Top Down Vintage Baby Cardigans

This free baby sweater pattern was cute back then... and it's still cute now!

By: Patons Design Team for yarnspirations.com

By: Patons Design Team for yarnspirations.com

Baby knits are always adorable, but these Top Down Vintage Baby Cardigans are especially cute. This darling free baby sweater pattern combines precious lace details with a simple stockinette stitches for a cute and cozy cardigan that's suitable for both boys and girls. Buttoned or unbuttoned, this baby cardigan pattern is sure to keep your little bundle of joy nice and warm. Knitting for babies is so much fun and you will love showing off your little one in this darling cardigan pattern.

Intermediate

Knitting Needle Size3 or 3.25 mm, 5 or 3.75 mm, Circular Knitting Needles, Double-Pointed Knitting Needles (DPNs)

Yarn Weight(2) Fine (23-26 stitches to 4 inches)

Gauge24 sts and 32 rows = 4” [10 cm] in stocking stitch.

Finished SizeTo fit chest measurement: 3 mos 16” [40 cm]; 6 mos 17” [43 cm]; 12 mos 18” [45.5 cm]; 18 mos 19” [48 cm]. Finished measurement: 3 mos 18” [45.5 cm]; 6 mos 20” [51 cm]; 12 mos 23” [58.5 cm]; 18 mos 25” [63.5 cm]

Materials List

Patons® Beehive Baby Sport™ (100 g/3.5 oz; 328 m/359 yds)
- Girl Version:
  - Sizes 3, 6, 12, 18 months
  - Precious Pink (09420) 1, 1, 2, 2 ball(s)
- Boy Version:
  - Sizes 3, 6, 12, 18 months
  - Bonnet Blue (09143) 1, 1, 2, 2 ball(s)
Set of four size 3.75 mm (U.S. 5) double-pointed knitting needles
Sizes 3.25 mm (U.S. 3) and 3.75 mm (U.S. 5) circular knitting needles 16” [40.5 cm] long or size needed to obtain tension
Cable needle
4 stitch markers
6 buttons

Want some cute baby booties to go with these adorable sweaters? Check out our collection of

Instructions

Panel Pat (worked over 8 sts)

1st row: P1. K2. C4F. P1.
2nd row: K1. P6. K1.
3rd row: P1. C4B. K2. P1.
4th row: As 2nd row.

These 4 rows form Panel Pat.

Note: Sweater is worked from the neck down.

Cast on 28 (32-36-40) sts.

1st row: (RS). K2. PM. K3 (3-4-4). PM. K18 (22-24-28). PM. K3 (3-4-4). PM. K2.
2nd row: Purl.
3rd row: Inc1 in each of first 2 sts. Slip marker. *Inc1 in next st.

Knit to 1 st before marker. Inc1 in next st. Slip marker. Rep from * to last 2 sts. Inc1 in each of last 2 sts. 38 (42-46-50) sts.

4th row: As 2nd row.
5th row: Inc1 in first st. *Knit to 1 st before next marker. Inc1 in next st.

Slip marker. Inc1 in next st. Rep from * 3 times more. Knit to last st. Inc1 in last st.

Rep last 2 rows 2 (2-3-4) times more. 68 (72-86-100) sts.

Next row: (WS). Cast on 3 (5-7-6) sts. Purl to end of row. Cast on 3 (5-7-6) sts. 74 (82-100-112) sts.
Next row: K1. Work 1st row of Panel Pat. *Knit to 1 st before marker. Inc 1 in next st. Slip marker. Inc1 in next st. Rep from * 3 times more. Knit to last 9 sts. Work 1st row of Panel Pat. K1. 82 (90-108-120) sts.
Next row: P1. Work 2nd row of Panel Pat. Purl to last 9 sts. Work 2nd row of Panel Pat. P1.

Panel Pat is now in position.

Keeping cont of Panel Pat as placed, rep last 2 rows 13 (15-16-17) times more. 186 (210-236-256) sts.
Divide for armholes:

Next row: Pat to first st marker. Slip next 39 (43- 48-52) sts onto length of yarn (left sleeve). K54 (62-68-76). Slip next 39 (43-48-52) sts onto length of yarn (right sleeve). Pat to end of row. 108 (124-140-152) sts.
Next row: Pat across first 9 sts. Purl to last 9 sts. Pat across last 9 sts.
Next row: Pat across first 9 sts. Knit to last 9 sts. Pat across last 9 sts.

Keeping cont of pat at each side edge, cont even work from division for Sleeves measures approx 4 (6-6½-7)” [10 (15-16.5-18) cm], ending on a 3rd row of Cable Panel.
Girl Version only:

Next row: (WS). Pat across first 9 sts. Dec 0 (4-2-2) sts evenly across to last 9 sts. Pat across last 9 sts. 108 (120-138-150) sts.
Border: 1st row: Pat across first 9 sts. *yo. K1. Sl1. K2tog. psso. K1. yo. K1. Rep from * to last 9 sts. Pat across last 9 sts.
2nd row: Pat across first 9 sts. Purl to last 9 sts. Pat across last 9 sts.

