Use code RAV_SORDINO to get a 15% discount. Code is valid until 21st June 23:59 BST.

In music, a sordino is a mute placed on a string instrument to soften the sound. Something beautiful, made quieter. That’s the feeling behind this jacket: clean lines, a relaxed crew neck silhouette with a touch of positive ease, and nothing that doesn’t need to be there.

Sordino started as something I was missing in my own wardrobe.
That perfect layer for chilly summer evenings, easy to throw on over a dress or pair with a skirt when the temperature dips.

Worked seamlessly from the top down, with the set-in sleeve cap shaped at the same as the yoke. The real star here is the frog knot closure, which gives the whole piece a distinct finish. Along the way there’ll be techniques like double knitting and crochet chain bind-off, but every method comes with a video tutorial.

Written for DK weight yarn, Sordino Cardigan looks equally lovely in a solid or a tonal colourways.

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Translations provided by knitlingo.com

Difficulty: Advanced beginner.

Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)

Finished chest circumference:

• 101 (111, 121, 131, 141, 151, 161, 171, 181) cm
• 40½ (44½, 48½, 52½, 56½, 60½, 64½, 68½, 72½)”

Designed to be worn with 20-25 cm / 8-10” positive ease around the chest and 5-10 around the waist for the cinched option.

Yarn: DK weight or whatever achieves gauge.
Depending on the length of the cardigan, for the cinched waist option allow approximately:

• 1055 (1125, 1225, 1305, 1400, 1495, 1605, 1705, 1810) m
• 1155 (1230, 1335, 1425, 1530, 1635, 1755, 1865, 1975) yds

Add approximately 60 (50, 50, 55, 50, 45, 45, 45, 45) m /65 (55, 55, 60, 55, 50, 50, 50, 50) yds more for the straight fit option.

Yarn used in the sample (size 2) is 5 balls of Drops Flora (65% Wool, 35% Alpaca; 210 m 230 yds / 50 g) in colourway Light Grey held with a strand of 5 balls of Debbie Bliss Angel (72% Mohair 28% Silk; 210 m 230 yds / 25 g) in Silver.

Gauge: 20 sts & 28 rows = 10 cm / 4” in Stockinette stitch, worked flat and in the round, on larger needles, blocked.

Suggested needles:

• 4 mm (US 6) or needle size that gets the gauge; circulars, 60-100 cm / 24-40″ long and (optional) double-pointed needles for small circumference knitting
• 3.5 mm (US 4) for ribbing; circulars, 60-100 cm / 24-40″ long and (optional) double-pointed needles for small circumference knitting.

Notions: Stitch markers, locking markers, row counter, stitch holders or waste yarn, spare needle in smaller size, tapestry needle, crochet hook in smaller size, 7-15 frog knots, matching thread and sewing needle or components for alternative closures such as toggle buttons or a zipper.

Techniques used: Knit increases and decreases, Backwards loop cast-on, Tubular cast-on, double-knitting, knitting in the round, Tubular bind-off, Crochet chain bind-off.

Construction notes: The cardigan is worked seamlessly from the top down. It starts by casting on stitches for the back neckline and shaping the shoulders using lifted increases.

Stitches are then picked up along the back shoulders to create the front shoulders, working each side separately with increases to shape the front neckline.

Next, stitches for sleeves are picked up along the front shoulder edges, and the yoke is worked in one piece down to the underarm. Increases are added along the sleeves and body during this section.

The sleeves are separated, and the body is worked in one piece down to the desired length, finished with a long 2x2 hem.

The sleeves are worked separately in the round down to the cuffs.

The plackets are added along the fronts using double-knitting and frog knots added for closure.

The neckband is added by picking up stitches along the neckline and working a few rows of stockinette finished with a Crochet chain bind-off.