This cardigan is knitted flat all in one piece! Sewing things together always frustrates me – I can never seem to get them to sit how I want them to. This pattern only involves sewing together the seams of the arms! This has lots of advantages (other than lack of sewing!) – it means less pieces of keep track of, no messy seams, and means for stripes there isn’t the worry about lining them up when stitching together. And stripes are, of course, great for stash busting!
The border colour is indicated by the parts of the pattern that are underlined. If you wish to use a single colour just ignore the underlining. If you plan to work different colours inside the border, then each of the stitches underlined should be worked in border colour. For the example I worked the first two rows inside the border in grey and the next two in white, repeating this pattern until the end. Of course, you can use any colour combination and stripe length that you wish 😊
Feel free to use this pattern to make baby cardigans for whatever you like – friends, grandchildren, or to sell. I am on a mission to make and donate as much as possible to charity this year, so it would be awesome if you felt like making one for charity too! Also you could take a look at my other knitting patterns for more stash busting ideas!
Size & Materials
I knitted this jersey with left over DK/Light Worsted Weight yarn and 4 mm needles. Of course you could make this with different sized yarn (worsted weight would be a good option) however this will change the size. Worsted weight would make a larger sized cardigan (or you could use smaller needles).
Using DK/light worsted weight wool and 4 mm needles the cardigan measures:
Under arm: 44 cm (17″)
Length (neck to bottom): 21 cm (8.5″)
Yarn: approximately 300 m (330 yards) in total for DK/light worsted weight wool
Abbreviations:
K – Knit
P – Purl
K2TOG – Knit two stitches together
P2TOG – Purl two stitches together
SL1, K1, PSSO – slip one stitch, knit the next stitch onto the needle, pass the slipped stitch over the knitted stitch
YO – yarn over – wrap the yarn around the needle to create another stitch
SL – slip stitch (slide stitch onto needle without working it)
Pattern
Starting at neck (underline indicates border colour):
Cast on 45
Row 1: (K1, P1) to last stitch, K1
Rows 2-5: Repeat Row 1 four more times (5 rows in total)
Row 6: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 (P1, inc K wise) to last 6 sts, P1, K1, P1, YO, P2TOG, K1 (the last four stitches form a button hole) (62)
Row 7: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P to last 5 sts, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1
Row 8: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, K7, YO, K1, YO, K8, YO, K1, YO, K18, YO, K1, YO, K8, YO, K1, YO, K7, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 (70)
Note: when purling into the yo from the previous row, always purl through the back loops to avoid holes along the raglan seams.
Row 9 and all odd row up to and including Row 33: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P to last 5 sts, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1
Row 10: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, K8, YO, K1, YO, K10, YO, K1, YO, K20, YO, K1, YO, K10, YO, K1, YO, K8, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 (78)
Row 12: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1,, K9, YO, K1, YO, K12, YO, K1, YO, K22, YO, K1, YO, K12, YO, K1, YO, K9, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 (86)
Row 14: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, K10, YO, K1, YO, K14, YO, K1, YO, K24, YO, K1, YO, K14, YO, K1, YO, K10, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 (94)
Row 16: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, K11, YO, K1, YO, K16, YO, K1, YO, K26, YO, K1, YO, K16, YO, K1, YO, K11, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 (102)
Row 18: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, K12, YO, K1, YO, K18, YO, K1, YO, K28, YO, K1, YO, K18, YO, K1, YO, K12, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 (110)
Row 20: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, K13, YO, K1, YO, K20, YO, K1, YO, K30, YO, K1, YO, K20, YO, K1, YO, K13, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 (118)
Row 22: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, K14, YO, K1, YO, K22, YO, K1, YO, K32, YO, K1, YO, K22, YO, K1, YO, K14, K1, P1, YO, P2TOG, K1 (126)
Row 24: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, K15, YO, K1, YO, K24, YO, K1, YO, K34, YO, K1, YO, K24, YO, K1, YO, K15, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 (134)
Row 26: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, K16, YO, K1, YO, K26, YO, K1, YO, K36, YO, K1, YO, K26, YO, K1, YO, K16, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 (142)
Row 28: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, K17, YO, K1, YO, K28, YO, K1, YO, K38, YO, K1, YO, K28, YO, K1, YO, K17, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 (150)
Row 30: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, K18, YO, K1, YO, K30, YO, K1, YO, K40, YO, K1, YO, K30, YO, K1, YO, K18, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 (158)
Row 32: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, K19, YO, K1, YO, K32, YO, K1, YO, K42, YO, K1, YO, K32, YO, K1, YO, K19, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 (166)
Row 33: as for row 7
You should now have the following:
Divide for first arm:
Row 1: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, K55 turn leaving the remaining stitches on needle
Row 2: K1, P 32, K1 turn (working on only these 34 sts from now on)
Row 3: K34
Row 4: K1, P to last stitch, K1
Row 5: K1, SL1, K1, PSSO, K to last 3 stitches, K2TOG, K1
Row 6: K1, P to last stich, K1,
Row 7: K all stitches
Row 8: K1, P to last stitch, K1
Row 9: K1, SL1, K1, PSSO, K to last 3 stitches, K2TOG, K1
Row 10: K1, P to last stich, K1,
Rows 11-22: Repeat rows 7-10 three more times (24 sts remain)
Row 23: K 24
Row 24: K1, P to last stitch, K1
Row 25: K24
Row 26: K1, P to last stitch, K1
Row 27: K24
Row 28: (K1, P1) to end
Row 29: (P1, K1) to end
Rows 30-33: repeat rows 28-29 two more times
Fasten off.
