Hopscotch Baby Cardigan

Have you ever seen anything so cute in your life? The Hopscotch Baby Cardigan is made up of bright, fun stripes, along with seed stitch borders for a little added flair. Free knitted cardigan patterns like this one are perfect for a quiet night inside, or an excited spring morning out at the park. No matter what your baby's personality, this cardigan will suit them. If your little one isn't quite so little anymore, never fear: this cardigan comes in sizes from 6 months all the way up to 10 years!

NotesCardigan is worked in 1 piece from the top down.

On smallest sizes, top button is for show only, as it will be in the v-neck shaping section.

You may wish to consider either skipping a closure altogether, or using another baby safe closure on the smaller sizes instead of buttons and buttonholes.

Intermediate

Knitting Needle Size7 or 4.5 mm, 9 or 5.5 mm, Circular Knitting Needles, Double-Pointed Knitting Needles (DPNs)

Yarn Weight(4) Medium Weight/Worsted Weight and Aran (16-20 stitches to 4 inches)

Gauge16 sts x 22 rows = 4" (10.2cm) St st with size 9 needle.

Finished Size6-12 mos (12-18 mos, 2 yrs, 4 yrs, 6 yrs, 8 yrs, 10 yrs) Chest: 20 (22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32)" [51 (56, 61, 66, 71, 76, 81) cm]

Materials List

Willow Yarns™ Trillium (78% cotton/22% silk; 85g/154yd)

731827-0002 Pale Dawn (all sizes 1 ball): A

731827-0001 Tussah (all sizes 1 ball): B

731827-0003 Midnight Sky (all sizes 1 ball): C

731827-0009 Mountain Jade (all sizes 1 ball): D

731827-00010 Key Lime (all sizes 1 ball): E
US size 9 (5.5mm) straight needles or size needed to obtain gauge
US size 9 (5.5mm) dpn or size needed to obtain gauge
US size 7 (4.5mm) 24" circular needle
US size 7 (4.5mm) dpn
Stitch markers
Waste yarn
Yarn needle
7/8" (2.2cm) buttons—5 (5, 5, 5, 7, 7, 9)

Instructions

Stitch Guide

one-row buttonhole (3-st): Sl1 st wyif, bring yarn to back, (sl next st to right needle p-wise, pass first slipped st over second slipped st to BO) 3 times, sl last st from BO back to left needle, turn work, with WS facing, CO 4 sts with cable CO, turn work, with RS facing, sl 1 st p-wise, pass last CO st over slipped st, sl st back to left needle—1 buttonhole made.

seed st: (multiple of 2 sts)
Row 1 (RS): *K1, p1; rep from * across.
Row 2 (WS): *P1, k1; rep from * across.
Rep Rows 1-2 for pat.

seed st in the rnd: (multiple of 2 sts)
Rnd 1: *K1, p1; rep from * around.
Rnd 2: *P1, k1; rep from * around.
Rep Rnds 1-2 for pat.

Stripe Sequence

*10 rows B,
10 rows C, 10 rows D, 10 rows A,
10 rows E, 10 rows C, 10 rows B,
10 rows D, 10 rows E, 10 rows A; rep
from * to end.

With B and size 9 straight needles, CO 20 (20, 22, 22, 22, 24, 26) sts.

Beg stripe sequence, counting CO as first row.

Row 1 (WS): P1, pm, p2, pm, p14 (14, 16, 16, 16, 18, 20), pm, p2, pm, p1.
Row 2 (RS): Kfb, sl m, kfb twice, sl m, kfb, k to 2 sts before next m, kfb, k1, sl m, kfb twice, sl m, kfb—28 (28, 30, 30, 30, 32, 34) sts.
Row 3 and All WS Rows: P.
Row 4: Kfb twice, sl m, (kfb, k1) twice, sl m, kfb, k to 2 sts before next m, kfb, k1, sl m, (kfb, k1) twice, sl m, kfb twice—38 (38, 40, 40, 40, 42, 44) sts.
Row 6: *K to 2 sts before next m, kfb, k1, sl m, kfb; rep from * 3 more times, k to end—8 sts inc’d.
Row 8: Kfb, *k to 2 sts before next m, kfb, k1, sl m, kfb; rep from * 3 more times, k to last 2 sts, kfb, k1—10 sts inc’d.

