purlJam

# STRIPED SLOUCHY CREW-NECK CARDIGAN

A relaxed, easy-fitting cardigan worked in cozy worsted-weight yarn with a bold repeating stripe sequence: wide **navy**, thin **orange**, thin **gray**, thin **orange**. Knit flat in pieces and seamed — a perfect confidence-building project for advanced beginners ready to tackle simple shaping and colorwork.

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## MATERIALS

- **Yarn:** Worsted weight (Medium / #4), approx. 1200–1800 yds total, divided as follows:
  - **MC – Navy:** 900–1300 yds
  - **CC1 – Orange:** 150–250 yds
  - **CC2 – Gray:** 150–250 yds
- **Needles:**
  - US 7 / 4.5 mm straight or circular needles (main fabric)
  - US 5 / 3.75 mm straight or circular needles (ribbing & button bands)
- **Notions:**
  - Tapestry needle
  - Stitch markers (4)
  - Stitch holders or scrap yarn (2)
  - 6 buttons, ~¾" (20 mm) diameter

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## GAUGE

**20 sts × 26 rows = 4" (10 cm)** in stockinette stitch on US 7 / 4.5 mm needles, after blocking.
*Take time to check your gauge — slouchy fit depends on it.*

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## SIZES

Pattern is written for size **XS (S, M, L, XL)**.

| Measurement | XS | S | M | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finished Bust | 36" | 40" | 44" | 48" | 52" |
| Recommended Ease | +2–4" | +2–4" | +2–4" | +2–4" | +2–4" |
| Body Length (hem to shoulder) | 24" | 24½" | 25" | 25½" | 26" |
| Sleeve Length (cuff to underarm) | 18" | 18" | 18½" | 18½" | 19" |
| Upper Arm | 13" | 13½" | 14½" | 15½" | 16½" |

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## ABBREVIATIONS

- **BO** – bind off
- **CC1 / CC2** – contrast color 1 (orange) / 2 (gray)
- **CO** – cast on
- **k** – knit
- **k2tog** – knit 2 together (right-leaning decrease)
- **MC** – main color (navy)
- **p** – purl
- **rep** – repeat
- **RS** – right side
- **ssk** – slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease)
- **st(s)** – stitch(es)
- **WS** – wrong side

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## NOTES

**Construction:** This cardigan is worked flat in five pieces (back, two fronts, two sleeves), seamed, then button bands are picked up and knit along the front edges.

**Stripe Sequence (repeated throughout body and sleeves):**
- **Rows 1–14:** MC (Navy)
- **Rows 15–16:** CC1 (Orange) — 2 rows
- **Rows 17–18:** CC2 (Gray) — 2 rows
- **Rows 19–20:** CC1 (Orange) — 2 rows
- **Repeat Rows 1–20** for pattern (20-row repeat).

**Color carrying:** Carry unused colors loosely up the side edge of the work, twisting every 2 rows to keep edges tidy.

**Stripe alignment:** Begin the stripe sequence on **Row 1 of stockinette** (after ribbing) on every piece so stripes line up at side seams.

**Ribbing is worked in MC (navy) only.**

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## BACK

With smaller needles and **MC**, CO **90 (100, 110, 120, 130) sts**.

**Ribbing:** Work in k1, p1 rib for 2" (about 14 rows), ending with a WS row.

Change to larger needles. Begin **Stripe Sequence** and work in stockinette st (knit RS, purl WS) until piece measures **15½ (15¾, 16, 16¼, 16½)"** from CO, ending with a WS row.

### Armhole Shaping
*Continue stripe sequence throughout shaping.*

- **BO 4 sts** at beginning of next 2 rows. → **82 (92, 102, 112, 122) sts**
- **Dec Row (RS):** K2, ssk, knit to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2. *(2 sts dec)*
- Work WS row in purl.
- Repeat last 2 rows **3 more times** (4 dec rows total). → **74 (84, 94, 104, 114) sts**

*Math check: 90 − 8 (BO) − 8 (decs) = 74 ✓*

Continue even in stripe pattern until armhole measures **8 (8½, 9, 9½, 10)"**, ending with a WS row.

### Shoulder & Neck Bind-Off
- BO **7 (8, 10, 11, 13) sts** at beg of next 2 rows. → 60 (68, 74, 82, 88) sts
- BO **7 (9, 10, 12, 13) sts** at beg of next 2 rows. → 46 (50, 54, 58, 62) sts
- BO remaining **46 (50, 54, 58, 62) sts** for back neck.

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## FRONTS

*Make 2 — one Left Front and one Right Front (mirror image). Shaping instructions below are written for the **Left Front**; reverse all shaping for Right Front.*

With smaller needles and **MC**, CO **46 (51, 56, 61, 66) sts**.

