
| S | 81–86 cm | 102 cm | 60 cm | 45 cm | 34 cm |
| M | 86–94 cm | 110 cm | 60 cm | 45 cm | 36 cm |
| L | 94–102 cm | 118 cm | 62 cm | 46 cm | 36 cm |
| XL | 102–112 cm | 126 cm | 62 cm | 46 cm | 38 cm |
| 2XL | 112–122 cm | 134 cm | 64 cm | 47 cm | 40 cm |

**Finished bust** = Back width + both Front widths (overlapping band adds ~3 cm).

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## 6. Starting Chain Counts

Counts chosen as **multiple of 6 + 1** (+3 for turning).

**BACK** (half of finished bust):

| Size | Back width | Starting ch |
|------|-----------|-------------|
| XS | 48 cm | ch 70 (67 sts +3) |
| S | 51 cm | ch 76 (73 +3) |
| M | 55 cm | ch 82 (79 +3) |
| L | 59 cm | ch 88 (85 +3) |
| XL | 63 cm | ch 94 (91 +3) |
| 2XL | 67 cm | ch 100 (97 +3) |

**EACH FRONT** (just under half of back, so two fronts meet at centre):

| Size | Front width | Starting ch |
|------|------------|-------------|
| XS | 24 cm | ch 40 (37 +3) |
| S | 26 cm | ch 46 (43 +3) |
| M | 28 cm | ch 46 (43 +3) |
| L | 30 cm | ch 52 (49 +3) |
| XL | 32 cm | ch 52 (49 +3) |
| 2XL | 34 cm | ch 58 (55 +3) |

**EACH SLEEVE** (straight, no tapering):

| Size | Sleeve width | Starting ch |
|------|------------|-------------|
| XS–S | 32–34 cm | ch 52 (49 +3) |
| M–L | 36 cm | ch 58 (55 +3) |
| XL | 38 cm | ch 58 (55 +3) |
| 2XL | 40 cm | ch 64 (61 +3) |

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## 7. Pattern Instructions

### BACK
1. Using 5 mm hook, ch as per your size (Back table).
2. Work **Row 1** of the Floral Lace Stitch across.
3. Continue in pattern (Rows 2–3 repeated) until piece measures **body length** for your size (58–64 cm). End on a Row 3.
4. Fasten off.

### LEFT FRONT
1. Ch as per Front table.
2. Work in Floral Lace Stitch until piece measures the **same length as the Back**, ending on the same row as Back.
3. **Simple neckline (optional, beginner-friendly):** for the last 8 cm, on the centre-front edge only, work 1 fewer flower on each RS row to gently slope the neck. (Skip this for a straight V-free neckline.)
4. Fasten off.

### RIGHT FRONT
- Work exactly as Left Front, mirroring the neckline shaping to the opposite edge.

### SLEEVES (make 2 — straight/simple)
1. Ch as per Sleeve table.
2. Work in Floral Lace Stitch, keeping the **same stitch count throughout (no increases, no tapering)**, until sleeve measures **44–47 cm** for your size. End on a Row 3.
3. Fasten off.

> ✔ Because sleeves are straight rectangles, they attach at a right angle to the body — easy, no armhole shaping.

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## 8. Assembly

1. **Block all pieces** to measurements before seaming — this opens the lace.
2. **Shoulder seams:** Lay Back flat (RS up). Place each Front on top (RS down) aligning side edges. Seam straight across the top **from the outer edge inwards about 11–13 cm** on each side, leaving the centre open for the neck.
3. **Attach sleeves:** Fold cardigan so shoulder seam is at the top. Mark the centre of the sleeve top edge, align with the shoulder seam, and **sew the sleeve edge to the body** (it sits as a dropped shoulder). Use mattress stitch or ss seam.
4. **Side & sleeve seams:** Seam each side from hem up to the underarm, then continue along the underside of the sleeve to the cuff in one line.
5. Weave in all ends.

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## 9. Border Pattern (Makes it CLOSED)

A neat button band turns this into a closed cardigan.

### Edging Round
1. Using 4.5 mm hook, join yarn at bottom right front corner.
2. **Round 1:** Work evenly in **dc** all the way around: up the Right Front, around the back neck, down the Left Front, and across the lower hem. Work roughly **3 dc per 2 row-ends** up the fronts, and 1 dc per st along hem/neck. Work 2 dc in each corner. Ss to join (if working in the round) or turn for rows.
3. **Round 2 (Right Front = buttonhole band):** dc in each dc, placing buttonholes evenly: at each buttonhole position, **ch 2, sk 2 dc**. Space 4–6 buttonholes evenly along the right front.
4. **Round 3:** dc in each dc and 2 dc in each ch-2 buttonhole sp.
5. **Cuffs:** Work 2 rounds of dc evenly around each cuff edge to firm them up.

### Decorative Shell Edge (optional)
- Final round around fronts/neck: *sk 1 st, 5 tr in next st, sk 1 st, 1 dc in next st*; rep around for a soft scalloped finish.

### Buttons
- Sew **4–6 buttons** onto the **Left Front band**, aligned with the buttonholes.

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## 10. Finishing

1. Fasten off and weave in all remaining ends.
2. Give the whole garment a final gentle **block** to even out stitches and set the lace.
3. Button up — your **closed floral lace cardigan** is complete!

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### Quick Math Check ✔
- Tension: 14 sts = 10 cm → **1.4 sts/cm**.
- Size M Back: 79 sts ÷ 1.4 = **56 cm** ✓ (target 55 cm, within tolerance).
- Size M Front: 43 sts ÷ 1.4 = **30.7 cm** → two fronts = 61 cm; Back 56 cm → total ≈ 110 cm finished bust ✓ (matches table; centre overlap accounted for in band).
- All starting counts are **(multiple of 6) + 1**, so the lace repeat fits cleanly every row. ✓