Knitting a Baby Cardigan - Babies look even cuter when they’re dressed in handmade clothes. This cardigan from Phildar is soft, breathable, and makes your little one even more cuddly. We love the grey-and-yellow color combination, but you can choose your own favorite color. Are you ready to get started on this cute Knitting Pattern?
Whether it’s for your own little one, a friend’s, or a family member’s, handmade clothing is always a treat. This striped baby cardigan will make your little one shine. The baby cardigan is made from Phildar Phil Opera, a yarn that we unfortunately no longer carry in our selection. As an alternative, we recommend Yarn and Colors Must-have or Yarn and Colors Favorite, both of which are soft and breathable cotton yarns. Choose the mercerized, slightly lustrous Must-have or the matte cotton Favorite. With so many colors available in these cotton yarns, you can really let your creativity run wild when mixing and matching.
Sizes for Baby Cardigan
A Birth - B 3 months - C 6 months - D 12 months
What do you need?
- 1/1/2/2 balls of Phildar Phil Opera in Gris (alternative: 2/2/3/3 balls of Yarn and Colors Must-have)
- 1/1/2/2 balls of Phildar Phil Opera in the color Mimosa (alternative: 2/2/3/3 balls of Yarn and Colors Must-have)
- Knitting Needles, sizes 2 and 3 mm
- 6 buttons
Stitches Used
Striped stockinette stitch: *4 rows in Mimosa, 4 rows in Gris*, repeat from * to * = 8 rows total.
1/1 Ribbing
Gauge swatch
10 x 10 cm = 25 sts and 34 rows on size 3 needles in stockinette stitch.
How to Knit a Baby Cardigan - Free Knitting Pattern
Back panel
Cast on 59 - 61 - 67 - 71 stitches on needle size 2 and knit 2 cm (8 rows) in 1x1 ribbing: begin and end the first row with 1 knit stitch.
Next, knit in striped stockinette stitch using size 3 needles and increase 1 stitch on the first row. You now have: A 60 - B 62 - C 68 - D 72 stitches.
Lace: A 9 cm (30 rows) - B 11 cm (38 rows) - C 13 cm (44 stitches) - D 15 cm (50 stitches) height after the ribbing for the armholes on both sides: decrease 1x3 stitches every 2nd row: 1x2 stitches and 3x1 stitch. This leaves A 44 - B 46 - C 52 - D 56 stitches.
Side A: 19 cm (64 stitches) - B: 22 cm (74 stitches) - C: 25 cm (84 stitches) - D: 28 cm (94 stitches) height after the ribbing on both sides:
A 1x3 stitches, and every 2nd row: 2x4 stitches.
B: 1x3 stitches, and on every 2nd row: 2x4 stitches.
C: 1x4 stitches, and every 2nd row: 2x4 stitches.
Knit 1x4 stitches, and on every 2nd row: knit 1x4 stitches and 1x5 stitches.
At the same time, bind off the center stitches for the neckline: A-B 10 - C - D 12, then 2 rows higher: A 1x6 - B 1x7 - C 1x8 - D 1x9.
Finish the other side of the neck in the same way.
Front
Cast on 35 - 37 - 39 - 41 stitches on needle size 2 using the color Gris, and knit 2 cm (8 rows) in 1/1 ribbing: begin the first row with 2 knit stitches and end with 1 purl stitch.
Next, knit in striped stockinette stitch using size 3 needles, and increase 1 stitch in sections A, C, and D on the first row. You now have: A 36 - B 37 - C 40 - D 42 stitches.
A: 9 cm (30 stitches) - B: 11 cm (38 stitches) - C: 13 cm (44 stitches) - D 15 cm (50 stitches) height after the ribbing for the left armhole: bind off 1x3 stitches and on every 2nd row: 1x2 stitches and 3x1 stitch. Remaining stitches: A 28 - B 29 - C 32 - D 34 stitches.
Side A: 16 cm (54 stitches) - B: 19 cm (64 stitches) - C: 22 cm (74 stitches) - D: 24 cm (80 stitches) height after the neckline ribbing; knit:
A 1x6 stitches, and on every 2nd row: 1x4, 1x3, 1x2, and 2x1 stitches.
B: 1x7 stitches, and on every 2nd row: 1x4, 1x3, 1x2, and 2x1 stitches.
