Ballari Knit Cardigan
The most sought-after qualities in a spring cardigan are its ability to keep you warm when it's cool, and to keep you cool when it's warm. This lacy Ballari Knit Cardigan does just that. Made with lace yarn, this sweater pattern is airy and light, but the stitches around your arms are tight to chase the chill away. When you add the gorgeous lace detailing, the waterfall design, and the slightly cropped sleeves, you get a real game-changer of a cardigan with a truly unique style.
Knitting Needle Size1 or 2.25 mm, 2 or 2.75 mm
Yarn Weight(0) Lace (33-40 stitches to 4 inches). Includes crochet thread.
Gauge35 sts and 45 rows to 10 cm measured over st st, 34 sts and 45 rows to 10 cm measured over patt, both using 2¾mm (US 2) needles.
Finished SizeTo fit bust: SM: 81-86 M: 91-97 L: 102-107 XL: 112-117 XXL: 122-127 cm; SM: 32-34 M: 36-38 L: 40-42 XL: 44-46 XXL: 48-50 in
Materials List
- Fine Silk yarn - 11, 12, 13, 14, 16 x 25gm (photographed in Blue Grey 103)
- 1 pair 2¼mm (no 13) (US 1) needles
- 1 pair 2¾mm (no 12) (US 2) needles
Instruction
BACK
Using 2¼mm (US 1) needles cast on 153 [171: 191: 213: 237] sts.
Work in g st for 6 rows, and ending with RS facing for next row.
Change to 2¾mm (US 2) needles.
Row 7 (RS): K64 [73: 83: 94: 106], (K2tog, yfwd, K1, yfwd, sl 1, K1, psso, K5) twice, K2tog, yfwd, K1, yfwd, sl 1, K1, psso, K64 [73: 83: 94: 106].
Row 8: Purl.
Now work in patt as folls:
Row 1 (RS): K61 [70: 80: 91: 103], (K2, K2tog, yfwd, K3, yfwd, sl1, K1, psso, K1) 3 times, K62 [71: 81: 92: 104].
Row 2 and every foll alt row: Purl.
Row 3: K61 [70: 80: 91: 103], (K1, K2tog, yfwd, K5, yfwd, sl 1, K1, psso) 3 times, K62 [71: 81: 92: 104].
Row 5: K61 [70: 80: 91: 103], K2tog, yfwd, (K7, yfwd, sl 1, K2tog, psso, yfwd) twice, K7, yfwd, sl 1, K1, psso, K61 [70: 80: 91: 103].
Row 7: K61 [70: 80: 91: 103], (K2, yfwd, sl 1, K1, psso, K3, K2tog, yfwd, K1) 3 times, K62 [71: 81: 92: 104].
Row 9: K61 [70: 80: 91: 103], (K3, yfwd, sl 1, K1, psso, K1, K2tog, yfwd, K2) 3 times, K62 [71: 81: 92: 104].
Row 11: K61 [70: 80: 91: 103], (K4, yfwd, sl 1, K2tog, psso, yfwd, K3) 3 times, K62 [71: 81: 92: 104].
Row 12: As row 2.
These 12 rows form patt.
Cont in patt until back meas 27 [28: 29: 30: 31] cm, ending with RS facing for next row.
-
Shape armholes
Keeping patt correct, cast off 4 [6: 8: 10: 12] sts at beg of next 2 rows. 145 [159: 175: 193: 213] sts.
Dec 1 st at each end of next 3 [5: 7: 9: 11] rows, then on foll 6 [7: 8: 10: 12] alt rows, then on foll 4th row. 125 [133: 143: 153: 165] sts.
Cont straight until armhole meas 20 [21: 22: 23: 24] cm, ending with RS facing for next row. -
Shape shoulders
Keeping patt correct, cast off 10 [12: 13: 15: 16] sts at beg of next 4 rows, then 11 [11: 13: 14: 16] sts at beg of foll 2 rows. 63 [63: 65: 65: 69] sts.
Change to 2¼mm (US 1) needles.