**Ribbing:** Work in k1, p1 rib for 2", ending with a WS row.

Change to larger needles. Begin **Stripe Sequence** and work in stockinette st until piece measures **15½ (15¾, 16, 16¼, 16½)"** from CO, ending with a WS row (for Left Front; for Right Front, end with a RS row before armhole shaping so BO occurs at armhole edge).

### Armhole Shaping (Left Front)
- **BO 4 sts** at beg of next RS row. → **42 (47, 52, 57, 62) sts**
- Work 1 WS row.
- **Dec Row (RS):** K2, ssk, knit to end. *(1 st dec at armhole edge)*
- Work WS row.
- Repeat last 2 rows **3 more times**. → **38 (43, 48, 53, 58) sts**

Continue even in stripe pattern until armhole measures **5½ (6, 6½, 7, 7½)"**, ending with a RS row.

### Neck Shaping (Left Front)
- **Next row (WS):** BO **10 (11, 12, 13, 14) sts** at neck edge, purl to end. → **28 (32, 36, 40, 44) sts**
- **Dec Row (RS):** Knit to last 4 sts at neck edge, k2tog, k2.
- Work WS row.
- Repeat dec every RS row **a total of 14 (15, 16, 17, 18) times**. → **14 (17, 20, 23, 26) sts**

*Math check, size XS: 38 − 10 − 14 = 14 sts ✓*

Work even until armhole measures same as Back, ending with a WS row.

### Shoulder Bind-Off (Left Front)
- BO **7 (8, 10, 11, 13) sts** at beg of next RS row. → 7 (9, 10, 12, 13) sts
- Purl 1 WS row.
- BO remaining **7 (9, 10, 12, 13) sts**.

**Right Front:** Work as Left Front, **reversing all shaping** (armhole BO and decreases at start of WS rows; neck BO at start of RS row; shoulder BO at start of WS row). Use **k2, k2tog** at armhole edge and **ssk, k2** (worked from neck edge) for neck decreases.

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## SLEEVES (make 2)

With smaller needles and **MC**, CO **40 (42, 46, 48, 52) sts**.

**Ribbing:** Work in k1, p1 rib for 2½", ending with a WS row.

Change to larger needles. Begin **Stripe Sequence** and work in stockinette, AT THE SAME TIME shape sleeve as follows:

### Sleeve Increases
- **Inc Row (RS):** K2, M1 (or kfb), knit to last 2 sts, M1 (or kfb), k2. *(2 sts inc)*
- Repeat Inc Row every **8th row 12 (12, 11, 11, 10) times** total. → **64 (66, 68, 70, 72) sts**

*Approximate inc spacing covers ~16" of sleeve length.*

Work even until sleeve measures **18 (18, 18½, 18½, 19)"** from CO, ending with a WS row.

### Sleeve Cap Shaping
- **BO 4 sts** at beg of next 2 rows. → **56 (58, 60, 62, 64) sts**
- **Dec Row (RS):** K2, ssk, k to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2. *(2 sts dec)*
- Purl WS row.
- Repeat last 2 rows **8 (8, 9, 9, 10) more times**. → **38 (40, 40, 42, 42) sts** *(after total 9–11 dec rows)*
- BO **3 sts** at beg of next 4 rows. → 26 (28, 28, 30, 30) sts
- BO remaining sts.

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## BUTTON BANDS

Sew shoulder seams. Set in sleeves and sew side and sleeve seams.

### Button Band (Left Front, for women's; right for men's)
With smaller needles, RS facing, and **MC**, pick up and knit approx. **3 sts for every 4 rows** along left front edge — about **110 (114, 118, 122, 126) sts**.

Work in k1, p1 rib for 1". BO loosely in pattern.

### Buttonhole Band (Right Front)
Pick up sts as for Button Band. Work in k1, p1 rib for ½".

**Buttonhole Row (RS):** Rib **3** sts, *[BO 2 sts, rib until there are 19 (20, 21, 22, 23) sts on right needle after the BO]*; rep from * **4 more times**, BO 2 sts, rib to end. *(6 buttonholes)*

**Next row (WS):** Rib across, casting on 2 sts over each set of bound-off sts.

Continue in rib until band measures 1". BO loosely in pattern.

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## FINISHING

1. Weave in all ends, paying special attention to color changes at the side seams.
2. Block cardigan to finished measurements: pin gently to schematic dimensions and steam or wet block according to yarn label instructions. Allow to dry flat.
3. Sew buttons onto the Button Band opposite each buttonhole.
4. Wear and enjoy your cozy striped slouchy cardigan!

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**Stripe Sequence Reminder (repeat throughout):**
14 rows Navy → 2 rows Orange → 2 rows Gray → 2 rows Orange → repeat.

Happy knitting! 🧶