Seamless Round Yoke Fisherman's Cardigan

Free Cardigan Knitting Pattern

The fisherman's cardigan is a timeless style from the British Isles, characterized by its warm wool knit, high neckline and full length of buttons. My version of this design features a round yoke and seamless construction. I decorated the cardigan with rows of eyelets, for interest. I recommend using a 100% wool yarn for this pattern!

The cardigan is knitted seamlessly from the top down, back and forth. There are rounds of eyelets starting from the neck to the bottom of the cardigan, which provide a perfect point to change yarn colors. I started with Brown, transitioned to Brown Heather and finished up with Oatmeal for the bulk of the cardigan. However, the choice and placement of color stripes is up to you. You can knit it solid, or you can change colors every eyelet round, making the cardigan stripey. There are lots of possibilities. Please note that the change of color is in the wrong side row following the eyelet row. Circular yoke increases are also made in the eyelet rows.

The garter stitch button band is knitted together with the cardigan so that the color changes are seamless. The buttonholes in the button band line up with the eyelets to preserve symmetry.

The sleeves are worked in the round on dpn or 16” circular needles.

Sizes: S (M, L, XL, 2X, 3X)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 36 [40, 44, 48, 52, 56] inches (90 [100, 110, 120, 130, 140] cm)

Materials: 100% Wool Lion Brand (affiliate link) Fishermen's Wool aran weight yarn 465 yd (425 m) / 227g, Color Nature’s Brown - 1 skein. (CC1)
100% Wool Lion Brand (affiliate link) Fishermen's Wool aran weight yarn 465 yd (425 m) / 227g, Color Brown Heather - 1 skein (CC2).
100% Wool Lion Brand (affiliate link) Fishermen's Wool aran weight yarn 465 yd (425 m) / 227g, Color Oarmeal - 2 (2, 2, 3, 3, 3) skeins. (MC)
11 buttons

Needles: circular US6 (4.00mm) and dpn for the sleeves OR SIZE NEEDED TO OBTAIN GAUGE
For sleeve you can also use circular 16” US 5 needles.

Gauge for stockinette st: 20 sts x 28 rows = 4" x 4" (10cm x 10cm)

Pattern Notes

1x1 rib in Rows:
Row 1: * knit 1, purl 1 – repeat from *
Row 2: * purl 1, knit 1 – repeat from *

1x1 rib in Rounds:
All rounds * knit 1, purl 1 – repeat from *

Stockinette St in Rows:
Row 1: knit
Row 2: purl

Stockinette St in Rounds
All rounds: knit


Selvedge Stitches
The 1st and the last stitches of the pattern are selvedge stitches.
selvedge stitches are used to make the edges of the work even and smooth.
In this pattern I slip the first stitch as if to knit and purl the last stitch.

Button holes are worked on the button band in every eyelet row the following way: k2, yo, k2tog, p 1.

Abbreviations:
k – knit
p - purl
k2tog - knit 2 together
co - cast on
yo - yarn over
RS - right side
WS - wrong side
pu&k - pick up and knit
dpn – double-pointed needles
M1 (Make 1 increase) - I used the increase described by Elizabeth Zimmerman: Make a backward loop over the right-hand needle and in the next row knit (purl) it as a regular stitch.
w&t – wrap and turn

To wrap and turn in the short rows:
With yarn in front sl 1 stitch to the right needle
Move yarn between the needles to the back
Slip the stitch back to the left needle
Turn the work and bring the yarn back to the wrong side between the needles

Cardigan

Please note that there are different amount of stockinette st rows between eyelet rows for each size: 18 (18, 20, 20, 22, 22).

The cardigan is worked top-down, seamlessly, back and forth on circular needles from mid-front.

With CC1 cast on 80 (86, 88, 90, 94, 94) sts (includes 1 selvedge and 4 button band sts, 5 sts on each side towards mid front) using provisional cast-on method.


Yoke

Odd rows are WS.

Rows 1- 3: sl1 (selvedge), k 4 (button band), work in stockinette to last 5 sts, k 4 (button band), p 1 (selvedge):

row 1: purl, row 2: knit, row 3: purl

1st Eyelet Row

Row 4: sl1 (selvedge), k 4 (button band), k 1, yo, *k 2, yo -rep from * to last 6 sts, k 1, k 2, yo, k2tog (buttonhole), p 1 (selvedge). Total after increase = 115 (124, 127, 130, 136, 136) sts

Next row: sl 1 (selvedge), k 4 (button band), purl to last 5 sts, k 4 (button band), p 1 (selvedge).

Work 16 (16, 18, 18, 20, 22) rows as rows 1-2.

2nd Eyelet Row:

sl1 (selvedge), k 4 (button band), k 1, yo, *k 2, yo - rep from * to last 6 sts, k 1, k 2, yo, k2tog (buttonhole), p 1 (selvedge). For sizes S and L work to last 8 sts, then k 2, k 2, yo, k2tog (buttonhole), p 1 (selvedge). Total after increase = 167 (181, 185, 190, 199, 199) sts.

Change to CC2

Next row: sl 1 (selvedge), k 4 (button band), purl to last 5 sts, k 4 (button band), p 1 (selvedge).

Work 16 (16, 18, 18, 20, 22) rows as rows 1-2.

3rd Eyelet Row

sl1 (selvedge), k 4 (button band), k 1, yo, *k 2, yo -rep from * to last 8 sts, then k 2, k 2, yo, k2tog (buttonhole), p 1 (selvedge). For size XL, work to last 6 sts, k 1, k 2, yo, k2tog (buttonhole), p 1 (selvedge). Total after increase = 245 (266, 272, 280, 293, 293) sts

Change to MC

Next row: sl 1 (selvedge), k 4 (button band), purl to last 5 sts, k 4 (button band), p 1 (selvedge).
Work 16 (16, 18, 18, 20, 22) rows as rows 1-2.

