This open-front cardigan is a breeze to make. Boasting beautiful yarn and subtle vertical lines, this top is a great way to transition between seasons.

Skill Level: Intermediate

Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4) to fit up to women’s 34 (40, 50, 60)” bust
Back length: 25 (28, 31, 34)”

Gauge: 14 sts/10 rows = 4” in hdc and puff lace pattern

Materials

Yarn: Rowan Fine Art (45% merino, 20% mohair, 25% polyamide, 10% silk; 437 yards [400 meters]/100 grams): #303 Waxwing (2 [3, 4, 5] hanks); Rowan Kidsilk Haze (70% mohair, 30% silk; 230 yards [210 meters]/25 grams): #634 Natural (5 [7, 9, 11, 13] skeins)
Hook: US size H/8 (5.0 mm) hook or size to achieve gauge
Notions: Tapestry needle, split ring stitch markers

Abbreviations

Hdcflo: Half double crochet in front loop only of designated st
Pufflo: Puff in front loop only of designated st

Special Stitches

Primary Lace Pattern
Row 1 (set-up row): Ch 1, sc in first st, *ch 1, sk next 3 sts, [(hdc, ch 1) twice, hdc] in next st, ch 1, sk next 3 sts, (sc, ch 2, sc) in next st. Rep from *, ending with sc in top ch of initial ch 2 from previous row. Turn.
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as hdc, ch 1), hdc in same sc, *ch 1, sk next 3 sts, [(hdc, ch 1) twice, hdc] in next ch-2 sp, ch 1, sk next hdc, (sc, ch 2, sc) in next hdc. Rep from *, ending with (hdc, ch 1, hdc) in final sc. Turn.
Row 3: Ch 1, sc in first st, *ch 1, [(hdc, ch 1) twice, hdc] in next ch-2 sp, ch 1, sk next hdc, (sc, ch 2, sc) in next hdc. Rep from *, ending with sc in second ch of initial ch 3 from previous row. Turn.

Puff: (yo, insert hk in st or sp indicated, yo and draw up lp) 3 times, yo and draw through all 7 lps on hk
Puff Lace Pattern: Ch 1, puff in first sc, ch 1 *(sc, ch 3, puff, ch 1) in next ch-3 sp. Rep from * across row, ending with sc in final sc. Turn.

Pattern Notes

Cardigan is designed with an open front, so each size will fit multiple bust sizes.
Cardigan is constructed in three sections: an initial shrug, a back section (which extends under arms) is picked up and worked along bottom half of shrug edge, and finally the front/collar section is picked up and worked directly from back sides and upper half of shrug edge.
One strand of each yarn is held together throughout.
Ch 2 at the beginning of any row counts as first hdc, unless otherwise indicated.

Pattern

Creating Shrug – Working Left Sleeve Edge

Holding one strand of each yarn together, ch 43 (51, 59, 67).
Row 1 (RS): Hdc in 3rd ch from hk and in each ch across. Turn. (41 [49, 57, 65] hdc)
Row 2: Ch 2, hdcflo in next st and in each st across. Turn.
Rows 3-5: Repeat 2.
Row 6 (puff lace set-up row): Ch 1,* scflo in first st, ch 3, puff in next st, ch 1, sk next 2 sts. Rep from * across row, ending with scflo in final st Turn. (10 [12, 14, 16] ch-3 sps)
Rows 7-10: Work puff lace pattern (see Special Stitches section) across all rows.
Row 11: Ch 2, 2 hdc in next ch-3 sp, *hdc in next sc, hdc in next puff, 2 hdc in next ch-3 sp. Rep from * across row, ending with hdc in last sc, hdc in last puff. Turn. (41 [49, 57, 65] hdc)
Rows 12-15: Rep as for Row 2.

Begin Primary Lace Section of Shrug

Row 16: Work Row 1 (set-up row) of primary lace pattern (see Special Stitches section). Turn. (5 [6, 7, 8] ch-2 sps)
Work Rows 2-3 of primary lace pattern alternately until shrug measures 48 (50 ½, 53, 58)” from beg of piece.

