Friday, March 9, 2012

Patternum Novum: Pontos Cardigan

Last late summer, while staying at a family friend's house on a chilly Central Californian beach, I was finally knitting a design I'd had floating around in my head for at least a year. I had seen Tess' Grand Manan at the last Stitches I'd been to, and had an idea for something cozy, but cool. It'd be knit in some sort of textured lace pattern - textured to give visual interest, and lacey to lighten up the bulky, wooly, mohairy yarn, which was going to be warm enough no matter how many yarnovers I used. And the result was the Pontos Cardigan.
 
$6 via Ravelry (no account needed)

(more info on Ravelry here)

Finished measurements
Bust: 33.75 (37.75, 40.25, 44.25, 49.75, 55, 59)”/ 85.5 (96, 102, 112.5, 126.5, 139.5, 150) cm
Length from collar to hem: 29.75 30, 30.5, 31, 31.25, 32.25, 32.75)”/ 75.5 (76, 77.5, 78.5, 79.5, 82, 83) cm
Sample shown in size S with 2.5”/6 cm of ease.

Yarn & Needles
Tess’ Designer Yarns Grand Manan (55% Mohair, 45% Merino; 325 yds/297 m per 227 g);
2 (3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4) or 610 (680, 725, 795, 895, 990, 1065) yards/ 560 (620, 665, 725, 820, 905, 975)
US 9 (5.5mm) circular needle for ribbing
US 10 (6.0mm) circular needle for body and sleeves

Gauge
12 sts & 19 rows = 4"/10cm in Star Rib Mesh pattern on US 10 (6.0mm) needles
14 sts & 20 rows = 4"/10cm in Stockinette St on US 10 (6.0mm) needles
Errata
3/19/12: Page 2, Create St st Base for Pockets, Sizes XS, L, XL, & 3XL, Row 3 - pattern repeat after second marker is slipped should be [k1, yo, sl2-k1-p2sso, yo]. Corrected in Rev. 2 of the pattern.

Pontos is Greek for "sea", and I've given this name to my new cardi both because it reminds me of that week on the seashore where I knit it and because the stitch pattern, Star Rib Mesh, somehow reminds me of the ocean - starfish, a fisherman's net, things like that.

 
It's knit from the bottom up all in one piece (those are faux seams you see on the sides) and has patch pockets picked up from a Stockinette base when you're done with the sweater, so there are only two small sides to seam for each, and a raglan yoke. There is no side shaping, which makes this a super easy knit (and fast on big needles!). The only area where you really need to pay attention (after you've gotten the hang of the stitch pattern, which is also quite simple) is the raglan yoke decreases, for which I've provided a chart to help you maintain the lacey pattern.

 
This cardigan is super easy to wear, too, and is a great transitional-weather piece. Throw it on with a dress or some jeans and a scarf and you're good to go. I love it belted, too, and I can't usually rock the belted-outerwear thing.

 
I hope you like it, too!





13 comments:

French Press Knits said...

You are looking lovely- that baby weight did not want to stay with you! The new cardigan is just perfect.

Unknown said...

great cardi, i'll be adding it to the never-ending queue!

sophy said...

i like it very much, hil! this sounds perfect for a late summer/early fall in Sweden... maybe i'll finally use up the tess yarn i bought at last year's stitches west :D

Aline said...

Uh oh, I see a queue jumper! Love it... a. xx

Nettie said...

This is a beautiful sweater, Hilary!! You wear it very well!

Maryse said...

What a beautiful and wearable pattern! Very nively styled as well! Congratulations! I like the name also!

Julie said...

This is So gorgeous, it's the perfect spring cardigan to layer with!! I love it.

Teresa said...

So lovely! I'm really digging the belted knits lately. Well done!

Mr. Puffy said...

This is such a fabulous look! And an ideal "in between" season sweater and ~ chilly coastal morning sipping coffee ~ kinda sweater :) I love that your knit designs are geared to real life. Bravo on another terrific design!

Sari said...

Started your absolutely lovely pattern last week. It's my first big knitting project. The problem is, I'm really doubtful about the size. I'm making it in size S, I have bust +/- 33" so should correspond with this size. I finished the ribbed underside, but this seems so small! It won't close around me, and I know there will be another edge at both sides at the end, but still.. How easily buttoned this for you? It's a gift and I'd hate to make the wrong size.

Hilary said...

Hi Sari -- I definitely know what you're talking about...the ribbing really tightens up and looks quite small when you've first knit it, but it should stretch enough to fit around you. The bottom of the sweater in the Star Rib Mesh should be 37.75" around, and in the ribbing it will be a little less than that, but not much. The sample is the size S, I'm about a 33" bust as well, and I can button it just fine. If your gauge in the ribbing is really tight, you might consider going up a needle size to make it a little bigger. I hope that helps!

Sari said...

Thanks! That really helped.

Sari said...

Okay, so I did what you said, got bigger needles and now it's perfect. It's just that extra inch on either side that makes me feel less fidgety about it!
I did find an anomaly in the pattern, I think. For sizes S, M & 2XL, I miss a yo I think after slipping the first marker on row 1. On the corresponding part on row 3, I miss a second stitch to be able to make the k2tog after slipping the second marker, right before knitting the pocket base. (I hope this makes sense!). Thanks again!