Rep Rows 6-9 two (2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 4) more times—92 (92, 112, 130, 148, 150, 134) sts.

Rep Rows 8-9 two (2, 2, 1, 0, 1, 3) more times —12 (112, 132, 140, 148, 160, 164) sts.

Rep Rows 6-7 zero (0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1) more time—112 (112, 132, 148, 156, 168, 172) sts.

Work 2 rows without inc’ing, then work Rows 6-7 (inc 8 sts every other RS row) 0 (2, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3) times—112 (128, 140, 156, 172, 184, 196) sts.

Divide for Sleeves

Note: remove all m as you come to them.

Row 1 (RS): K to m, sl next 22 (26, 28, 32, 36, 38, 40) sts onto holder, CO 6 sts, k across back sts to next m, sl next 22 (26, 28, 32, 36, 38, 40) sts onto holder, CO 6 sts, k to end—80 (88, 96, 104, 112, 120, 128) sts.

Cont in St st, working stripe sequence, until body measures approx 4½ (5, 6, 7, 8, 9½, 11)" [11.4 (12.7, 15.2, 17.8, 20.3, 24.1, 28) cm] after sleeve division, ending at the end of a stripe in the stripe sequence.

Bottom Edging

Change to next color in sequence and size 7 circular needle.

K 1 RS row.

Starting with a WS row work in seed st until edging measures 1½" (3.8cm).

BO all sts in pat.

Sleeves

Note: Sleeve stripes should be worked to match stripes on body of sweater, beg with the color that was in use on the sleeve division row.

Place sleeve sts from holder onto size 9 dpn.

Starting at center of underarm, pick up and k3, k across sts from holder, pick up and k3. Pm and join to work in the rnd.

K 5 rnds.

Dec Rnd: K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, ssk, k1—2 sts dec’d.

Rep Dec Rnd every sixth rnd 4 (5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7) more times.

Work even if necessary until sleeve measures approx 5½ (6½, 7½, 9, 10½, 12, 13)" [14 (16.5, 19.1, 22.9, 27, 30, 33) cm], ending at the end of a stripe in the stripe sequence.

Cuff

Change to next color in sequence and size 7 dpn.

K 1 rnd.

Work in seed st until cuff measures 1½" (3.8cm).

BO all sts in pat.

Button Band

With A and size 7 circular needle, pick up and k8 in each stripe to CO sts, pick up and k1 in each CO st, pick up and k8 in each stripe to bottom edge.

Starting with a WS row, work 3 rows in seed st.

Buttonhole Row: Work 3 sts in pat, *work one-row buttonhole over next 3 sts, work 5 sts in pat; rep from * 3 (3, 3, 3, 5, 5, 7) more times, work one-row buttonhole over next 3 sts, work in pat to end.

Work 3 more rows in seed st.

BO all sts in pat.

Finishing

Weave in ends.

Sew buttons to left front opposite buttonholes.

Abbreviations

k: knit

k2tog: knit 2 stitches together

kfb: knit in the front and back of next stitch—1 stitch increased

m: marker

p: purl

sl: slip

ssk: slip, slip, knit these 2 stitches together—1 stitch decreased

St st: stockinette stitch

wyif: with yarn in front

pm: place marker

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FireFightersMoM

Jun 27, 2017

Printable, one piece, many sizes....wonderful words when looking for a pattern. I love making little cardigans for babies. They are so hard to find already made up. When you make your own cardigan you become a designer. The Hopscotch cardigan gives you that that feeling. So many options on this darling sweater with colors, buttons and even a little appliques. I have sweaters that were made by my great-grandmother to husband, son and now my grandson. How special to know the items you made with love are being shared for generations.

Tricia108

Jun 11, 2017

I really like this cardigan. I do a lot of charity knitting and this pattern is great for using up odd balls of yarn. You don't need a lot of yarn for a baby sweater. It is knit in the round so all the stripes are even which is another plus. I have made sweaters in the round like this one and they really work up quickly. A cardigan is always useful because on nippy days it can be another layer. Knit in several colors it will go with any outfit. Thank you for the pattern.