This slouchy, open-front cardigan is worked bottom-up in one piece and splits to complete the sleeves, so construction is easy and finishing minimal. Add to that some lovely alpaca silk yarn, an engagingly simple and good-looking lace pattern and pretty sleeve shaping at cuff, and you’ve got a go-to sweater to transition between seasons. It works equally well over weekend jeans or dressed up with a crisp shirt for work.

Skill Level: Intermediate

Size: Sm-2XL; finished bust size: 38 (44, 50, 56, 62)”; length: 26 (27, 28, 29, 30)”; Cardigan is meant to be loose-fitting and worn with 4-6” of positive ease

Gauge: 18 sts/11 rows = 4” in lace pattern. Gauge is somewhat important for this project. Please check your gauge on a blocked swatch.

Materials

Yarn: Drops Baby Alpaca Silk (70% alpaca, 30% silk; 183 yards [167 meters]/50 grams): #8108 Gray (8 (9, 10, 11) skeins)
Hook: US size F/5 (3.75 mm) or size to achieve gauge
Notions: Tapestry needle, split ring stitch markers, straight pins

Special Stitches

Dc Shell: [(dc, ch 1) twice, dc] in designated sp or st.
Half DC Shell: [dc, ch 1, dc] in designated sp or st.
Scv: (sc, ch 2, sc) in designated sp or st.

Pattern Notes

The cardigan is designed with an open front and lots of positive ease, so each size will fit multiple bust sizes.
Cardigan is constructed bottom-up in one piece to the armholes; the two front pieces are then worked, including sleeve halves; the top back in then worked, including sleeve halves and then sleeve halves are seamed along top and bottom; finally, a simple edging is worked around front/neck edge and cuff edges.
(Ch 4, dc) counts as half dc shell, unless otherwise indicated.

Pattern

Ch 151 (169, 199, 217, 247).
Set up Row: (Dc, ch 1, dc) in fourth ch from hk (counts as half dc shell), *sk 2 ch, scv in next ch, sk 2, dc shell in next ch, rep from * across to last three ch, sk 2, scv in final ch. Turn. (25 [28, 33, 36, 41] scv, 24 [27, 32, 35, 40] dc shells, 1 half dc shell)
Row 1: Ch 1, sl st into next ch-2 sp, (ch 4, dc) in same ch-2 sp, *sk 1 dc, scv in next dc, dc shell in next ch-2 sp, rep from * across, ending with scv in final ch-1 sp of set-up row. Turn.
Row 2: Ch 1, sl st into next ch-2 sp, (ch 4, dc) in same ch-2 sp, *sk 1 dc, scv in next dc, dc shell in next ch-2 sp, rep from * across, ending with scv in final ch-4 sp. Turn.
Repeat row 2 for an additional 46 rows. At end of row, count 7 (8, 10, 11, 13) scv from each end and place a stitch marker in each (marks split for each front side/back). Turn.

Right Front/Sleeve

Row 1 (Front Edge): Ch 1, sl st into next ch-2 sp, (ch 4, dc) in same ch-2 sp, *sk 1 dc, scv in next dc, dc shell in next ch-2 sp, rep from * to st marker, ch 77, turn.
Row 2 (Cuff Edge): (Dc, ch 1, dc) in fourth ch from hk, *sk 2 ch, scv in next ch, sk 2, dc shell in next ch, rep from * across rem of ch, cont in pat across rem of row, ending with scv in final ch-4 sp. Turn. (19 [20, 22, 23, 25] scv, 18 [19, 21, 22, 24] dc shells, 1 half dc shell)
Row 3: Ch 1, sl st into next ch-2 sp, (ch 4, dc) in same ch-2 sp, *sk 1 dc, scv in next dc, dc shell in next ch-2 sp, rep from * across, ending with scv in final ch-4 sp. Turn.
Repeat row three 15 (17, 21, 23, 27) more times.
Next row (First Inc Row): Ch 1, sl st into next ch-2 sp, (ch 4, dc) in same ch-2 sp, *sk 1 dc, scv in next dc, dc shell in next ch-2 sp, rep from * across, ending with scv in final dc, dc shell in ch-4 sp (inc). Turn. (19 [20, 22, 23, 25] scv, 19 [20, 22, 23, 25] dc shells, 1 half dc shell)
Second Inc Row: Ch 4, dc in first ch-1 sp, scv in next ch-1 sp, dc shell in next ch-2 sp, *sk 1 dc, scv in next dc, dc shell in next ch-2 sp, rep from * across, ending with scv in final ch-4 sp. Turn. (20 [21, 23, 24, 26] scv, 19 [20, 22, 23, 25] dc shells, 1 half dc shell)
Repeat as for right front/sleeve row 3 twice more. Fasten off.

