Ruby Port, a cardigan with a versatile shape, simple lines, and a cool cable on back!

Ruby Port is a simple knit, featuring a panel of textured diamonds with beautiful cable outlines that really allow the subtle shading in Jill Draper’s Empire Heathers to shine.

Ribbing at each side transitions the stockinette fronts to a purled back panel, and a crisp collar that’s meant to be worn open echoes the 1x1 rib at hem and sides. You can add short or long sleeves, and instructions for both are included in the pattern.

An open cardigan is an great basic - a flexible layering piece - something to throw on as we go from Winter to Spring, and I love how easy it is to knit this one to suit your style!

Sindhu wears mine loose and boxy, with 6”/15.25cm of ease and short sleeves. Heather and Holly worked their test knits (click to see!) with long sleeves and about 4”/10cm of ease for a more classic cardigan vibe. And my Mom is shown wearing mine without any ease, so the shoulders fit her nicely, and the fronts remain loose and open over a tunic.

Depending on the fit you like, I suggest up to 6”/15.25cm of positive ease, based on your bust. It’s easy to adjust the body length as desired and if you fall between sizes, there are notes in the pattern on how to adjust width.

Ruby Port is knit from the bottom up in one piece and separated at armholes into fronts and back, which are worked separately to shoulder. Once shoulders are seamed, stitches are picked up and sleeves are knit in the round to end. The collar is continued upwards once body is complete and seamed along the back neckline.

Cable instructions are both charted and written. However, you do need to know how to read a chart in order to work the cables in seed stitch, as they worked “in pattern as shown on next chart row”.

Sample knit in Bing Cherry.

Sizes
35.75(37.75,39.75,41.75,43.75)(45.75,49.75,53.75,57.75)” /91(96,101,106,111.25)(116.25,126.5, 136.5, 146.75)cm
sizes based on measurement at bust, in final fabric.

Yardage by Size

800(900,1000,1100,1200)(1350,1450,1550,1650)yds 735(825,915,1005,1100)(1235,1325,1420,1510)m
for short sleeve version of sweater.

Add approx 150(150,150,150,150)(175,175,175,175)yds 140(140,140,140,140)(160,160,160,160)m
to the totals above for long sleeve version of sweater.