Prairie Wife

The pioneer paintings of Harvey Dunn and N.C. Wyeth feature a number of women who are strong, yet unmistakably feminine – a bold accomplishment in a rough land. The Prairie Wife cardigan pays homage to these women by taking its cues from western-style shirt yokes and features flowing fabric to catch in a breeze, and 3/4 sleeves to keep the hands free for working.

The sweater is knit in pieces, from the bottom up and seamed. The collar and button band are picked up and worked after seaming. The cardigan feature 3 buttons at the top yoke, leaving the rest of the cardigan to swing freely. The yoke on the front and back feature a floral-inspired lace pattern on a smaller needle size and the yoke leads into deep box pleats on the front and back, forming the shaping for this swingy cardigan.

Sample knit in size 39 ¼, with approximately 2”/5 cm of positive ease.

Photography by Bristol Ivy Technical Editing by Martha Wissing