Incline Decline Cardigan
The lines and planes of our Incline Decline Cardigan form their own hibernal landscape, like spare slopes converging in a valley or branches stretching from a bare tree… Quiet details and big gestures.
Garter stitch is put to good use here in a multi-directional design that features bands of stockinette at the seams. These simple stitches are the perfect language for the unconventional construction of this very fascinating knit.
It is composed of four pieces: two fronts and two backs. Each piece is knit on the bias, which, technically, means that the grain of the fabric is on the diagonal and, practically, means that you increase, decrease, or both at the beginning and end of each row…. Pretty cool and kind of an adventure!
Once you’ve knit the two back pieces (starting at each cuff), you join them up the center of the back, then you throw the two fronts into the mix and sew the seams along the shoulders, sleeves, and sides. Lastly, you’ll pick up stitches to knit the garter stitch band and collar.
And to give a beautiful drape and super-soft feel to the whole thing, we used our gorgeous Cashmere Merino Bloom. It’s a wonderful yarn to accompany you on this winter knitting excursion!
Designed for Purl Soho by Mary Anne Benedetto.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoInclineDeclineCardigan, and #PurlSohoCashmereMerinoBloom. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 6 (7, 7, 8) (9, 10, 11, 11) skeins of Purl Soho’s Cashmere Merino Bloom, 75% extra fine merino wool and 25% cashmere. Each skein of this light worsted/DK yarn is approximately 218 yards/100g; approximately 1225 (1335, 1510, 1685) (1895, 2025, 2175, 2255) yards required. We used Dove Gray (Blue Rust, shown in some of the photos up top, is no longer available).
- US 7 (4.5 mm), 32-inch circular needles
- A set of US 7 double pointed needles
- Stitch holders or scrap yarn
- Stitch markers
- Removable stitch markers
- An Incline Decline Cardigan Pattern
Gauge
20 stitches and 40 rows = 4 inches in garter stitch
Sizes
NOTE For help picking a size, please check out our Understanding Ease + Selecting Size Tutorial!
39 (42, 47, 51) (55, 59, 64, 67)
To fit actual chest circumference of 31–35 (34–38, 39–43, 43–47) (47–51, 51–55, 56–60, 59–63) inches, with approximately 4–8 inches of ease
- Finished Chest Circumference: 39 (42, 47, 51) (55, 59, 64, 67) inches
- Finished Length From Shoulder To Bottom Edge: 20¾ (21½, 22¾, 24) (25¾, 26¼, 27, 27½) inches
- Finished Length From Underarm To Bottom Edge: 14 (14, 15, 15) (16, 16, 16, 16) inches
- Finished Sleeve Length From Cuff To Underarm: 18 (18, 18½, 18½) (18¾, 18¾, 19, 19) inches
SAMPLE: The Dove Gray sweater pictured here is size 42, worn with 8 inches of ease.
Pattern
The Incline Decline Cardigan Pattern is available for purchase as a PDF download only.
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
How beautyful! Purl Soho is my absolutely favorit knitting webside. I love ALL your projects ! And I wish, I could live in Soho… Best regards from northern Germany! Kathrin
This looks like a really nice cardigan. I have some Season Alpaca I’ve been waiting to knit. Do you think I could substitute that? I know it’s a sport yarn. What if I held it with something like Tussock, do you think that could work (I never know what holding 2 strands of yarn equates to)?
Hi Cynthia,
Thanks for reaching out! While Season Alpaca on its own would probably be too thin for this pattern, it is possible that adding a strand of Tussock would bulk it up just enough to obtain the correct gauge. It’s hard to say for sure though, so I would recommend knitting a gauge swatch to find out! It’s usually pretty straightforward to estimate the resulting gauge or weight if you hold two strands of the same yarn together, but adding a thinner, textured yarn can be a bit unpredictable. Either way, knitting up a swatch will give you all the information you need!
I hope that helps!
Julianna
I love the incline decline sweater! Is there any reasonI couldn’t knit the four major pieces with straight needles? Please reply. I’d really like to make it! Thanks , Geri Baer
Hi Geri,
Thank you so much for the kind words! While all the pieces of the cardigan are knit flat, you will have up to 300 stitches on your needles at certain points, which can be quite difficult to squeeze on to straight needles. If you are comfortable with fitting that many stitches on longer straight needles, then you could certainly use them if you prefer!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
What is the price of that yarn?
Hi Janet,
Thanks for writing in! You can find all the details on our Cashmere Merino Bloom, including price, yardage, and fiber content, on the Cashmere Merino Bloom product page.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Are stitches picked up for knitting the front band?
Hi Joyce,
Thanks for reaching out! Yes, after knitting and assembling the rest of the cardigan, the front band is picked up and knit in one piece to finish the sweater.
Best,
Julianna
How would you make the cardigan longer? It looks a bit short for me. Thanks.
Hi Vicki,
Thanks for writing! Even though it is knit on the bias, we do give a measurement for the finished side body edge, which would be the length of the body at the underarm, so you can lengthen or shorten the sweater as needed before joining the sleeve pieces. You will just need to make sure you knit all the pieces of the cardigan – Left Front Body, Right Front Body, Left Back Body, and Right Back Body – to the same length, and you will also have to pick up extra stitches for the front band to match the added length.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
I am in the middle of a project now. When finished I look forward to
knitting this beautiful sweater
Hi there! Just finished a cowl and hat in the Cashmere Bloom and am in LOVE!! Can’t wait to make this sweater!! Can this easily be made longer? Thanks in advance for your reply.
