Easy Baby Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Make your little one a cardigan for the warmer weather with this easy baby cardigan knitting pattern.

This garter stitch cardigan would make a special gift for a baby shower and gives you the perfect opportunity to show off your knitting skills.

Please scroll down to view the free pattern or grab the ad-free printable PDF pattern in my shop here.

An Easy Level Knitting Pattern

This is an easy pattern for those of you who are advanced beginner level, and the techniques you will need to know are casting on, casting off, and knit stitches.

It will also introduce you to shaping, through simple increases and decreases.

If you are learning how to knit, baby knitting patterns are great to start with before you move on to more complicated patterns that include cables and other advanced techniques. 

The Yarn I Used To Knit The Baby Cardigan

I used Rico Creative Cotton Aran (50g/85m/93yds) for the cardigan in the colors Nature (60) and Clay (51).

It does on occasion split when you knit, like most cotton but you can fix it and make it look neat with a little patience.

This is a medium-weight yarn 04.

You can substitute with most cotton making sure they are compatible with size 4mm (US 6) and 5.5mm (US 9) knitting needles.

More Baby Knitting Patterns

You may also be interested in these baby knits (free knitting patterns) which are also made from 100% cotton:

• Baby Sweater Knitting Pattern
• Stockinette Stitch Baby Cardigan Pattern
• Easy Baby Booties Pattern
• Baby Hat Knitting Pattern
• Baby Blanket Knitting Pattern
• Baby Bunny Knitting Pattern
• Pom Pom Baby Booties Knitting Pattern
• Bunny Softie Knitting Pattern

Easy Baby Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Grab the inexpensive ad-free, PDF printable pattern in my shop here.

You can also find this pattern in this Ebook here – 10 Baby Knitting Patterns Ebook.

Notes

The classic baby cardigan knits up quickly and the simple design makes for a relaxing and enjoyable knit.

The baby jacket is knit in one piece with the borders for the arms and trims picked up and knit later.

The main pieces of the cardigan are knit in the MC – Main color.

The front band and sleeve bands are knit in the CC – Coordinating color.

Copyright Info

• Please do not copy, sell, redistribute or republish this pattern. 
• If you wish to share this pattern, link to the pattern page only.
• You may sell items produced using this pattern.
• Do NOT use the copyrighted photos for your product listing.
• For the copyright T&C please read my Terms of Use.

Skill Level – Easy

Size –

• This pattern is to fit baby size 0-3 months / 3-6 months / 6-9 months.
• The first set of numbers applies to the small size, the second set to the medium size, and the third to the large size.

Gauge – 14 sts and 34 rows in 4×4 inches / 10×10 cm in garter stitch.

The Supplies You Need

Yarn

• Rico Creative Cotton Aran 50g/85m/93yds in the colors MC – Clay (51) (brown) and CC – Nature (60)
• Main Color – 3 (4, 4) x skeins of 50g yarn (clay) suitable for 4mm (US 6)/5.5.mm (US 9) knitting needles.
• Coordinating Color (trim) – 1 (1, 2) x skeins of 50g yarn (nature) suitable for 4mm (US 6)/5.5.mm (US 9) knitting needles.
• Any medium weight yarn 04.
• Yarn weight guide

Needles

• 4mm (US 6) straight knitting needles
• 5.5mm (US 9) straight knitting needles

Notions

• Tape measure
• Darning needle
• Scissors
• Stitch holder

Other Materials

• 2 x small buttons

Abbreviations / Knitting Abbreviations List

• Approx – Approximately
• Beg – Begin(ning)
• Cont – Continue(ing)
• CC – Coordinating color
• Dec – Decrease (K2tog)
• Foll – Following
• Inc – Increase (KFB)
• KFB – Knit into the front and back of the stitch
• K – Knit
• K2tog – Knit 2 sts together
• MC – Main color
• Rem – Remaining
• Rep – Repeat
• St(s) – Stitch(es)
• YF – Yarn Forward

Pattern Instructions

BACK (in MC)

• With 4mm (US 6) needles cast on 50 (56/62) sts.
• Work 5 rows in garter stitch.
• Change to 5.5mm (US 9) needles and work in garter stitch until the piece measures 4.75″ (5.5”/6”) from the cast-on edge.
• Shape the sleeves > Cast on 17 (19/21) sts of the beg of the next 2 rows.
• Continue until the work measures 8.25″ (9”/9.75”).

RIGHT FRONT + SLEEVE (in MC)

• With 5.5mm (US 9) needles knit 30 (34/38) sts, turn, and leave rem 54 (60/66) sts on a stitch holder.
• * Working on 30 (34/38) sts, knit 4 (4/6) rows straight, inc at neck edge on next and every alt row until there are 41 (46/51) sts on the needle.
• Cont straight until the sleeve measures 7″ (7.5”/8”) in-depth, ending at the sleeve edge.
• Cast off 17 (19/21) sts and continue on the rem 24 (27/30) sts until work measures 16″ (17.75”/19.25”).
• Change to 4mm (US 6) needles and work in garter stitch for 5 rows.
• Cast off.

LEFT FRONT + SLEEVE (in MC)

• Place 24 (26/28) sts onto a stitch holder for the back of the neck.
• Rejoin the yarn to the rem 30 (34/38) sts at the neck edge, and knit to the end of the row.
• Work from * to match the right front. (See above)

SLEEVE BANDS (in CC)

• With the right side of the work facing, using 4mm (US 6) needles, pick up 37 (41/45) sts along the sleeve edge.
• Knit 4 rows.
• Cast off.

FRONT BAND (in CC)

• Using 4mm (US 6) needles and CC (nature).
• With the right side of the work facing you, pick up and knit stitches all up the front, neck, and down the left side.
• Knit 2 rows.
• Buttonholes > Knit to last 33 (37/41) sts *yarn forward, K2tog, K5 (6/7) sts * Rep from * to * once more.
• (you can do this again if you want to add more buttons) Knit to the end.
• Knit 1 row.
• Cast off.

MAKING UP

• Sew in all of the ends.
• Lay the pieces out flat and with the right side of the work facing, sew the sleeve and side seams together.
• Then sew on the 2 buttons that will fit into the buttonholes opposite.

Share your work with us…

I love seeing your finished projects!

If you enjoyed making the baby cardigan, I’d love to see yours on Instagram, be sure to tag me @handylittleme.

Happy Knitting!