This is a Lopi lite cardigan knitted on a Bond USM knitting machine. I have used plate 3 1/2 on the USM and 6 mm and 4 1/2 mm needles for hand knitting the ribs and the bust & shoulder part.

As I don't have a ribber to the USM I prefer to hand knit the rib and then hang the finished rib on the USM. I usually start the hand knitted rib off with a stocking stitch row after casting on, then knit the required rows off rib and finish with one row of stocking stitch as I find this easier to hang on the machine.

I am not particularly fond of the weights supplied with the Bond USM so I prefer to use some claw weights when hanging my projects.

After knitting the required rows for back and front alike, 5 stitches are sat aside for later shaping the armhole and gathering the stitches on a needle for keeping until shaping the bust and shoulder part.

The sleeves have some light shaping by increasing one stitch at each side every 14th row until all rows have been knitted and then setting aside 5 stitches on each side for shaping the armhole, the rest of the stitches are gathered on a needle for keeping as for back and front.

Now it is time to start the bust and shoulder part. Gather the 210 (236) stitches on a 6 mm needle in the following way:

Right front

Right sleeve

Back

Left sleeve

Left front

Knit 3 rows knitting garter stitch and then in the following row decrease 1 stitch every 3rd stitch (every 4th for size large) knit 10 rows garter stitch and then in the following row decrease 1 stitch every 3rd stitch

Knit 8 rows garter stitch and then in the following row decrease 1 stitch every 3rd stitch

Knit 8 rows garter stitch and then in the following row decrease 1 stitch every 3rd stitch (knit 4 rows garter stitch and then in the following row decrease 1 stitch every 4th for size large)

Knit 8 rows rib and cast off.

Sow up the sides (using mattress stitch) and rehang the stitches from under the arms ( 5 from each side of the selves (10 in total) right side facing you on the machine and then the 5 stitches from front and back (10 in total)) pick up 1 stitch in each side in order to prevent a hole from being formed wrong side facing you (right sides together) knit these 10 stitches together and cast off.

Finish off by picking up stitches along the front on each side with needles 4 1/2, I pick up 5 stitches (one per row) and then leave one row with out a stitch being picked up along the front.

Knit 4 rows garter stitch and then knit 8 buttonholes, the first after 3 stitches and then approximately 11 stitches between the remaining buttonholes. Knit 4 rows garter stitch and cast loosely off.

The left front band is knitted over 8 rows (garter stitch) and cast loosely off.

Fasten off any loose ends and add the buttons.