My My My, Dilaila

Get cozy and comfortable this January with the warmest of garments: a long hooded cardigan.

This design was inspired by a big pile of rustic, greasy Finnsheep wool in three natural, undyed colors (see slideshow below). I got enough of the gray to make a big cardigan but what to do with the single skeins of brown and white? Stripes, of course!

Dilaila's Hoodie is a warm thigh-length cardigan with raglan sleeves. Knitted in three colors of aran-weight yarn, the cardigan knits up super quickly even though it's quite long. The yoke is knitted in one-row stripes with reverse stockinette on the outside and the raglan seams in stockinette. The rest of the body is knitted with one color in stockinette. All shaping is done on the stockinette side so you don't have to increase in purling.

The cardigan features big welt pockets that are just perfect for a smartphone. The pattern comes with a photo tutorial that guides you step by step in knitting the pocket openings with waste yarn, picking up stitches to make the pocket lining, and for knitting the striped welts.

The hood was an afterthought but I'm glad I added it because it's one of my favorite features about this cardigan. The hood is knitted in the same striped pattern as the yoke. Clever increases and decreases are used to give the hood a nice, rounded shape — like the ones you see on sewn garments.

A ribbed button band frames the entire front of the cardigan, giving that crisp, finished look. Dilaila's Hoodie has lots of fun details to keep your mind engaged with the project while knitting it. This cardigan is easy to knit but never boring!

And if you're wondering who this Dilaila is, meet her below. The cardigan is named after one of the sheep the wool came from.

Dilaila's Hoodie is now available for purchase in my pattern stores on Payhip, LoveCrafts, and Ravelry (seizure warning).

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