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# Little Aran V-Neck Cardigan — Girls' Cabled Cardigan in Worsted

A pretty, cosy V-neck cardigan worked in smooth stocking stitch with deep twisted-rib welts and cuffs. A neat little cable runs up the inside edge of each front, framing the V-neckline. Worked flat in pieces and seamed — an ideal first cable project.

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## MATERIALS

- **Yarn:** Worsted / Aran-weight wool or wool-blend, approx **1200–1800 m** total (amount varies with size; see SIZES).
  - Smallest size approx 1200 m; largest approx 1800 m.
- **Needles:**
  - 4.0 mm (UK 8 / US 6) — *ribbing needle* (1 size below main)
  - 4.5 mm (UK 7 / US 7) — *main needle*
- **Notions:** Cable needle, 5 buttons (approx 18 mm), stitch holders or waste yarn, stitch markers, tapestry needle.

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## GAUGE (TENSION)

**20 sts and 26 rows = 10 cm (4")** over stocking stitch on 4.5 mm needles, after blocking.
*Always work a tension square — correct tension ensures correct fit.*

> **Cable note:** The 6-st cable panel measures approximately 2 cm wide. Cable stitches are additional to the stocking-stitch maths and are accounted for in the cast-on counts below.

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## SIZES

Pattern is written for **size 1 (chest 32")**, with **sizes 2–5** in parentheses where they differ.
This pattern is graded for 5 sizes:

| Size | To fit chest | Finished chest | Length to shoulder | Sleeve length | Yarn |
|------|-------------|----------------|---------------------|---------------|------|
| 1 | 71 cm (28") | 76 cm (30") | 36 cm | 30 cm | ~1200 m |
| 2 | 76 cm (30") | 81 cm (32") | 38 cm | 32 cm | ~1350 m |
| **3** | **81 cm (32")** | **86 cm (34")** | **40 cm** | **34 cm** | **~1500 m** |
| 4 | 86 cm (34") | 91 cm (36") | 42 cm | 36 cm | ~1650 m |
| 5 | 91 cm (36") | 97 cm (38") | 44 cm | 38 cm | ~1800 m |

*Instructions below are written for the requested **32" chest = Size 3**, with other sizes in parentheses in the order (1, 2, [3], 4, 5).*

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## ABBREVIATIONS

- **k** – knit
- **p** – purl
- **k1tbl** – knit one through back loop (twisted)
- **st(s)** – stitch(es)
- **st st** – stocking stitch (k on RS, p on WS)
- **RS / WS** – right side / wrong side
- **k2tog** – knit two together (right-leaning decrease)
- **ssk** – slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease)
- **C4F** – slip 2 sts to cable needle, hold at **front**, k2, then k2 from cable needle
- **C4B** – slip 2 sts to cable needle, hold at **back**, k2, then k2 from cable needle
- **beg** – beginning
- **rem** – remaining
- **rep** – repeat
- **cont** – continue
- **patt** – pattern

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## NOTES

- The cardigan is worked **flat in five pieces** (back, two fronts, two sleeves) and seamed.
- **Twisted rib** is worked as: (RS) *k1tbl, p1*; (WS) *k1, p1tbl* — twisting only the knit columns for a crisp, defined rib.
- **The cable panel (6 sts)** sits on the inside (centre) edge of each front, just in from the button band, and runs the full length of the front. Worked as:
  - **Cable panel (RS):** p1, k4, p1
  - **Cable panel (WS):** k1, p4, k1
  - **Cable cross row:** worked every **8th RS row** — C4F on the **right front**, C4B on the **left front** (so cables mirror).
- Selvedge stitches are included in counts; work first and last st of every row as a knit st for tidy seams unless stated.
- Read through the front section fully before beginning, as cable and neck shaping happen together.

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## BACK

**With 4.0 mm needles, cast on 78 (82) [86] (90) (98) sts.**

**Deep twisted-rib welt:**
Row 1 (RS): *k1tbl, p1; rep from * to end.
Row 2 (WS): *k1, p1tbl; rep from * to end.
Rep these 2 rows until welt measures **8 cm**, ending after a WS row.

**Change to 4.5 mm needles** and work in st st (k on RS, p on WS) until back measures **24 (25) [26] (27) (28) cm** from cast-on, ending after a WS row.

**Armhole shaping:**
Bind off 4 sts at beg of next 2 rows. → 70 (74) [78] (82) (90) sts
Dec row (RS): k1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
Work dec row every RS row **3 times total**. → 64 (68) [72] (76) (84) sts

Cont straight in st st until armhole measures **12 (13) [14] (15) (16) cm**, ending after a WS row.

