Knit Betty Cardigan

I’m so excited to show you my latest project – the Knit Betty Cardigan – part of my Color Made Easy mini collection!

Read on below about the other pieces in the collection and the design behind-the-scenes, or scroll on down for the free pattern.

Seriously, pinch me! Three years ago when I started this blog on a pregnancy whim I would have laughed in your face if you told me I’d be participating in a campaign like this. I’m blessed beyond belief and so grateful to every reader here (hi!). Your support is what’s gotten me to this point and I am filled to the brim with gratefulness. Now let’s talk about this yarn…

This collection includes:

• Crochet Crown Braid Headband
• Crochet Vanilla Wrap Scarf
• Knit Betty Cardigan (scroll on down, friend!)

The Yarn

Lion Brand’s Color Made Easy yarn is a line that I’ve loved well over the last season or so. I’ve created several patterns already with it, including my popular Holiday Sweater Knit-a-Long! I’ve also made baby blankets and simple crochet hats with this yarn – so it’s safe to say I’ve been smitten for a while. It’s a category 5 bulky weight yarn (already hard to find great yarns in this category) in a stunning color lineup. It was so hard to narrow down my color choices for this mini collection because they’re all so gorgeous.

When Lion Brand asked me to collaborate on a campaign for Color Made Easy coming to Michaels Stores and Michaels.com I was elated! One of my favorite yarns of 2018 will now be available in store and online at Michaels and I’ve cooked up some dreamy crochet and knitting projects you’re going to want to make.

My mini collection using this yarn consists of 2 crochet accessory projects and 1 knit sweater project and all three are available as kits from Lion Brand Yarn now! Browse these kits and all the other’s I’ve designed HERE.

I had so much fun with the Millennial pink and Alabaster cream colorways of this yarn, they’re two of my favorites and I hope you love them as much as I do.

Shop the Kit for this pattern (with all the yarn you need + a printed copy of the pattern shipped right to you) HERE!

Collection Inspiration + Design

I created a three piece mini collection in Color Made Easy that consists of a Crochet Crown Braid Headband, Knit Betty Cardigan, and Crochet Vanilla Scarf. All three projects work up really quickly and are beginner/intermediate skill level friendly. These pieces look great individually or worn together and I can’t wait to see what colorways you choose for yours!

My designer friends that also work with Lion Brand (Alexi from Two of Wands, Jessica from Mama in a Stitch and Jess from Make & Do Crew) are all creating individual mini collections that speak to their own style and all their projects are so stunning! I knew that I wanted to stick to my romantically modern style and go with soft textures, feminine silhouettes, and craft patterns that are as easy to wear as they are to make.

I am really proud of this little series and honored to be a part of this campaign with Michaels and Lion Brand!

The Betty Sweater is my favorite project of the three because it was named after and inspired by my Great Grandmother of the same name. Grandmother Betty has already been quite a presence on the blog (she has her own summer kitchen series!) and it’s well known around here how much she means to me. I learned to crochet the same month Betty passed away and feel like the slow stitches connect me a bit more to her. I like to think she’d love the cardigan I named after her! It’s classic Betty: soft, feminine, simple and sweet. Just like her!

 

PATTERN

• Get the ad-free, large print, printable PDF pattern HERE.
• Grab the Ultimate Pattern Bundle that includes 150+ patterns just like this one on sale for $20 today HERE.
• PIN this pattern to your Pinterest boards for later HERE.
• Add this pattern to your Ravelry queue HERE.

To sum it up: The Betty Cardigan is chic, comfortable, and fun to make. Named for my favorite Grandmother, it has just the right amount of positive ease for slouchy comfort with feminine seed stitch detail. This sweater is worked top-down with easy raglan shaping in bulky Color Made Easy yarn. Betty is versatile, fun to make, and easy to wear!

Materials:

–Lion Brand Color Made Easy yarn (Weight: 5/Bulky – 7oz, 247 yds)

Millenial 3 (4, 4, 5, 5) skeins

Grab the kit with everything you need to knit this sweater here!

–Size US 11 (8mm) circular knitting needles, 36” or longer

–Stitch markers (8)

-Stitch holders, spare needles or spare yarn (for holding sts)

–Large eye tapestry needle

Sizes:

S, M, L, XL, 2XL

Gauge:

11.5 sts x 18 rows in stockinette = 4″

Finished Measurements:

Bust: 45 (50, 55, 58, 63)″

Length: 21 (21.5, 22, 22.5, 22.5)″

Armhole: 7 (8, 9, 9.5, 10)″

Sleeve Length: 16.5 (16.5, 17, 17, 17.5)″

Abbreviations (US terms):

CO – cast on

K – knit

P – purl

KFB – knit front back (increase)

K2tog – knit 2 together

Pm – place marker

Rm – remove marker

Sm – slip marker

Rpt – repeat

RS – right side

WS – wrong side

Rnd – round

St(s) – stitch(es)

Skill Level:

Level 2 – easy

Pattern Notes

-Sweater is shown in size S, model is 5’5” tall and true bust measures 38” for reference.

-Sweater is intended to have lots of room and slouchy fit. I sized down from my usual shirt size (M) to a Small for a more fitted look. If between sizes, please size down.

-Sizing listed in the pattern will be in Small, Medium, Large, XL, and 2XL listed in parenthesis such as 102 (114, 126, 140, 150) whereas 102 for size S, 114 for size M, 126 for size L, 140 for size XL, 150 for size 2XL. When only one number is given, it applies to all sizes. To follow pattern more easily, print the pattern and circle/highlight all numbers pertaining to your size before beginning.

