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Hand Knitted Baby Cardigan Pattern

By Popular Demand!
This is in one size only - takes for ever to figure out other sizes!
For chest 10" - finished measurements about 14"
Sleeve 3"
You will need:
2 balls of a soft yarn that woks with 3.25mm (US 3 Needles)
A button

tension is 25sts and 50 rows for a 4x4 inch square

If you are a beginner you may not understand this pattern - for more experienced knitters, I am sure you will see the 'pattern' of the decrease rows forming the raglan)
I think this was originally a Debbie Bliss pattern i had written down somewhere so please forgive me if there are any mistakes - as i keep saying, I am hopeless at writing down patterns and i just had some notes on a scrap of paper!


Back
cast on 45 sts
knit until back measures 3" ending with a wrong side row
cast off 4 sts at beginning of next 2 rows
leave remaining 37 sts on a spare needle

sleeves (I  knit both at the same time)
cast on 29 sts
K 7 rows
increase:* k3, m1, k to last 4 sts m1, k3
knit 7 rows*
repeat * to * until there are 35 sts
knit until sleeve measures 3" ending with a wrong side row
cast off 4 sts at the beginning of next 2 rows
leave remaining 27 sts on a spare needle


Left Front
cast on 25 sts
Knit for 3" ending with a wrong side row
cast off 4 sts at begining on next row
k1 row
leave remaining 21 sts on a spare needle

Right front
cast on 25
knit for 3" ending with a right side row
cast off 4 stst at beginning of next row
you have 21 sts.

Keep these sts on your needle
knit across the stitches of the right front.
knit across stitches on spare needle of the right sleeve
knit across sts from the back
knit across sts from the left sleeve
knit across sts form left front

You should now have 133 sts (i hope!)
 knit 2 rows. (or 1 row depending which side you want the buttonhole on)
button hole row
k2, k2tog, yard over needle, k to end
knit

K18, k2tog, k2, skpo( slip1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over)
k21,k2tog,k2,skpo,
k31,k2tog,k2,skpo,
k21,k2tog,k2,skpo,k18,
k3 rows

k17,k2tog,k2,skpo,
k19,k2tog,k2,skpo,
k29,k2tog,k2,skpo,
k19,k2tog,k2,skpo,k17
knit 3 rows

K16, k2tog,, k2, skpo,
k17, k2tog, k2, skpo,
k27, k2tog, k2, skpo,
k17. k2tog,k2, skpo, k16,
knit 3 rows

you see a pattern forming?
continue in this way keeping the k3 rows after the decreases until you have 93 sts.

now use the same decrease method but on every following right side row until there are 61 sts left
knit 3 rows.
cast off

phew

sew up and add button!

Comments

RS said…
THANK YOU LOUISE! The pattern might be a little over my head, but I'll search out help. It's just an adorable little sweater...hope mine turns out as cute as yours. Thank you for sharing.
Carrie said…
Hi Louise!
I am making this to match the baby hat you had on your page. A bit confused by the pattern,When you leave yan on needle to start sleeves is it all done on sam ize needles? Is there any way youcould try spelling out this pattern for me?
lucinda said…
hi carrie
keep using the same size needles throughout
bubby said…
thanks im 70 yrs old ill try this pattern bubby
arline north said…
I'm doing the baby cardigan to go with the adorable baby hat with the eyelets -- I just got to the instructions for the sleeves and I need clarification of the increase (*k3, ml k to last e sts ml k3) What does m l mean?
I am not familiar with that m instruction.
I love the hat and so far the sweater is just adorable.

thanks for your help and assistance.

arline north
lucinda said…
Hi arlene M1 means make one (knit twice in the next stitch,once at the back and once from the front)
so you increase a stitch,hope this makes sense!
Anonymous said…
M1 - pick up yarn BETWEEN two stitches. [not the loops but the horizontal short bar between two stitches]

Easy to check YouTube to see what M1 (not ML) means. It's easy once you see how it's done - to avoid hole.
Anonymous said…
I'm a little confused as to which wool to buy on all your patterns as they are different in UK
Lynnety said…
It looks like double knit, is is a small baby size - 0/3
months?
Unknown said…
how do you put the sweater together
Elika said…
Hello Louise,

I need your help. I am trying to knit the baby cardigan. I am not new to knitting but I am used to no patterns. So, I am very confused when it comes to gauging . Please help me understand why do we gauge when we cast on. so when i cast on, when do I use the gauge. I tried to look online but couldnt understand it.

thanks,
bitazimi@gmail.com
Pat said…
What do you do with the loose ends of each piece, when you're leaving them on the needles. Also, when you're knitting the pieces together?
ReenieBeenie said…
Just finished this. The arms are a bit short so probably would recommend knitting them longer otherwise a great pattern. Thanks
Anonymous said…
Can someone please help me in regards to the length,
3" really looks way to small.