Working Right Sleeve Edge

Row 1: Ch 4 (counts as sl st, ch 3), sl in next ch-2 sp, *ch 3, sk next hdc, sl st in next hdc, ch 3, sl st in next ch-2 sp. Rep from * across row, ending with sl st in second ch of initial ch-3 of previous row. Turn. (10 [12, 14, 16] ch-3 sps)
Row 2: Ch 2, * 3 hdc in next ch-3 sp, hdc in next sl st. Rep from * across row, ending with 3 hdc in final ch-4 sp, 1 hdc in final ch. Turn. (41 [49, 57, 65] hdc)
Rows 3-6: Work as for row 2 of left sleeve edge.
Rows 7-16: Work as for rows 6-15 of left sleeve edge. Fasten off.
Block shrug to measurements. Place stitch markers along each long edge to delineate yoke section of shrug. With ws facing, fold shrug in half lengthwise, lining up stitch markers. With tapestry needle threaded with one strand of each yarn, sew each arm seam. Turn shrug rs out.

Creating Back

With rs facing, attach yarn with sl st along inside yoke edge at right arm seam. Pick up 65 (73, 81, 97) sc evenly spaced across bottom of yoke edge, ending at top of left arm seam.
Work row 1 (set-up row) of primary lace pattern across row. Turn. (8 [9, 10, 12] ch-2 sps)
Work rows 2-3 of primary lace pattern alternately until back piece measures 14 (15, 16, 17)” from beg of yoke edge. Fasten off. Lightly block back piece to measurements, opening up the lace widthwise. Bottom edge of back will form a slight curve.

Creating Front/Collar

Attach yarn with sl st at lower left corner of back. Pick up 165 (177, 193, 209) sc evenly spaced around back sides and top yoke of shrug. Place split ring st markers at arm seam to delineate yoke and neck of shrug.
Row 1: Ch 2, hdcflo in each st across, moving split ring st markers in same place in current row. Turn.
Rows 2-4: Repeat as for row 2.
Row 5 (first inc row): Ch 2, hdcflo in each st until first st marker. Work next 8 (12, 16, 24) sts, then increase as follows: (2 hdcflo in next st, 1 hdcflo in next two sts) 16 times; 1 hdcflo in each st to end of row, moving st markers to continue to delineate yoke and neck. Turn. (181 [193, 209, 225] hdc)
Row 6 (puff lace set-up row): Ch 1,* scflo in first st, ch 3, puff in next st, ch 1, sk next 2 sts. Rep from * across row, ending with scflo in final st. Turn. (45 [48, 52, 56] ch-3 sps)
Rows 7-10: Work puff lace pattern across all rows.
Row 8 (second inc row): Ch 2, 2 hdc in next ch-3 sp, *hdc in next sc, hdc in next puff, 2 hdc in next ch-3 sp. Rep from * across row to first st marker. Inc in middle 16 ch-3 sps around yoke and neck as follows: 3 hdc in next ch-3 sp, hdc in next sc, hdc in next puff. Continue to rep from * across remainder of row, ending with hdc in last sc, hdc in last puff. Turn. (197 [209, 225, 241] hdc)
Row 9: Ch 2, hdcflo in each st across. Turn.
Rows 10-12: Work same as for Row 9.

For Size 1 Only
Row 13 (puff lace set-up row): Ch 1,* scflo in first st, ch 3, puff in next st, ch 1, sk next 2 sts. Rep from * across row, ending with scflo in final st. Fasten off. (49 ch-3 sps)

For Sizes 2, 3, 4
Row 13 (puff lace set-up row): Ch 1,* scflo in first st, ch 3, puff in next st, ch 1, sk next 2 sts. Rep from * across row, ending with scflo in final st. (52 [56, 60] ch-3 sps)
Rows 14-17: Work puff lace pattern across each row.
Row 18: Ch 2, 2 hdc in next ch-3 sp, *hdc in next sc, hdc in next puff, 2 hdc in next ch-3 sp. Rep from * across row, ending with hdc in last sc, hdc in last puff. Turn. (209 [225, 241] hdc)
Rows 19-22: Ch 2, hdcflo in each st across.
Repeat Rows 13-22 0 (1, 2) more times.
Final row: Work puff lace set-up row. Fasten off.

Finishing

Weave in ends.