Bloused Back Cardigan Pattern

Sizes: 10, 12, 14 and 16

Materials Required:
AMERICAN THREAD COMPANY
"DAWN" ORLON
8 (9, 10, 11) ounces Tropic Rose or color of your choice.
Knitting Needles: 1 pair No. 2 or any size needles which will result in stitch gauge below.
3 yard—½ inch elastic.
9—⅝ inch bone rings.
⅔ yard—1 inch grosgrain ribbon.
½ yard—½ inch grosgrain ribbon.

Gauge: 13 sts = 2 inches; 9 rows = 1 inch.

Directions are given for size 10. Sizes 12, 14 and 16 are given in parentheses.

Back: Cast on 104 (110, 116, 122) stitches (sts), work in stockinette st of Knit (K) 1 row, Purl (P) 1 row for 1 inch.
Next Row. K 16 sts, increase 1 st (to increase: pick up and K the yarn between last st worked and next st), * K 3, increase 1 st, repeat from * 23 (25, 27, 29) times, K remaining 16 sts.
There are 129 (137, 145, 153) sts on needle. Work even in stockinette st until Back measures 15 (15, 15½, 15½) inches from beginning, ending at Armhole edge.

Shape Armholes: Bind off 6 sts at beginning of next 2 rows, bind off 3 (3, 4, 4) sts at beginning of next 2 rows, then decrease 1 st at beginning and end of every other row until 105 (113, 121, 129) sts remain.
Next Row. K 1, * K 2 together, K 2, repeat from * 25 (27, 29, 31) times. There are 79 (85, 91, 97) sts on needle. Work even until Armholes measure 7½ (7¾, 8, 8¼) inches from 1st decreasing point.

Shape Shoulders: Bind off 6 (7, 8, 8) sts at beginning of next 6 rows, bind off 8 (7, 7, 9) sts at beginning of next 2 rows. Bind off remaining 27 (29, 29, 31) sts.

Left Front: Cast on 65 (69, 73, 77) sts.
1st Row. K 7 sts, slip (sl) 1, K to end of row.
2nd Row. P across 65 (69, 73, 77) sts.
Repeat these 2 rows until Front measures same as Back to underarm ending at armhole edge.
Note: Keep continuity of sl sts to neck shaping.

Shape Armhole: Bind off 6 sts at beginning of next row. Work 1 row even. Bind off 3 (3, 4, 4) sts at begin­ning of next row, then decrease 1 st at Armhole edge every other row until 53 (57, 61, 65) sts remain. Work even until Armhole measures 5½ (5¾, 5¾, 6) inches from beginning ending at Front edge.

Shape Neckline: Bind off 14 (16, 16, 18) sts, bind off 3 sts at same edge each row 3 times, then decrease 1 st at same edge every other row 4 (4, 5, 5) times. Work even until Armhole measures same as Back Armhole ending at Armhole edge.

Shape Shoulder: Bind off 6 (7, 8, 8) sts at beginning of next row. Work 1 row even. Repeat last 2 rows twice. Work 1 row even. Bind off remaining 8 (7, 7, 9) sts. Place markers for 9 buttons evenly spaced having 1st marker ½ inch from lower edge and last marker ½ inch below Neck shaping.

Right Front: Work same as Left Front reversing the shaping and working double buttonholes to corre­spond to markers.

Double Buttonholes: Starting at Front edge: K 2, bind off 3 sts, K 2, sl 1, K 2, bind off 3 sts, K to end of row.
Next Row. P across row casting on 3 sts over the bound off sts.

Sleeves: Cast on 70 (74, 78, 82) sts. Working in stock­inette st work 1 inch even, then increase 1 st at be­ginning and end of row every ½ inch until there are 82 (86, 90, 94) sts on needle.
Work even until Sleeve measures 5 (5, 5½, 5½) inches from beginning.
Bind off 6 (6, 6, 7) sts at beginning of next 2 rows, then decrease 1 st at beginning of each row until 30 (30, 32, 32) sts remain. Bind off 2 sts at beginning of next 2 rows. Bind off remaining 26 (26, 28, 28) sts.

Collar: Cast on 84 (86, 88, 90) sts, work in stockinette st for 3 inches ending with a P row.
Next Row. * K 1, P 1, repeat from * across row.
Next Row. K across row. Repeat last 2 rows twice. Bind off in ribbing.

Cuffs: Cast on 70 (72, 74, 76) sts, work in stockinette st for 2¾ inches, ending with a P row.
Next Row. * K 1, P 1, repeat from * across row.
Next Row. K across row.
Repeat last 2 rows twice. Bind off in ribbing.

Finishing: Block each section. Sew Sides, Shoulder and Sleeve seams. Sew Sleeves in position. Turn Front edges along sl sts to wrong side and sew in position. With wrong side of Collar toward you crochet a row of single crochet (s c) across short edge of Collar, ch 1, turn. Work 1 s c in each s c, cut yarn. Finish other short edge of Collar and short edges of Cuffs in same manner.
Sew Collar in position, leaving ½ inch free from each Front edge.
With right side of work toward you, attach yarn at Left Neck edge next to Collar, crochet a row of s c down Front, across lower edge and up opposite Front to corresponding space at opposite side. Crochet Cuffs to Sleeve edges with a row of s c.

Casing: Starting 2 inches from side seam, work a casing on wrong side of Back between cast on edge and increasing row using a herringbone st ending 2 inches from side seam at opposite end.
Lace elastic through casing, fasten securely. Sew 1 inch grosgrain ribbon across remainder of lower edge to Front hem.
Stitch ½ inch grosgrain ribbon to wrong side of Back along decreasing row.

Buttons: Cover a bone ring with s c, cut yarn leaving an end. Thread into needle and draw together at cen­ter. Sew buttons in position.