Basic Black

by Glenna C (originally published in Magknits November 2007)

i!!iculty level
"ntermediate
uring the in#bet$een $eather o! spring and !all " !ind mysel! reaching !or simple% versatile layers%
and basic black is never out o! style& " have several plain button cardigans that are e'tremely
practical% but " needed something similar $ith a bit o! shape and !lair ( enter the Basic Black
cardigan) *hat this s$eater lacks in comple'ity it makes up !or in practicality ( it is light enough to
take a$ay the slight chill that accompanies transitional seasons and late summer evenings% but the
subtle $aist#shaping% !lattering +#neck% and cropped sleeves also take this s$eater !rom daytime to
evening in com!ort&
,i-es
.inished bust /0 (/1% /2% 3/% 37% 10% 11)4 572 (62% 22% 002% 002% 0/0% 030) cm7
Materials
6 (2% 00% 00% 0/% 03% 08) skeins 9lymouth :arn *ild!lo$er ; (10< cotton% 32< acrylic= 0/7
yds 5021 m7 per 10 g)% color Black
>, 3 5/&1 mm7 needles
>, 8 53 mm7 needles
1 /?34#inch 502 mm7 buttons
tapestry needle
stitch holder
:arn substitutes@
A $ord o! $arning # 9lymouth *ild!lo$er ; can be Buite Csplitty&D ,ome light#$eight substitution
candidates are ;nitpicks ,hine ,port% Eo$an *ool Cotton% or Flann Guna& +irtually any ;#$eight
yarn may be substituted&
Gauge
22 sts and 26 ro$s H 34 500 cm7 in stockinette $ith larger needles
,titch "nstructions
2 ' 2 Eib@
*orked over a multiple o! 3 sts I 2
Eo$ 0 (*,)@ 92% Jk2% p2= rep !rom J to end&
Eo$ 2 (E,)@ ;2% Jp2% k2= rep !rom J to end&
Eep ro$s 0#2&
,,9@ ,l 2 sts k$ise one at a time& Eeturn slipped sts to le!t needle& 92tog tbl&
9attern
Back
*ith smaller needles% cast on 23 (008% 006% 028% 0/6% 036% 016) sts&
*ork in 2 ' 2 Eib until piece measures 34 500 cm7% ending $ith a *, ro$&
*aist shaping@
Change to larger needles and stockinette& *ork 2 ro$s even&
ec ro$ (E,)@ ;2% k2tog% knit to last 3 sts% ssk% k2 2 sts decKd&
*ork / ro$s even&
Eep last 3 ro$s 7 (6% 6% 6% 6% 6% 6) times more 76 (66% 000% 006% 020% 0/0% 030) sts&
"nc ro$ (E,)@ ;2% m0% knit to last 2 sts% m0% k2 2 sts incKd&
*ork 1 ro$s even&
Eep last 8 ro$s 3 (3% 3% 1% 1% 1% 8) times more 66 (26% 000% 020% 0/2% 032% 013) sts&
*ork even until piece measures 01 (01&1% 08% 08&1% 07% 07% 07)4 5/6 (/2&1% 30&1% 32% 3/%
3/% 3/) cm7 !rom cast#on edge% ending $ith a *, ro$&
Armhole shaping@
BL / (3% 1% 8% 6% 00% 02) sts at beg o! ne't 2 ro$s 62 (20% 000% 006% 008% 022% 0/0) sts&
ec ro$ (E,)@ ;2% ssk% knit to last 3 sts% k2tog% k2 2 sts decKd&
Ne't ro$ (*,)@ 9url&
Eep last 2 ro$s 0 (/% 1% 7% 2% 2% 00) times more 76 (62% 66% 22% 28% 002% 008) sts rem&
*ork even until armhole measures 7&1 (6% 6% 6&1% 2% 00% 00)4 502 (20&1% 20&1% 20&1% 2/%
21&1% 21&1) cm7% ending $ith a *, ro$&
,houlder shaping@
Ne't ro$@ ;08 (08% 06% 20% 20% 2/% 23) sts and place on a stitch holder !or right shoulder& BL
center 38 (10% 12% 12% 13% 18% 16) sts% knit to end&
*orking on le!t shoulder only% BL 3 (3% 8% 8% 7% 7% 6) sts at beg o! ne't ro$ (*,)& *ork 0 ro$
even& BL 8 (8% 8% 7% 7% 6% 6) sts at beg o! ne't ro$& *ork 0 ro$ even& BL rem sts&
Eeplace held sts on needle and complete right shoulder as !or le!t% reversing shaping&
Ge!t .ront
*ith smaller needles% CL 38 (13% 16% 82% 70% 73% 76) sts&
*ork in 2 ' 2 Eib until piece measures 34 500 cm7% ending $ith a *, ro$&
*aist shaping@
Change to larger needles and stockinette& *ork 2 ro$s even&
ec ro$ (E,)@ ;2% k2tog% knit to end 0 st decKd&
*ork / ro$s even&
Eep last 3 ro$s 7 (6% 6% 6% 6% 6% 6) times more /6 (31% 32% 1/% 80% 81% 82) sts&
"nc ro$ (E,)@ ;2% m0% knit to end 0 st incKd&
*ork 1 ro$s even&
Eep last 8 ro$s 3 (3% 3% 1% 1% 1% 8) times more 3/ (10% 13% 12% 87% 70% 78) sts&
*ork 0 E, ro$ even&
Neck and armhole shaping@