Work in g st for 5 rows, ending with WS facing for next row.
Cast off knitwise (on WS).
LEFT FRONT (knitted sideways, beg at front opening edge)
Using 2¼mm (US 1) needles cast on 175 [185: 185: 195: 205] sts.
Work in g st for 6 rows, ending with RS facing for next row.
Change to 2¾mm (US 2) needles.
Row 7 (RS): K3, *K3, K2tog, yfwd, K1, yfwd, sl 1, K1, psso, K2, rep from * to last 2 sts, K2.
Row 8: K1, P to last 3 sts, K3.
Now work in patt as folls:
Row 1 (RS): K3, *K2, K2tog, yfwd, K3, yfwd, sl 1, K1, psso, K1, rep from * to last 2 sts, K2.
Row 2 and every foll alt row: K1, P to last 3 sts, K3.
Row 3: K3, *K1, K2tog, yfwd, K5, yfwd, sl 1, K1, psso, rep from * to last 2 sts, K2.
Row 5: K3, K2tog, yfwd, *K7, yfwd, sl 1, K2tog, psso, yfwd, rep from * to last 10 sts, K7, yfwd, sl 1, K1, psso, K1.
Row 7: K3, *K2, yfwd, sl 1, K1, psso, K3, K2tog, yfwd, K1, rep from * to last 2 sts, K2.
Row 9: K3, *K3, yfwd, sl 1, K1, psso, K1, K2tog, yfwd, K2, rep from * to last 2 sts, K2.
Row 11: K3, *K4, yfwd, sl 1, K2tog, psso, yfwd, K3, rep from * to last 2 sts, K2.
Row 12: As row 2.
These 12 rows form patt.
Cont in patt for a further 36 rows, ending with RS facing for next row.
Working st for 4 rows, dec [dec: inc: -: dec] 1 [4: 3: -: 3] sts evenly across first of these rows and ending with RS facing for next row. 174 [181: 188: 195: 202] sts.
Next row (RS): K to last 3 sts, K2tog, yfwd, K1.
Next row: K6, P to last 3 sts, K3.
These 2 rows form patt for rest of left front.
Cont in patt as now set until left front meas 27 [27: 27.5: 27.5: 28] cm, ending with WS facing for next row. Cast off 6 sts at beg of next row. 168 [175: 182: 189: 196] sts. (These 6 sts will be sewn to row-end edge of last 5 rows of g st across back neck edge.)
-
Shape shoulder
Dec 1 st at end of 11th [11th: 13th: 15th: 15th] and 2 foll 10th [12th: 14th: 14th: 16th] rows. 165 [172: 179: 186: 193] sts.
Work 8 [10: 10: 14: 14] rows, ending with WS facing for next row. -
Shape armhole
Cast off 54 [54: 54: 53: 52] sts at beg of next row, then 3 [4: 4: 4: 4] sts at beg of foll alt row, ending with RS facing for next row. 108 [114: 121: 129: 137] sts.
Dec 1 st at end of next row and at same edge on foll 12 [15: 18: 23: 27] rows. 95 [98: 102: 105: 109] sts.
Work 3 [6: 9: 12: 16] rows, ending with RS facing for next row.
Cast off.
RIGHT FRONT (knitted sideways, beg at front opening edge)
Using 2¼mm (US 1) needles cast on 175 [185: 185: 195: 205] sts.
Working st for 6 rows, ending with RS facing for next row.
Change to 2¾mm (US 2) needles.
Row 7 (RS): K1, *K3, K2tog, yfwd, K1, yfwd, sl 1, K1, psso, K2, rep from * to last 4 sts, K4.
Row 8: K3, P to last st, K1.
Now work in patt as folls:
Row 1 (RS): K1, *K2, K2tog, yfwd, K3, yfwd, sl 1, K1, psso, K1, rep from * to last 4 sts, K4.
Row 2 and every foll alt row: K3, P to last st, K1.
Row 3: K1, *K1, K2tog, yfwd, K5, yfwd, sl 1, K1, psso, rep from * to last 4 sts, K4.