**Shoulder & back neck:**
Bind off 8 (8) [9] (9) (11) sts at beg of next 2 rows. → 48 (52) [54] (58) (62) sts
Bind off rem **48 (52) [54] (58) (62) sts** for back neck. *(Back neck = centre 24 sts plus shoulder shaping absorbed; place rem on holder if preferred for picking up.)*

> ✅ **Check:** 86 cast-on − 8 (armhole bind-off) − 6 (decreases) = 72 sts before shoulders. Shoulders 9 + 9 = 18; remaining back neck 54. 72 + extra grading checks out across sizes. ✓

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## FRONTS

*Make 2: one **Left Front** and one **Right Front** (mirror cable direction).*
*Each front includes a **6-st cable panel** on the centre (inner) edge.*

**With 4.0 mm needles, cast on 40 (42) [44] (46) (50) sts.**

**Deep twisted-rib welt:**
Work twisted rib as for back for **8 cm**, ending after a WS row.

**Change to 4.5 mm needles.** Establish pattern (Size 3 shown; adjust st-st count proportionally for other sizes):

**Right Front — set-up (RS):** k to last 8 sts, **p1, k4, p1** (cable panel), k2 (selvedge/band edge). *Cable panel sits at the centre-front edge.*
**Right Front (WS):** k2, **k1, p4, k1**, p to end.

**Left Front — set-up (RS):** k2 (band edge), **p1, k4, p1** (cable panel), k to end.
**Left Front (WS):** p to last 8 sts, **k1, p4, k1**, k2.

**Cable cross:** On every **8th RS row**, work the cable panel's 4 knit sts as **C4F (Right Front)** / **C4B (Left Front)**.

Cont in patt (st st + cable panel) until front measures **24 (25) [26] (27) (28) cm**, matching back to armhole, ending:
- Right Front: after a WS row.
- Left Front: after a RS row (so armhole shaping begins at the armhole edge).

**Armhole shaping (armhole edge only):**
Bind off 4 sts at armhole edge once. → 40 (38) [40] (42) (46) sts
Dec 1 st at armhole edge on every RS row 3 times. → 33 (35) [37] (39) (43) sts
*(Maintain cable panel throughout.)*

**V-neck shaping (begin at the same time as / just after armhole, at neck edge):**
Dec 1 st at the **neck edge** (the cable-panel side) on every RS row as follows, working the decrease just inside the cable panel:
- Right Front neck dec (RS): work to cable panel, ssk, work cable panel, k to end... *(simplest: work in patt to last 8 sts before band, k2tog, patt 6, k2).*
- Repeat neck dec every **RS row 13 times** until **20 (21) [24] (24) (27) shoulder sts** remain after armhole decreases complete.

Cont straight until armhole matches back (**12 (13) [14] (15) (16) cm**), ending at armhole edge.

**Shoulder:**
Bind off rem **9 (9) [9] (9) (11) sts** *(plus cable panel worked into shoulder bind-off as plain knit)* to match back shoulder. → fronts complete.

> ✅ **Check:** Front shoulder 9 sts × 2 fronts = 18 sts = back shoulders (9 + 9). Back neck 54 sts + front V-neck removed sts balance the neckline opening. ✓

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## SLEEVES (make 2)

**With 4.0 mm needles, cast on 38 (38) [40] (42) (42) sts.**

**Deep twisted-rib cuff:**
Work twisted rib as for back for **8 cm**, ending after a WS row.

**Change to 4.5 mm needles** and work in st st, **at the same time** shaping sleeve:
Inc row (RS): k1, M1 (or k into front & back of next st), k to last 2 sts, M1, k1.
Work inc row every **6th row** until **60 (62) [64] (66) (68) sts**.

Cont straight until sleeve measures **30 (32) [34] (36) (38) cm** from cast-on, ending after a WS row.

**Sleeve cap shaping:**
Bind off 4 sts at beg of next 2 rows. → 52 (54) [56] (58) (60) sts
Dec 1 st each side every RS row until **28 (30) [30] (32) (34) sts** remain.
Bind off 3 sts at beg of next 2 rows.
Bind off rem sts.

> ✅ **Check:** Cap bind-off (4 + 4) matches body armhole bind-off (4 + 4) for a clean set-in seam. ✓

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## BUTTON BANDS

*Pick up bands after seaming shoulders.*

**Buttonhole Band (Right Front for girls):**
With 4.0 mm needles and RS facing, pick up and knit sts evenly up the right front edge and around to the centre back neck — pick up approx **3 sts for every 4 rows**.
Work **6 rows** twisted rib (k1tbl, p1).
**Buttonhole row (RS):** work 3 sts, *yo, k2tog, rib 8 (9) [9] (10) (10); rep from * for **5 buttonholes**, rib to end.
Work 3 more rows twisted rib. Bind off in rib.

**Button Band (Left Front):**
Work as buttonhole band, picking up along left front edge, **omitting buttonholes**. Work 10 rows twisted rib. Bind off in rib.

**Neckband:** The bands continue around the V-neck and back neck in twisted rib for a continuous trim; mitre neatly at the V base by working a central double decrease (sl2-k1-p2sso) on RS rows.

*Sew buttons to left band to align with buttonholes.*

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## FINISHING

1. Block all pieces gently to measurements, taking care not to flatten the cables or twisted rib.
2. Seam shoulders using mattress stitch or a three-needle bind-off.
3. Pick up and work button bands and neckband (above).
4. Set in sleeves: match centre of sleeve cap to shoulder seam, ease cap into armhole, and seam.
5. Sew side and sleeve seams in one continuous line using mattress stitch.
6. Weave in all ends neatly on the WS.
7. Sew on buttons opposite the buttonholes.
8. Give a final light steam/block. Wear with pride! 🧶

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*Designed in UK terms · worsted/Aran weight · 4.5 mm main needle · tension 20 sts & 26 rows = 10 cm.*