Transitions Yoke Cardigan
A simple top-down circular yoke cardigan with garter stitch detailing that transitions to stockinette.
Yarn: Queensland Collection Maldive (99yds/91m) shown in Wild Oats; 12 skeins; or any aran weight yarn.
Needles: US 6/4.0mm circular 24"/60cm and 16"/40cm.
With #6 24" needle, cast on 84 sts. (For a higher neckline, cast on fewer stitches, but be sure the circle will meet around your neck.)
Row 1-2: Knit.
Row 3: Knit, increasing 12 sts, evenly spaced. 96 sts.
Row 4-6: Knit.
Row 7: Knit, increasing 16 sts, evenly spaced. 112 sts.
Row 8-28: Continue in this manner, alternating the increases on the 3rd row and then the 4th row after. 196 sts.
Row 29, 37, 39, 45, 47, 49: Purl.
All other rows: Knit.
You will have continued your evenly spaced increases throughout all above instructions.
Now, continue in stockinette stitch with increases until yoke is large enough to fit around your bust and each arm, with desired ease. Place sleeve stitches on waste yarn, remembering to have the same total number of stitches for the two front halves as for the back.
Cast on 5 stitches at each underarm and join fronts to back, creating one piece for the body and leaving two sections, one for each sleeve on waste yarn.
Measure how long from the underarm you want the body to be. Subtract 4.5 inches for bottom detailing. Continue the body in stockinette until this length is reached, ending with a wrong side row.
Begin bottom detail:
On the right side, purl one row. Stockinette 7 rows. Purl 3 rows(garter stitch). Stockinette 5 rows. Purl 5 rows(garter stitch). Stockinette 3 rows. Purl 11 rows(garter stitch). Bind off.
Sleeve:
Using #6 16" needle, slip stitches on waste yarn to needle. Pick up 10 stitches under the arm. Join. On next row(stockinette), knit 2 together over the 10 picked up stitches, thereby decreasing those underarm stitches to 5. Continue in stockinette, decreasing one stitch at underarm every one inch, until sleeve measures desired length, minus 4.5 inches for bottom detail.
Begin bottom detail:
Detail is same look as body, but you are knitting in the round. On the right side, purl one row. Stockinette 7 rows. Purl one row, knit one row, purl one row(garter stitch). Stockinette 5 rows. Purl one row, knit one row, purl one row, knit one row, purl one row(garter stitch). Stockinette 3 rows. Garter stitch 11 rows. Bind off.
Buttonband:
On left front edge, pick up 2 stitches for every 3 rows. Garter stitch for 5 rows. Bind off.
On right front edge, do the same, except insert 8 evenly spaced buttonholes in the center row(row 3).
Sew on 8 buttons.
See below for excellent instructions for inserting a buttonhole in one row.
http://www.knittingonthenet.com/learn/bh5.htm
Fit as you knit to achieve the ease you desire.
Difference between raglan and circular yoke:
A raglan-sleeve top down sweater has 8 increases every other row in the yoke at the sleeveline so that the increases line up and are visible. (Proportion of 4 increases per row)
A circular-yoke top down sweater has varying increases in the yoke keeping the same proportion of 4 increases per row but scattered so that they do not line up and are not noticeable.
In this pattern the circular yoke is achieved by increasing 12 stitches in the third row and, then increasing 16 stitches in the subsequent fourth row. Then, alternating 12 inc in 3rd row, 16 inc in 4th row. In other words, after 7 rows you will have increased 28 stitches.
Buttonhole detail
