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Spring Morning Baby Cardigan Pattern

This precious spring cardigan pattern makes a great, handmade gift for the newest member in your family!

Spring Morning Baby Cardigan Pattern

There's nothing sweeter than a cozy baby on a rainy day. Wrap your little one up in this Spring Morning Baby Cardigan, one of the cutest free knitting patterns you'll ever come across. Knitting for baby has never been more fun; this pattern utilizes four different colors of yarn, and has instructions on four different age ranges so no baby is left out.

Beginning knitting can be a confusing time, but not when patterns are this thorough. Whether you're expecting or raising a beautiful baby already, this is the pattern for you.

Knitting Needle Size3 or 3.25 mm, 6 or 4 mm

Yarn Weight(3) Light/DK (21-24 stitches to 4 inches)

Gauge22 sts and 30 rows = 4 ins [10 cm] in stocking st with larger needles.

Materials List

  • Patons® Astra (50 g/1.75 oz) Main Color (MC): (White)

    • 0-6 months: 2 balls

    • 6-12 months: 3 balls

    • 12-18 months: 3 balls

    • 18-24 months: 4 balls


  • Patons® Astra (50 g/1.75 oz) Contrast A: (Blue) - 1 ball
  • Patons® Astra (50 g/1.75 oz) Contrast B: (Green) - 1 ball
  • Patons® Astra (50 g/1.75 oz) Contrast C: (Yellow) - 1 ball
  • Sizes 3¼ mm (U.S. 3) and 4 mm (U.S. 6) knitting needles or size needed to obtain gauge
  • 3 buttons

Spring Morning Baby Cardigan Pattern

Measurements:
Chest measurement
0-6 months: 16 ins [41 cm]
6-12 months: 18 ins [46 cm]
12-18 months: 20 ins [51 cm]
18-24 months: 22 ins [56 cm]
 
Finished chest
0-6 months: 18½ ins [47 cm]
6-12 months: 20 ins [51 cm]
12-18 months: 22 ins [56 cm]
18-24 months: 24 ins [61 cm]

Instructions
The instructions are written for smallest size. If
changes are necessary for larger sizes, the
instructions will be written thus ( ).

BACK

With smaller needles and MC, cast on 63 (69-75-83) sts.
1st row: (RS). K1. *P1. K1. Rep from * to end of row.
2nd row: P1. *K1. P1. Rep from * to end of row.
These 2 rows form (K1. P1) ribbing.
Work a further 3 (3-5-5) rows in ribbing, thus ending with WS facing for next row.
 
Change to larger needles and proceed in pat as follows:
1st row: (WS). With MC, purl.
2nd row: With A, K1. *Sl1P. K1. Rep from * to end of row.
3rd row: As 2nd row.
4th row: With MC, knit.
These 4 rows form pat.
Work a further 28 (32-36-40) rows in pat.
Using B in place of A, work 32 (36-40-44) rows in pat.
Using C in place of A, cont in pat until Back from beg measures 10 (11-11¾-12½) ins [25.5 (28-30-32) cm], ending with RS facing for next row.
Cast off, placing markers either side of center 25 (27-29-33) sts to mark back neck edge.

LEFT FRONT

With smaller needles and MC, cast on 30 (34-36-40) sts.
1st row: (RS). *K1. P1. Rep from * to last 2 sts. K2.
2nd row: *K1. P1. Rep from * to end of row.
These 2 rows form (K1. P1) ribbing.
Work a further 3 (3-5-5) rows in (K1. P1) ribbing, inc 1 st at center of last row and ending with WS facing for next row. 31 (35-37-41) sts.
Change to larger needles and proceed in pat as given for Back until 17 (17-21-21) rows less than Back have been worked to shoulder cast-off, ending with WS facing for next row.
 
Shape neck: Keeping cont of pat, cast off 6 (8-8-10) sts at beg of next row. 25 (27-29-31) sts.
Dec 1 st at neck edge on next and following alt rows 5 times. 19 (21-23-25) sts. Work 4 (4-8-8) rows even in pat, ending with RS facing for next row.
Cast off.

RIGHT FRONT

With smaller needles and MC, cast on 30 (34-36-40) sts.
1st row: (RS). K2. *P1. K1. Rep from * to end of row.
2nd row: *P1. K1. Rep from * to end of row.
These 2 rows form (K1. P1) ribbing.
Work a further 3 (3-5-5) rows in (K1. P1) ribbing, inc 1 st at center of last row and ending with WS facing for next row. 31 (35-37-41) sts.
Change to larger needles and proceed in pat as given for Back until 16 (16-20-20) rows less than Back have been worked to shoulder cast-off, ending with RS facing for next row.
 
