This short-sleeve cardigan is perfect for afternoon tea. Featuring precious details, including a striped button and sleeve bands, a ribbed waistline, Peter Pan collar and ruched sleeves — this cardigan is bursting with royal vintage charm!
Skill Level: Easy
Size: XS (S, M, L, XL, 2X, 3X) Finished Bust Size 32 (34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44)” to fit bust 38 (40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50)”
About 4” positive ease recommended.
Gauge: 18 sts and 16 rows = 4” [10 cm] in hdc
Materials
Yarn: Malabrigo Yarn Silky Merino (51% Silk, 49% Merino; 150 yards [137 meters]/50 grams): SM063 Natural (MC, 6 (6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9) skeins), SM425 Madre Perla (CC1, 1 (1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2) skeins), SM430 – Smoke (CC2, 1 (1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2) skeins).
Hook: US size E/4 (3.5 mm)
Notions: Tapestry needle, five-seven 5-8mm black buttons
Pattern Notes
This cardigan is worked flat in panels, and then once seamed worked as once piece. Sizes are presented XS (S, M, L, XL, 2X, 3X)
Pattern
Back Panel
With CC2, ch 85 (91, 97, 103, 109, 115, 121).
Set-up Row (RS): Inserting hook into 2nd ch from hook, hdc across, fasten off and cut yarn.
Row 1: Attach MC on same side as Set-up Row on RS, hdc 84 (90, 96, 102, 108, 114, 120), ch 1, turn.
Rows 2-36 (40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60): Hdc 84 (90, 96, 102, 108, 114, 120), ch 1, turn.
Row 37 (41, 45, 49, 53, 57, 61): Sl st 8 (8, 10, 10, 12, 12, 14), hdc 68 (74, 76, 82, 84, 90, 92), ch 1, turn, leaving rem 8 (8, 10, 10, 12, 12, 14) sts unworked.
Rows 38-66 (42-70, 46-78, 50-80, 54-88, 58-92, 62-98): Hdc 68 (74, 76, 82, 84, 90, 92), ch 1, turn.
Right Shoulder
Row 67 (71, 79, 81, 89, 93, 99): Hdc 17 (17, 17, 18, 18, 18, 19), ch 1, turn.
Row 68 (72, 80, 82, 90, 94, 100): Sk 1, hdc across, ch 1, turn.
Row 69 (73, 81, 83, 91, 95, 101): Hdc across, ch 1, turn.
Row 70 (74, 82, 84, 92, 96, 102): Sk 1, hdc across, ch 1, turn.
Rows 71-72 (75-76, 82-84, 85-88, 93-96, 97-100, 103-108): Rep last 2 rows, ending with 14 sts.
Left Shoulder
Row 67 (71, 79, 81, 89, 93, 99): With RS up, sk 17 sts, hdc 17 (17, 17, 18, 18, 18, 19), ch 1, turn.
Row 68 (72, 80, 82, 90, 94, 100): Hdc 15 (15, 15, 16, 16, 16, 17), sk 1, hdc 1, ch 1, turn.
Row 69 (73, 81, 83, 91, 95, 101): Hdc across to last 2 sts, sk 1, hdc 1, ch 1, turn.
Row 70 (74, 82, 84, 92, 96, 102): Hdc across, ch 1, turn.
Rows 71-72 (75-76, 82-84, 85-88, 93-96, 97-100, 103-108): Rep last 2 rows, ending with 14 sts.
Front Panel Right Side
With CC2, ch 40 (43, 46,49,52,55,58).
Set-up Row: Insert hook in 2nd loop away from hook, hdc in 39 (42,45, 48, 51, 54, 57) sts, fasten off and cut yarn.
Row 1: Attach MC with RS up, hdc in next 39 (42,45, 48, 51, 54, 57) sts, ch 1, turn.
Rows 2-36: Hdc in next 39 (42,45, 48, 51, 54, 57) sts, ch 1, turn.
Row 37 (41, 45, 49, 53, 57, 61): Sl st in next 8 (8, 10, 10, 12, 12, 14) sts, hdc in next 31 (34, 35, 38, 39, 42, 43) sts, ch 1, turn.
