Children’s Basic Stockinette Cardigan

Sizes 4 (6, 8, 10, 12)

A simple beginner-friendly cardigan worked flat in stockinette with ribbed edges, set-in sleeves, and a button front. This is an original pattern sized for children (including size 10). It is not a copy or conversion of any commercial Mary Maxim (or other) published pattern.

MATERIALS

Yarn: Worsted weight (category 4), approx
700 (800, 900, 1000, 1100) yards
(640 [730, 820, 915, 1005] m)

Needles

• US 5 (3.75 mm) straight or circular for ribbing
• US 7 (4.5 mm) straight or circular for body and sleeves
  (or size needed to obtain gauge)

Notions

• Stitch markers
• Stitch holders or waste yarn
• Tapestry needle
• 5 (5, 6, 6, 6) buttons, ⅝–¾" (16–19 mm)
• Sewing needle and thread for buttons

GAUGE

20 stitches and 26 rows = 4" (10 cm) in stockinette stitch on US 7 (4.5 mm), blocked.
Check gauge and change needle size if needed.

SIZES

To fit children’s: 4 (6, 8, 10, 12)
Finished chest (buttoned): 26 (28, 30, 32, 34)" / 66 (71, 76, 81.5, 86.5) cm
Back length: 16 (17, 18, 19, 20)" / 40.5 (43, 45.5, 48.5, 51) cm
Armhole depth: 5½ (6, 6½, 7, 7½)" / 14 (15, 16.5, 18, 19) cm
Sleeve length to underarm: 11½ (12, 12½, 13½, 14½)" / 29 (30.5, 32, 34.5, 37) cm

Shown with approx 2–4" (5–10 cm) positive ease. Instructions are written for size 4; larger sizes in parentheses. When only one number appears, it applies to all sizes.

ABBREVIATIONS

NOTES

• Cardigan is worked flat, in pieces, bottom up: Back, Left Front, Right Front, Sleeves.
• Seams join shoulders, set in sleeves, then side and sleeve seams.
• Button bands are picked up along front edges after assembly.
• Stockinette: knit on RS, purl on WS.
• 1x1 Rib (odd st count): RS and WS: *k1, p1; rep from * to last st, k1.
• Work even means continue in pattern without shaping.
• Slip markers as you come to them.
• Inline counts use ✓ to confirm running totals.

BACK

With smaller needles, CO 66 (70, 74, 80, 86) sts.
Work 1x1 rib for 1½" (4 cm), ending after a WS row.

Change to larger needles.
Work in St st until piece measures 10½ (11, 11½, 12, 12½)" / 26.5 (28, 29, 30.5, 32) cm from CO edge, ending after a WS row.

Armhole shaping

BO 3 (3, 4, 4, 5) sts at beg of next 2 rows.
60 (64, 66, 72, 76) sts ✓

Dec 1 st each end of every RS row 3 (4, 4, 5, 5) times as follows:
RS: k1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
WS: purl.
54 (56, 58, 62, 66) sts ✓

Work even in St st until armhole measures 5½ (6, 6½, 7, 7½)" / 14 (15, 16.5, 18, 19) cm, ending after a WS row.

Shoulders and neck

BO 8 (8, 9, 9, 10) sts at beg of next 2 rows, then 7 (8, 8, 9, 10) sts at beg of following 2 rows.
Place remaining 24 (24, 24, 26, 26) sts on holder for back neck.
Shoulder each side: 15 (16, 17, 18, 20) sts ✓

FRONTS

Left Front (buttonhole band side is Right Front; this is button side as worn)

With smaller needles, CO 35 (37, 39, 43, 45) sts.
Work 1x1 rib for 1½" (4 cm), ending after a WS row.

Change to larger needles.
Work in St st until piece measures same as Back to armhole, ending after a WS row.

Armhole shaping (Left Front)

RS: BO 3 (3, 4, 4, 5) sts, knit to end.
32 (34, 35, 39, 40) sts ✓
WS: purl.

Dec at armhole edge (beg of RS rows) every RS row 3 (4, 4, 5, 5) times:
RS: k1, ssk, knit to end.
29 (30, 31, 34, 35) sts ✓

Work even until armhole measures 3 (3½, 3¾, 4, 4½)" / 7.5 (9, 9.5, 10, 11.5) cm less than Back armhole depth, ending after a RS row
(i.e., begin neck when armhole is about 2½ (2½, 2¾, 3, 3)" / 6.5 [6.5, 7, 7.5, 7.5] cm deep—adjust so remaining length matches Back to shoulder).

Neck shaping (Left Front)

WS: BO 8 (8, 8, 9, 9) sts (neck edge), purl to end.
21 (22, 23, 25, 26) sts ✓

Dec 1 st at neck edge every RS row 6 (6, 6, 7, 6) times:
RS: knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
15 (16, 17, 18, 20) sts ✓

Work even until armhole matches Back armhole depth, ending after a WS row.