Hi Lucy,
Thank you so much for the kind words and for writing in! Even though it is knit on the bias, we do give a measurement for the finished side body edge, which would be the length of the body at the underarm, so you can lengthen or shorten the sweater as needed before joining the sleeve pieces. You will just need to make sure you knit all the pieces of the cardigan – Left Front Body, Right Front Body, Left Back Body, and Right Back Body – to the same length, and you will also have to pick up extra stitches for the front band to match the added length.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Can the pattern be adjusted for a longer cardigan?
Hi Karen,
Thanks for reaching out! Even though it is knit on the bias, we do give a measurement for the finished side body edge, which would be the length of the body at the underarm, so you can lengthen or shorten the sweater as needed before joining the sleeve pieces. You will just need to make sure you knit all the pieces of the cardigan – Left Front Body, Right Front Body, Left Back Body, and Right Back Body – to the same length, and you will also have to pick up extra stitches for the front band to match the added length.
Best,
Julianna
Am loving this cardigan pattern but would like it to be a little longer. Should I order one extra skein of yarn?
Hi Bonnie,
Thanks for reaching out! Depending how much length you would like to add, I would suggest ordering an extra skein or two of yarn just to be on the safe side. If you don’t end up needing it, any unwound yarn can be returned for store credit – you can read our full return policy here.
Best,
Julianna
An I adjust the sleeve length with this pattern?
Hi Rita,
Thanks for reaching out! Yes, you can adjust the sleeve length easily! Even though it is knit on the bias, we do give a measurement for the finished bottom sleeve selvedge, which would be the length of the sleeve at the underarm, which you can lengthen or shorten as needed.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
I would love this as a jumper / sweater. Love the back design for
front as well. Cosy as a jumper so not needing to keep the
two front panels from flapping about.
I have short arms. Does this sweater pattern allow for shortening arms easily?
Hi Shirley,
Thanks for reaching out! Yes, you can adjust the sleeve length easily! Even though it is knit on the bias, we do give a measurement for the finished bottom sleeve selvedge, which would be the length of the sleeve at the underarm, which you can lengthen or shorten as needed.
Best,
Julianna
Hello, PS!
Would that pattern work with Lamb’s Pride Worsted?
Hi Maureen,
Thanks for reaching out! Our Cashmere Merino Bloom is a DK weight yarn, so a worsted weight yarn would probably be a bit too heavy – although you could probably obtain the correct gauge with a worsted yarn, the fabric would be much stiffer than ours and the cardigan wouldn’t have as much drape. I would suggest looking for a DK weight yarn!
I hope that helps!
Julianna
This is beautiful! What would say is the skill level? I’ve done hats and socks but never a sweater.
Hi Eniky,
Thanks for reaching out! I would consider this an advanced beginner to intermediate pattern – although the sweater is comprised of simple knitting, increasing, and decreasing, there are often several different increases and decreases going on at once. Although it’s not a project you can knit mindlessly, as long as you keep careful track of which row you are on, the techniques used aren’t too complicated and you should be familiar with almost everything if you have done hats and socks! If you do run into any problems, you can always check out Tutorials page or write back here with questions.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Hi, this is so beautiful and looks like my style. How would you rank the difficulty of this sweater? Also, are the pieces sewn together or are they knit in a single piece? If sewn, how many pieces are there?
Thanks so much!
Hi Alison,
Great questions! I would consider this an advanced beginner to intermediate pattern – although the sweater is comprised of simple knitting, increasing, and decreasing, there are often several different increases and decreases going on at once. Although it’s not a project you can knit mindlessly, as long as you keep careful track of which row you are on, the techniques used aren’t too complicated. You will have four pieces to sew together using Mattress Stitch before picking up stitches for the front band.
If you do run into any problems, you can always check out Tutorials page or write back here with questions.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
How easy is to shorten the sleeves on this pattern? Thanks.
Hi Michele,
Thanks for reaching out! Yes, you can adjust the sleeve length easily! Even though it is knit on the bias, we do give a measurement for the finished bottom sleeve selvedge, which would be the length of the sleeve at the underarm, so you can lengthen or shorten as needed.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Is there enough ease in the sweater for a man to wear?
Hi Thomas,
Great question! Since our sweater sizes are given as finished chest measurements, you can choose whichever size has the amount of ease you prefer! We recommend 4 to 8 inches of positive ease and showed it on our model with 8 inches of positive ease, but if you prefer more, you can always choose a larger size.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
I love the look and with all the pickups and decreases it’s a bit Elizabeth Zimmerman. With that said, has anyone attempted all one piece?
Hello Melinda,
Thank you for your insights! This is a fascinating thought and would certainly be a challenge, if it is possible.
Happy knitting,
Marilla
This is a beautiful sweater! Is there a way to pick up and knit the front/neckband so the joining is a bit more finished looking? Something like an i-cord perhaps?
Hello Jennifer,
Thank you for reaching out! Adding an I-cord edge would be a fairly simple modification to add, and would create a more curved edge at the two corners of this cardigan. We used this technique in our Drift Vest with much success- I would take a look to see if it is what you had in mind.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
The Drift Vest is beautiful, and I love that tweedy yarn. But I was thinking of the i-cord not at the edge, but between the border of the wide band and the body of the Incline – Decline sweater. Picking up and knitting stitches always looks a little rough, even when done by your professional, talented knitters.
Hello Jennifer,
This is a fascinating idea! I have never put an i-cord into a sweater in this way. but you could certainly experiment with it. I would try it out on a little swatch and see what happens.
Let us know how it goes!