Shape neck: Keeping cont of pat, cast off 6 (8-8-10) sts at beg of next row. 25 (27-29-31) sts.
Work 1 row even in pat.
Dec 1 st at neck edge on next and following alt rows 5 times. 19 (21-23-25) sts.
Work 4 (4-8-8) rows even in pat, ending with RS facing for next row.
Cast off.

SLEEVES

With smaller needles and MC, cast on 35 (37-39-41) sts.
Work 2½ ins [6 cm] in (K1. P1) ribbing as given for Back, ending with WS facing for next row.
Change to larger needles and proceed in pat as given for Back, shaping sides by inc 1 st at each end of 4th and every following 6th (4th-4th-6th) row until there are 41 (45-45-49) sts, taking inc sts into pat.
 
Size 12-18 months only: Inc 1 st at each end of every following 6th row until there are 49 sts.
 
All Sizes: Work 4 (4-0-2) rows even in pat, thus ending on a 4th row of pat.
Using B in place of A, cont in pat, inc 1 st at each end of 2nd (2nd-6th-4th) and every following 6th row until there are 47 (53-57-57) sts.
Work 6 (0-0-2) rows even in pat, thus ending with a 4th row of pat.
 
Sizes 0-6, 6-12 and 12-18 months only: Using C in place of A, cont even in pat until Sleeve from beg measures 6¼ (6¾-7½) ins [16 (17-19) cm], ending with RS facing for next row.
 
Size 18-24 months only: Using C in place of A, cont in pat, shaping sides by inc 1 st at each end of every following 6th row from previous inc until there are 61 sts.
Cont even in pat until Sleeve from beg measures 8¼ ins [21 cm], ending with RS facing for next row.
 
All Sizes: Cast off.

HOOD

With smaller needles and MC, cast on 109 (117-125-133) sts.
Work 5 rows in (K1. P1) ribbing as given for Back, ending with WS facing for next row.
 
Change to larger needles.
Beg with 1st row of pat and using C in place of A, proceed in pat as given for Back until Hood from beg measures 5 (5½-6¼-7) ins [12.5 (14-16-18) cm], ending with RS facing for next row.
Keeping cont of pat, cast off 4 sts beg next 22 (24-26-28) rows.
Cast off rem 21 sts.

FINISHING

Sew shoulder seams.
 
Button Band:
With smaller needles and MC, cast on 7 sts.
1st row: (RS). K2. P1. K1. P1. K2.
2nd row: K1. (P1. K1) 3 times.
Rep these 2 rows until band, when slightly stretched, fits up front opening edge (left front for girl, or right front for boy) to beg of neck shaping, sewing in place as you work and ending with RS facing for next row. Cast off.
Mark positions for 3 buttons on this band with first to come 6 ins [15 cm] up from cast-on edge, last to come ½ inch [1 cm] below beg of neck shaping and rem button evenly spaced between.
 
Buttonhole Band: Work to match Button Band with the addition of 3 buttonholes to correspond to button markers as follows:
Make buttonhole (RS): (Rib to marker. Cast off 2 sts) 3 times. Rib to end of row and back, casting on 2 sts over cast off sts on previous row.
Fold Hood in half and sew cast-off center back seam. Matching cast-on edge of Hood to edge of front Borders, sew Hood to neck edge. Place center of cast-off edge of Sleeves to shoulder seams, then sew Sleeves to Back and Fronts. Sew side and sleeve seams, reversing sleeve seam for turn-back cuff. Sew buttons to correspond to buttonholes.

Benefits of Knitting Your Own Baby Clothes

If you have children or grandchildren, you know babies grow very quickly, so free knitting patterns for babies are a lifesaver. In fact, you may buy an outfit for your little one and he or she may outgrow it within a matter of weeks! In a sense, it's quite hard to tell how fast your baby will grow or what size she will be wearing at what point in her young life.

Due to such rapid changes within the first few months of life, it can be a bit wasteful to spend a lot of money on store-bought baby clothes.

Instead, go the economical route and opt for free knitting patterns for babies. With so many adorable patterns, such as the Spring Morning Baby Cardigan, you certainly can't go wrong. Although knitting a cardigan is a time investment, it will most likely not cost as much as buying a cardigan from the store.

Plus, you can customize a knitting pattern to fit your exact taste and style. The benefits of knitting your own baby clothes are numerous, so this knitting pattern is perfect for any little bundle of joy in your life.

Abbreviations

Sl1P
slip next st purlways, with yarn at WS of work.
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