Unbirthday Statement Cardigan - Free Knitting Pattern

Get ready for a fringe party with this little ode to Wonderland collaboration that we are bringing you in the Unbirthday Statement Cardigan Free Knitting Pattern designed by Afifa Sayeed featuring yarn from Asylum Fibers and her Alice In Wonderland themed colors. While this is definitely an intermediate level pattern, do not fear the intricacy - YOU CAN MAKE THIS!!! Our testers did a wonderful job showing all the ways to make this your own with fun button choices and yarn colors too.

Afifa Unbirthday cardigan-1.jpg

SKILL LEVEL:  Intermediate๏ปฟ

SIZES: XS (Small, Medium, Large, 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X)
BUST: 32-34 (34-36, 38-40, 42-44, 46-48, 50-52, 54-56, 58-60, 62-64, 66-68)  
BODY LENGTH:  
10 (11, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 20, 22)

MATERIALS:
Asylum Fibers Merino Aran (100% Superwash Merino, 3ply; 181 yd/165.5 m; 3.5 oz/100g)
MC 635 (700, 800, 900, 1100, 1300, 1500, 1700, 1800) yds
CC 100 (150, 200, 250, 250, 300, 300, 350, 350) yds
US size 9/5.5 mm knitting needles
Darning needle
Stitch Markers
Scrap yarn (from the materials)
2 1.5โ€ buttons

ABBREVIATIONS: 
MC - main color  
CC - contrast color     
WS = wrong side         
RS = right side 
PCO - provisional cast-on
K(k) - knit                     
P(p) - purl 
pm - place marker           
m - marker        
sm = slip marker               
sl1 = slip 1 stitch 
K2tog = knit 2 stitches together                                
Sl1wyif = slip 1 stitch with yarn in front
Sl1wyib = slip 1 stitch with yarn in back      
m1l = make 1 left; single left-leaning knit increase
m1r = make one right; single right-leaning knit increase

Afifa Unbirthday cardigan-2.jpg

๏ปฟGAUGE: 16 stitches by 28 rows (unblocked) = 4 inches in loop stitch on US size 9 / 5.5mm needles.

PATTERN NOTES:

Loop stitch: 

1.      Work to the position of the loop in your pattern.  Knit into the next stitch, but do not allow the stitch to fall off the needle.

2.      Bring the working yarn to the front between the two needles.

3.      Place your thumb on the working yarn, and wrap the yarn around and over the top of your thumb, and back between the two needles. 

4.      Keeping the yarn wrapped around your thumb, knit into the same stitch again.

5.      Allow this stitch to fall off the needle, and the loop to fall off your thumb.  You now have two new stitches and a loop on the right hand needle.

6.      Slip the first new stitch over the second to maintain stitch count.  (watch Afifaโ€™s loop stitch tutorial here)

One row buttonhole:

3 stitch, one row buttonhole:

1.      sl1wyif, bring yarn to back. 

2.      (sl1, pass previous stitch over) 3x.

3.      Place last stitch on left needle, turn work. 

4.      Cast on 4 stitches using cable cast- on, turn work. 

5.      Sl1wyib, pass last CO stitch over slipped stitch.

Afifa Unbirthday cardigan-3.jpg

PATTERN

With US size 9 needles, provisionally cast-on 46, (52, 62, 72, 82, 92, 102, 112, 122) stitches, join MC.

Set up row: K 3 (3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17) pm, k 6, (8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22) pm, k 28, (30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44) pm, k 6, (8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22), pm, K 3 (3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17).

Row 1: K1, (loop stitch, k1) to last stitch, sl1wyif (sm as you come to them). 

Row 2: k to last stitch, sl1wyif. (sm as you come to them). 

Row 3: k1, m1l, (k to 1 stitch before m, m1l, k1, sm, k1, m1r) 4x, k to last stitch, m1r, sl1wyif. (10 stitches increased)

Row 4: Work row 2. 

Row 5: k1, (k1, loop stitch) to last stitch, sl1wyif. (sm as you come to them). 

Row 6: Work row 2. 

Row 7: Work row 3. (10 stitches increased)

Row 8: Work row 2.

Work last 8 rows 5, (6, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10, 11) more times. 166 (192, 222, 252, 262, 292, 302, 312, 342)

(The loops will loosen a bit after being knit on the WS row so give them a tug on the next RS row, after loop row, as you knit across, to tighten).

Afifa Unbirthday cardigan-5.jpg

Separate for sleeves:

K1, (loop stitch, k1) to m, remove m, place 30, (36, 42, 44, 50, 52, 58, 60, 66) sleeve stitches to next m on hold, (loop stitch, k1) to next m, remove m, place next set of sleeve stitches to next m on hold, (loop stitch, k1) to last stitch, sl1wyif.

Row 2-4: k to last stitch, sl1wyif.

Row 5: k1, (k1, loop stitch) to last stitch, sl1wyif.

Row 6-8: k to last stitch, sl1wyif.

Work last 8 rows 1 (1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5) more times. (OR to desired length less 2 inches)

Cut MC, join CC.

K1, (k1, p1) to last stitch, sl1wyif.

Work last row 13 more times, bind off loosely.

Afifa Unbirthday cardigan-6.jpg

Sleeves:

Place sleeve stitches on needles, join stitches in the round, join yarn, pick up 4 stitches in armpit, place marker, pick up 4 more. (Loop Stitch, k1) to last 4, k4.

Row 1: P 1 row.

Row 2: K 1 row.

Row 3: P 1 row.

Row 4: (K1, loop stitch) to end.

Row 5: P 1 row.

Row 6: K 1 row.

Row 7: P 1 row.

Row 8: (loop stitch, k1) to end.

Work last 8 rows 8 more times. (OR to desired length less 2 inches)

P 1 row. Cut MC.

Join CC. K2tog to end.
(For sizes XS, M, XL, 3X and 5X - k1, k2tog to last stitch, k1). 20, (22, 26, 26, 30, 30, 34, 34, 38)

Sleeve cuff: K1, p1. 

Work last row 13 more times. Bind off loosely.

(Tighten loops on the following row after loop row).

Afifa Unbirthday cardigan-4.jpg

Buttonband:

Place PCO stitches for neck on spare needles.

Join CC. Starting at bottom right corner, pick up and knit 4 stitches/inch until you reach PCO stitches. Knit across these stitches and then continue picking up approx. 4 stitches an inch until you reach the bottom left corner. Make sure to pick up an even number of stitches and pick up same number on either side of PCO. 

K1 (k1, p1) to last stitch, sl1wyif. 

Work last row two more times.

K1, (k1, p1), make buttonhole, (k1, p1), make buttonhole, (k1, p1) to last stitch, sl1wyif.

K1 (k1, p1) to last stitch, sl1wyif.

Work last row two more times.

Bind off. Block aggressively.

Once garment is dry, cut loops in half to create fringe and attach buttons.

About The Designer:
Born in Pakistan and educated in Asia, Europe and the United States, Afifa currently lives in California. Her work is informed by all these cultures. Passionate about bringing together elements of classic design from a variety of sources to create something new and original, she brings a modern sensibility and love of construction to the art of knitting.  Since 2015, she has published a full wardrobe of garments from fingerless mittens, cowls, hats, scarves, shawls, sweaters, and more. She conducts knitting workshops seasonally,  regularly contributes promotional designs for some of Californiaโ€™s favorite local yarn shops, and has  collaborated with many independent dyers across the country.

Keep up with Afifa on her networks:
Facebook
Instagram
Ravelry
www.afifaknits.com

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