-Marilla
I started the pattern and on Page 3, Shape Sleeve, I am confused by the increases. I started the sleeve with 35 stitches on my needle, row 1 brings it to 34 stitches, row 3 down to 33 stitches. With the increase row, it brings it up to 34 stitches again. However, every row 1 decreases 2 stitches and with 1 stitch increase every 4th row, I will never end up with 54 stitches on my needle. I am really missing something…help! Thanks!
HI Nancy,
Thanks for writing in! I am happy to help! In this section, row 1 will maintain the number of stitches as it has one increase and once decrease. the ssk near the beginning decreases one stitch and the m1R at the end increase by one stitch so that you have the same number of stitches as when you began the row. I think the confusion may come in that we describe the ssk and then put the abbreviation in parentheses which sould lead you do accidentally doing 2 ssks. The row reads:
K2, slip slip knit (ssk), knit to last 3 stitches, m1R, k3.
Written out in standard abbreviated form would read:
K2, ssk, knit to last 3 stitches, m1R, k3.
I do hope that this helps to clear things up!
Cassy
Hi Cassy, Thank you for your reply. I know what happened and your answer helped out. When I read the Notes on Page 2 before casting on, the S2KP stitch stuck in my mind. When I got to the Shape Sleeve section, I knit that instead of the SSK! I was determined to figure this out as this is a wonderful pattern that I will wear a lot. Thanks again!
Love that cardigan. Is it possible to knit it longer?
Hello Monika,
Thank you for reaching out! Even though it is knit on the bias, we do give a measurement for the finished side body edge, which would be the length of the body at the underarm, so you can lengthen or shorten the sweater as needed before joining the sleeve pieces. You will just need to make sure you knit all the pieces of the cardigan – Left Front Body, Right Front Body, Left Back Body, and Right Back Body – to the same length, and you will also have to pick up extra stitches for the front band to match the added length.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
I have just begun knitting this and have a question: I am just beginning the left front sleeve. On every wrong side row, after knitting up to the last stitch, it says to slip the last stitch. Should I be bringing my yarn to the front before slipping the last stitch ? I think so, because the next right side row begins with a K1. Am I thinking correctly? Thanks.
Hello Valerie,
Thank you for reaching out! You are absolutely correct. For this pattern you will be slipping stitches purlwise with yarn in front unless directed otherwise.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Love this pattern. Have finished left front. Am wondering if it can be adapted to stockinette rather than garter if I make another?
Hi Ann,
Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately, due to the drastic difference in row gauge between garter and stockinette stitch and how much the construction of this cardigan relies on both row and stitch gauge, I don’t think you will be able to substitute stockinette stitch without major alterations. I’m so sorry about that, but I’m very happy to hear that you are enjoying the pattern so far!
Best,
Julianna
Hi, enjoying this immensely..I have a question..
I am about to “join body and sleeve”. it directs to place 3 stitches on stitch holders or scrap yarn..as holders is plural, does that mean 2 separate holders?thanks
Hello Robyn,
Thank you for reaching out! You are placing 3 stitches from beginning of right-side
body row (Side edge) and 3 stitches from end of right-side Sleeve row (Bottom Sleeve) on SEPARATE stitch holders or scrap yarn.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
I am at this point too and being very new to knitting, I have a few questions.
Why do we do this (put stitches on stitch holders)?
Is the side edge of the body piece the left and shorter side ?
The next instruction is to transfer remaining stitches onto needles, then to start knitting again. Does this mean we DO NOT knit the stitches on the stitches on stitch holders?
Hi Alicia,
Thanks for reaching out! The side edge of the left front is the side that is at the beginning of right side rows, and should be the longer side of the rectangle. These held stitches will together become the underarm seam, so you will not be knitting them right now, but will return to them at the very end when you are putting all the pieces of the sweater together. You can just leave them on their holders for now and work on the rest of the stitches!
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
Besides being incredibly stylish – this is simply a brilliantly conceived pattern – one of the best I’ve ever tackled. I just finished the sweater using a substitute yarn – Berroco Ultra Wool, a worsted super wash wool in 100gr skeins, that was a perfect match for yardage and gauge.
The instructions read a little clunky at times, I had to chart some things out as an aid, but it really came together beautifully. Not a bit of wasted yarn; every yarn end could be used to sew up a seam; and counting the selvage slip stitches ensured that each piece ended up exactly the same length. Casting off the band was probably the trickiest bit, but I found instructions for a “Suspended” cast off that prevented the last row shortening up. It worked like a charm.
Thank you!
A
I’m very much enjoying knitting this beautiful pattern, which I’m making in a DK cotton. My question pertains to page 4 and the shaping of the v-neck. The directions simply say “repeat rows 1 and 2 until Left Front measures 14 inches along side edge…ending with a wrong side row.” There is no indication of how many times this decrease should be repeated, nor of the number of stitches that should remain once the decreases are done. The following section does nothing to clear up the mystery. Could you please provide stitch counts for the various steps in the pattern? You seem to do this at many other points. Thanks very much for the help!
Hi Tracey,
Thanks so much for the kind words and for writing in! Although it doesn’t seem like it, your stitch count should stay the same in this section as you begin working the straight portion of the front.. In Row 1, you will M1L at the beginning and K2tog at the end of the row which balances each other out, and there are no increases or decreases in Row 2.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
Hi,I am on Page 10 “join back body pieces”
however, this is my concern/confusion..when I transfer left back body stitches to needle with right back body piece, with RS facing, the selvedge edges are on opposite sides(not joined) is this correct? doesn’t seem right.
Have I done something backwards?
many thanks..love love this…
HI Robyn,
Great question! This is correct! You will transfer the stitches and then knit them together in the next row labeled “Joining Row”!
