Remember this one? My much adored embossed leaf cardigan. It’s more than a year old now, and I wear it SO often, and it still looks just this good. No pills or snags or anything. I LOVE it.
Since this is basically just an Elizabeth Zimmerman raglan with the leaf pattern, I’m not going to write out the whole pattern. But here’s how I made mine, and you can follow suit:
First, go get Knitting Without Tears, if you don’t have it. Flip to the section about seamless raglan sweaters, read, and plan.
I knit mine with DK weight yarn, on US size 4 needles. It’s knit in the round, just like EZ’s raglan, but it’s steeked. (For all things steeking, see Eunny). Follow EZ’s guidelines of first establishing your gauge, then deciding on the measurements of the sweater. Mine has 2″ positive ease and falls just below my hip. After you’ve calculated how many stitches to cast on (based on your gauge), simply add 7 stitches to fall directly in the center front of the cardigan, so you can cut it up later.
Cast on and knit 3″ p2/k2 rib, then knit the rest of the sweater in stockinette, except for the leaf panels. Place the leaf panels in the center of each half of the front, and exactly centered over the outside of the sleeve. End the panels wherever you want; mine end where the raglan decreases decreased away the edge of the panel. Then just knit the rest in stockinette, following EZ’s pattern.
Secure the steek, cut (oh god, oh god!), add a garter stitch button band, block, and dance with joy.
Leaf panels:
Row 1: P5, K1, M1, K1, M1, P5
Row 2: P5, K4, P5
Row 3: P3, P2tog, yo, k1, yo, M1P, P1 ,K1, P1, M1P, yo, k1, yo, p2tog, p3
Row 4: p4, k3, p2, k1, p2, k3, p4
Row 5: P3, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, k1, m1p, p2, k1, p2, m1p, k1, yo, k1, yo, skp, p3
Row 6: p3, k5, p3, k1, p3, k5, p3
Row 7: p3, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, p3, k1, p3, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, p3
Row 8: p3, k7, p3, k1, p3, k7, p3
Row 9: P3, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, p3, k1, p3, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, p3
Row 10: P3, k9, p3, k1, p3, k9, p3
Row 11: P2, K2tog, ssk, k1, k2tog, m1p, p3, k1, p3, m1p, ssk, k1, k2tog, ssk, p2
Row 12: P2, k4, p4, k1, p4, k4, p2
Row 13: p1, k2tog, ssk, k2tog, p4, k1, p4, ssk, k2tog, ssk, p1
Row 14: p1, k3, p4, k1, p4, k3, p1
Row 15: P1, Slip 1, k2tog, psso, p4, m1, k1, m1, p4, slip 1, k2tog, psso, p1
Row 16: p5, k2tog, k1, ssk, p5
M1P–pick up a loop on the previous row and purl through it
Happy Knitting!
Knitting Needle Case
