Simple Baby cardigan pattern

Abbreviations:
K – knit

P – Purl

RS/WS – Right/wrong side

K2 tog – knit 2 stitches together

Pm – place marker
Sm – slip marker
St – stitch
Kfb – knit into the front and then the back of the next stitch
Yo – move the yarn over the needle
Pwise – purlwise
wyib/f – with the yarn at the back/front of the work

Materials:
100g* dk weight yarn,
4mm circular needle,
4mm DPNs if required for sleeves (or you could use magic loop),
4 stitch markers,
2 lengths waste yarn or stitch holders x2,
4 buttons,
tapestry needle, 
scissors, 
tape measure.

Finished size: 0-3 (3-6) months. Chest measurement 19.5” (21”)

Cast on: 50 (56) st
K 9rows – Sl 1st st pwise wyib at the beginning of each row

Raglan set-up: (this is the shaping for the sleeves)
On next (RS) row, Sl 1st st pwise wyib , k 7 (8) for front, pm, k 7 (8) for sleeve, pm, k 20 (22) for back, pm, k 7 (8) for sleeve, pm, k 8 (9) for front.

Row 1 (RS)- Sl 1st purlwise wyif, *K to 1 st before mkr, kfb, sm, kfb, Repeat from * 3 times, k to end
Row 2 (WS) – Sl 1st purlwise wyif, p to end
Repeat rows 1 & 2…..12 times until you have 154 (160) st ……21 (22) each front, 33 (34) each sleeve, 46 (48) back

Now we will separate the sleeves from the body (NOTE: Use tapestry needle to thread the stitches on to a single strand of waste yarn)

Next (RS) row: k to 1st stitch marker (remove all markers as you come to them), and use tapestry needle to slide sleeve sts onto waste yarn.

Tie a loose knot in the waste yarn to hold the stitches.

K across back, slide 2nd set of sleeve sts onto next strand of waste yarn, k to end.
Work in stocking stitch until garment measures 3.5 (4.5) inches from underarm.
K 8 rows in garter stitch.
Cast off.
Button bands: With RS facing, pick up and k each slipped st along left side of garment.
K 8 rows (4 garter ridges).
Bind off using stretchy bind-off

Repeat the button band for the right hand side of garment.

If you want buttonholes then you can choose which side you have them…to add them you will need to do the following on the button band

Row 4. At evenly spaced intervals, make 4 buttonholes by working as follows – (yo, K2tog) at evenly spaced intervals.

For easy button bands: Slip the 1st st pwise, with yarn in back (RS) or in front (WS)

Russian Bind-Off: produces a very stretchy cast on edge, suitable for sock cuffs and button bands.

K 1 st, sl that st back to LH needle. *K2tog, sl that st back to LH needle. Repeat from * until all st are bound off.

Now on to the Sleeves: slip the stitches held on scrap yarn onto circular needle or DPNs.
Rejoin yarn and k 1 round, pick up and K 3 (5) at underarm.

Place marker and join to work in the round
.**
Round 1. Knit
Round 2. Purl
Round 3. Knit
Round 4. Purl
Cast off firmly

Repeat for 2nd sleeve
An added alternative…? I’ve been asked about long sleeves for this. Now babies are notorious in their difficulty to dress, they wriggle quite a bit! So…I’d suggest the following if you want long sleeves,
Work until you reach the ** and then continue knitting in the round until the sleeves are almost the length you prefer. Once at this point, continue as for the short sleeves from **

im happy for you to share the pattern with anyone, but please, if you post anything online about it, or showing a cardigan you’ve made with the pattern, please link back to here x