Knit Baby Cardigan
You’ll need:
1 [2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4] hanks of MadelineTosh Vintage Worsted Weight (100% superwash merino, 200 yards/182 meters per 3.5 ounce/100 gram hank); Tern;
Knitting needles 4,5 mm;
Circle knitting needles 4,5 mm;
4 (5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8) buttons;
Scrap yarn;
Tapestry needle.
Size: 3 months (6 months, 12 months, 18 months, 2T, 3T, 4T, 6);
Size shown: 6 Months.
Chest: 17½ [19, 21, 21¾, 23½, 25¼, 27, 28] inches
Length: 9 [11, 11, 13½, 13½, 15¾, 16, 18] inches
Stitches control: 18 sts x 24 rows = 4 inches square in St st
Special Stitches
M1p (make 1 purl) with left needle and working from back to front, pick up strand between sts and purl it.
Skpo – Slip next st kwise, k1, pass slipped st over
Sk2po – Slip next st kwise, k2tog, pass slipped st over Leaf Placket
Instructions
Leaf Placket
Row 1 (WS): K2, p5, k1.
Row 2: P1, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, m1p, p1, k1.
Row 3: K3, p7, k1.
Row 4: P1, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, m1p, p2, k1.
Row 5: K4, p9, k1.
Row 6: P1, skpo, k5, k2tog, m1p, p3, k1.
Row 7: K5, p7, k1.
Row 8: P1, skpo, k3, k2tog, m1p, p1, k1, yo, p2tog, k1 – Buttonhole Row.
Row 9: K3, p1, k2, p5, k1.
Row 10: P1, skpo, k1, k2tog, m1p, [p2, k1] twice.
Row 11: K3, p1, k3, p3, k1.
Row 12: P1, CDD, pass first st on right needle over second st, bind off next 2 sts pwise (5 sts remain before pattern marker), [k1, yo] twice, k1, p1, k1.
Repeat 1st-12th rows.
Body
With circular needle, cast on as follows:
cast on 3 [3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6], PM,
cast on 10 [10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10], PM,
cast on 18 [18, 20, 20, 22, 22, 24, 24], PM, cast on 10 [10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10], PM,
cast on 3 [3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6]: 44 [44, 48, 48, 52, 52, 56, 56] sts total.
Body Increases
Row 1 (RS): Kfb, * knit to one st before marker, kfb, sm, kfb; repeat from * 3 times more, knit to last st, kfb: 54 [54, 58, 58, 62, 62, 66, 66] sts total.
Row 2: Purl to last st, PM (use a contrasting marker; this is the leaf pattern marker), k1.
Row 3: Kfb, * knit to one st before marker, kfb, sm, kfb; repeat from * 3 times more, knit to last st, kfb: 64 [64, 68, 68, 72, 72, 76, 76] sts total.
Row 4: Purl to leaf repeat marker, k1, p1.
Row 5: Kfb, k1, * knit to one st before marker, kfb, sm, kfb; repeat from * 3 times more, knit to last st, kfb: 74 [74, 78, 78, 82, 82, 86, 86] sts total.
Row 6: Purl to leaf repeat marker, k2, p1, cast on 3 sts: 77 [77, 81, 81, 85, 85, 89, 89] sts total.
Row 7: [P2, k1] twice, * knit to one before sleeve marker, kfb, sm, kfb; repeat * 3 times more, knit to end of row: 85 [85, 89, 89, 93, 93, 97, 97] sts.
Row 8: Purl to leaf repeat marker, k3, p1, k2.
Row 9: P1, (k1, yo) 3 times, p1, k1, * knit to one st before marker, kfb, sm, kfb; repeat from * 3 times more, then knit to end of row. (The third yo in this Rnd creates a buttonhole, and is done in this specific Rnd only): 96 [96, 100, 100, 104, 104, 108, 108] sts.
Rnd 10: Purl to leaf repeat marker, k1, k2tog, p5, k1: 95 [95, 99, 99, 103, 103, 107, 107] sts.
Continue working leaf pattern on left front edge starting with Row 2 while also maintaining raglan increases for 10 [14, 16, 18, 20, 24, 26, 28] more rows, ending on a WS row.
So far the cardigan should have 20 [24, 26, 28, 30, 34, 36, 38] rows and 38 [42, 46, 48, 52, 56, 60, 62] sts between back markers, 30 [34, 36, 38, 40, 44, 46, 48] stitches for each sleeve.
Divide for Sleeves (RS)
Work next row of leaf pattern, knit to first sleeve marker, remove marker, slip next 30 [34, 36, 38, 40, 44, 46, 48] sts to scrap yarn, remove marker, cast on 1 st, knit to next marker, remove marker, cast on 1 st, remove marker, slip next 30 [34, 36, 38, 40, 44, 46, 48] sts to scrap yarn, remove marker, knit to end of row.
Continue Body in St st while maintaining leaf pattern on left front, until 3 [4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7] leaves are finished, working the last row of the last leaf (Row 13) in the following manner:
(RS): P1, sk2po, pass first st on the right hand needle over the second st, bind off next 5 sts pwise (2 sts remain before marker), k2, remove marker, knit to end of row.
Lower Band
Row 1 (WS): [K1, p1] across.
Row 2 (RS): Knit across.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2, 2 [2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4] more times, then repeat Row 1 once more.
Loosely bind off all sts knitwise and weave in loose ends.
Sleeves
Slip stitches to dpns or 12 inch circular needles. Pick up 2 stitches under arm, place marker between picked up stitches: 32 [36, 38, 40, 42, 46, 48, 50] sts.
Knit every round (St st) until sleeve measures 4 [4¼, 4½, 5, 5¼, 5½, 5¾, 6] inches from armhole edge (approximately 24 [26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38] rows).
[K4, k2tog] 5 [6, 6, 6, 6, 7, 8, 8] times, [k2tog] 1 [0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0] time, k0 [0, 2, 4, 6, 2, 0, 2]: 26 [30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42] sts remain
Sleeve Cuff
Rnd 1: [K1, p1] around.
Rnd 2: Knit around.
Repeat Rnds 1 and 2, 2 [2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4] more times
Bind off all sts knitwise.
Repeat for second sleeve.
Finishing
Right Front Band
With RS facing, pick up 3 sts for every 4 rows, across right front, making sure to pick up an even number of sts.
Row 1: [K1, p1] across.
Row 2: Knit across.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2, 3 more times for all sizes.
Bind off all sts knitwise.
Neckband
With RS facing, pick up stitches along the neck in the following manner: pick up 4 sts from Right Front Band edge, pick up 3 [3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6] sts from cast on stitches of right front, PM, pick up 10 sts across top of sleeve, PM, pick up 18 [18, 20, 20, 22, 22, 24, 24] sts across back neck, PM, pick up 10 sts across top of sleeve, PM, pick up 3 [3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6] sts across cast on stitches of left front, pick up 3 sts across left front panel (the first 6 rows of cardigan where kfb increases were made), pick up 3 sts across where 3 sts were cast on for the leaf placket: 54 [54, 58, 58, 62, 62, 66, 66] sts.
Row 1: [K1, p1] across.
Row 2: * Knit to 2 sts before marker, ssk, sm, k2tog; repeat from * 3 times more, knit to end of row.
Row 3: [K1, p1] across.
Bind off all sts knitwise. Weave in all loose ends and block. Using a steam iron and working from the WS, steam the leaves to shape.