Best,
Cassy
Hi there, I am sewing up my shoulder/arm seams now..as its garter stitch, and selvedge edges, are there any particular instructions using mattress stitch??..instructions in pattern say to sew from wrong side..usually mattress stitch is sewn from right side, so seam is inside..
the photos show nice flat seams of selvedge edge..how do you achieve that?
thanks for you help as always..
Hello Robyn,
Thank you for reaching out- you are exactly correct! The pattern instructs you to “With wrong sides together, match Fronts to Back” This means that the right side of your cardigan will be facing you.
I hope this clears things up for you and happy knitting!
-Marilla
I planning on making this sweater with an alpaca/wool yarn that, according to the ball band, has the same gauge. But….I’m having to go down to a size 3 needle to get gauge. That’s not typical of my knitting. What’s wrong?
Hi June,
Thanks for writing in! It’s hard to say what exactly is going wrong without seeing the yarn you are substituting, but that is quite a jump! However, exact needle sizes are always a suggestion, so as long as you are happy with the drape and feel of the knitted fabric on US 3s and you are getting the correct gauge, your sweater will turn out just fine. If you find that the fabric is too stiff, the yarn may just not be a good fit for this pattern.
Best of luck and I hope that helps!
Julianna
I have my grandmother’s Bernat Mohairspun wools.-(at least 40 years old) Would this work pattern well with it? If not, could you suggest a pattern that might make a nice cardigan? The wool is 66% pure mohair, 17% virgin wool and 17% nylon. Purl Soho has the best patterns-thanks!
Hello Carol,
Thank you for reaching out- How special to knit up a sweater with your grandmother’s yarn! I would reccomend knitting up a gauge swatch to see how many stitches per inch you are getting. Once you have this info we can figure out a good pattern to pair your yarn with.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Love the sweater, but yesterday I frogged the entire thing. My pieces measured much longer than I believe they should have. I finally understood the construction of the back pieces, but the front was just looking too long. It measured more than 24” and I could not figure out the construction — how to piece it together. I have just finished the Left Front Sleeve shaping up to the point where I am supposed to knot repeating rows 1 and 2 until sleeve measures 18 1/2” along Bottom Sleeve selvedge (edge at end of right side rows), ending with a wrong side row.
Can you please tell me which selvedge I should measure? One is straight and the curved and I don’t see this on the diagram. I’m desperately trying not to have to rio again as the yarn is not as smooth as it was when it was new.
Thanks!
Hello Fran,
Thank you for reaching out! To construct the front of your your cardigan you will first you will work Left Front Sleeve to Underarm,then place stitches on hold. Next, you will work Left Front Body, beginning at lower Side seam and working to
Underarm, where you will join Body with Sleeve and work in one piece to upper edge.
When the pattern says to “Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until sleeve measures 18 (18, 18½, 18½, 18¾, 18¾) inches along Bottom Sleeve selvedge (edge at end of right-side rows), ending with a wrong-side row.” You basically be measuring from your cuff to your underarm. You can see this in the diagram of the arm piece.
I hope this helps, but please let me know if you are still confused!
Happy knitting,
-Marilla
I think this is a lovely sweater even though what I’m about to write sounds a big negative. It’s not meant to be. Here goes. In looking at the sample, the way the front band is picked up looks, for lack of a better word, a bit sloppy and not quite as fluid as the rest of the sweater. I’ve read the other comment asking how the front band is done and you say it’s picked up and finished last. Why the weird uneveness at the pick up? I don’t want my finished project to look like this.
Hi Leigh,
Thanks for reaching out, and I apologize for the delay in responding! Picking up from the edge of garter stitch can at times look a bit messy, so I would suggest practicing on a few swatches until you find a method you like. Our Picking Up Stitches tutorial has a video for garter stitch, and we recommend picking up between the garter stitch ridges, but in some fabrics, picking up in the edge bump of the garter ridges may give a tidier look, though it’s less sturdy and wouldn’t be suitable for heavy knits. Hopefully one of these two methods gives you the tidy finish you are looking for!
Best,
Julianna
I’m about to finish the first sleeve piece. It says to transfer to stitch holders then cast on three stitches. Should I’ve trying to cast close to the end of the knitting or do I leave some space?
Hello Alicia,
Thank you for reaching out! These two acts are separate from each other. You will place your stitches on a stitch holder or scrap yarn. You will come back to these in the “JOIN BODY + SLEEVE” section. First you will work Left Front Sleeve to Underarm, then place stitches on hold. Next, you will work Left Front Body, beginning at lower Side seam and working to Underarm, where you will join Body with Sleeve and work in one piece to upper edge.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Thank you for your reply. However after some thinking, I realized the answer I needed was to cast on from a new skein of yarn.
I am knitting the Left front sleeve and am to the point where I have 33 stitches on my needles, My piece does not measure approximately 4 1/2 inches along the cuff selvedge. (It is 4 inches). What should I do? Thank you!
Hi Elise,
Thanks for writing in! Did you check your gauge before beginning the sweater? I would recommend measuring your stitches and rows per inch on the piece that you have done currently and see how that compares to the pattern gauge. It’s not unheard of for ones gauge to change a bit from the gauge swatch to the actual garment, and that would explain this measurement being off.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
I love this pattern and am knitting it in your cashmere merino bloom. I’m very confused right now, though, and am hoping that you can help me. I’m joining the back body pieces. I thought I followed the directions but found myself with the two knit-three edges at the outside of the joined two pieces instead of in the middle. When I look at the picture of the back, it appears that the knit-three edges should be in the middle and then, perhaps, sewn together at the end. Is this correct? If that is correct, I feel that the right back piece is the left and the left side piece is really the right side. And then I can’t figure out how to join the pieces together. What have I done wrong?? Thanks so much for your help. I can’t wait to wear my sweater.
