Lace Knit Baby Cardigan Pattern (6-12 Months)

Knitting materials and knitting tools:

<> 80 cm circular knitting needles, 3.5 mm (US 4)

<> James C.Brett, Rainbow (DK) – 100% premium acrylic. 100 grams – 310 meters. Knit with two strands holding together.

<> 5 buttons, diameter 20 mm and 8 stitch markers.

Knit baby cardigan size:

Size: 6-12 (18) months

Chest: 28 cm

Length: 33 cm

Gauge: 18 stitches in = 4 inches

Common abbreviations of knitting stitches:

k – knit

p – purl

k2tog – knit two together

st(s) – stitch(es)

pm – place marker

sel s – selvage stitch: always slip the first stitch purlwise, work to the last stitch, purl the last stitch.

yo – yarn over: lay the working yarn over the right needle from front to back

skpo - Slip, Knit, Pass Over: Slip one stitch to the right needle knitwise, knit in the next stitch, and drop this stitch off the left needle, insert the left needle into the slipped stitch, pass it over the knit stitch and it’s done.

RS – right side

WS – wrong side

Lace knit baby cardigan pattern

Knitting a collar for baby cardigan

Check out written instructions of how to knit a baby collar here.

Knitting raglan and body of the baby cardigan

Place stitch marker in the next way: count 12 sts (right front part), pm, 2 sts, pm, 6 sts (sleeve), pm, 2 sts, pm, 16 sts (back part), pm, 2 sts, pm, 6 sts (sleeve), pm, 2 sts, pm, 12 sts (left front part).

Leave stitch markers that are separating button bands from the body.

Row 35 (RS): sel s, k11, yo, k2, yo, k6, yo, k2, yo, k16, yo, k2, yo, k6, yo, k2, yo, k11, sel s.

Row 36: sel s, k6, p54, k6, sel s. Purl yo stitches through the front loop always.

Row 37(RS): sel s, k12, yo, k2, yo, k8, yo, k2, yo, k18, yo, k2, yo, k8, yo, k2, yo, k12, sel s.

Row 36: sel s, k6, p62, k6, sel s.

Go on making increases on the RS until length of raglan line reaches 13 cm.

Do not forget to make buttonholes every 18 rows.

I was doing increases until I received 164 sts in total.

25 sts (right front part), pm, 2 sts, pm, 32 sts (sleeve), pm, 2 sts, pm, 42 sts (back part), pm, 2 sts, pm,32 sts (sleeve), pm, 2 sts, pm, 25 sts (left front part).

Instead of knitting short rows that allow us to make a back part longer than the front part, we will knit only the back part. To do it you will need to cut the working yarn or, if you have an extra skein, then take a new tail from it.

Separating the body and arms of knit baby cardigan

Next Row: sel s, k25, place next 34 sts on holder (waste yarn), at this point leave the working yarn and attach new tail and knit only back part.

Row 1 (back part only): k43, sel s. Turn

Row 2 (back part only): sel s, p42, sel s. Turn

Row 3 (back part only): sel s, k42, sel s. Turn

Row 4 (back part only): sel s, p42, sel s. Turn Cut the yarn.

Cast on 6 sts for underarm, k44, place next 34 sts on holder, cast on 6 sts for underarm, k25, sel s. (108 sts remain for body). Turn.

Next Row: sel s, k6, p94, k6, sel s.

Next Row: sel s, knit all stitches, sel s.

Next Row: sel s, k6, p94, k6, sel s.

Next Row 1: sel s, knit all stitches, sel s.

The number of stitches for the lace pattern that I am going to use is multiple of 13.

108 sts -14 sts (2 button bands) = 94 sts.

94 +10 = 104 sts. In the next row we need to add 10 sts. 104 is multiple of 13.

Next Row 2 (WS): sel s, knit all stitches adding evenly 10 extra stitches, sel s. Make increase by knitting firstly the stitch through the front loop and knitting it after through the back loop.

Next Row 3: sel s, knit all stitches, sel s.

Next Row 4: sel s, knit all stitches, sel s.

Next Row 5: sel s, k6, [skpo, k4, yo, k1, yo, k4, k2tog] – repeat 8 times, k6, sel s.

Next Row 6: sel s, k6, purl all stitches, k6, sel s.  Purl yo stitch through the front loop.

Next Row 7: sel s, k6, [skpo, k3, yo, k3, yo, k3, k2tog] – repeat 8 times, k6, sel s.

Next Row 8: sel s, k6, purl all stitches, k6, sel s.

Next Row 9: sel s, k6, [skpo, k2, yo, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, skpo, yo, k2, k2tog] – repeat 8 times, k6, sel s.

Next Row 10: sel s, k6, purl all stitches, k6, sel s.

Next Row 11: sel s, k6, [skpo, k1, yo, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, skpo, yo, k1, k2tog] – repeat 8 times, k6, sel s.

Next Row 12: sel s, k6, purl all stitches, k6, sel s.

Next Row 13: sel s, k6, [skpo, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, skpo, yo, skpo, yo, k2tog] – repeat 8 times, k6, sel s.

Next Row 14: sel s, k6, purl all stitches, k6, sel s. 

Repeat Next Rows 1 -14 two more times. In row 2 knit all stitches without increases.

Knit next 12 rows: sel s, knit all stitches, sel s

Bind off all stitches in pattern.

Knitting sleeves of baby cardigan

Right sleeve:

Return held stitches to the needles. Round 1: Beginning at center of underarm, pick up 6 sts, k34 sleeve sts, pick up 4 sts, pm.

Round 2-5: knit all stitches around.

Rounds 6, 8, 10: purl all stitches around.

Rounds 7, 9, 11: knit all stitches around. Bind off all sts.

Left sleeve:

Return held stitches to the needles. Round 1: Beginning at center of underarm, pick up 4 sts, k34 sleeve sts, pick up 6 sts, pm.

After that repeat the pattern as for the right sleeve.

Check video tutorial where I am showing a Picot Bind off method for sleeves.

Sew buttons and weave in all ends.