Many thanks in advance,
Cheers
Ana
Anonymous said…
best measure the baby's arm from the underarm
Ian said…
When you say "continue in this way keeping the k3 rows after the decreases until you have 93 sts" do you still knit 3 rows after you get 93 sts and then start decreasing every other row or, as soon as you get down to 93, then decrease every other row?
Ian said…
What Louise describes as M1 is often referred to as KFB or knit front and back. To me, M1 means insert the left needle under the loop of yarn between the needles and then knit it (you can see examples of this on YouTube)
Ian said…
Anonymous, I agree, 3" does seem too short
Unknown said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said…
Can anyone tell me how to print just the patterns?
Anonymous said…
Is 3 inches really the measurement for the back? or should I just double it all the way around?
thanks for any advice
lynn said…
Hi, just wanted to let you know I have knit lots of little cardi's for my local hospital and friends,
such an easy pattern too.
karen m said…
I love this little cardigan but would also like the pattern for the hat a few of your ppl are commenting on...thanks karen
karinz99@bigpond.net.au
Omo said…
Thanks Louise, I just finished the cardigan. It's a very beautiful pattern and easy to make but it's rather small for even a new born I think. How can one make a bigger size?
Omo
Anonymous said…
Thanks Louise! Being a new knitter my first attempt at this pattern (and first ever knitting project) was a learning curve but the second attempt has turned out pretty well. Thanks for posting this all for free, I look forward to trying out more patterns & learning more!
Fidele said…
Can anyone tell me what the gge for this sweater? That would resolve all the issues about size.
lucinda said…
tension is 25sts and 50 rows for a 4x4 inch square
lucinda said…
For chest 10" - finished measurements about 14"
Sleeve 3"
Unknown said…
Hi Louise! I found this baby cardigan while searching an inspiration for my very first one, and I loved it! I decided to try and make a similar one myself. I didn't follow the pattern because I wanted it bigger, and I did it a bit differently, but I wanted to thank you all the same, for with this picture you gave me such a great idea! : )
Anonymous said…
If you read the information given + the comments above you can see that this cardigan is meant to be for about a newborn size, but comes out rather small. If you want a larger size - either find a pattern elsewhere or try making it with thicker yarn & bigger needles (eg. US worsted weight & size 5mm needles - UK aran yarn). It's not Rocket Science, just common sense!
Unknown said…
IS SIMPLE SWEET
Unknown said…
Louise, I need help please. I am knitting the little yellow cardigan - have made all 5 pieces and have them held on needles - now the hard part. I am about to knit across each piece but can't work out what to do with the "cast-off" pieces at each end - if I knit across surely there will be little bits sticking out - I'm just not getting it. Much gratitude, Auriol (Queensland, Australia)
Anonymous said…
Ignore the cast off bits when knitting across they are used when sewing up for the bits underneath the armpits
resep kue said…
The article is very interesting and nice, I hope you can also visit my website to thank you!
Malgosia said…
I am confused about the sleeves instructions. When following the pattern (ending up with 35 stitches) the sleeve measures way more that 3" (more like 6"). Is this correct?
Anne said…
I knitted this little cardi on UK size 7 needles and UK baby double knit.
I also knitted the fronts and back to 5" and the sleeve seam to 4". This gave me a 3 month size,it is lovely and simple. Anne
Anonymous said…
Im going to follow Anne so I'm planning to use DK on size 8 for a newborn! and making it longer that pattern states.
I would imagen this will use approx 75g of DK was wondering in weight does this pattern use.
Anonymous said…
I've done so well with this pattern up to the last set of instructions on the decreasing for the raglan shaping. Now I'm stuck.....I do not understand & can not work out the decreasing pattern from the knit 16 .... Etc until there are 93 stiches. Can anyone help?
Anonymous said…
A note on the size. Despite going up in needle and. Yarn size and adding two inches in length, the sweater is for a very young baby. 0-3 months likely.

