BABY BLISS MERINO 8PLY STRIPED CARDI

LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

• 'Bella Baby' Baby Bliss Merino 8ply 50g x 3 (3-4-4-5) balls Main Colour (M) Cream 1 (2-2-2-3) balls 1st Contrast (C1) Orange 1 (2-2-2-3) balls 2nd Contrast (C2) Lavender and 2 (2-2-3-3) balls 3rd Contrast (C3) Donkey.
• 1 pair each 3.25mm and 4mm knitting needles or sizes required to give correct tension
• 3 stitch holders
• 5 buttons
• Scissors, yarn needle, tape measure

SIZE

Fits Underarm cm: 55 (2 Years), 58 (3 Years), 60 (4 Years), 63 (5 Years), 65 (6 Years)
Actual Size cm: 62 (2 Years), 65 (3 Years), 67 (4 Years), 70 (5 Years), 72 (6 Years)
Length (approx) cm: 33 (2 Years), 35 (3 Years), 37 (4 Years), 39 (5 Years), 41 (6 Years)
Sleeve Length (approx) cm: 23 (2 Years), 25 (3 Years), 28 (4 Years), 31 (5 Years), 33 (6 Years)

TENSION

22 sts x 30 rows to 10cm over stocking st, using 4mm needles.

INSTRUCTIONS

BACK

Using 3.25mm needles and C1, cast on 70 (74-74-78-78) sts.

Beg Lower Band -

1st row (RS) - K2, * P2, K2, rep from * to end.

2nd row - P2, * K2, P2, rep from * to end.

Last 2 rows form rib. Work a further 8 (8-8-10-10) rows rib, inc 0 (0-2-0-2) st/s evenly across last row ... 70 (74-76-78-80) sts, 10 (10-10 12-12) rows rib in all. Change to 4mm needles.

Beg Stripe Patt -

Note - When working stripes, do not break off yarns but carry colour not in use loosely along side edge of work until required again.

Work 4 rows in stripes of 2 rows M and 2 rows C2. Last 4 rows form stripe patt. Work a further 12 rows in stripe patt ... 16 rows stripe patt in all.

Using C3 in place of C2, cont in stripe patt until work measures approx 19 (20-22-23-25) cm from beg, ending with a purl row.

Shape Raglan Armholes -

Using C2 in place of C3 for rem, cast off 2 sts at beg of next 2 rows ... 66 (70-72-74-76) sts. Keeping stripe patt correct.

Next row (RS) - K2, sl 1, K1, psso, knit to last 4 sts, K2tog, K2 ... 64 (68-70-72-74) sts.

Next row - Purl.

Dec one st (as before) at each end of next row, then in every foll alt row until 26 (26-28-28-30) sts rem.

Next row - P2, P2tog, purl to last 4 sts, P2tog tbl, P2 ...24 (24-26-26-28) sts. Leave rem sts on stitch-holder for neckband.

LEFT FRONT

Using 3.25mm needles and C1, cast on 30 (34-34-34-38) sts.

Work 10 (10-10-12-12) rows rib as for lower band of Back, inc 3 (0-1-3-0) st/s evenly across last row ... 33 (34-35-37-38) sts.

Change to 4mm needles.

Beg Stripe Patt -

Work in patt as for Back, until work measures same as Back to beg of armholes, ending with same stripe row on WS. **

Shape Raglan Armhole -

Using C2 in place of C3 for rem, cast off 2 sts at beg of next row ... 31 (32-33-35-36) sts.

Next row - Purl.

Keeping stripe patt correct,Next row (RS) - K2, sl 1, K1, psso, knit to end ... 30 (31-32-34-35) sts.

Next row - Purl.

Rep last 2 rows until 18 (17-18-20-21) sts rem, ending with a dec row.

Shape Neck -

1st row (WS) - Cast off 5 (5-5-5-6) sts, purl to end ... 13 (12-13-15-15) sts.

2nd row - K2, sl 1, K1, psso, knit to last 2 sts, K2tog ...11 (10-11-13-13) sts.

Dec one st at armhole edge (as before) in every foll alt row 2 (2-2-3-3) times, AT SAME TIME dec one st at neck edge in every foll alt (4th-alt-alt-alt) row 2 (1-2-3-3) time/s ... 7 sts.

Next row - Purl.

Next row (RS) - K2, sl 1, K1, psso, K3 ... 6 sts.

Next row - Purl.

Next row - K2, sl 1, K1, psso, K2 ... 5 sts.

Next row - Purl.

Next row - K2, sl 1, K1, psso, K1 ... 4 sts.

Next row - Purl.

Next row - K2, sl 1, K1, psso ... 3 sts.

Next row - P2tog, P1 ... 2 sts.

Next row - K2tog. Fasten off.

RIGHT FRONT

Work as for Left Front to **. Using C2 in place as C3 for rem, work 1 row.