Divide for second arm:
Join yarn to main body of cardigan where you turned for the first sleeve.
Row 1: K80 turn leaving the remaining stitches on needle
Work from Row 2 as for first arm.
Main body:
Join yarn to main body of cardigan where you turned for the second sleeve.
Row 1: K21, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1
Row 2: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P88, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 (98)
Row 3: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, K88, K1, P1, YO, P2TOG, K1
Row 4: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P88, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1
Row 5: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, K88, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1
Rows 6-17: Repeat Rows 4-5 six more times
Row 18: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P88, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1
Row 19: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, K88, K1, P1, YO, P2TOG, K1
Row 20: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P88, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1
Row 21: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, K88, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1
Row 22: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, inc, K87, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 (99)
Row 23: (K1, P1) to end
Rows 24-28: Repeat Row 23 five more times.
Fasten off.
Sew up seam under arm, attach buttons and you’re all done!
Thank you for sharing your beautiful pattern.
How much DK yarn is needed please? I love the pattern?
Between 200-300 m (depends on yarn) hope that helps 😊
Thank you. That converts to 100grams which is what we use in the UK!
Love it! Thanks so much for sharing your sweet baby cardi with us. I’ll knit this one next! 🙂
Thank you for sharing this. This is a wonderful pattern! Easy to follow and so well written! Candy
Thank you for the pattern to your adorable cardigan. I will also make for charity. God bless you.
I’m knitting along enjoying your pattern. I’m concerned about divide for first arm. I cant see how this will work to knit the 5 then 55, then turn and go back. Won’t I need another needle of same size to do the knitting without project getting crooked. Would stitch holders be necessary. Just can’t conceptualize this portion of the pattern. Could you send a short video the show these stages please
Sorry, I don’t have a video, but I did knit this on a circular needle. If you are concerned about it pulling stitches you could put the remaining stitches on a stitch holder or waste yarn until you use them, but it should work on straight needles. The row after the one you are talking about is also a short row which leaves stitches over for the front of the cardigan. The 34 stitches you’ll be working on will be for the sleeve. If you look at the picture of the jersey part done in the pattern you’ll see a section labelled arm – it is this section you will be working on. Hope that helps.
Hi
I have done this pattern a few times now on straight needles. I leave the stitches on needle and just work sleeve it works well. For the first few rows make sure you keep in tight or you will need to do a couple of extra stitches when sewing it up
Thanks. I’ll continue on as stated. I’ve been knitting it on 2 straight needles not a circular. It makes more sense now.
Lovely sweater. I’m using a verigated white, light green aND light purple.
Hi Deborah, sorry that was a mistake – row 5 should be a knit row, not a purl row – I’ve fixed it in the pattern now. Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Hi! I cast on 45 stitches, did the first 5 rows, and got to the point of P inc K wise. I have a lot more than 62 stitches on my needle! Any idea what I’ve done wrong? I increased by using the bar in between stitches.
Hi Elizabeth, not totally sure, but I’m wondering if you increased after every stitch instead of after every second stitch (as inc k wise means knit into the same stitch front and back). If you pick up the bars in between that will work too, but you need to p1, k1, then pick up the bar.
Hi, if you are knitting it in stripes, do you have to carry the border colour all across the back of the knitting, or do you have a ball of the border colour at each end? Thanks, Iris
Hi Iris, I have a small ball of the border colour at each end when knitting stripes. Thanks