Charmer Cardigan Pattern #1153

Materials: J. & P. Coats Knit-Cro-Sheen, 5 balls of White or Ecru, or 6 balls of any color.
Milward's Phantom Knitting Pins, 1 pair No. 1 (2½ mm. size).
Milward's steel crochet hook No. 5.
8 button molds.

Measurements: Bust—34 inches. Length from top of shoulder—19½ inches. Length of sleeve, underarm seam—5 inches.

Gauge: 17 sts make 2 inches; 12 rows make 1 inch.

Back. Starting at bottom, cast on 130 sts and work in pattern as follows: 1st row: K 1, * (O, k 2 tog.) 6 times, k 4. Repeat from * 7 more times, k 1. 2nd row: P across. 3rd row: K 1, * (k 2 tog., O) 6 times, k 4. Repeat from * 7 more times, k 1. 4th row: P across. 5th to 12th rows incl: Repeat 1st to 4th rows incl. twice. 13th row: K 1, * (O, k 2 tog.) twice, k 4, (O, k 2 tog.) 4 times. Repeat from * 7 more times, k 1. 14th row: P across. 15th row: K 1, * (k 2 tog., O) twice, k 4, (k 2 tog., O) 4 times. Repeat from * 7 more times, k 1. 16th row: P across. 17th to 24th rows incl: Repeat 13th to 16th rows incl. twice. These 24 rows constitute the pattern. Repeat these 24 rows, decreasing 1 st at both ends of next row and every inch thereafter until 124 sts remain. Work straight until piece measures 5 inches. Then, on next row and every 5th row thereafter, inc. 1 st at both ends until there are 154 sts on needle. Work straight until piece measures 11 inches.

To Shape Armholes: Bind off 5 sts at beginning of each of next 2 rows. Then dec. 1 st at end of each row until 116 sts remain. Work straight until piece measures 7 inches from 1st row of armhole shaping. To shape shoulders, bind off 4 sts at beginning of each row until 44 sts remain. Bind off.

Right Front. Starting at bottom, cast on 82 sts and work as follows: 1st row: K 16 (these 16 sts form center front band), k 1, * (O, k 2 tog.) 6 times, k 4. Repeat from * 3 more times, k 1. 2nd row: P across. 3rd row: K 16, k 1, * (k 2 tog., O) 6 times, k 4. Repeat from * 3 more times, k 1. 4th row: P across. 5th to 12th rows incl: Repeat 1st to 4th rows incl. twice. 13th row: K 16, k 1, * (O, k 2 tog.) twice, k 4, (O, k 2 tog.) 4 times. Repeat from * 3 more times, k 1. 14th row: P across. 15th row: K 16, k 1, * (k 2 tog., O) twice, k 4, (k 2 tog., O) 4 times. Repeat from * 3 more times, k 1. 16th row: P across. 17th to 24th rows incl: Repeat 13th to 16th rows incl. twice. Then, on next row and every 2 inches thereafter, make a pair of buttonholes until 8 pairs of buttonholes in all are made, at the same time decreasing 1 st at underarm edge on next row and every inch thereafter until 79 sts remain (to make a pair of buttonholes, starting at center front edge, k 2, bind off 4 sts, k 4, bind off 4 sts, k 2, and continue across in pattern; then, on next row, cast on 4 sts to replace those bound off). Work straight until piece measures 5 inches. Then, on next row and every 6th row thereafter, inc. 1 st at underarm edge until there are 90 sts on needle. Work straight until piece measures 11 inches.

To Shape Armhole: Starting at underarm edge, bind off 8 sts once, and 3 sts every other row twice. Then dec. 1 st at armhole edge every other row until 62 sts remain. Work straight until piece measures 5¾ inches from 1st row of armhole shaping. Then, starting at center front edge, bind off 30 sts (thus starting neck shaping), and work across remaining 32 sts. Continue in pattern over these 32 sts only until piece measures 7 inches from 1st row of armhole shaping. To shape shoulder, bind off 4 sts at armhole edge every other row until all sts have been bound off.

Left Front. Work as for Right Front, omitting buttonholes and reversing shapings.

Sleeves. Starting at bottom, cast on 82 sts and work in pattern, increasing 1 st at both ends of every 5th row until there are 114 sts on needle. Work straight until piece measures 5 inches. To shape top of sleeve, bind off 8 sts at beginning of each of next 2 rows. Then dec. 1 st at end of each row until 16 sts remain. Bind off.

Sew up underarm and shoulder seams. Sew up sleeve seams and sew sleeves in. Fold center front bands so that buttonholes are in line with one another, and sew in place. Work a row of s c all around neck edge, sleeve edges and lower edge of blouse.

Buttons. To cover buttons, ch 3, join with sl st to form ring. 1st rnd: 6 s c in ring. 2d rnd: 2 s c in each s c. 3rd rnd: * S c in each of next 2 s c, 2 s c in next s c (an increase). Repeat from * around. 4th and subsequent rnds: S c in each s c, making necessary increases in each rnd to have work lie flat. Continue in this manner until piece measures same as button. Work 2 rnds without increasing. Slip button into this piece and continue as before, but decreasing as necessary to make covering fit button. Fasten and break off. Sew on buttons to correspond with buttonholes.