Rows 38-62 (42-66, 46-74, 50-76, 54-84, 58-88, 62-94): Hdc in next 31 (34, 35, 38, 39, 42, 43) sts, ch 1, turn.
Right Shoulder
Row 63 (67, 75, 77, 85, 89, 95): Hdc in next 19 (19, 19, 20, 20, 20, 21) sts, ch 1, turn
Row 64 (68, 76, 78, 86, 90, 96): Sk 1, hdc across, ch 1, turn.
Row 65 (69, 77, 79, 87, 91, 97): Hdc across, ch 1, turn.
Row 66 (70, 78, 80, 88, 92, 98): Sk 1, hdc across, ch 1, turn.
Rows 67-72 (71-76, 79-84, 81-88, 89-96, 93-100, 99-108): Rep last 2 rows, ending with 14 sts.
Front Panel Left Side
With CC2, ch 40 (43, 46, 49, 52, 55, 58)
Set-up Row: Insert hook into 2nd loop away from hook, hdc in 39 (42,45, 48, 51, 54, 57), fasten off and cut yarn.
Row 1: Attach MC on same side as Set-up on RS, hdc 39 (42, 45, 48, 51, 54, 57), ch 1, turn.
Rows 2-36: Hdc in next 39 (42,45, 48, 51, 54, 57) sts, ch 1, turn.
Row 37 (41, 45, 49, 53, 57, 61]: Hdc in next 31 (34, 35, 38, 39, 42, 43) sts, leaving rem 8 (8, 10, 10, 12, 12, 14) sts unworked, ch 1, turn.
Rows 38-62 (42-66, 46-74, 50-76, 54-84, 58-88, 62-94): Hdc in next 31 (34, 35, 38, 39, 42, 43) sts, ch 1, turn, fasten off and cut yarn.
Left Shoulder
Row 63 (67, 75, 77, 85, 89, 95): Attach yarn with RS up 19 sts away, hdc in next 19 (19, 19, 20, 20, 20, 21) sts, ch 1, turn.
Row 64 (68, 76, 78, 86, 90, 96): Hdc in next 17 (17, 17, 18, 18, 18, 19) sts, sk 1, hdc 1, ch 1, turn.
Row 65 (69, 77, 79, 87, 91, 97): Hdc across to last 2 sts, sk 1, hdc 1, ch 1, turn.
Row 66 (70, 78, 80, 88, 92, 98): Hdc across, ch 1, turn
Rows 67-72 (71-76, 79-84, 81-88, 89-96, 93-100, 99-108): Rep last 2 rows, ending with 14 sts.
Connections
With all pieces facing WS up, line up shoulders of front panels with the shoulders of the back panel, sc across, fasten off and cut yarn at each shoulder.
Sc across each side connecting the front and back panels to form the vest.
Base Ribbing
Rnd 1 (RS): With MC, sc along the base of the vest, add 1 sc for each of the two seams.
Set-up Row: Ch 10-24, depending on how long you’d like the ribbing to be (pictured is 14 sts).
Row 1: Sc up ch, sk next st in Rnd 1, sl st in next 2 sts, turn.
Row 2: Sc BL in all sts, ch 1, turn.
Row 3: Sc BL in all sts, sl st in next 2 sts, turn.
Cont to rep Rows 2-3 until the bottom ribbing is complete, fasten off and cut yarn
Button Band
All rows in the button band and buttonhole band are worked RS facing up from left-to-right.
Row 1: With vest facing RS up, attach MC on the bottom corner of right panel, sc across (approx. 80 sts). Fasten off and cut yarn.
Row 2: Attach CC1 to bottom left corner and hdc across. Fasten off and cut yarn.
Row 3: Rep Row 2 with MC.
Row 4: Rep Row 2 with CC2.
Row 5: Rep Row 3 with MC.
Row 6: Rep Row 2 with CC1.
With tapestry needle, attach 5-7 buttons to button band, evenly spaced apart, in CC2 row.
Buttonhole Band and Finishing Base
Row 1: With vest facing RS up, attach MC at the top corner of the left panel, sc across (about 80 sts). Fasten off and cut yarn.
Row 2: Rep Row 2 of Button Band.