Carol
Hi Carol,
Thanks for reaching out! I am so sorry to hear this! While I am not quite sure where things may have gone wrong, I can confirm that the knit 3 stitch edge should be in the center for each piece. In the portion of the pattern for the “LEFT BACK BODY”, you will see that on right side rows, the knit 3 will be at the beginning of the row which would place it in the middle of the back. For the “RIGHT BACK BODY”, the knit 3 will be at the end of right side rows also placing it in the middle of the body.
The back body pieces are begun separately and then joined together in the “JOIN BACK BODY PIECES” section and then knit as one for the bulk of the back of the sweater. In essence, each back piece is started and then knit until the correct number of stitches is achieved and then the pieces are joined together and worked as one piece with the decorative column of knit stitches in the middle.
My best guess is that it may be possible that you have flipped the pieces before going to join them. To join the pieces, you will want to orient both pieces with the right sides facing you. The left side should be on hold with the knit 3 stitches being at the right side of the fabric and the right side should be on the needles with the knit three being at the left side of the fabric. You then transfer the on-hold Left Back Body stitches to needles with Right Back Body stitches, so that you would work across Right Back Body, then Left Back Body stitches when beginning with a right-side row. That is to say that the right back body piece will be on the right of your needle and the left would be on the left. You will then work the joining row to get them together and form the middle decorative column of stitches.
I do hope that this helps!
Cassy
I have found that the bias sleeves ‘grow’ as would fabric that is cut on the bias. I had made accommodations for the length of my arms (being 6’ tall, I have long arms), but now they seem too long, since the knit fabric has grown. Can I block them back to size or will they continue to grow?
Many thanks,
Susan
Hi Susan,
Thanks for reaching out! Although you can block the sleeves shorter, it’s hard to say if they will stay shorter since garter stitch is quite elastic and the weight of the sleeves may stretch it right back out when worn. I would recommend washing and blocking a swatch, measuring your row gauge, and then hanging the swatch for a few days with a small weights, such as binder clips, attached to the bottom to mimic the sweater being worn. You can then measure your row gauge again to see how much it stretches out over time. It’s a bit tricky to apply this information directly to this sweater since the sleeves are knit on the bias, but this should give you an idea of how well the blocking will last!
I hope that helps!
Julianna
I am stuck on how to do the join body plus sleeve, pg 4 of Incline pattern. Could you post a diagram of the shapes that the two pieces should be for left bottom sleeve and left body at this step? I must have something wrong. Also, a diagram of the shapes loaded onto the same needle? Thank you.
Hello Crystal,
Thank you for reaching out! While we do not currently have the resources to produce new diagrams I can certainly do my best to help you! You are basically adding your on hold sleeve stitches to your body stitches with each set of your on-hold stitches together at your Underarm. You should have your Left Front Sleeve to Underarm, your Left Front Body, beginning at lower Side seam and working to underarm, where you will join Body with Sleeve and work in one piece to upper edge.
I hope this makes sense- if it is still causing you grief let us know and we can further trouble shoot the issue with you.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hello, I have bought this pattern . Is it possible to download it in my Raverly ‘s librairy?
Thank you and ??For this pattern
Hi Mary,
Great question! You absolutely can add this pattern to your Ravelry library! First, make sure you’re signed into your Purl Soho account, then click your name in the top left corner of any page to go to My Dashboard. There, click My Downloadable Products in the left margin. You will see a list of all the downloadable patterns you have bought from Purl Soho. In the Ravelry column to the right, click on “Add To Ravelry.” When you do, it will change to “View On Ravelry.” Click that and you’ll be taken to Ravelry’s homepage, where you can navigate right to your library!
Best,
Thanks, it’s ok . I do like knitting this pattern though it isn’t in French ❣️
Hi – I wish you would offer just a few of your patterns in plus sizes – while I constantly work on my weight and fitness – I’m not quit there and I would love to be able to make this cardigan or a few of your other designs for myself. Thanks for considering-
Melissa
Hi Melissa,
Thanks for reaching out! We really do appreciate that bodies come in all shapes and sizes and share your concern that patterns be as inclusive as possible. Since last spring, all of our new sweaters fit at least a 60-inch chest. We have also been updating older patterns with the same, but I’m so sorry that this pattern hasn’t been graded to our new size range yet! We are still working to add new sizes to all of our patterns, but in the mean time, you can view a gallery of our new and updated sweaters by clicking right here!
All the best,
Julianna
Please be on the lookout, and thank you so much for adding your voice to this issue. We take your feedback very seriously!
I am looking for the directions for the left front sleeve. Please advise re page number. Note: the pattern, which i bought from Purl Soho, seems to have no page 3 – page 2 is followed immediately by page 4. Could that be the problem?
Hi Cecelia,
Thanks for reaching out! I am so sorry to hear this! The pattern begins on page 3. I am so sorry to hear that your pattern does not contain this page. We are writing directly to you to help out!
Best,
Cassy
I seem to be getting an irregular edge with the SSKP – I’ve seen your video, and I believe I’m doing it right. I’m thinking to slip each of the two stitches KW one at at time, K1, then passing the SS over the K1 – thoughts?
Otherwise fantastic design, and the merino cashmere yarn is wonderful to knit.
