A big, easy mid-1980s men's V-neck cardigan in chunky stocking stitch. An olive body over a striped rib welt, dark olive sleeves with two olive stripes, two pockets with dark rib edges, and one long rib band up the fronts and round the back neck with four buttons below the V. The shoulders sit well past your own, just as the 1980s liked it. Wear it over a shirt and bow tie. Men's sizes, chest 34 to 54 in.

Fit

Deliberately oversized, as the original: about 14 in (36 cm) of ease at the chest, buttoned; hip length

Skill level

Easy. Stocking stitch and k1 p1 rib, with simple stripes, afterthought pockets, a V neck worked from a tick-off planner and one picked-up band.

Sizes

Men's, chest 34 to 54 in (86 to 137 cm): S to 3XL (UK/US 34 to 54, EU 44 to 64)

Yarns

Bulky / chunky, Super bulky / super chunky, Worsted / Aran

Original yarn

Chunky wool in two olive greens, at about 13.5 sts and 15.5 rows to 4 in (10 cm) over stockinette. For the closest match to the photo, use a yarn that knits to this gauge.

Gauge

Your own, from 10.5 to 18 stitches per 4 in (10 cm)

You get

Your complete pattern straight away, to read on screen, print or save, plus an email link back to it

Yarn thicker than about 10.5 sts to 4 in (10 cm) isn't offered, and anything finer than Aran isn't either: the slouchy 1980s shape needs a thick yarn.

What you'll get

• Every piece written out in full for your size and gauge
• Row counts with the length to check against, so you always know where you are
• Row-by-row planners for the tricky bits, where shaping happens on both edges at once
• Drawings of each piece with your measurements, and full making-up instructions

Every design is chosen by a knitter and checked against its original pattern. If you get stuck, email us and a real person will help.

No swatch? You can use the gauge on your yarn's label. For a perfect fit, knit a swatch and measure it over plain stockinette (stocking stitch) on your main needles: the whole cardigan is stockinette. Here's how to measure your gauge.