Left Front/Sleeve

Row 1 (Front Edge): Attach yarn with sl st in ch-4 sp, (ch 3, sc) in same sp (counts as first scv), dc shell in next ch-2 sp, *sk 1 dc, scv in next dc, dc shell in next ch-2 sp, rep from * to st marker, ch 72, turn.
Row 2 (Cuff Edge): Sc in third ch from hk (counts as scv), sk 2 ch, dc shell in next ch, *sk 2 ch, scv in next ch, sk 2 ch, dc shell in next ch, rep from * across rem of ch, cont in pat across rem of row, ending with half dc shell in final ch-2 sp. Turn. (19 [20, 22, 23, 25] scv, 18 [19, 21, 22, 24] dc shells, 1 half dc shell)
Row 3: Ch 1, scv in next ch-1 sp, *dc shell in next ch-2 sp, sk 1 dc, scv in next dc, rep from *across, ending with half dc shell in final ch-2 sp.
Repeat row three 15 (17, 21, 23, 27) more times.
Next Row (First Inc Row): Ch 1, scv in next ch-1 sp, *dc shell in next ch-2 sp, *sk 1 dc, scv in next dc, rep from *across, ending with dc shell in final ch-2 sp. Turn. (19 [20, 22, 23, 25] scv, 19 [20, 22, 23, 25] dc shells)
Second Inc Row: Ch 1, scv in next dc, dc shell in next dc, scv in next dc, *dc shell in next ch-2 sp, sk 1 dc, scv in next dc, rep from *across, ending with half dc shell in final ch-2 sp. Turn. (20 [21, 23, 24, 26] scv, 19 [20, 22, 23, 25] dc shells, 1 half dc shell)
Repeat as for left front/sleeve row 3 twice more. Fasten off.

Working Top Back/Sleeves

Row 1: With RS facing, attach yarn with sl st at middle dc of dc shell of right armhole, (ch 3, sc) in same dc (counts as scv), *dc shell in next ch-2 sp, sk 1 dc, scv in next dc, rep from * across remainder of back, ch 77, place live st on st marker. Do not fasten off. With a second yarn skein, attach yarn with sl st at beg ch 1 of row, ch 72, place last live ch on st marker, cut ch from second skein leaving a 6” tail. You should now have a back row with pat sts in middle and ch lengths on both sides. Place hk at live marked ch of ch 77, turn.
Row 2 (Left Cuff Edge): (Dc, ch 1, dc) in fourth ch from hk, *sk 2 ch, scv in next ch, sk 2, dc shell in next ch, rep from * across rem of ch, cont in pat across rem of back, ending with scv in final ch. Turn. (49 [52, 57, 60, 65] scv, 48 [51, 56, 59, 64] dc shells, 1 half dc shell)
Row 3 (Right Cuff Edge): Ch 1, sl st into next ch-2 sp, (ch 4, dc) in same ch-2 sp, *sk 1 dc, scv in next dc, dc shell in next ch-2 sp, rep from * across, ending with scv in final dc. Turn.
Row 4: Ch 1, sl st into next ch-2 sp, (ch 4, dc) in same ch-2 sp, *sk 1 dc, scv in next dc, dc shell in next ch-2 sp, rep from * across, ending with scv in final ch-4 sp. Turn.
Repeat top back/sleeve row 4 an additional 14 (16, 20, 22, 26) more times.
Next row (First Inc Row): Ch 4, dc in first ch-2 sp, *sk 1 dc, scv in next dc, dc shell in next ch-2 sp, rep from * across, ending with scv in last dc, dc shell in final ch-4 sp. Turn. (49 [52, 57, 60, 65] scv, 49 [52, 57, 60, 65] dc shells, 1 half dc shell)
Second Inc Row: Ch 4, dc in first ch-1 sp, scv in next ch-1 sp, dc shell in next ch-2 sp, *sk 1 dc, scv in next dc, dc shell in next ch-2 sp, rep from * across, ending with scv in last dc, dc shell in final ch-4 sp. Turn. (50 [53, 58, 61, 66] scv, 50 [53, 58, 61, 66] dc shells, 1 half dc shell)
Next Row: Ch 4, dc in first ch-1 sp, scv in next ch-1 sp, dc shell in next ch-2 sp, *sk 1 dc, scv in next dc, dc shell in next ch-2 sp, rep from * across, ending with scv in final ch-4 sp. Turn. (51 [54, 59, 62, 67] scv, 50 [53, 58, 61, 66] dc shells, 1 half dc shell)
Repeat as for top back/sleeve row 4 twice more. Fasten off.

Finishing

Weave in ends. Block piece to measurement. With WS facing out and straight pins, pin top and bottom arm seams. With yarn threaded into tapestry needle and using a backstitch, sew seams. Remove pins and turn RS out.

Front/Neck Edging

With RS facing, attach yarn with sl st at lower right front edge, ch 1, sc 130 (134, 141, 145, 152) up the right front edge, sc 35 (40, 50, 55, 65) across back neck edge, sc 130 (134, 141, 145, 152) down the left front edge. Fasten off.

Right Cuff Edging

With RS facing, attach yarn with sl st at bottom seam of right cuff edge, ch 1, sc 100 around cuff, sl st into initial ch 1. Fasten off.

Left Cuff Edging

Work as for right cuff edging.
Weave in any remaining ends.