Shoulder (Left Front)

BO 8 (8, 9, 9, 10) sts at beg of next RS row, then 7 (8, 8, 9, 10) sts at beg of following RS row.
All shoulder sts bound off ✓

Right Front

With smaller needles, CO 35 (37, 39, 43, 45) sts.
Work 1x1 rib for 1½" (4 cm), ending after a WS row.

Change to larger needles.
Work in St st until piece measures same as Back to armhole, ending after a RS row.

Armhole shaping (Right Front)

WS: BO 3 (3, 4, 4, 5) sts, purl to end.
32 (34, 35, 39, 40) sts ✓

Dec at armhole edge (end of RS rows) every RS row 3 (4, 4, 5, 5) times:
RS: knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
29 (30, 31, 34, 35) sts ✓

Work even until armhole matches Left Front to start of neck, ending after a WS row.

Neck shaping (Right Front)

RS: BO 8 (8, 8, 9, 9) sts (neck edge), knit to end.
21 (22, 23, 25, 26) sts ✓
WS: purl.

Dec 1 st at neck edge every RS row 6 (6, 6, 7, 6) times:
RS: k1, ssk, knit to end.
15 (16, 17, 18, 20) sts ✓

Work even until armhole matches Back, ending after a RS row.

Shoulder (Right Front)

BO 8 (8, 9, 9, 10) sts at beg of next WS row, then 7 (8, 8, 9, 10) sts at beg of following WS row.
All shoulder sts bound off ✓

SLEEVES (make 2)

With smaller needles, CO 34 (36, 38, 40, 42) sts.
Work 1x1 rib for 1½" (4 cm), ending after a WS row.

Change to larger needles. Begin St st and sleeve increases:

Inc row (RS): k1, m1L (or kfb), knit to last st, m1R (or kfb), k1.
Rep inc row every **6 (6, 6, 6, 6)**th row 0 (1, 2, 4, 5) more time(s), then every 8th row 7 (7, 7, 6, 6) times.
50 (54, 58, 62, 66) sts ✓
(2 + 0 [1, 2, 4, 5] + 7 [7, 7, 6, 6] = 9 [10, 11, 12, 13] inc rows → +18 [20, 22, 24, 26] sts; 34+18=52—adjust: start from CO and count:
CO 34 (36, 38, 40, 42); total inc pairs 8 (9, 10, 11, 12) → 50 (54, 58, 62, 66) sts ✓)

Work even until sleeve measures 11½ (12, 12½, 13½, 14½)" / 29 (30.5, 32, 34.5, 37) cm from CO, ending after a WS row.

Sleeve cap

BO 3 (3, 4, 4, 5) sts at beg of next 2 rows.
44 (48, 50, 54, 56) sts ✓

Dec 1 st each end of every RS row 8 (9, 10, 11, 12) times:
RS: k1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
28 (30, 30, 32, 32) sts ✓

BO 3 sts at beg of next 4 rows.
16 (18, 18, 20, 20) sts ✓

BO remaining sts.

BUTTON_BANDS

Sew shoulder seams first (mattress stitch recommended).

Button band (Left Front as worn — girls’ conventional; swap sides for boys’ if preferred)

With smaller needles and RS facing, pick up and knit approximately 3 sts per 4 rows along Left Front edge from hem to neck, aiming for
67 (71, 77, 81, 85) sts (odd number works well for 1x1 rib).
Work 1x1 rib for 7 rows (about 1¼" / 3 cm).
BO in rib.

Buttonhole band (Right Front as worn)

Pick up the same number of sts along Right Front edge.
Work 3 rows 1x1 rib.

Buttonhole row (RS): Work 4 (4, 4, 5, 5) sts in rib, *yo, k2tog, rib 13 (14, 12, 12, 13) sts; rep from * 3 (3, 4, 4, 4) more times, yo, k2tog, rib to end.
(5 [5, 6, 6, 6] buttonholes ✓)

Work 3 more rows 1x1 rib.
BO in rib.

Neckband

With smaller needles and RS facing, beginning at Right Front buttonhole-band edge:
pick up and knit 4 sts across top of band,
pick up 18 (18, 19, 20, 20) sts along Right Front neck,
knit 24 (24, 24, 26, 26) back-neck sts from holder,
pick up 18 (18, 19, 20, 20) sts along Left Front neck,
pick up 4 sts across top of button band.
68 (68, 70, 74, 74) sts ✓

Work 1x1 rib for 5 rows.
BO loosely in rib.

FINISHING

1. Set in sleeves, matching center of sleeve cap to shoulder seam and easing cap into armhole.
2. Sew side seams and sleeve seams.
3. Weave in all ends.
4. Block gently to measurements.
5. Sew buttons opposite buttonholes.
6. Optional: steam seams lightly; do not flatten rib.

Wear and enjoy.

Size 10 quick reference (third number from largest / fourth size listed)

• Back CO 80; after armhole 62; neck 26; shoulders 18 each
• Fronts CO 43; after armhole 34; after neck 18
• Sleeve CO 40; full width 62; length to underarm 13½"
• Finished chest 32"; length 19"; armhole 7"
• Buttons: 6

Pattern math validated at each shaping step for all five sizes. Beginner construction: no cables, no colorwork, standard set-in sleeve cardigan only.