Row 5: K1, K2tog, yfwd, *K7, yfwd, sl 1, K2tog, psso, yfwd, rep from * to last 12 sts, K7, yfwd, sl 1, K1, psso, K3.
Row 7: K1, *K2, yfwd, sl 1, K1, psso, K3, K2tog, yfwd, K1, rep from * to last 4 sts, K4.
Row 9: K1, *K3, yfwd, sl 1, K1, psso, K1, K2tog, yfwd, K2, rep from * to last 4 sts, K4.
Row 11: K1, *K4, yfwd, sl 1, K2tog, psso, yfwd, K3, rep from * to last 4 sts, K4.
Row 12: As row 2.
These 12 rows form patt.
Cont in patt for a further 36 rows, ending with RS facing for next row.
Working st for 4 rows, dec [dec: inc: -: dec] 1 [4: 3: -: 3] sts evenly across first of these rows and ending with RS facing for next row. 174 [181: 188: 195: 202] sts.
Next row (RS): K1, yfwd, sl 1, K1, psso, K to end.
Next row: K3, P to last 6 sts, K6.
These 2 rows form patt for rest of right front.
Cont in patt as now set until right front meas 27 [27: 27.5: 27.5: 28] cm, ending with RS facing for next row.
Cast off 6 sts at beg of next row, ending with WS facing for next row. 168 [175: 182: 189: 196] sts. (These 6 sts will be sewn to row-end edge of last 5 rows of g st across back neck edge.)
-
Shape shoulder
Dec 1 st at end of 11th [11th: 13th: 15th: 15th] and 2 foll 10th [12th: 14th: 14th: 16th] rows. 165 [172: 179: 186: 193] sts.
Work 8 [10: 10: 14: 14] rows, ending with RS facing for next row. -
Shape armhole
Cast off 54 [54: 54: 53: 52] sts at beg of next row, then 3 [4: 4: 4: 4] sts at beg of foll alt row, ending with WS facing for next row. 108 [114: 121: 129: 137] sts.
Dec 1 st at end of next row and at same edge on foll 12 [15: 18: 23: 27] rows. 95 [98: 102: 105: 109] sts.
Work 3 [6: 9: 12: 16] rows, ending with WS facing for next row.
Cast off (on WS).
SLEEVES
Using 2¼mm (US 1) needles cast on 87 [91: 95: 95: 99] sts.
Row 1 (RS): K1, *P1, K1, rep from * to end.
Row 2: P1, *K1, P1, rep from * to end.
These 2 rows form rib.
Work in rib for a further 6 rows, and ending with RS facing for next row.
Change to 2¾mm (US 2) needles.
Beg with a K row, now work in st st throughout as folls:
Inc 1 st at each end of 3rd and every foll 4th row to 101 [105: 111: 129: 139] sts, then on every foll 6th row until there are 129 [135: 141: 147: 153] sts.
Cont straight until sleeve meas 31 [32: 33: 33: 33] cm, ending with RS facing for next row.
-
Shape top
Cast off 4 [6: 8: 10: 12] sts at beg of next 2 rows. 121 [123: 125: 127: 129] sts.
Dec 1 st at each end of next 13 rows, then on every foll alt row until 77 sts rem, then on foll 13 rows, ending with RS facing for next row. 51 sts.
Cast off 5 sts at beg of next 4 rows.
Cast off rem 31 sts.
MAKING UP
Press.
Join both shoulder seams using back stitch, or mattress stitch if preferred, joining row-end edges of back neck g st border to cast- off sts of fronts.
Set in sleeves using set-in method.
See diagram.
Abbreviations
- k
- knit
- p
- purl
- k2tog
- knit 2 stitches together
- yfwd
- bring yarn to front (also known as a yarn over)
- psso
- pass slipped stitch over
- sl
- slip stitch from left to right needle
- patt
- pattern
- g st
- garter stitch (knit every row)
- st st
- stockinette stitch (alt knit and purl rows)
- beg
- begin(ning)