Rep last 2 rows until Border measures 1” [2.5 cm]. Cast off loosely.
Boy Version only:

Next row: (WS). Pat across first 9 sts. Inc 6 (6-6-10) sts evenly across row to last 9 sts. 114 (130-146-162) sts.
Border: 1st row: K1. *P1. K2. C4F. P1. Rep from * to last st. K1.
2nd row: P1. *K1. P6. K1. Rep from * to last st. P1.
3rd row: K1. *P1. C4B. K2. P1. Rep from * to last st. K1.
4th row: As 2nd row.

Rep last 4 rows once more. Cast off loosely.
Sleeves:

Divide 39 (43-48-52) sts onto 3 double-pointed needles. Join in rnd, placing marker on first st.

Knit 5 (3-3-3) rnds even.

Next rnd: (Dec rnd). ssk. Knit to last 2 sts. K2tog.

Rep last 6 (4-4-4) rnds 3 (3-4-4) times more. 31 (35-38-42) sts.
Knit even in rnds until Sleeve measures 3½ (4-5-5½)” [9 (10-12.5-14) cm] from dividing row.

Next rnd: Purl.
Next rnd: Knit.
Next rnd: Purl.
Neckband: With smaller circular needle and RS facing, pick up and knit 42 (44-52-56) sts along neck edge. Do not join. Knit 2 rows. Cast off loosely.
Buttonhole band:

With RS facing of Right Front for Girl Version or Left Front for Boy Version and smaller circular needle, pick up and knit 58 (68- 73-88) sts along front edge. Do not join.

1st row: (WS). Knit.
2nd row: K3. *Cast off 2 sts. K8 (10-11-14), including st on needle after cast off. Rep from * to last 5 sts. Cast off 2 sts. K3.
3rd row: Knit, casting on 2 sts over cast off sts.
4th row: Knit

Cast off loosely.
Button band: With RS of work facing and smaller circular needle, pick up and knit 58 (68-73-88) sts along Left Front for Girl version and Right Front for Boy version. Do not join.

Work as given for Buttonhole band, omitting references to buttonholes.

Sew buttons to correspond to buttonholes.

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bjdodd

Jan 03, 2017

Always read the pattern through ( twice) before starting any project. I agree with cgreenwald 5146295, the size needles at the "Cast on" should be mentioned on all pattern when 2 or 3 different sizes are used in same pattern.

narjismurtaza 5478 192

Sep 28, 2016

A wonderful website, which has a very nice collection of patterns for beginners as well as for experienced knitters. Whichever pattern you need can find it here, accessories, baby knits, hats, blankets, Afghans. It also has knitting videos to help you learn new things. What a welcoming place for new knitters! I would be sharing this website with two girls I know who want to learn knitting.

narjismurtaza 5478 192

Sep 28, 2016

narjismurtaza 5478 192

Sep 28, 2016

narjismurtaza 5478 192

Sep 28, 2016

narjismurtaza 5478 192

Sep 28, 2016

birrerbunnies 1703 246

Mar 31, 2016

I sure wish the picture of the sweater was better. It's hard to see.

cgreenwald 5146295

Feb 23, 2016

I'm making this sweater out of some fine cotton ease yarn. I made the mistake of starting the sweater on the size 3 needles instead of size 5. The pattern isn't clear about this, and the size 5 isn't mentioned at the top of that pattern. You find out when it says to use the smaller needles for around the neck.... It is still beautiful - just a bit smaller than I had planned.

dubucdianne 811647 5

Jul 02, 2015

I want to ask Ohhhdear, was there really an error because I don't see anyone have answered you.

ianped3 4661541

Mar 09, 2015

Have you tried this craft? What did you think?

Ohhhdear

Sep 13, 2014

There us an error in the first section, in the row that begins "Next row: Knit 1." When you are working the Panel Pattern, the instructions say to work the first 2 rows of the pattern, then repeat those same 2 rows 13-17 times (depending on size). Here's the error; why aren't rows 3 & 4 of the Panel Pattern included? In other words, you basically knit HALF the Panel Pattern 12-18 times and don't begin workings rows 3 & 4 until after the armhole divisions. This CANNOT be correct! Unless the author intends the first part of the Panel Pattern to be merely a twist, and a double twist below the armhole? Need an errata fix, please!

dubucdianne 811647 5

Jul 02, 2015

did you ever had an answer to your question? I want to knit this but sure would like to know about the errors before I start.

cgreenwald 5146295

Feb 23, 2016

I am working on this sweater now. Be sure to start with a size 5 needle - which isn't mentioned at the top of the pattern...then the size 3 is for around the neck later. To answer your question, I did all 4 rows of the panel pattern right from the top, but instead of the first row of the pattern, I knitted across, because it was so difficult to cable right on top of casting on. And then continued with row 2 of the panel pattern. Hope at helps!

nizakatihsan 87137 42

Jul 16, 2014

nice and easy to knit patterns.