Ladies Cardigan Sweater with Alpaca Wool (Free Pattern)

Back:
With smaller needles, cast on 112 (122, 132, 142) sts. Work in garter stitch for 12 rows. Change to larger needles and begin working in st st until total length measures 13 (13, 13, 13)", ending with a WS row.
 
Armhole Shaping:
Bind off 5 (5, 6, 6) sts at the beginning of the next 2 rows. Decrease 1 st at each side of next and every following RS row 4 times total: 94 (104, 112, 122) sts. Work even until total length is 21 (21, 22, 22)”, ending with a WS row.
 
Shoulder Shaping:
Bind off 10 (10, 11, 11) sts at the beginning of the next 2 rows, then bind off 10 (10, 10, 11) sts at the beginning of the next 4 rows. Bind off remaining 34 (44, 50, 56) sts.

Left Front:
With smaller needles, cast on 62 (67, 72, 77) sts. Work in garter stitch for 12 rows, placing the first 6 sts of the last row on a stitch holder for the button band: 56 (61, 66, 71) sts. Change to larger needles and begin working in st st until total length measures 13", ending with a WS row.

Armhole shaping:
Bind off 5 (5, 6, 6) sts at the beginning of the next row, then decrease 1 st at beginning of next and every following RS row 4 times total: 47 (52, 56, 61) sts. Work even until total length is 19 (19, 20, 20)”, ending with a RS row. Bind off 7 (9, 10, 11) sts at the beginning of the next row. Work 1 row even. Bind off 5 (6, 7, 8) sts at the beginning of the next row. Work 1 row even. Bind off 3 (5, 6, 7) sts at the beginning of the next row. Work 1 row even. Decrease 1 st at the beginning of the next 2 alternate rows: 30 (30, 31, 33) sts. Continue even until total length measures same as Back to beginning of the shoulder shaping. Work Shoulder Shaping as for Back.

Right Front:
With smaller needles, cast on 62 (67, 72, 77) sts. Work in garter stitch for 6 rows. Make a buttonhole in the 7th row by working the first 6 sts as: k4, yo, k2tog. Work 5 more row, placing the last 6 sts of this 12th row on a st holder for the buttonhole band: 56 (61, 66, 71) sts.
 
Left Front:
Continue as for Right Front, reversing all shapings.

Sleeves:
With smaller needles, cast on 50 (50, 56, 56) sts. Work 12 rows in garter st. Change to larger needles and begin st st increasing 1 st at each end of the next and every following 4th row until there are 82 (82, 90, 90) sts. Work even until total length is 15 (15, 16, 16)”, ending with a WS row.

Work sleeve cap:
Bind off 5 (5, 6, 6) sts at the beginning of the next 2 rows. Decrease 1 st at each end of the next and every following RS row 4 times total: 64 (64, 70, 70) sts. Bind off all sts.

Finishing:
Sew shoulder seams. Sew in sleeves, and sleeve seams. Collar: With smaller size needle and WS facing, attach yarn at left front neck edge and pick up 74 (84, 90, 96) sts around neck edge as follows: pick up 20 sts up the left front neck edge, 34 (44, 50, 56) sts across the back, 20 sts down the right front neck edge. Begin working in garter stitch for 3”, maybe longer, since we want a good sized collar here. Bind off.

Button bands:
Reattach yarn to the 6 sts on the stitch holder of the left front. Cast on 1 st at the inside edge. Work in garter st on the 7 sts until the total length when slightly stretched reaches the top. Bind off. Sew band to left front. Repeat for the right front, making 6 more buttonholes evenly up the band, making sure the last buttonhole is 6 rows down from the top. Work the buttonhole row on a RS row as: k4, yo, k2tog, k1. Sew band onto right front. Sew 7 buttons onto the left button band across from the buttonholes.
Weave in all ends.