Ribbed Baby Cardigan Knitting Pattern
My little guy isn’t due until the beginning of May, but he’s already amassed quite the collection of clothes! This cardigan was my knitting project during the blizzard last week. I wanted to make something that had a nautical feel, hence the ocean blue yarn and cute anchor buttons. I hope you like it!
[I purchased my anchor buttons from a local store, but these are a similar]
Free Knitting Pattern (difficulty- intermediate)
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Ocean (2 skeins)
Needles size US 2 and 3
Sweater measures 20 across chest and 12 3/4 inches long
Back: With number 2 needles cast on 73 stitches. Work in K 1, p 1 ribbing until piece measures 1 1/4 inches. Change to number 3 needles and work in K1, p 1 ribbing until pieces measures 5 1/2 inches from beginning.
Shape Raglan Armholes: Keeping to pattern, bind off 3 sts at each armhole edge once- 67 sts. Decrease 1 stitch at each armhole edge every other row until 23 stitches remain. Place remaining stitches on a holder for back of neck.
Left Front: With number 2 needles, cast on 47 stitches and work in ribbing as for back for 1 1/4 inches. Change to number 3 needles and and place 8 sts at front edge on a holder to be worked later. Working remaining sts in pattern, work even until 5 1/2 inches from beginning.
Shape Raglan Armhole: Keeping to pattern, bind off 3 sts at armhole edge once, then dec 1 stitch at armhole edge every other row until 22 stitches remain.
Shape Neck: Keeping to pattern, bind off 7 sts at front edge once, then dec 1 stitch at front edge ever other row 6 times; at the same time, continue raglan shaping until 1 stitch remains. Fasten off.
Right Front: Work to correspond to Left Front, reversing shapings.
Sleeves: With number 2 needles, cast on 41 sts. Work in ribbing as on back for 1 1/2 inches. Change to number 3 needles and increase 1 stitch each edge on first row of pattern, then every 5th row until there are 57 sts. Work even until 5 1/2 inches from beginning.
Shape Raglan Cap: Keeping to pattern, bind off 3 sts at each edge once, then decrease 1 stitch each edge until 7 sts remain. Place stitches on a holder.
Finishing: Steam press pieces lightly. Sew raglan, side, and sleeve seams.
Left Front Border: Work 8 sts from holder in established ribbing casting on 1 stitch at end of first row and keeping this stitch in garter stitch throughout. When border reaches neck edge, bind off the cast on garter stitch. Leave remaining sts. on needles and using garter stitch as seam allowance, sew front border to front edge of sweater. Mark positions of buttonholes, evenly spaced.
Right Front Border: Work to correspond to left front border, making buttonholes opposite markers as follows: Starting at front edge, work across 3 sts, bind off 3 sts. work across; on next row, cast on 3 sts over bound off stitches.
Neckband: With number 2 needles and right side facing, pick up and knit 72 stitches around neck, including stitches on holders. Work with sts from front borders in k 1, p 1 ribbing for 1 1/2 inches, making double buttonhole on right front border on 3rd and 3rd to last rows. Work for 1 1/2 inches. Bind off in ribbing.
Buttonhole stitch around buttonholes. Sew on buttons.