Place each stitch marker one across from button placement on button band side.
Row 3: With MC, *hdc to stitch marker, fasten off and cut yarn, attach to very next st, hdc in each st to next stitch marker; rep from * to end of row.
Row 4: Rep Row 3 with CC2. At the end of this row, remove all stitch markers.
Row 5: Attach MC, hdc across row, connecting each section back together. Fasten off and cut yarn.
Row 6 and Ribbing Finish Rnd: Rep Row 2, at end of row, do not fasten off and cut yarn.
Ch 2, turn, hdc around the base ribbing approx. 1 st for each row. At end of rnd, fasten off and cut yarn.
Sleeves
Row 1: Attach MC on RS to first st away from upper vest in the arm hole created by sl sts, hdc around, roughly 1 hdc for each row and 1 st for the seam (approx. ~72) at the end of the rnd, sl st in next 2 sts in armhole on the other side, turn.
Row 2: Hdc in next 20 sts, 2 hdc in each st to last 20 sts, hdc in next 20 sts, sl st in next 2 sts, turn.
Row 3: Hdc across, sl st next 2 sts, turn.
Row 4: Rep Row 2.
Rows 5-8: Rep Row 3.
Rows 9-15 (9-15, 9-19, 9-19, 9-23, 9-23, 9-27): Rep Row 3, but instead of sl st 2 at the end of every row, ch 1, turn.
Row 16 (16, 20, 20, 24, 24, 28): Hdc2tog across row, ch 1, turn.
Row 17 (17, 21, 21, 25, 25, 29): Hdc across, ch 1, turn.
Row 18 (18, 22, 22, 26, 26, 30): Rep Row 14 (if sleeves seems too tight for your liking, hdc2tog every other st for a more open fit).
Rows 19-20 (19-20, 23-24, 23-24, 27-28, 27-28, 31-32): Rep Row 17, fasten off and cut yarn.
Row 21 (21, 25, 25, 29, 29, 33): Tie on with CC1 (RS up), hdc across, cut and tie off
Row 22 (22, 26, 26, 30, 30, 34): Rep Row 21 with MC.
Row 23 (23, 27, 27, 31, 31, 35): Rep Row 19 with CC2.
Row 24 (24, 28, 28, 32, 32, 36): Rep Row 19 with MC.
Row 25 (25, 29, 29, 33, 33, 37): Rep Row 19 with CC1.
Rep on other side for second sleeve.
Turn cardigan inside out and seam sleeve panels together with MC.
Collar
The collar is a Peter Pan style and worked from just to the side of the button band, so that there is no collar overlap over the center.
Row 1: Attach CC1 at top corner of the button band with RS facing, sc around neckline and across the top of the button-hole band. Fasten off and cut yarn.
Row 2: Attach CC1 on WS 1 st away from the button band or about 6 sts away from the corner of the buttonhole band, hdc around until 1 st away from the button band or 6 sts away from the corner of the button band, ch 1, turn.
Rows 3-6: Rep Row 2.
*If you prefer a bolder collar, rep Row 2 for additional length
Row 7a: Hdc2tog, hdc in next 16 (16, 18, 18, 20, 20, 22) sts, hdc2tog, ch 1, turn.
Row 8a: Hdc2tog, hdc across to last 2 sts, hdc2tog, fasten off and cut yarn.
Row 7b: On the other side of the collar, attach yarn on WS, hdc2tog, hdc in next 16 (16, 18, 18, 20, 20, 22) sts, hdc2tog, ch 1, turn.
Row 8b: Hdc2tog, hdc across to last 2 sts, hdc2tog, fasten off and cut yarn.
Row 9: Attach yarn on WS to st just to the right of the button band, sl st, hdc around the collar, sl st to connect at end.
Fold down the collar.
Finishing
Weave in all ends.
I have a question for this Tea Cardi which is so cute. The sizing indicates negative ease, yet there is a statement that 4″ positive ease is recommended. Is this a typo? Or has the sizing been reversed by mistake?
Hello Anna! I’ve reached out to the designer for advice and she or I will reply as soon as possible. Thanks! – Nicola, Editor
So many lovely projects! The best issue yet!