Eyelet Baby Cardigan with Raglan Shaping - Knit in Pieces

Top-quality, easy-to-follow baby cardigan worked bottom-up in pieces with a simple two-row eyelet pattern and flat raglan shaping. Sizes: Newborn (0-3 months), 3-6 months, 6-12 months, 12-18 months. Website: https://purljam.verde.uk • Support: team@verde.uk • Socials: #purljam

Finished measurements

• Chest circumference: 17 (18, 20, 22) inches / 43 (46, 51, 56) cm
• Length (from shoulder to hem): 8.5 (9, 10, 11) in / 22 (23, 25, 28) cm
• Sleeve length (center back to cuff): 8 (9, 10, 11) in / 20 (23, 25, 28) cm

Yarn

• DK / Light Worsted weight yarn (category DK)
• Suggested quantity: Newborn 150 yards (137 m) / 50-75 g; 3-6m 200 yards (183 m) / 75 g; 6-12m 250 yards (229 m) / 100 g; 12-18m 300 yards (274 m) / 100-150 g. (Totals will depend on yarn brand and gauge.)

Needles & Notions

• Main needles: US 6 (4.0 mm; UK 8)
• Rib/contrast or slightly smaller: US 5 (3.75 mm; UK 9)
• Optional circular (16") for body pieces if you prefer to hold sts on cable: use same sizes above
• Notions: 4-5 small buttons, tapestry needle, stitch markers, measuring tape, scrap yarn for provisional stitch holders or waste yarn.

Gauge

22 sts and 28 rows = 4 in / 10 cm in eyelet pattern on larger needles (US 6 / 4.0 mm). Always block a swatch before starting.

Abbreviations

• k = knit, p = purl, yo = yarn over, k2tog = knit 2 together (right-leaning decrease), ssk = slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease), st(s) = stitch(es), RS = right side, WS = wrong side, BO = bind off, CO = cast on

Eyelet stitch (2-row repeat)

1. Row 1 (RS): *k2tog, yo* across (repeat to end).
2. Row 2 (WS): purl across.

Note: The k2tog then yo keeps stitch count constant and creates small, evenly spaced eyelets.

Pattern notes

• This cardigan is worked in separate pieces: back, right front, left front, and sleeves. After completing pieces you will seam flat using mattress stitch, then pick up and knit the neckband or work a sewn-on band.
• Raglan shaping is worked after you reach the armhole depth on each piece. On pieces worked flat you will make raglan decreases at the raglan edge on both RS and WS rows so decreases happen every 2 rows overall.
• Buttons are worked on the right front for this pattern. If you prefer left-side buttons, swap instructions for right/left front.

Cast-on & initial rib

Work rib cuff (garment hem and sleeve cuffs) in 1x1 rib (k1, p1) for 3/4 inch / 2 cm using smaller needles (US 5). Then change to main needles (US 6) and begin eyelet pattern, starting with Row 1 of the eyelet stitch on the next RS row.

Stitch counts (cast on)

Back: 36 (39, 44, 48) sts. Right Front: 27 (30, 33, 36) sts. Left Front: 27 (30, 33, 36) sts. Each Sleeve: 44 (50, 55, 61) sts.

Back

1. CO 36 (39, 44, 48) sts on US 5. Work k1, p1 rib for 3/4 in / 2 cm. Change to US 6 and begin eyelet stitch, beginning with Row 1 (RS) of eyelet pattern.
2. Work eyelet pattern until piece measures 5 (5.5, 6, 6.5) in / 13 (14, 15, 16) cm from cast-on edge (to underarm). End having completed Row 2 (WS) of eyelet pattern.
3. Raglan shaping (worked flat): You will make a decrease at each side of the piece on decrease rows. Work as follows for all sizes: On decrease rows (RS and WS rows), k2tog or ssk as indicated below so a decrease occurs at each raglan edge every 2 rows overall. For the Back specifically: At the beginning of the RS row, k2tog as first decrease (when working eyelet pattern, work the decrease in place of the first stitch of the repeat so the eyelet pattern remains aligned), and at the end of the RS row work ssk as last decrease. On WS decrease rows, purl to last 3 sts, ssk, p1 at the end, and on the first 3 sts work p2tog equivalent or purl decreased edge to mirror RS. (If this feels fiddly, simply perform k2tog at the beginning of every RS row and ssk at the end of every RS row, and on WS rows perform mirrored purl decreases to reduce the same number of sts.)
4. Decrease sequence: Work decrease rows every RS and WS (i.e., every row) for 10 (11, 12, 13) pairs of rows (so 20 (22, 24, 26) decreases total, reducing 2 sts per pair). Then work every 4th row twice more to refine shoulder slope, ending when the piece measures 8.5 (9, 10, 11) in / 22 (23, 25, 28 cm from cast-on) or when you have 6 (6, 8, 8) sts remaining for each shoulder. BO remaining center stitches for neck if instructed below when seaming shoulders.