-Pattern is worked from the top down in a raglan style. We will work the yoke, casting on extra stitches for the front neckline, split for sleeves, work the remainder of the body and cast off – all working flat in turned rows. Rejoin yarn and work each sleeve individually in the round. Neckline ribbing will be worked last.

-Any numeric listed in ( ) is a stitch instruction, any numeric listed in < > is a final stitch count for that row.

Knit Betty Cardigan

Yoke

CO 43 (45, 47, 47, 49)

Row 1 (WS): P 2, pm, P 2, pm, P 4, pm, P 2, pm, P 23 (25, 27, 27, 29), pm, P 2, pm, P 4, pm, P 2, pm, P 2 <43, 45, 47, 47, 49>

Row 2 (RS): K 1, KFB, sm, K 2, sm, KFB, K 2, KFB, sm, K 2, sm, KFB, K 21 (23, 25, 25, 27), KFB, sm, K 2, sm, KFB, K 2, KFB, sm, K 2, sm, KFB, K1 <51, 53, 55, 55, 57>

Row 3 (WS): P across

Row 4 (RS): KFB, *K to 1 st before next marker, KFB, sm, K 2, sm, KFB; Rpt from * 3 more times, K to last 2 sts, KFB, K 1 <61, 63, 65, 65, 67>

Row 5 (WS): P across

Rows 6-13: Rpt Rows 4-5 4 times more <101, 103, 105, 105, 107>

Row 14 (RS): Cast on 9 (10, 11, 11, 14) sts for front neckline, *K to 1 st before next marker, KFB, sm, K 2, sm, KFB; Rpt from * 3 more times, K to end <118, 121, 124, 124, 129>

Row 15 (WS): Cast on 9 (10, 11, 11, 14) sts for front neckline, [K 1, P 1] 4 times, P to last 8 sts, [P 1, K 1] 4 times <127, 131, 135, 135, 143>

Row 16 (RS): [K1, P 1] 4 times, *K to 1 st before marker, KFB, sm, K 2, sm, KFB; Rpt from * 3 more times, K to last 8 sts, [P 1, K 1] 4 times <135, 139, 143, 143, 151>

Row 17 (and all WS rows to lower band): [K 1 , P 1] 4 times, P to last 8 sts, [P 1, K 1] 4 times <135, 139, 143, 143, 151>

Rpt Rows 16-17 10 (12, 15, 17, 19) times more <215, 235, 263, 279, 303>

Divide for body

Next Row (RS): [K 1, P 1] 4 times, K 26 (29, 33, 35, 40), rm, K 1 (left front shoulder), **slip next 42 (46, 52, 56, 60) to hold for sleeve, cast on 6 (8, 10, 14, 14) sts for underarm**, K 1 (left back shoulder), rm, K 59 (65, 73, 77, 83), rm, K 1 (right back shoulder); work from ** to ** once more, K 1 (right front shoulder), rm, K 26 (29, 33, 35, 40), [P 1, K 1] 4 times <143, 159, 179, 195, 211>

Body

WS: [K1, P 1] 4 times, P to last 8 sts, [P 1, K 1] 4 times

RS: [K1, P 1] 4 times, K to last 8 sts, [P 1, K 1] 4 times

Work even until piece measures 11 (11.5, 12, 12.5, 13)” from underarm, end with a WS row.

Hemline Band

K 1, P 1; Rpt across <143, 159, 179, 195, 211>

Rpt until band measures 2.5” long.

Cast off in pattern, break yarn, weave ends.

Sleeves

*Note: We will work the sleeves in rounds using the magic loop method on your circular needle (or DPNs if you prefer).

Rnd 1: With RS facing you pick up and K 6 (8, 10, 14, 14) sts along cast-on sts at underarm, pm after 3^rd (4^th, 5^th, 7^th, 7^th) of these sts, K sts from hold and up to marker <48, 54, 62, 70, 74>

Rnds 2-3: K around

Rnd 4 (decrease Rnd): K 1, K2tog, K to 3 sts before marker, K2tog, K 1

Rpt decrease rnd every 8^th (6^th, 6^th, 4^th, 4^th) rnd 2 (7, 1, 10, 9) times, then-

Rpt decrease rnd every 6^th (4^th, 4^th, 2^nd, 2^nd) rnd 7 (4, 12, 7, 9) times

<28, 30, 34, 34, 36>

K around until sleeve measures 14 (14, 14.5, 14.5, 15)” from underarm.

Cuff

Rnd 1: K2tog, *P 1, K 1; Rpt from * around <27, 29, 33, 33, 35>

Rnd 2: P 1, K 1; Rpt around

Rnd 3: K 1, P 1; Rpt around

Rpt Rnds 2-3 until cuff measures 2.5” long.

Cast off in pattern.

Neckband

With RS facing you pick up and K 23 (24, 25, 25, 28) sts along right front to raglan, **1 at raglan, 4 across sleeve, 1 at raglan**, 22 (24, 26, 26, 28) across back, Rpt from ** to ** once more, 23 (24, 25, 25, 28) along left front <80, 84, 88, 88, 96>

Row 1 (WS): K 1, P 1; Rpt around

Row 2 (RS): P 1, K 1; Rpt around

Rpt Rows 1-2 until neckband is 2” long.

Cast off in pattern.

Weave in ends.

 

Looking for more COLOR MADE EASY YARN PATTERNS? Check these out!

1. Knit Plaid Blanket (in 3 sizes!) / 2. Crochet Brooklyn Ridge Hat / 3. Knit Cropped Holiday Sweater