Established in 1833 in southeastern Colorado, Bent’s Old Fort was built to facilitate the buffalo-robe trade between white settlers and the southern Cheyenne and Arapaho Plains Indians. The Bent’s Fort Cardigan is both a blanket and cardigan, worked in a deceptively simple mosaic stitch pattern that emulates the Southwestern aesthetic and the architecture of the original fort.

Difficulty Intermediate

Finished Size 18.75 (21, 23.75, 25.25, 26.75)“ back width at underarm. Cardigan shown measures 21” on model with 32” bust.

Yarn Brown Sheep Company Prairie Spun DK (100% wool; 256 yd / 3.5 oz): #PSDK95 wild indigo (blue; MC), 6 (6, 8, 8, 8) skeins; #PSDK35 honeycomb (gold; CC), 2 (2, 3, 3, 3) skeins.

Needles Size 6 (4 mm). Size 7 (4.5 mm): 40” circular. Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.

Notions Stitch holders; tapestry needle.

Gauge 21 sts and 33 rows = 4” in mosaic patt on larger needle; 20 sts and 29 rows = 4” in St st on smaller needles; 21 sts and 47 rows = 4” in Honeycomb st on larger needle.

Notes The body of this cardigan is worked back and forth in one piece to the underarm, then the fronts and back are worked separately. The sleeves are worked back and forth from the bottom up. A circular needle is used to accommodate the large number of stitches.