L
Hi Lyndsay,
Thank you so much for the kind words, and I hope I can help troubleshoot this for you! Can you let me know which section of the pattern the SSKP is creating an issue in?
Best,
Julianna
Whoops – I misread SSK as SSKP. It’s all good! Thanks.
Near the end! Casting off the band to see that last row shortering up 🙁 Which cast on to prevent this? (it’s difficult to explain in english sorry)
Hi Mary,
Thanks for reaching out! I’m not entirely sure what you mean, but it sounds like you might be casting off too tightly, causing the final row to pucker or pull in. If that’s the case, I would suggest using a needle one or two sizes larger to work the cast off – that should help loosen things up! If that doesn’t answer your question, please feel free to send us a picture of your work at customerservice@purlsoho.com and we will be happy to take a look!
Best,
Julianna
Hi Julianna,
Yes that was what I mean and I found on youtube The suspended Bindoff which is more elastic. Thank you, I am very happy with the result.
I’m at the point of assembling this garment. I want my seams to look as professional as the photographs. Do you have any tutorials you could recommend as to how to best seam this, or should I just seam the slipped stitches?
Hi Margaret,
That’s a great question! Our mattress stitch tutorial will guide you the seaming. This pattern instructs you to “With wrong sides together, match Fronts to Back” This means that the right side of your cardigan will be facing you, before you start seaming. I hope this helps!
Please reach out if you have any more questions.
Best
Jessica
I am on Page 4 in Shape Left Neck & Shoulder and can’t understand how I get from 75 stitches to 55 stitches when following the pattern decreases only 8 stitches. What am I missing? Thanks!
Hi Jill,
Thanks for reaching out! There are a total of 7 stitches decreased with the first round of steps. You then repeat that section of instructions 1 more time leaving you with 14 stitches decreased. I believe you are knitting the 2nd size that starts with 75 stitches, so that will leave you with 61 stitches remaining which is the correct amount of stitches for that size (55 is for the 1st size option.)
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
Try as I might I can’t find instructions for the left back sleeve. Given that the instructions for the right back sleeve are the same as left front I’m assuming that the left back is knit the same way as the right front but where does it say this? Thanks.
Hi Joanna,
Thanks for writing in, and I apologize for this omission! It looks like the Left Back Sleeve instructions were missed when we updated this pattern recently. We’re working on a new version of the PDF, but in the meantime, you are correct! Here are the instructions from the previous version:
LEFT BACK SLEEVE
Work as for Right Front Sleeve.
When complete, with right side facing you, place first 3 (3, 4, 5, 7, 9) stitches on stitch holder or scrap yarn for Underarm, then place last 43 (47, 50, 55, 57, 59) stitches on separate stitch holder or scrap yarn for Sleeve. Cut yarn.
Thank you so much for pointing this out, and I hope this helps!
Julianna
Thank you – I really thought I had lost my mind and always delighted when facts prove this wrong!!
Please let me know when you publish the corrected copy of
the pattern Incline Decline Cardigan. I would like to be able download this copy because I am having difficulty understanding
the corrections. I have the yarn used in the pattern and would like to start the project. Help, Thanks
Hi Jonnie,
Thanks for reaching out! The pattern has been updated with the corrections and should be ready to go for you to download!
Please let us know if you have any more questions or concerns!
Happy Knitting!
Gianna
Thanks for your rapid response.
I did see the corrections for this pattern in your comments to Julianna. I have already downloaded the pattern (the one with the error on page 8).
I would like to have a copy of the updated pattern (with the corrections on page 8) available for download. I did not see the
corrected copy in my download
Hi Jonnie,
Thanks for reaching out! I believe that you can re-download the pattern and it should be the updated version. If you have any troubles downloading the new version please email us at customerservice@purlsoho.com and we can get you the updated version!
Happy knitting!
Gianna
Hi, the cardigan is so beautiful.
I much prefer knitting on straight needles. If I can accommodate all my stitches on a straight needle, would I be able to use it or the pattern required circular needle because of the way it is knit? I have extra long straight needles from Europe.
Also is it possible to get a small swatch of yarn to check to color?
Thank you!
Hi Ziona,
Thanks for reaching out! Luckily with this pattern you won’t be working in the round so if you can fit all the stitches onto straight needles, you should be fine! The only section that may be a little tricky is when you will pick up stitches along the front and back to knit the garter stitch band and collar since that will be a decent amount of stitches!
We do have color cards in mind for the future but nothing concrete yet. In the meantime, if you’d like to see a skein in person, we recommend ordering whatever color you’re interested in Cashmere Merino Bloom. If you’re not happy after seeing it, you can exchange it for store credit and, hopefully, a color you like better! In any case it’s incredibly helpful to know there’s interest in samples, so I’ll be sure to pass the thought on to the rest of the team.
Please let me know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Gianna
I can’t believe I am nearly finished with this sweater! I have made many mistakes along the way but it is looking beautiful. I am now at the end of the “shape shoulders” section of the back and as I am decreasing I notice that my center “stripe” is not centered! I have two more stitches on one side versus the other. It is supposed to be centered, isn’t it?
Thanks!
Hi Jill,
Thanks for reaching out! Yes the stripe down the back should be centered, it is possible that somewhere along the way you may have unintentionally shifted it slightly so that it is no longer centered. The only way to fix this would be to identify where it shifted and take back your work to that point, but since you are almost finished I would hate to suggest ripping it out! If it doesn’t bother you than I would consider leaving it as is!
All the best,
Gianna
Having put my knitting down for a couple of weeks I have returned to this sweater and am now confused about grafting the neck stitches together. I have three stitches on either side of the center back on do needles and wondering what I’m supposed to graft them to?
