Tight shot of baby in a blue cardigan trimmed with orange details outlining the ribbing at neck, front opening and cuffs.

Baby cardigan laid flat with arms folded onto body.

Detail shot of neckline, button bands, and cuff of pink baby cardigan showing orange garter stitch ridges separating ribbed edging from stocking stitch body.

Back of pink baby cardigan laid flat with arms extended.

Detail of hem and front bands with star-shaped buttons.

Blue baby cardigan laid flat with one arm extended and the other arm folded onto the body.

First Sweater

$12 CAD

COMING SOON!

This basic child’s cardigan is worked bottom up in pieces. It’s an excellent introduction to sweater construction and will give the novice knitter the opportunity to practice intermediate skills and learn to read a pattern.

Construction

The cardigan is worked in pieces from the bottom up, with seams and a three needle bind off at the shoulders. It has a modified drop shoulder construction with shallow sleeve caps. There’s a decorative ridge of garter stitch worked in a contrasting colour defining the ribbing at the hem, cuffs, front bands, and neckband.

What's Included

This knitting pattern includes written directions, front and back images, instructions for button placement on either right or left front bands, a schematic with measurements, and thoughtful details.

Sizes + Finished Measurements

To fit 0-3 mo (3-6 mo, 6-12 mo, 12-24 mo, 2)(4, 6, 8, 10) yrs.

Chest: 19 ¼ (21 ¾, 22 ½, 22 ½, 23 ¼)(26 ½, 28 ¾, 29 ¾, 32)” / 49 (55, 57, 57, 59)(67.5, 73, 75.5, 81.5) cm.

Back Length: 10 (11, 12, 13 ¼, 14 ¼)(15, 16, 17, 18)” / 25.5 (28, 30.5, 33.5, 36)(38, 40.5, 43, 45.5) cm.

Sleeve Seam Length: 6 (6 ½, 7 ½, 8 ½, 10)(11 ½, 12, 13, 14)” / 15 (16.5, 19, 21.5, 25.5)(29, 30.5, 33, 35.5) cm.

Intended to be worn with 2 ¼ (3 ¾, 3 ½, 2 ½, 2 ¼)(3 ½, 4 ¾, 3 ¾, 4)” / 5.5 (9.5, 9, 6.5, 5.5)(9, 12, 9.5, 10) cm positive ease; shown in size 3-6 mo on a petite 14-month old.

Yarn

Worsted weight yarn;

Main Colour 230 (275, 305, 345, 410)(490, 550, 620, 690) yd / 210 (250, 280, 320, 375)(450, 500, 565, 630) m;

Contrasting Colour 15 (15, 20, 20, 20)(20, 20, 25, 25) yd / 15 (15, 15, 15, 20)(20, 20, 20, 20) m.

Pink sample shown in SweetGeorgia Yarns Superwash Worsted (200 yd / 182 m per 4 oz / 115 g skein; 100% Superwash Merino Wool): 2 (2, 2, 2, 3)(3, 3, 4, 4) skeins in Lollipop (MC) with 1 skein in Blood Orange.

Blue sample mystery yarn.

Substitution Notes

Choose a worsted weight yarn. The original is a 4-ply, hand-dyed superwash wool. Smooth wools (including superwash), wool blends, acrylics, and cottons will substitute well. If this is a gift, consider a yarn that is easily laundered.

Gauge

20 sts and 28 rows = 4″ / 10 cm over Stocking stitch using larger needles, blocked.

Needles + Notions

3.75 mm / US 5 straight or circular needles, or size to obtain gauge;
3.5 mm / US 4 straight or circular needles, or 1 size smaller than needle to obtain gauge;
Stitch holders or scrap yarn;
Stitch markers;
Yarn needle;
Sewing needle and matching thread for buttons.

Skills

Increases/decreases, three needle bind off, bias bind off (explained), basic modified set-in sleeve sweater construction, worked flat, bottom up, seaming, picking up stitches, buttonholes, sewing on buttons.