Knit a child's cabled pullover

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Skill level
Intermediate

Sizes
Child's size 2 (4, 6, 8). Instructions are for smallest size, with changes for other sizes noted in parentheses as necessary.

Finished measurements
Chest: 26 (29, 31-1/2, 34)"
Total length: 14 (15, 16, 17)"

Materials
• Westminster Fibers/Jaeger's Baby Merino DK (3-DK weight; 100% wool; each approx 1-3/4 oz/50 g and 130 yd/120 m), 7 (7, 8, 9) balls in #227 Rose
• One pair each of sizes 4 and 5 (3.5 and 3.75 mm) knitting needles or size needed to obtain gauge
• One cable needle
• Three stitch markers
• One blunt-end yarn needle

Gauge
In Box St Patt with larger needles, 26 sts and 34 rows = 4". To save time, take time to check gauge.

Stitch patterns
Twisted Rib Pattern (mult 2 + 1 sts)
Row 1 (RS): *K next st through back loop, P1. Repeat from * across, ending row with K next st through back loop.
Row 2: *P next st through back loop, K1. Repeat from * across, ending row with P next st through back loop.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 for patt.

Box Stitch Pattern (mult 4 + 2 sts)
Row 1 (RS): *K2, P2. Repeat from * across, ending row with K2.
Row 2: *P2, K2. Repeat from * across, ending row with P2.
Row 3: As Row 2.
Row 4: As Row 1.
Repeat Rows 1-4 for patt.

Right and Left Cable Pattern
Click here for charts
Click here for key to cable pattern charts

Back
With smaller needles, CO 95 (103, 111, 119) sts.

Beg Twisted Rib Patt and work even until piece measures approx 1-1/2" from beg, ending after RS row.

Next Row (WS): Cont patt as established, and work across first 15 (19, 23, 27) sts, M1, work 2 sts, M1, work 3 sts, M1, work 6 sts, M1, work 14 sts, M1, work 3 sts, M1, work 4 sts, M1, (work 2 sts, M1) two times, work 4 sts, M1, work 2 sts, M1, work 14 sts, M1, work 7 sts, M1, (work 2 sts, M1) two times, (work 5 sts, M1) two times, work across to end row -- 112 (120, 128, 136 ) sts.

Change to larger needles, work Row 1 of Box St Patt over first 10 (14, 18, 22) sts, place marker, work Row 1 of Right Cable Patt over next 46 sts, place marker, work Left Cable Patt over next 46 sts, place marker, work Row 1 of Box St Patt to end row.

Cont even in patts as established until piece measures approx 8-1/2 (9, 9-1/2, 10)" from beg, ending after WS row.

Shape armholes
BO 4 (8, 8, 12) sts at beg of next two rows -- 104 (104, 112, 112) sts rem.

Cont even until piece measures approx 12-1/4 (13-1/4, 14-1/4, 15-1/4)" from beg, ending after WS row. BO.

Front
Work same as Back until piece measures approx 11-3/4 (12-3/4, 13-3/4, 14-3/4)" from beg, ending after WS row.

Shape neck
Next row (RS): Work across first 36 (36, 37, 37) sts; join second ball of yarn and BO middle 32 (32, 38, 38) sts, work to end row.

Work both sides at once with separate balls of yarn, and BO 4 sts each neck edge once, then dec 1 st each neck edge every row once -- 31 (31, 32, 32) sts rem each side.

Cont even until piece measures same as Back. BO.

Sleeves
With smaller needles, CO 57 (57, 67, 67) sts.

Beg Twisted Rib Patt, and work even until piece measures approx 1-1/2" frorm beg, ending after RS row.

For Sizes 2 and 4 only
Next Row: Cont patt as established, and work across first 6 sts, M1, work 14 sts, M1, work 2 sts, M1, work 4 sts, M1, (work 2 sts, M1) two times, work 4 sts, M1, work 3 sts, M1, work 14 sts, M1, work across to end row -- 66 sts.

For Sizes 6 and 8 only
Next Row: Cont patt as established, and work across first 2 sts, M1, work across 2 sts, M1, work across 7 sts, M1, work 14 sts, M1, work 2 sts, M1, work 4 sts, M1, (work 2 sts, M1) two times, work 4 sts, M1, work 3 sts, M1, work 14 sts, M1, work 6 sts, M1, work across 3 sts, M1, work across to end row -- 80 sts.

For all sizes
Change to larger needles, beg Row 1 of Right Cable Patt where indicated, then work Row 1 of Left Cable Patt where indicated to end row.

Cont patts as established, and work even for two rows.

Cont patts as established, and inc 1 st each side on next row and then every fourth row 7 (12, 0, 3) more times, every sixth row 7 (5, 11, 13) times, then every eighth row 0 (0, 2, 0) times, working new sts into Right and Left Cable Patts as they accumulate. When all Right and Left Cable sts on charts have been added, work rem new sts in Box St Patt -- 96 (102, 108, 114) sts.

Cont even until piece measures approx 11-1/2 (12-3/4, 13-1/2, 15)" from beg.

Shape saddle
BO 31 (34, 37, 40) sts at beg of next two rows -- 34 sts rem.

Cont even in patts as established until saddle measures approx 3-1/2 (3-1/2, 3-3/4, 3-3/4)" from beg. BO.

Finishing
Block pieces to measurements.

Set in Sleeves, leaving left back shoulder seam unsewn.

Neck edging
With RS facing and smaller needles, pick up and K 120 (120, 124, 124) sts along neckline.

Row 1 (WS): *K1, P next st through back loop. Repeat from * across.

Row 2: *P1, K next st through back loop. Repeat from * across. Repeat last two rows until neckband measures approx 1" from beg. BO loosely in patt.

Sew left shoulder seam, including side of neckband.

Sew sleeve and side seams.

 

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Excerpted from Cables Untangled: An Exploration of Cable Knitting by Melissa Leapman. Copyright 2006 by Melissa Leapman. Excerpted with permission from Potter Craft, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced except with permission in writing from the publisher.