Knitting a Baby Cardigan - Your little one will look even cuter in this polka-dot baby cardigan! Petra knitted this adorable baby cardigan using soft Stylecraft Bambino yarn. The sweet colors and cute polka dots with glitter make it the perfect cardigan for girls. Grab your Knitting Needles from the closet and get started. Read on for the free pattern.
Baby clothes are so much fun to knit yourself—that way, you get to choose the size, color, and yarn! Knit this adorable polka-dot baby cardigan for your little girl or someone else’s. Don’t know how to knit? Then you can always give your mom (or mother-in-law) a sweet look…
The polka-dot baby cardigan is very comfortable because it’s knitted with soft Stylecraft Bambino DK yarn. This soft, lustrous yarn is ideal for making baby clothes and is available in 8 colors. Petra chose the sweet color “Heather” (7114). The polka dots are made with ByClaire Sparkle yarn, which is currently in limited stock. You can also opt for the similar glitter yarn Durable Glam, which is available in many colors. Both yarns contain festive glitter, creating a playful effect. The three different dot colors (Gold, Silver, and White) and the Lilac color make this a cute cardigan for girls.
You can also use other colors and, if you like, leave out the polka dots to make it suitable for a baby boy. Above all, choose the colors you like best. We’ve styled this cardigan to be extra festive and “girly.” How would you style this polka-dot baby cardigan?
You can knit the polka-dot baby cardigan in 3 different sizes.
See below to find the size that corresponds to the baby's age (in months).
For example, if you want to make the cardigan for a 3-month-old baby, choose option b). In the instructions below, follow the pattern described for option b).
The size shown in the photo is size a (0–3 months).
Size a): 0–3 months (newborn)
Option b): 3 months
Size c): 6 months
Tools & Supplies
:- Stylecraft Bambino, color 7114: sizes a) and b): 1 Ball; size c): 2 Balls
- ByClaire Sparkle: 1 ball each of the colors Snow Flake (color 1), Silver Moonlight (color 2), and Glam Gold (color 3). Or choose Durable Glam.
- Knitting Needles: 3.5 and 4 mm
- Maasnaald
Stitches used:
- stockinette stitch
- edge stitch
Gauge swatch: 22 sts x 26 rows = 10 x 10 cm on a 4 mm needle.
How to Knit a Polka-Dot Baby Cardigan - Free Knitting Pattern
Tip: Watch the video below for Petra's explanation of how to knit the polka dots and the top edge.
Back:
Cast on a) 48 sts, b) 50 sts, c) 52 sts using a 3.5 mm needle.
Knit 5 rows in stockinette stitch, with the first row being a purl row (= a row worked in the reverse direction).
After these 5 rows, continue knitting with 4 mm needles; knit 2 rows in ribbing (knit 1, purl 1).
Knit the back piece in stockinette stitch until it measures a) 10.5 cm, b) 12.5 cm, or c) 14.5 cm, measured from the ribbing. Bind off on both sides for the armholes: 1 x 3 sts, then in the 2e Needle: 1 x 2 sts and 2 x 1 st. This leaves a) 34 sts, b) 36 sts, c) 38 sts.
At a) 19.5 cm, b) 22.5 cm, c) 25.5 cm measured from the edge, decrease for the shoulders on both sides: a) b) c) 1 x 3 sts, then in 2e nld 2 x 4 sts. At the same time, for the neckline, bind off the center st: a) b) 10 sts, c) 12 sts. Then in the 2e nld a) 1 x 1 st, b) c) 1 x 2 st.
Knit the other side of the neck and shoulders in mirror image.
Right front:
Cast on a) 28, b) 30, c) 32 sts using a 3.5 mm needle. Knit 5 rows in stockinette stitch, with the 1st row being a purl row (= return row). After these 5 rows, continue on a 4 mm needle and knit 2 rows in ribbing (1 knit stitch, 1 purl stitch).
Continue knitting in stockinette stitch. For the ribbing along the front edge, knit the first 3 stitches on the right side and the last 3 stitches on the wrong side.
Knit to a height of a) 10.5 cm, b) 12.5 cm, c) 14.5 cm, measured from the ribbing. Bind off on the left side for the armhole: 1 x 3 sts, then in the 2e nld 1 x 2 sts and 2 x 1 st. The remaining sts are: a) 21 sts, b) 23 sts, c) 25 sts.
At a) 16.5 cm, b) 19.5 cm, c) 22.5 cm measured from the front neck edge, bind off on the right side every 2e nld:
a) 1 x 5 st, 2 x 2 st, and 1 x 1 st
b) 1 set of 5 stitches, 2 sets of 3 stitches, and 1 set of 1 stitch
c) 1 x 5 sts, 1 x 4 sts, 1 x 3 sts, and 2 x 1 st.
At a) 19.5 cm, b) 22.5 cm, c) 25.5 cm from the edge, bind off for the right shoulder:
a) b) c) 1 x 3 sts, then in 2e nld 2 x 4 pcs.
Knit the left front piece in mirror image.
Sleeves:
Cast on a) 36, b) 38, c) 40 sts using 3.5 mm needles. Knit 4 rows in stockinette stitch, with the first row being a purl row (= return row). After these 4 rows, continue on 4 mm needles, knitting 1 row in ribbing (1 knit stitch, 1 purl stitch).
Knit on 4mm needles in stockinette stitch. When the piece measures 3.5 cm from the ribbing, increase 1 stitch on each side, then:
a) after 14 rows, 1 x 1 stitch
b) every 14 stitches, 2 x 1 stitch
c) every 12 stitches, decrease 3 x 1 stitch
Total number of items so far: a) 40, b) 44 items, c) 48 items.
At a) 12 cm, b) 16.5 cm, c) 18.5 cm measured from the ribbing, bind off on both sides for the sleeve cap.
a) 1 x 3 sts, then split into 2e nld 1 x 2 st, 2 x 1 st, 1 x 2 st, and 1 x 3 st
b) 1 x 3 sts, then in 2e nld 1 x 3 st, 1 x 2 st, 1 x 1 st, 1 x 2 st, and 1 x 3 st.
c) 1 x 3 sts, then split into 2e nld 1 x 3 sts, 2 x 2 sts, and 2 x 3 sts
At a) 16 cm, b) 20.5 cm, and c) 22.5 cm, measured from the ribbing, bind off the remaining 16 sts.
Knit a second sleeve just like the first one.
Finishing:
Sew the shoulder, side, and sleeve seams, and set in the sleeves.
Pick up the bound-off stitches along the neckline on the right side of the work.
Knit 1 row in ribbing (knit 1, purl 1). Continue knitting 3 rows in stockinette stitch, and on the 4th row, loosely bind off the stitch.
Sew 4 snaps onto the closure tape on the front panels.
Crochet the dots wherever you like on the back and front panels, following the stitch pattern below in white, silver, and gold. And you’re done! Now hurry up and put this adorable little cardigan on your little one.
Video
: In the video below, Petra explains how to knit the polka dots on the cardigan and how to knit the top edge.
Share your results:
We'd love to see your polka-dot baby cardigan. Show it to us and share your projects using #Yarnplaza on Facebook and Instagram, or send a photo of your creations to info@yarnplaza.com!
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