Eead this section through be!ore beginning& Neckline and armhole are shaped simultaneously&
Neck shaping@
ec ro$ (*,)@ 92% p2tog% purl to end 0 st decKd&
ec ro$ (E,)@ ;nit to last 3 sts% k2tog% k2 0 st decKd&
Eep last 2 ro$s t$ice more /7 (33% 36% 1/% 80% 81% 70) sts&
Ne't ro$@ 9url&
ec ro$ (E,)@ ;nit to last 3 sts% k2tog% k2 0 st decKd&
Eep last 2 ro$s 6 (00% 00% 02% 01% 08% 01) times more&
*ork / ro$s even&
ec ro$ (E,)@ ;nit to last 3 sts% k2tog% k2 0 st decKd&
Eep last 3 ro$s until 08 (08% 06% 20% 20% 2/% 23) sts rem&
AM MNF ,AMF M"MF% $hen piece measures 01 (01&1% 08% 08&1% 07% 07% 07)4 5/6 (/2&1%
30&1% 32% 3/% 3/% 3/) cm7 !rom cast#on edge% shape armhole as !ollo$s@
BL / (3% 1% 8% 6% 00% 02) sts at beg o! ne't E, ro$&
*ork 0 ro$ even&
ec ro$ (E,)@ ;2% ssk% knit to end 0 st decKd&
Eep last 2 ro$s 0 (/% 1% 7% 2% 2% 00) times more&
A!ter both neck and armhole shaping are complete% 08 (08% 06% 20% 20% 2/% 23) sts rem& *ork
even until armhole measures 7&1 (6% 6% 6&1% 2% 00% 00)4 502 (20&1% 20&1% 20&1% 2/% 21&1%
21&1) cm7% ending $ith a *, ro$&
,houlder shaping@
BL 3 (3% 8% 8% 7% 7% 6) sts at beg o! ne't ro$ (E,)& *ork 0 ro$ even& BL 8 (8% 8% 7% 7% 6% 6)
sts at beg o! ne't ro$& *ork 0 ro$ even& BL rem sts&
Eight .ront
*ork as !or Ge!t .ront% reversing shaping&
,leeves
*ith smaller needles% cast on 82 (82% 88% 88% 70% 70% 73) sts&
*ork in 2 ' 2 Eib until piece measures 34 500 cm7% ending $ith a *, ro$&
Change to larger needles and stockinette& *ork 2 ro$s even&
"nc ro$ (E,)@ ;2% m0% knit to last 2 sts% m0% k2 2 sts incKd&
*ork 1 (1% 1% 1% 1% /% /) ro$s even&
Eep last 8 (8% 8% 8% 8% 3% 3) ro$s 1 (7% 7% 2% 00% 0/% 03) times more 73 (78% 62% 68% 22%
26% 003) sts&
*ork even until piece measures 0/ (0/% 0/&1% 03% 03&1% 03&1% 01)4 5// (//% /3&1% /1&1% /7%
/7% /6) cm7 !rom cast#on edge% ending $ith a *, ro$&
Cap shaping@
BL / (3% 1% 8% 6% 00% 02) sts at beg o! ne't 2 ro$s 86 (86% 72% 73% 78% 76% 60) sts&
ec ro$ (E,)@ ;2% ssk% knit to last 3 sts% k2tog% k2 2 sts decKd&
Ne't ro$ (*,)@ 9url&
Eep last 2 ro$s 1 (2% 7% 00% 02% 20% 20) times more 18 (12% 18% 10% 10% /8% /6) sts&
ec ro$ (E,)@ ;2% ssk% knit to last 3 sts% k2tog% k2 2 sts decKd&
ec ro$ (*,)@ 92% p2tog% purl to last 3 sts% ssp% p2 2 sts decKd&
Eep last 2 ro$s until 22 (22% 22% 23% 28% 28% 26) sts rem&
BL 2 sts at beg o! ne't 3 ro$s&
BL rem 03 (03% 03% 08% 06% 06% 20) sts&
.inishing
Block all pieces according to !iber content&
,eam shoulders& ,et in sleeves& ,e$ side and sleeve seams&
Buttonbands and collar@
Mark center o! back neck $ith sa!ety pin or $aste yarn& Ln le!t side% using smaller needles and $ith
E, !acing% pick up and knit sts !or buttonband !rom center back neck to bottom o! le!t !ront% picking
up 3 sts !or every 1 ro$s along the le!t !ront edge& AdOust number o! sts as necessary to achieve a
multiple o! 3 sts I 2& 9lace a marker at the point o! the +#neck&
*ork 0 ro$ 2 ' 2 Eib% increasing 0 st at marker& *ork 3 more ro$s in rib and BL in pattern&
Ln right side% pick up and knit sts as !or le!t side& *ork 0 ro$ 2 ' 2 rib% increasing 0 st at marker&
Ln ne't ro$% $ork 1 buttonholes% evenly spaced along !ront edge&J *ork a total o! 1 ro$s in rib%
as !or le!t side% and BL in pattern&
Attach buttons opposite buttonholes& *eave in ends& Block !inal garment as desired&
JMo make a buttonhole% BL 2 sts& Ln ne't ro$% $hen you reach a bound#o!! space% $ork a double
:L& Ln the !ollo$ing ro$% $ork these yarnovers as you $ould regular stitches&
esigner
Glenna lives% knits% and attends graduate school in Canada% $ith a constant $ish !or more knitting
hours in the day& ,he enOoys $orking $ith practical and versatile patterns% and has !antasies about
one day knitting all o! her stash& Blog and email&