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Best friend cardigan
Sizes: S (M, L)

Knitted measurements
Bust: 28" (30-1/2", 33") [71 (78, 84) cm]
Back length: 20" (20-1/2", 21") [51 (52, 53) cm]
Click here to view pattern piece measurements.

Materials
• 4 (5, 5) skeins of Twinkle Handknits Soft Chunky (100% merino wool; 83 yd/77 m per 200 g ball) in French Grey or 240 yd/247 m of any super bulky weight yarn. (Suggested substitutions: Bulky Lopi and Allagash from Reynolds, Baby from Tahki, Magnum from Cascade Yarns, and Burly Spun from Brown Sheep are good alternatives.)
• US size 19 (15 mm) 24" (61 cm) circular needles
• Cable needle
• Stitch holders
• Stitch markers
• Six 1-3/4" (4.5 cm) buttons

Gauge
9-1/2 sts and 14-1/2 rows = 6" (15 cm) in St st on size 19 needles.

Notes
This sweater is worked back and forth on a circular needle. Body is worked in one piece to the underarm.
Body and sleeves are worked in reverse St st. Keep first and last 4 sts in garter stitch (knit every row).

Special stitches
C6L (Cable 6 left): Slip next 3 sts to cable needle and hold in front of work, k3, k3 from cable needle.
C6R (Cable 6 right): Slip next 3 sts to cable needle and hold in back of work, k3, k3 from cable needle.
MB (Make bobble): [K1, p1] 3 times, k1 in one st (7 sts made in one st), then pass 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th st over last st made.
SSP: Slip next 2 sts one at a time as to knit, insert LH needle into both sts as to knit and slip back to LH needle; with RH needle, purl 2 sts together.

Right cable
Rows 1 and 3 (RS): P1, k6, p2.
Row 2 and all WS rows: K2, p6, k1.
Row 5: P1, C6R, p2.
Row 7: P1, k4, MB, k1, p2.
Row 8: K2, p6, k1.
Rep Rows 1-8.

Left cable
Rows 1 and 3 (RS): P2, k6, p1.
Row 2 and all WS rows: K1, p6, k2.
Row 5: P2, C6L, p1.
Row 7: P2, k1, MB, k4, p1.
Row 8: K1, p6, k2.
Rep Rows 1-8.

Click here to view a chart of the cable pattern.

Body
Cast on 48 (52, 56) sts.
Row 1 (RS): K4, *k2, p2; rep from * to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 2: K4, work established k2, p2 rib across next 40 (44, 48) sts, k4.
Row 3 (buttonhole row): K2, yo, k2tog, rib to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 4: K4, work established rib over next 9 (10, 11) sts, pm, cont in rib across 22 (24, 26) sts, pm, cont in rib across next 9 (10, 11) sts, k4.
Row 5 (establish pattern and inc row): K4, work Right Cable across next 9 sts, p0 (1, 2), m1, p1, m1, purl to 1 st before marker, m1, p1, m1, p0 (1, 2), work Left Cable across next 9 sts, k4 -- 52 (56, 60) sts.

Cont in established patterns, making buttonholes every 8 rows.

AT THE SAME TIME shape body as follows: Work even 6 rows. Next row (Dec Row): *Work to 2 sts before marker, p2tog, ssp; rep from * once, work to end.

Work even 9 rows, then repeat Inc Row -- 52 (56, 60) sts. Work even until 3 full repeats of cable pattern are complete. Sweater measures approx 11-1/2" (29 cm) from beginning.

Divide body
Maintaining pattern, work 13 (14, 15) Right Front sts, place these sts on holder, bind of 2 sts, purl 22 (24, 26) Back sts, place remaining 15 (16, 17) Underarm and Left Front sts on holder. On Back sts only, work 4 rows even. Next row (Dec Row): K1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1 -- 20 (22, 24) sts. Work even until Armhole measures 5" (5-3/8", 5-3/4") [13 (13.5, 14.5) cm].

Shoulder shaping
Dec 1 st each side every row 5 (6, 7) times -- 10 sts. Place remaining Back Neck sts on holder.

Place Right Front sts on needle. Beg with a WS row, work 3 rows even. Next row (Dec Row): Work to last 3 sts, p2tog, p1. Work even until four full repeats of cable pattern are complete, ending with a WS row.

Neck shaping
BO 4 sts at Neck edge once, 2 sts once, and 1 st once -- 5 (6, 7) sts. Work even until Right Front Armhole measures 6-1/2" (7", 7-1/2") [16.5 (18, 19) cm]. Bind off.

Place Underarm and Left Front sts on needle. With RS facing, BO 2 sts, work to end. Work 3 rows even. Next row (Dec Row): P1, ssp, work to end. Work even until 4 full repeats of cable pattern are complete, ending with a WS row. Work 1 row even.

BO 4 sts at Neck edge once, 2 sts once, and 1 st one time -- 5 (6, 7) sts. Work even until Left Front Armhole measures 6-1/2" (7", 7-1/2") [16.5 (18, 19) cm]. Bind off.

Sleeves
(Make 2)
CO 13 (15, 17) sts.

Row 1: K1, *p1, k1; rep from *. Work 3 more rows in k1, p1 rib as established.

Change to reverse St st and work even 14 rows. Next row (Inc Row): P1, m1, purl to last st, m1, p1. Work even 11 rows, then rep Inc Row -- 17 (19, 21) sts. Work even until Sleeve measures 18" (46 cm) from beg.

Cap shaping
BO 1 st at beg of next 10 rows. BO rem 7 (9, 11) sts.

Finishing
Sew shoulder seams.

With RS facing and larger needles, pick up 10 (11, 12) sts along Right Front Neck edge, 10 sts across Back, and 10 (11, 12) sts along Left Front Neck edge -- 30 (32, 34) sts. Knit 5 rows. Bind off loosely.

Set in sleeves and sew sleeve seams. Weave in ends.

Excerpted from Twinkle's Big City Knits: 31 Chunky-Chic Designs by Wenlan Chia. Copyright 2007 by Wenlan Chia. Excerpted with permission from Potter Craft, a division of Random House. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced except with permission in writing from the publisher.