Fronts (right and left)

1. CO 27 (30, 33, 36) sts on US 5. Work 3/4 in / 2 cm k1, p1 rib for hem. Change to US 6 and begin eyelet stitch, starting with Row 1 (RS).
2. Work until piece measures 5 (5.5, 6, 6.5) in / 13 (14, 15, 16) cm from cast-on to underarm. End after a WS row.
3. Raglan shaping (flat): The raglan edge is the outer edge where sleeve meets front; the inner edge will be the center/front which includes the button band. Maintain a neat button band: on the button-band edge (right front outermost edge), work k1 edge selvedge (slip first stitch knitwise for a neat edge), then work a 6-stitch button band in garter stitch or seed if desired—here we simply keep the 6 sts at the beginning of the right front in garter stitch (or continue 1x1 rib) and do not incorporate them into raglan decreases. For raglan decreases at the shoulder edge: decrease 1 st at the raglan edge on every RS and WS decrease row matching the back: perform decreases for 10 (11, 12, 13) pairs as on the back, then every 4th row twice more. When only 6 (6, 8, 8) shoulder sts remain, BO these shoulder sts to match back shoulder counts.
4. Button band: Right front only: keep the first 6 sts unworked in the eyelet pattern (these form the buttonband). When the piece is complete, pick up and work a neat garter-stitch band or fold-and-sew band. Button placement: evenly space 3 (3, 4, 4) buttons along the front; first button approx 1 in / 2.5 cm from hem.

Sleeves

1. CO 44 (50, 55, 61) sts on US 5. Work 3/4 in / 2 cm k1, p1 rib for cuff. Change to US 6 and begin eyelet stitch.
2. Increase for sleeve shaping (optional): If you prefer a tapered sleeve, increase 1 st each side every 3 in / 8 cm two times to reach the upper-arm measurement. For a simple sleeve, work straight in eyelet pattern until sleeve measures 5.5 (6, 6.5, 7) in / 14 (15, 16.5, 18) cm from cast-on to underarm point.
3. Raglan shaping (flat): At underarm mark, begin raglan decreases at both ends of the sleeve: decrease 1 st at each end on every RS and WS decrease row (mirror decreases as needed to keep eyelet alignment) for 10 (11, 12, 13) pairs of rows, then every 4th row twice more, until 6 (6, 8, 8) sts remain at cuff-top for shoulder seam. BO remaining sts; sleeves will neatly match front and back raglan slopes.

Assembly

1. Block each piece gently to measurements.
2. Seam raglan lines: Match the raglan decrease lines of front to back and sleeve to front/back. Use mattress stitch for invisible seams. Match eyelet pattern rows for a tidy join.
3. Sew side seams and sleeve seams (set sleeves into armholes aligning raglan lines).
4. Neckband: Pick up stitches around neck with US 5 (3.75 mm) to create a neat band. Pick up roughly 1 st for every 2 actual stitches around the neck opening (or pick up more densely if you want a firmer band). Work 6 rounds of 1x1 rib, then BO loosely. Alternatively, make a folded garter or rib band and sew on for stability.
5. Button band finishing: Fold button band to inside and sew if you used a fold-over band, or pick up sts along right front and work a garter band to match left front for buttonholes. Buttonholes: On the left front (opposite side to buttons) work small eyelet buttonholes by binding off 2 sts and casting them on the next row where the buttons will sit, or during band knitting create buttonholes (k2tog, yo).

Finishing

• Weave in loose ends carefully, trim, and block again if necessary for final shaping.
• Sew on buttons aligned with buttonholes. Check fit and adjust if needed before final sewing.

Sizing adjustments & tips

• To make the cardigan larger or smaller, change stitch counts in multiples of 2 to maintain the eyelet repeat. Each additional 2 sts will change width by about 0.36 in / 1 cm at this gauge.
• If the eyelet alignment is important across seams, place a marker and keep track of pattern repeats so decreases are worked within the repeats consistently.
• For a firmer button band, pick up fewer stitches and work with smaller needles (US 5) and a garter stitch or seed stitch band.

Care

Hand wash gentle or machine wash on cool gentle cycle in a mesh bag. Lay flat to dry to preserve shape and eyelets.

If you need help adapting the stitch counts for a specific yarn or exact measurement, contact team@verde.uk or visit https://purljam.verde.uk. Follow #purljam on socials for shareable photos and tips.

Designer notes: This pattern keeps the eyelet simple (k2tog, yo) for a neat, baby-friendly lace that is easy to align through raglan shaping. Raglan decreases are given as a method rather than exact per-row mandates so you can tailor slope and shoulder width to the intended fit.

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