C: 1x8 stitches, and on every 2nd row: 1x4, 1x3, 1x2, and 3x1 stitches.
D 1x8 stitches, and on every 2nd row: 1x4, 1x3, 2x2, and 2x1 stitches.
Meanwhile, A: 19 cm (64 stitches) – B: 22 cm (74 stitches) – C: 25 cm (84 stitches) – D: 28 cm (94 stitches) in height after the ribbing; for the shoulder, decrease every 2nd row. Bind off on the left side:
A 1x3 stitches, and every 2nd row: 2x4 stitches.
B: 1x3 stitches, and on every 2nd row: 2x4 stitches.
C: 1x4 stitches, and every 2nd row: 2x4 stitches.
Knit 1x4 stitches, and on every 2nd row: knit 1x4 stitches and 1x5 stitches.
Knit the left front piece in mirror image.
Sleeves
Cast on A 42 - B 44 - C 46 - D 50 stitches using size 2 needles in Gris and knit 2 cm (8 rows) in 1/1 ribbing
Next, knit in striped stockinette stitch using size 3 needles. Increase on both sides:
On every 6th row: 4x1 stitch.
B on every 8th row: 4x1 stitch and 6 rows higher, 1x1 stitch.
C 8 stitches higher: 1x1 stitch, and every 6th row: 6x1 stitch.
On every 8th row: 6x1 stitch, and 6 rows higher: 1x1 stitch.
You now have: A 50 - B 54 - C 60 - D 64 stitches.
Edge on A 8.5 cm (28 stitches) - B 13 cm (44 stitches) - C 15 cm (50 stitches) - D 18 cm (60 stitches) height after the ribbing for the sleeve cap; bind off on both sides:
Knit 1x3 stitches, then on every 2nd row: knit 1x3 stitches, 1x2 stitches, 1x1 stitch, 1x2 stitches, and 2x3 stitches.
B: Knit 1x4 stitches, then on every 2nd row: knit 1x3 stitches, 1x2 stitches, 1x1 stitch, 1x2 stitches, 1x3, and 1x4 stitches.
C: 1x4 stitches, then on every 2nd row: 2x3 stitches, 1x2 stitches, 2x3 stitches, and 1x4 stitches.
Knit 1x4 stitches, then on every 2nd row: 1x4 stitches, 1x3 stitches, 1x2 stitches, 1x3 stitches, and 2x4 stitches.
Edge: A 12.5 cm (42 stitches) - B 17 cm (58 stitches) - C 19 cm (64 stitches) - D 22 cm (74 stitches); after the ribbing, bind off the remaining 16 stitches.
Knit a second sleeve just like the first one.
Cast on A 67 - B 73 - C 79 - D 89 stitches using size 2 needles in Gris and knit 1.5 cm (6 rows) in 1/1 ribbing: begin and end the first row with 2 knit stitches. Then knit 1 row on the right side and knit a single row in stockinette stitch using a different color: when finishing off the stitches one by one, pick them up again until you reach the base color.Neckband
Cast on 67 stitches in color A—73 in color B—79 in color C—89 in color D using 2 mm Knitting Needles and the Grey yarn. Knit 1.5 cm (6 rows) in rib stitch (1x1), beginning and ending the first row with 2 knit stitches. Next, knit 1 row on the right side of your work. Knit a few more rows in stockinette stitch in a different color (these will be invisible when the neckband is attached stitch by stitch to the neckline).
Finishing
Sew the shoulder, side, and sleeve seams.
Sew the sleeves into the armholes. Fold the edge of the front panels over by 1 stitch and sew them in place using a blind stitch.
Sew the neck binding stitch stitch by stitch using a running stitch on the right side of the fabric.
Make buttonholes A 4 - B 5 - C - D 6: To do this, pull the stitches aside at the edge of the right front panel, 5 stitches from the edge: 1st A on the 1st stripe in Gris - B - D on the 1st stripe in Mimosa - C on the ribbing of the bottom edge, 4 stripes higher; the last buttonhole goes in the neckline hem. Sew the buttons opposite the buttonholes.
More Knitting Patterns for Baby Cardigans
In addition to this striped baby cardigan, there are even more free Knitting Patterns for adorable cardigans. For example, check out our original Partner baby cardigan for boys and girls, or the Knitting Pattern for the Phil Coton 3 baby cardigan.
What do you like to make most for babies?
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