I will email photos of my situation. Thanks so much!
Hi Jill,
Thanks for reaching out and for sending over the photos! So for those 6 total stitches you will be grafting them together using the Kitchener Stitch (you can click that and it will take you to our wonderful tutorial!) This will close up the back of the neck seamlessly!
I hope this helps and best of luck finishing off your cardigan!
Warmly,
Gianna
On page 2 of the pattern, when finishing the left front sleeve it says “place stitches on st holder or scrap yarn. Do not cut yarn.” Then… you go on to start the Left front body, and it says “Cast 3 stitches onto circular needles”… but it does not say “with new ball/skein of yarn”. So… I did not cut the yarn, and then used the same yarn I did the left front sleeve with, and cast on, and the two have been joined the whole time. I can now see this may not have been what was meant! Could you please confirm, that I was supposed to start the Left front body with a NEW, SEPARATE ball of yarn. And if so, you may want to update the pattern. And.. I will now have to cut that yarn, so hopefully that won’t cause too much consternation.
Hi Susan,
Thanks for reaching out! You will not be cutting the yarn after completing the Left Front Sleeve and will be putting that piece to the side along with the yarn (since you will be picking this back up later.) You will then start off the next sleeve with a new skein to cast on the 3 stitches since you are starting a new piece of the pattern!
I hope this clears things up!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hi,
I’m trying to knit the shape sleeve section.
I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong. I followed the steps, but I’m only at 54 stitches, and the width is already at 9 inch, and I’m supposed to be doing 64 inches. The length is still super short.
The pieces diagram shows that the sleeves should be gradually increased in wide, but my sleeve is square at the end and then quite quickly it expands to 9 inch.
Please help!
Hi Ariel,
Thanks for reaching out! Please send a photo of your sleeve to our email customerservice@purlsoho.com and we can troubleshoot further from there!
Warmly,
Gianna
I have thoughts now about frogging this entire sweater! I have written to you twice before for explanations and here I am questioning again! Are the back shoulders square? I have frogged and knitted this area again because I couldn’t imaging that it was correct and it came out square again. As I sew the sleeves together now there is an awkward “bump” created by the square shoulder that I’m not sure I can block out. Is this right or wrong?
Many thanks!
Hi Jill,
Thanks for reaching out again! That should be correct, but you can absolutely send us a few photos of your work to customerservice@purlsoho.com and we can make sure everything is looking alright or troubleshoot what may be going on further from there!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hi Jill,
Thank you for sending over the photos! To me it doesn’t look like you did anything wrong and this is something that can absolutely be fixed when you block the sweater! My only question is did you block the individual pieces before sewing them together like we suggested in the pattern? That would be my best guess for why things looking a bit bumpy/twisting! So for future reference, with a sweater like this we always recommend blocking the pieces before putting the sweater together, this will make sewing it much easier. Luckily you can block the sweater now and get the same even look!
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Warmly,
Gianna
Thanks so much for your continued guidance! I did block the pieces first but I didn’t try to “round out” the square shoulder. So happy to know that this will block out properly. 🤗
After reading the comments and replies, I am still confused about the left front sleeve as to whether the yarn should have been cut after transferring the stitches to scrap yarn even though the instructions say “Do not cut yarn”. Should the cast on 3 stitches on the circular needles for the left front body have been started with new yarn or a continuation of the yarn from the sleeve.
Hi Sandra,
Thanks for reaching out! You will not be cutting the yarn after completing the Left Front Sleeve! You will be putting that piece to the side along with the yarn (since you will be picking this back up later.) You will then start off the next sleeve with a new skein to cast on the 3 stitches since you are starting a new piece of the pattern!
I hope this clears things up!
Warmly,
Gianna
I put aside my incline/decline for a few weeks and cannot figure out how to put it back together. I have completed the 2 front bodies plus attached the sleeves. I have completed the right and left back sleeves and the right and left back bodies, but I cannot figure out how to join the 2 back body pieces. One time they looked like wings and when I switched them, they looked crooked. I’m not sure which is the selvege nor the bottom edges. Please help me! Thanks in advance.
Hi Wendy,
Thanks for reaching out! It sounds like to me that you are at the step JOIN BACK BODY PIECES! With the right side of both body pieces facing you, you should have those 65 (71, 79, 85) (93, 99, 107, 113) stitches on hold for the left side, you will then transfer the on hold left side stitches onto the needles with the right side stitches (those should still be on the needles.) This should be oriented so that you will work across Right Back Body, then Left Back Body stitches when beginning with a right-side row. After you have this set up you can work the Joining Row (right side): K3, m1L, knit to last 2 Right Back Body stitches, k2tog; cable cast on 1 stitch, place marker (pm), cable cast on 3 stitches, pm, cable cast on 1 stitch; working across Left Back Body stitches, ssk, knit to last 3 stitches, m1R, k3. [135 (147, 163, 175) (191, 203, 219, 231) stitches total]
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Warmly,
Gianna
Thanks Gianna. I actually did it exactly like that a few weeks ago and then looked at it, forgetting that the backs are on the bias. So I ripped it out. But when I followed your instructions (exactly like on the pattern) and re-aligned the backs so that the bottom edge was straight, the whole thing made sense to me! Duh!
Wendy
Hi Wendy,
Thanks for your response! I am glad you figured it out and are back on track!
Please let me know if you have any more questions!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hi Gianna,
This is a beautiful pattern.
