How to knit a Newborn Cardigan for beginners
A free knitting pattern showing anyone how to knit a Raglan Baby Cardigan, step by step, easy, quick and fun to knit, designed specially for beginners.
You need to know how to knit and purl. I will explain the rest (there are 3 videos to show you every part of the cardigan). You will learn the raglan increases, how to make a button hole, and how to knit in the round.
This cardigan is knitted from the Top Down: We start by knitting the collar and then make increases to create the right front, right sleeve, back, left sleeve and left front simultaneously.
Once you reach the armholes, no more increases are needed. We separate the sleeves from the body of the cardigan, and continue knitting the body, up to the garter stitch edge.
Then we knit the sleeves in the round, using the Magic Loop technique: The easiest way to knit few stitches with a long cable circular needles.
Materials
80 gr. / 2.83 oz (120 m – 131 yd) of DK weight Merino wool (8-ply)
4,5 mm/US 7 circular needles (60 cm/23 in. long) I love this set of wooden interchangeable needles. It has made my knitting lighter and easier! #ad
6 markers
1 button (1 cm/0.40 in. diameter)
2 pieces (30 cm/12 in. long each) of scrap yarn in a contrasting color
Gauge
22 stitches and 28 rows in stockinette stitch = 10 cm/4 in
Finished Measurements
Chest Circumference: 18 cm / 7 in
Total length: 19 cm /7.48 in
Neck circumference: 9 cm / 3.54 in
Sleeve length: 16 cm /6.3 in
Sleeve width: 13 cm / 5.12 in
Abbreviations
CO: Cast on
RS: Right side
WS: Wrong side
st: Stitch
k: Knit
p: Purl
kfb: Knit one stitch front and back
m: Marker
pm: Place marker
sm: Slip marker
k2tog: Knit two stitches together
ssk: Slip 1 stitch knit wise, slip the next one, put them both back onto the left hand needle, and knit them together.
BO: bind off
How to knit a Newborn Cardigan…for beginners
The Yoke:
CO 42 st and knit 4 rows in Garter st (to knit the collar).
5º row (RS): K 3, pm, k 4, kfb, pm, kfb, k 3, kfb, pm, kfb, k 14, kfb, pm, kfb, k3, kfb, pm, kfb, k 4, pm, k 3 (8 st have been increased). There are 50 st in total.
6º row and all even rows (WS): k 3, sm, p, sm, p, sm, p, sm, p, sm, p, sm, k 3.
From now on, we will increase 8 st in every odd row, as follows:
7º row and all odd rows (RS): K, sm, k to 1 st before m, kfb, sm, kfb, k to 1 st before m, kfb, sm, kfb, k to 1 st before m, kfb, sm, kfb, k to 1 st before m, kfb, sm, kfb, k, sm, k to end.
Repeat the last 2 rows until the cardigan measures 9,7 cm / 3.5 in from the collar.
There will be 11 increase rows (88 extra st): 128 st in total (19 st for each side of neck front, 26 st for each sleeve and 38 st for the back.
To make the button hole on the left side (for a baby boy) on row 11th:
K 1, k2tog, sm and continue the row as before.
On row 12th, after slipping the last m, CO 1 st and k the last 2 st.
Vídeo 1
The Body (separating the sleeves):
Ending with a WS row, k, sm, k, remove the 2º m, place all the st until the next m on the scrap yarn piece, make a bow to secure them. Remove the 3º m.
K all the st for the back, remove the 4º m and place all the st until the next m on the scrap yarn piece, make a bow to secure them. Remove the 5º m.
K across (don’t remove the 6º m).
Continue knitting as before, until piece measures 15 cm / 6 in from the collar, ending with a RS row.
Knit 10 rows in Garter st. and BO all st knit wise (WS).
Vídeo 2
The Sleeves:
If you haven’t knitted in the round before, please take a look of the Video 3 first!
Slip half of the st placed on the scrap yarn to the circular needle, pull the tip of the needle to run down the st to the cable, and with the 2nd tip of the needle, slip the other half of the st placed on the scrap yarn.
Join the working yarn leaving a 10 cm / 4 in tale, pull an k a new st, pm, pull and k a new st, and start knitting on the round, using the Magic Loop technique.
(As we are knitting Stockinette st in the round, knit every round).
11º round: k2tog, k to last 2 st, ssk. 2 st have been decreased.
Knit until the sleeve measures 15 cm / 6 in long. Now, knit a Garter st edge, as follows:
1º round: P
2º round: K
3º round: P
4º round: K
5º round: BO all st purl wise (RS).
Repeat the same process for the second sleeve and you are ready to give this beautiful cardigan to the new baby or indeed the proud parent(s)!!
Vídeo 3
Enjoy the 3 video tutorials one after the other, here:
How to knit a Newborn Cardigan for beginners
Happy knitting,
Carolina
PS: Make a set for your next Baby Shower knitting the blankie, the hat and the booties!
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