Baby Cardigan:

Yarn: pure cotton dk (‘dark green’), 1x 100g skein ¹

Tension: 21sts x 32rows over 10cm square in stitch pattern

Needles: one pair 3.5mm

one pair 4mm

Extras: 3 small buttons ²

Back:

Cast on 47sts using 3.5mm needles

r1: k1, (k1, p1) repeat to end

r2: p1, (k1,p1) repeat to end

Repeat rows 1 and 2 again: 4 rows of rib in total

*Change to 4mm needles

r5: k

r6: p

r7: as r1

r8: as r2

Rows 5-8 form the stitch pattern (2 rows in garter st, 2 rows in 1×1 rib), repeat this 2 times more.*

Keeping pattern correct increase at the each end of next and every alternate row until there are 55sts, ending on a w/s row.

Cast on 17sts at the beginning of the next 2 rows.

next row: cast on 6sts, knit these 6sts, work to end.

Repeat last row once more. (101sts)

Keeping the 6sts at the end of each row in garter st work 20 rows straight thus ending with a wrong side row.

Shape shoulders:

Keeping pattern correct cast off 7sts at beginning of next 12 rows.

Cast off remaining 17sts.

Left front:

Cast on 21sts using 3.5mm needles

Work 6 rows in k1p1 rib as given for the back

Work as given for the back from * to *

Keeping pattern correct inc 1sts at the beginning of the next and every alternate row until there are 25sts. Work 1 row (and 1 row more for the right front) ending at the side edge.

next row: cast on 17sts, work to end.

Work 1 row

next row: cast on 6sts, knit these 6sts, work to end (48sts)

next row: (omit for right front) work to last 6sts, k6

Shape front neck:

Keeping the 6sts at sleeve edge in garter st, decrease 1 st at neck edge on next and every alternate row until 44sts remain, then every following 4^th row until 42sts remain. Work 5 rows straight (1 more for the right front) thus ending at the sleeve edge.

Shape shoulder:

Cast off 7sts at the beginning of the next and every alternate row until all stitches have been cast off.

Right front:

Work to match the left front, reverse the shaping by reading end for beginning and working more or less rows where indicated.

Making up:

Join shoulder seams.

Left front band: using 3.5mm needles cast on 7sts and work in k1p1 rib until the band reaches along front edge and round to centre back neck when stretched slightly. Cast off rib-wise.

Right front band: work as left front band with the addition of 3 buttonholes made as follows: rib3, yarn forward, k2tog, rib to end. Buttonholes should be spread evenly between 1cm from bottom edge and start of neck shaping.

Join right to left neck band at centre back seam, attach band to front edge.

Join side/sleeve seams.

Sew on buttons.

¹ www.knitshop.co.uk

² buttons shown are 14mm in diameter, available from The Cloth House in London’s Soho.