When sewing the sections together, make sure to sew the sleeves to the front and back pieces before closing up the sleeve to keep the arm hole openings big enough
I dont know whether I have been doing something wrong, but tried to do it twice already (I am using moss stitch not garter stitch) but the decrease instructions for the raglan shaping seem to be incorrect. I always end up with several stitches too few at the end of each decrease row. Should the decreasing actually be two less each time and not just 1 ie
k16/17/27/17/16
next decrease
k14 (not 15)?
Anonymous said…
Hello, what does skpo mean?
Ian said…
skpo means, slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over - if you google skpo you'll find several instructions, including videos
Unknown said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said…
Today, 9/20/16 ... I found that Pattern. So, I need say to You Thank you! I am 74 years old, still I make shies, hats and couch to give a Babies needed it. I wish God bless You.
Jan said…
Thank you, love the pattern, going to try it.
Anonymous said…
I knit this according to pattern with the 3 inch back and front to bottom of sleeve, but it turned out to be a Preemie size.
Claire said…
If only you hadn't used that horrible background. LOL When I copied the pattern into a document ... which, you must admit, anyone actually wanting to knit the sweater has to do ... it is SO hard to read. You went to all that work, to give us directions, which I sincerely APPRECIATE, but ...
Anonymous said…
Hi I've tried this pattern but cannot understand the decreasing. I knitted the first few lines but didn't seem right. Do you actually knit right across all the stitches or just so many. HElp please. X
nadir said…
É POSSÍVEL TRADUÇÃO PORTUGUES, CASACOS BABY, AGRADECIDA
Anonymous said…
Hi just wondering on the sleeve do I k7 then start increasing or do I start increasing from the row after cast on
Anonymous said…
Should the decreased part of the fronts be at the two ends when on the needle or a straight edge at the ends Think I have done it wrong please help Thanks

Anonymous said…
You first make a sample piece about 4 inches square and measure your gauge to see if it is the same. Mine is a little larger so usually my items are a little bigger than others. Sometimes I go down a half size in needles to have it work out better. You need to know your gauge before you start. Use the size needles they require as well as the size and weight of yarn. It all matters.
Anonymous said…
Go up a size in needles and increase length.
Unknown said…
I've made a few adjustments I made length 5 inches for back before arm hole shaping and both fronts 5 in sleeves I made 5 inches too
alex lee said…
we create best clothing to wear for our customers.We make all kinds of clothing accessories for men and women.Just come and see for yourself:baby girls knitted dress
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Knittynora said…
Any beginners out there-don't do this pattern-way too complicated for a simple knit. The author herself has said she's not sure about the instructions-believe me-this will drive you nuts! If it means paying, go on Etsy and pay for a properly written simple baby cardi with proper instructions.
Vina said…
I wanted to knit this cardigan for my grandchild and finally finished it.It took me ages to figure the pattern out .So confusing but finally did it.You have to be a maths genius for the decreasing bit.
Unknown said…
i wanted to knit this for mchidy grand
Elizabeth said…
Hi this pattern was previously put on site by Debbie Bliss... the instructions that are listed are fine and true... I've knit dozens of this cardi and donated to maternity units in England and Scotland where I live..It is cute and small but it's for Preemie babies.. thank you so much for your work in putting this programme together....
Elizabeth (70plus)
Nice Blog, Thanks for Sharing Such a information. If You are looking for hand knitted baby frocks, Then The Original knit is a website that specializes in selling Baby frock online. We offer a wide selection of baby woolen frocks, baby woolen sweater perfect for your little one.
Ashlee Rolfson said…
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Jennifer Walsh said…
What a delightful blog! I love the Hand Knitted Baby Cardigan Pattern shared here. It's perfect for creating adorable and cozy outfits for little ones. For more knitting inspiration, check out "https://usepromos.com/" to find great deals on knitting supplies. Happy crafting!
Tanja said…
I have to try to make such a sweater for my daughter

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