Knit a raglan swing cardigan

By Tanya Alpert

This bird of passage raglan swing cardigan is a beautiful wrap-like sweater. It's designed to fit loosely, making it adaptable to any size. Read on for the free pattern.

I've always loved the shape of a bird's wing, but it's difficult to incorporate that distinctive form into an everyday garment without verging on costume. That challenge inspired me to update a traditional raglan sweater by essentially merging it with a wrap, to create an elegant A-line silhouette with fly-away three-quarter sleeves. For the shaping, I used alternating right- and left-slanting decreases, which produce a surface texture that recalls the feather pattern of a bird's wing. The outside raglan seams add an interesting decorative touch. The garment is loose-fitting, which makes it easily adaptable to variety of sizes.

You can see a larger image of the raglan swing cardigan here.

Skill level
Easy

Sizes
Small (Medium, Large). Instructions are for smallest size, with changes for other size noted in parentheses as necessary.

Finished measurements
Bust (buttoned): 32-34 (36-38, 40-42)"
Total length: 18 (19, 20)"

Find pattern piece measurements here.

Materials
• Berroco Pure Merino (4/medium weight; 100% extra ﬁne merino; 1 3⁄4 oz/50g; 92 yds/84m): 11 (12, 13) balls of Aubergine #8522 (or a similar yarn)

• One each of sizes 7 and 9 (4.5 and 5.5mm) 24" long circular needles. Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.

• Five stitch holders

• Stitch markers

• Row counter

• Tapestry needle

• Two 5/8" decorative buttons

• One 1/2" ﬂat button

• Size B (2.25mm) crochet hook

Gauge
18 sts and 24 rows = 4" in St st on larger needles
To save time, take time to check gauge.

Stitch patterns
Garter Stitch
Pattern Row: Knit across.
Repeat Patt Row.

Stockinette Stitch (St st)
Row 1 (RS): Knit across.
Row 2 (WS): Purl across.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2.

Special Decrease Stitches
Right-Slanting Decrease (RD): Knit 2 sts, place them back onto the left needle, pass the third stitch from left needle over the 2 sts already knit.

Place the 2 knit sts back onto the right needle.

Left-Slanting Decrease (LD): Slip 1 stitch as if to P, knit the following 2 sts, pass the slipped stitch over the 2 knitted stitches.

To make:
Back
With larger needles, CO 102 (106, 112) sts. Knit 9 rows in Garter st. These 9 rows become the bottom band of the cardigan.

Row 1 (WS): Beg St st patt, starting with a purl row. Work a total of 5 rows, ending with a WS row.

Row 6 (Set up Decrease Row) (RS): K9 (9, 10), pm (place marker), RD, k18 (19, 20), pm, RD, k36 (38, 40), LD, pm, k18 (19, 20), LD, pm, k9 (9, 10)

Rows 7-11: Work a total of 5 rows in St st, starting and ending with a purl (WS) row.

Row 12: (Decrease Row) (RS): K9 (9, 10), slip marker (sl m), RD, knit to the next marker, sl m, RD, knit to 3 sts before the next marker, LD, sl m, knit to 3 sts before the next marker, LD, sl m, k9 (9, 10).

Continue in St st working a Decrease row (as row 12) every 6th row 15 (16, 17) more times, and at the same time beginning armhole shaping.

Armhole shaping
BO 4 sts at the beg of the 6th Decrease Row, and at the beg of the foll row.

Continue with RD and LD on every 6th row until a total of 17 (18, 19) decrease rows are made.

Place rem 25 (27, 28) sts on st holder.

Find the rest of the pattern on page 2 >>

Excerpted from Haiku Knits, copyright 2009 by Tanya Alpert. Used by permission of Random House.

All Rights Reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced except with permission in writing from the publisher.