ASTERA FAIR ISLE CARDIGAN - 50588

revised 7/22/08

Body

With MC, cast on...........

Sleeves

With MC and smaller...........

Knit 3" of K2,P2 ribbing.

Change to larger needles

Sleeve Increases

Using MC increase as follows:

Garter Stitch Front Bands

With MC and a 32" circular...............

Revised 3/24/09

Begin Color Patterns:

You are now going to set aside approximately 6" of stitches in the front to shape a square neck on the cardigan.

Slip the last 20 (22, 24, 26, 28, 30) stitches, the 7 steek stitches and the first 20 (22, 24, 26, 28, 30) sts of the round to a piece of scrap yarn or stitch holder. (This ensures that the pattern will mirror itself after you cut the neck shaping steek.) Break off the yarn, leaving a 3" tail to weave in later.

Using the backward loop method, cast on the 7 stitches you need to continue the steek. You will have a funny looking "kangaroo pouch," but it will shape up once you cut both sections of steeking later. Now you can finish knitting the last 3" of the body.

Knit one round in the current heather color, being sure to cast off the steek stitches here.

After binding off the steek stitches, separate the garment into sections: place 44 (48, 55, 62, 69, 73) stitches on a piece of scrap yarn for the right front, 143 (155, 173, 191, 209, 221) stitches on a separate strand of scrap yarn for back, and 44 (48, 55, 62, 69, 73) stitches on a separate piece of scrap yarn for the left front.

Joining the sleeves to the body

Starting at the outer shoulder edge and working toward the neck, skip the first four sts on both front and back (8 sts total), then place 40 (44, 51, 58, 65, 69) stitches from the back onto a working needle. Do the same for the left front.

Using 3-needle bind off (see http://community.knitpicks.com/notes if you are unfamiliar with this technique), join the front and back together at the shoulders. Repeat for the right side. There should now be 8 open sts at each shoulder corner; these will act as the armscye steek. There are 55 (59, 63, 67, 71, 75) sts remaining across the back neck.