Sweet Cardigan Knitting Pattern for Kids

I don’t know why I don’t share a lot of kids knitting patterns. I guess my daughter has aged out of them (I still knit for her occasionally but she fits in the smallest of the adult sizes these days) but for the most part they aren’t really on my radar.

(Unless I’m designing them, but that’s usually baby knitting patterns.)

But this cute little kids cardigan caught my eye the other day and I think it would be great to knit for little ones heading into fall. The K? Cardigan by Leila Raven is a top-down, circular yoke cardigan worked in one piece starting with an integrated garter stitch collar, with plenty of stockinette stitch for ease as well as some lacy shale stripes for extra fun. The button band is also garter stitch and worked as you go to make it faster and easier.

The pattern is sized for babies 3-6 months to kids 4-6 years, and it’s based on the Elizabeth Zimmermann Baby Sweater on Two Needles pattern from Knitter’s Almanac, as well as a design used in one of the designer’s other patterns. It’s a fun mashup that’s easy to knit and to wear.

The original design was worked in DK weight yarn, but the designer has expanded the sizing so that you can work the bigger sizes using worsted weight yarn, which makes them a little bigger. There are options for short sleeves and long sleeves, and the lace parts are both written and charted.

I love that it only has buttons at the top, which is great for knitters because you have to make fewer buttonholes, but also easier for kids to wear. It helps keep the sweater on their body but isn’t too constricting (especially when you’re working around a fat little baby belly).

You can get a copy of this pattern from Ravelry.

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Sometimes I feel like knitters get intimidated to try new things because they think they need to start with a big project. Your first time working in the round doesn’t need to be a sock, and your first colorwork doesn’t need to be a sweater, for example. You can find little projects that use the skills you want to learn to build your confidence before you move on to something that requires more time commitment.

This adorable knit bunny, for example.

The colorwork bunny from Knit Picks was designed by Amy Munson and is a kind of bowling pin shaped bunny complete with a knit hat, contrasting inner ears and a little stranded colorwork on its body. Note that the ears are attached the the hat not the bunny, but you could stitch them to the bunny if you’d rather.

It’s worked from the bottom up and also has a tiny pompom tail you can’t see in the picture but it’s a really cute touch. There are a variety of little fair isle patterns to choose from to make the best bunny for you.

The bunny comes out about 8 inches tall (or just over 20 cm) and use several colors to complete the colorwork, depending on the design you choose.

You can purchase the pattern by itself from Knit Picks, or make a kit that includes sport weight yarn in all the colors you need for your creation. There are gray and brown options for the main body of the bunny, but of course if you’re using your own yarn you can make it whatever color you like.

Once you’ve tried colorwork (maybe also working in the round and shaping if those are skills you haven’t used before) in a little project like this you’ll be ready to take on something bigger in no time.

Check out the pattern on Knit Picks.

[Photo: Knit Picks]

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