Shape Raglan Armhole -

Keeping stripe patt correct for rem, cast off 2 sts at beg of next row ... 31 (32-33-35-36) sts.

Next row (RS) - Knit to last 4 sts, K2tog, K2 ... 30 (31-32-34-35) sts.

Next row - Purl. Rep last 2 rows until 19 (18-19-21-22) sts rem, ending with a purl row.

Shape Neck -

1st row (RS) - Cast off 5 (5-5-5-6) sts, knit to last 4 sts, K2tog, K2 ... 13 (12-13-15-15) sts.

2nd row - Purl.

3rd row - K2tog, knit to last 4 sts, K2tog, K2 ... 11 (10-11-13-13) sts.

Dec one st at armhole edge (as before) in every foll alt row 2 (2-2-3-3) times, AT SAME TIME dec at neck edge in every foll alt (4th-alt-alt-alt) row 2 (1-2-3-3) time/s ... 7 sts.

Next row (WS) - Purl.

Next row - K3, K2tog, K2 ... 6 sts.

Next row - Purl.

Next row - K2, K2tog, K2 ... 5 sts.

Next row - Purl

Next row - K1, K2tog, K2 ... 4 sts.

Next row - Purl.

Next row - K2tog, K2 ... 3 sts.

Next row - P1, P2tog ... 2 sts.

Next row - K2tog. Fasten off.

SLEEVES

Using 3.25mm needles and C1, cast on 34 (38-38-38-38) sts. Work 10 (10-10-12-12) rows rib as for lower band of Back, inc 2 (0-0-2-2) sts evenly across last row ... 36 (38-38-40-40) sts. Change to 4mm needles.

Beg Stripe Patt -

Work 16 rows in stripes of 2 rows M and 2 rows C2, AT SAME TIME inc one st at each end of 5th (5th-5th-3rd-3rd) row, then in every foll 4th (4th-6th-8th-8th) row 2 (1-1-1-1) time/s, size 3 only - then in foll 6th row once.

All sizes ... 42 (44-42-44-44) sts.

Keeping stripe patt correct for rem, using C3 in place of C2, inc one st at each end of next (5th-next 3rd-3rd) row, then in every foll 6th (6th-6th-8th-8th) row until there are 54 (56-56-56-58) sts, sizes 4, 5 and 6 only - then in foll (8th-10th-10th) row once.

All sizes ... 54 (56-58-58-60) sts.

Cont in stripe patt until work measures approx 23 (25-28-31-33) cm from beg, ending with same stripe row as for Back on WS.

Shape Raglan -

Using C2 in place of C3 for rem, cast off 2 sts at beg of next 2 rows ... 50 (52-54-54-56) sts.

1st row (RS) - K2, sl 1, K1, psso, knit to last 4 sts, K2tog, K2 ... 48 (50-52-52-54) sts.

Work 1 (3-1-3-1) row/s stripe patt.

Keeping stripe patt correct, dec one st (as before) at each end of next row, then in every foll alt row until 10 sts rem, ending with a purl row.

Leave rem 10 sts on a stitch-holder for neckband

NECKBAND

Using mattress st, join raglan seams, noting that tops of sleeves form part of neckline. With RS facing, using 3.25mm needles and C1, knit up 20 (20-20-22-23) sts evenly along right side of neck, knit across 10 sts left on stitch-holder for right sleeve, knit across 24 (24-26-26-28) sts from back stitch-holder - dec 2 (2-0-0-0) sts evenly across, knit across 10 sts left on stitch-holder for left sleeve, then knit up 20 (20-20-22-23) sts evenly along left side of neck ... 82 (82-86-90-94) sts. Work 9 rows rib as for lower band of Back, beg with a 2nd row. Cast off loosely in rib.

LEFT FRONT BAND

Using 3.25mm needles and C1, knit up 70 (74-78-82-86) sts evenly along left front edge incl side edge of neckband.

Work 9 rows rib as for lower band of Back, beg with a 2nd row. Cast off loosely in rib.

RIGHT FRONT BAND

Using 3.25mm needles and C1, knit up 70 (74-78-82-86) sts evenly along right front edge incl side edge of neckband.Work 3 rows rib as for lower band of Back, beg with a 2nd row.

4th row (RS) - K2, cast off 2 sts, * rib 14 (15-16-17-18), cast off 2 sts, rep from * 3 more times, K2.

5th row - P2, turn, cast on 2 sts, turn, * rib 14 (15-16-17-18), turn, cast on 2 sts, turn, rep from * 3 more times, P2 ... 5 buttonholes. Work 4 rows rib ... 9 rows rib in all. Cast off loosely in rib.

FINISHING

DO NOT PRESS. Using mattress st, join side and sleeve seams, matching stripes. Sew on buttons to correspond with buttonholes.