4th Eyelet Row (NOT an increase row)

sl1 (selvedge), k 4, *k2tog, yo - repeat from * to last 6 (7, 7, 7, 6, 6) sts, k 3 (4, 4, 4, 3, 3) yo, k2tog, p1.

Next Row: sl 1 (selvedge), k 4 (button band), purl to last 5 sts, k 4 (button band), p 1 (selvedge).
Next row (increase row):
NO increases for sizes S and M.
Size L: work M1 increase 22 times, every 11 sts.
Size XL: work M1 increase 48 times, every 5 and 6 sts alternatively.
Size 2X: work M1 increase 62 times, every 4 and 5 sts alternatively.
Size 3X: work M1 increase 81 times, every 3 and 4 sts alternatively.

Total stitches after last increase = 245 (266, 294, 328, 354, 374).

Next row: sl 1 (selvedge), k 4 (button band), purl to last 5 sts, k 4 (button band), p 1 (selvedge).


Neckline Shaping with Short Rows

Next row: begin short rows to shape a neckline.

Short row 1: sl 1, k 4, k 197 (214, 239, 268, 289, 305), w&t.
Short row 2: p 149 ( 162, 184, 208, 224, 236), w&t.
Short row 3: knit until 5 sts before w&t of previous RS row, w&t.
Short row 4: purl until 5 sts before w&t of previous WS row, w&t.
Repeat short rows 3-4 three more times.
Next row: work RS row to the end, picking up the wrap and working it together with the stitch it was wrapped around.
Next row: work full WS row, picking up the remaining wrap and working it together with the stitch it was wrapped around.


Divide for Sleeves and Bodice:

Next Row: sl1 (selvedge), k 4 (button band), k 38 (42, 45, 50, 55, 59), transfer the next 42 (44, 52, 59, 64, 65) sts to a piece of waste yarn, co 14 (15, 17, 18, 20, 22) sts (for underarm), k 75 (84, 90, 100, 106, 116), transfer the next 42 (44, 52, 59, 64, 65) sts to a piece of waste yarn, co 14 (15, 17, 18, 20, 22) sts , k 38 (42, 45, 50, 55, 59), k 4 (button band), p 1.

Total after division = 189 (208, 224, 246, 266, 288).

Work next WS row.


Darts

The darts are shaped with short rows. There are no darts for size S. I would recommend to work darts for the rest of the sizes, as without darts the front will look shorter than the back.

Short row 1 (RS): sl 1, k 4, k 0 (37, 40, 45, 50, 54), w&t.
Short row 2: purl to last 5 sts, k 4 (button band), p 1 (selvedge).
Short row 3: sl 1, k 4, knit until 0 (4, 3, 3, 3, 3) sts before w&t of previous RS row, w&t.
Short row 4: purl to last 5 sts, k 4 (button band), p 1 (selvedge).
Repeat short rows 3-4 0 (4, 5, 6, 6, 6) more times.
Next row: work RS row to the end, picking up the wrap and working it together with the stitch it was wrapped around.
Short row 1 (WS): sl 1 (selvedge), k 4 (button band), p 0 (37, 40, 45, 50, 54), w&t.
Short row 2: knit to last 5 sts, k 4 (button band), p 1 (selvedge).
Short row 3: sl 1 (selvedge), k 4 (button band), purl until 0 (4, 3, 3, 3, 3) sts before w&t of previous RS row, w&t.
Short row 4: knit to last 5 sts, k 4 (button band), p 1 (selvedge).
Repeat short rows 3-4 0 (4, 5, 6, 6, 6) more times.
Next row: work WS row to the end, picking up the wrap and working it together with the stitch it was wrapped around.

For size S only: work 8 rows as rows 1-2.


5th Eyelet Row

sl1 (selvedge), k 4, *k2tog, yo - repeat from * to last 6 (7, 7, 7, 7, 7) sts, k 3 (4, 4, 4, 4, 4) yo, k2tog, p1.

Next Row: sl 1 (selvedge), k 4 (button band), purl to last 5 sts, k 4 (button band), p 1 (selvedge).

Work 16 (16, 18, 18, 20, 22) rows as rows 1-2.

Repeat 5th eyelet row, next even row and following 16 (16, 18, 18, 20, 22) rows 5 more times. In the last repeat work only 4 rows instead of 16 (16, 18, 18, 20, 22) rows. You can change the length of the cardigan by changing the number of repeats.

Work 1x1 rib for 10 rows. Make last button hole in the 7th rib round. Bind off.


Sleeve

Sleeves are worked in the round, on dpn or circular 16” (40 cm) needles. You can also use longer circular needles and the “magic loop” method. Sleeves are worked in stockinette st.

Transfer sts from waste yarn to dpn, distribute the stitches evenly. Pick up and knit 14 (15, 17, 18, 20, 22) sts underarm. Mark the beginning of the round.

Work total 128 rows or to desired length, taking into consideration, that there is a 2.5” (6 cm) 1x1 rib.
In the last row work k2tog to the end of the round, decreasing the amount of stitches in half.

Work 10 rounds of rib 1x1. Bind off.


Finishing:

Unravel the waste yarn from the neckline and transfer the stitches to a circular needle. Work 6 rows of 1x1 rib. Bind off.

Weave in the ends of the yarn. Block the piece. Sew on buttons.

Have fun!