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Meirg: {MEH-rig}; Irish: rust.

The inspiration behind this cardigan is that part of Ireland which lies hidden. For lurking amidst the rolling hills, the lush pastures and the mossy river banks, are the ghost villages, the weed-choked gardens, the crumbling homesteads, the dilapidated sheds. I am especially taken with those curious structures cobbled together out of sheets of corrugated metal in various stages of oxidation. The textured saddle shoulders of the Meirg cardigan evoke their weather-battered exteriors, while its easy silhouette encourages exploratory wanders through the hushed, secret landscape.

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This pattern was originally published in December 2019 in Through the Trees, the beautiful new magazine from Life in the Long Grass. It was republished independently by the designer in October 2020, then updated in September 2021.
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MATERIALS & INFORMATION

Yarn
designed with Life in the Long Grass Hinterland
(BFL Gotland blend), 

350m / 100g (383y / 3.5oz)

suitable for fingering to sportweight yarns
Requires 3 (4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7) skeins

Gauge

25 sts x 32 rows = 10cm x 10cm (4” x 4”) in stockinette for main fabric
30 sts x 32 rows = 10cm x 10cm (4” x 4”) in pattern for edgings



Needles

Needle A: circular needle, 3.25mm (US 3) in diameter
Needle B: circular needle, 2.50mm (US 1) in diameter

Notions

removable stitch markers, tapestry needle, scrap yarn, measuring tape, buttons (approximately 15mm in diameter), sewing needle, sewing thread 


Special Techniques

Half-Fisherman’s rib, provisional cast-on,
short rows (optional)

Size 1 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
garment measures as follows around chest circumference:
89cm/ 35.5” (96cm/ 38.5”, 102cm /41”, 108cm/ 43.25”, 114cm/ 45.5”, 121cm/48.5”, 130cm/52”, 138cm/55.25”, 147cm/59”, 155cm/62”)


This pattern includes a schematic with detailed measurements

Fit Recommendations
designed to be worn with approximately 5-10cm / 2-4” of positive ease around the chest

The rust and green samples are a Size 3, modelled with 10cm/ 4” of ease. The seafoam sample is a Size 6, modelled with 5cm/ 2” of ease.

Construction Notes
This cardigan is worked seamlessly from the top down. The yoke is worked back and forth flat in one piece, with saddle shoulder construction and round neckline shaping. With sleeve sts set aside on scrap yarn, the bodice is continued top-down. Sleeves are picked up from live sts and worked top-down in the round. Sts are then picked up at the neckline to work the neckband. Finally, sts are picked up along front panels to work horizontal button bands.
St counts for the neckband and button bands are provided.