I’ve been reading the questions and also the remarks from people who have knitted this sweater on Ravelry. It seems that there is quite a bit of confusion around the proper orientation and shape, and piecing it all together. One person mentioned that it would help to have some photos or at least sketches showing what things should look like and where they should go. Have you or anyone at Purl Soho thought of improving the pattern with some additional images?
I hesitate to buy such an expensive pattern and then get stuck halfway through since I’m not that gifted when it comes to rearranging puzzle pieces!
Hi Gina,
Thank you so much for reaching out! This is such a beautiful pattern- I actually just cast on to start one for myself!
I know it can be a bit confusing, especially when it comes to assembling the pieces, so thank you for expressing your interest in photos or sketches. I will certainly pass this along to the rest of the team!
I totally understand if you don’t want to invest in this pattern without visual resources, but I want you to know that if you do end up making this pattern we and more than happy to assist you at any step along the way! You can leave a comment or question here and I will respond as soon as possible, or you can email us directly at custumerservice@purlsoho.com and we can work with you directly there. We can also schedule a zoom call at any point if you need additional help! This would especially be a great resource to use when the time comes to orient the pieces together, we can work with you directly over a call to insure that you have everything in the right order!
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any questions!
Warmly,
Gianna
I am in the process of knitting the back and sleeves and it is going okay, but I am concerned that I may not have enough yarn for all the assembly as well as the shawl collar. Yikes. My yarn is TIDE POOL, color 1510 heather, LOT 270585. Might there be a skein of this in one of your wearhouses that you might keep in reserve for me in case I need it? I should know more in a couple of weeks.
Hi Wendy,
Thanks for reaching out again! If you send us an email with this information to customerservice@purlsoho.com we can check with the warehouse to see if we have any of that Lot available!
Warmly,
Gianna
I have written them. Fingers crossed there’s another skein available. Thanks for your quick response.
Wendy
I have successfully completed all of the pieces. Now to sew it up. There are stitches under the arms that I have to put together somehow with kitchener joining. I don’t see what is happening in this step. What is it supposed to look like? It is a mystery.
Hi Marta,
Thanks for reaching out! Basically you will be using using Kitchener Stitch and will graft 3 (3, 4, 5) (7, 9, 10, 11) stitches! You will begin by doing this on the front piece, then you will work the back, you will do this on both the right and left sides. Finally once the stitches are all grafted together you will seam together the underarms.
I hope this clears things up!
Warmly,
Gianna
This is a beautiful sweater and I had fun knitting it (once I figured out how all the pieces fit together, which is not at all obvious when knitting it for the first time). But … I think the sizing is off. The sleeves were about 4″ too long, while the rest of the sweater more or less fit. (I did check my gauge before beginning). For the first time in my life, I literally cut into my finished knitting with scissors to shorten the arms. This was a last resort, but I had to do if I wanted to be able to wear the sweater — which I do, since it’s so pretty and unusual.
Hi Melanie,
Thanks for reaching out! I am so glad to hear that you have finished this pattern! I have actually heard of this happening before, the sizing is not off, but it is easy to measure the length of the sleeve from the wrong side and end up with sleeves that are too long. The sleeves should measure 18 (18, 181⁄2, 181⁄2) (183⁄4, 183⁄4, 19, 19) inches along the Bottom Sleeve selvage (the edge at end of right-side rows) if you measured from the opposite side you will end up with sleeve about 4″ longer than they are supposed to be.
Happy knitting!
Gianna
Hi Gianna! I have a quick question on this as I also want to make sure I understand the sizing before I finish the sleeve front. The pattern says that the Bottom Sleeve salvage is “the edge at end of right-side rows” and I see that your comment says the “beginning” of right-side rows. I believe one edge is already longer (the edge that is sort of diagonal off the needle), so should we be measuring the longer edge (which I think is the “end” of right-side rows?) so that the sleeves are not too long? Thanks!
Hi Savannah,
Thanks for reaching out! That is correct and my apologies for any confusion, I realized I made a typo in the comment above (i have edited by original comment to reflect this change). You will want to measure the sleeve along the Bottom Sleeve selvage (the edge at end of right-side rows, not the beginning)! This is the side that should be longer than the other.
I hope this clears things up, happy knitting!
Gianna
I am interested in making this sweater, but I am wondering if there is a comparable yarn substitute? I was hoping for more of a black color than what is shown with the Charcoal Onyx. Thank you!
Hi Linda,
Thanks for reaching out. Most of our other DK weight yarns would work great for this pattern! In particular, I’d recommend Brooklyn Tweed’s Arbor, which comes in a few different dark colors that might catch your eye. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
I have lost my right side marker on the left front sleeve, how do I figure out which is the “bottom sleeve selvedge”?
Hi Jess,
Thanks for writing in! If you are on the left front sleeve, you will notice that the wrong side rows start with a slip 1, purl two. I would suggest taking a close look at your work and trying to identify where you see these stitches at the edges of your work. Rather than trying to identify the slip or knit stitch at the start of the row, look a couple of stitches in to see if you can spot those two purl stitches that each wrong side row begins with. This will let you know which side is the wrong side so you can then place your marker on the opposite side. I hope this helps but if you need further assistance please let us know!
Warmly,
Gavriella
I am making the cardigan on the bias. I am at the point of shaping the sleeve and have 33 inches on my needle.
Can you clarify the instructions regarding the increase row.
At the beginning you do four rows with the increase row. Then the instructions say to repeat the increase row eight more times. Does that mean to repeat the four rows or to do the increase row as the 8th row? Thank you.
Hi Jeanne,
Thanks for writing in! Can you please let me know what size of this pattern you’re making?
All the best,
Lili