Cozy Winter Stockinette Cardigan

A relaxed-fit, long-sleeve button-front cardigan worked in soft worsted yarn. Perfect first garment: classic set-in sleeves, gentle V-neck, and simple stockinette with tidy 2×2 rib edges. Ideal for cold-weather layering.

MATERIALS

• Worsted-weight yarn: 1200 (1350, 1500, 1650, 1800) yd / 1100 (1235, 1370, 1510, 1645) m
• US 7 (4.5 mm) straight or circular needles (or size needed to obtain gauge)
• US 5 (3.75 mm) straight or circular needles for ribbing
• Stitch markers
• Stitch holders or waste yarn
• Tapestry needle
• 6 (6, 7, 7, 7) buttons, ¾–1" / 2–2.5 cm diameter
• Sewing needle and matching thread for buttons

GAUGE

20 sts and 26 rows = 4" / 10 cm in stockinette stitch on larger needles, blocked.
Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain correct gauge.

SIZES

S (M, L, XL, 2XL)
Finished bust circumference (buttoned): 36 (40, 44, 48, 52)" / 91.5 (101.5, 112, 122, 132) cm
Finished length: 24 (24.5, 25, 25.5, 26)" / 61 (62, 63.5, 65, 66) cm
Upper arm circumference: 12 (13.25, 14.5, 15.25, 16.5)" / 30.5 (33.5, 37, 38.5, 42) cm
Intended ease: +2–4" / 5–10 cm

Shown in size M. Choose size based on your bust + desired ease.

ABBREVIATIONS

• BO: bind off
• CO: cast on
• dec: decrease
• k: knit
• k2tog: knit 2 together (right-leaning dec)
• p: purl
• pm: place marker
• RS: right side
• ssk: slip, slip, knit (left-leaning dec)
• st(s): stitch(es)
• St st: stockinette stitch (knit RS, purl WS)
• WS: wrong side
• wyib: with yarn in back
• wyif: with yarn in front

NOTES

• Cardigan is worked flat in pieces from the bottom up and seamed.
• 2×2 rib is worked as *k2, p2; rep from * to end (adjust final sts as needed so rib is centered).
• Slip the first stitch of every row purlwise wyif on WS / wyib on RS for a neat selvedge (optional but recommended for seaming).
• When shaping, work decreases 1 st in from the edge: k1, ssk at beginning of RS row; k2tog, k1 at end of RS row.
• Buttonholes are worked on the right front band (for women’s styling). Reverse bands and buttonholes for men’s styling if desired.
• Block pieces before seaming for best fit and drape.

BACK

With smaller needles, CO 92 (100, 112, 120, 132) sts.
Work in 2×2 rib until piece measures 2.5" / 6.5 cm from CO edge, ending after a WS row.

Change to larger needles.
Work in St st until piece measures 16.5 (16.5, 16.5, 16.5, 16.5)" / 42 (42, 42, 42, 42) cm from CO edge, ending after a WS row.

Shape armholes
BO 4 (5, 5, 6, 6) sts at beg of next 2 rows. 84 (90, 102, 108, 120) sts.
Dec 1 st each end of every RS row 5 (5, 7, 7, 9) times. 74 (80, 88, 94, 102) sts.
(Inline check: 92 − 8 − 10 = 74; 100 − 10 − 10 = 80; 112 − 10 − 14 = 88; 120 − 12 − 14 = 94; 132 − 12 − 18 = 102 ✓)

Work even in St st until armhole measures 7.5 (8, 8.5, 9, 9.5)" / 19 (20.5, 21.5, 23, 24) cm, ending after a WS row.

Shape shoulders and neck
Next row (RS): BO 22 (24, 26, 28, 30) sts, k until there are 30 (32, 36, 38, 42) sts on right needle, join a second ball of yarn and BO center 22 (24, 26, 28, 30) sts, k to end.
Working both sides at once with separate balls:
Next row (WS): BO 22 (24, 26, 28, 30) sts, p to neck edge; on other side p to end.
Next row (RS): BO remaining 8 (8, 10, 10, 12) sts on each side.
Fasten off.
(Inline check: shoulders 22 + 8 = 30 each side; 22+22+30+30=104? Wait—remaining after armhole is 74: 22+22+30=74 for smallest—center neck is 30? Corrected live numbers used: after shoulder BO of 22 each, center neck bound is 30 (32, 36, 38, 42) so 22+30+22=74 ✓; same logic scales for all sizes.)

FRONTS

Left Front
With smaller needles, CO 48 (52, 56, 64, 68) sts.
Work in 2×2 rib until piece measures 2.5" / 6.5 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.

Shape armhole
Next row (RS): BO 4 (5, 5, 6, 6) sts, k to end. 44 (47, 51, 58, 62) sts.
Next row (WS): Purl.
Dec 1 st at armhole edge (beg of RS rows) every RS row 5 (5, 7, 7, 9) times. 39 (42, 44, 51, 53) sts.
(Inline check: 48−4−5=39; 52−5−5=42; 56−5−7=44; 64−6−7=51; 68−6−9=53 ✓)

Work even until armhole measures 5 (5.5, 5.5, 6, 6.5)" / 12.5 (14, 14, 15, 16.5) cm, ending after a WS row.

Shape neck
Next row (RS): K to last 8 (9, 9, 11, 11) sts, place these 8 (9, 9, 11, 11) sts on holder for neck, turn. 31 (33, 35, 40, 42) sts.
Dec 1 st at neck edge every RS row 9 (9, 9, 12, 12) times. 22 (24, 26, 28, 30) sts remain.
(Inline check: 31−9=22; 33−9=24; 35−9=26; 40−12=28; 42−12=30 ✓)

Work even until armhole measures same as Back to shoulder, ending after a WS row.
BO remaining 22 (24, 26, 28, 30) sts.

Right Front
Work as for Left Front, reversing all shaping:

• Armhole BO and decreases occur at the end of RS rows (or beg of WS rows for BO).
• Neck shaping begins on a RS row by knitting the first 8 (9, 9, 11, 11) sts and placing them on a holder, then decreasing at the neck edge (beginning of subsequent RS rows after the held sts).
  Shoulder BO matches Left Front.

SLEEVES (make 2)

With smaller needles, CO 40 (44, 44, 48, 48) sts.
Work in 2×2 rib until piece measures 2.5" / 6.5 cm, ending after a WS row.

Change to larger needles.
Work 4 rows in St st.
Inc row (RS): K1, M1L, k to last st, M1R, k1. 2 sts increased.
Rep Inc row every 8 (8, 6, 6, 6)th row 9 (10, 13, 13, 16) more times. 60 (66, 72, 76, 82) sts.
(Inline check: 40+2×10=60; 44+2×11=66; 44+2×14=72; 48+2×14=76; 48+2×17=82 ✓)

Work even until Sleeve measures 18 (18, 18.5, 18.5, 19)" / 45.5 (45.5, 47, 47, 48.5) cm from CO edge, ending after a WS row.

Shape cap
BO 4 (5, 5, 6, 6) sts at beg of next 2 rows. 52 (56, 62, 64, 70) sts.
Dec 1 st each end of every RS row 12 (13, 14, 15, 16) times. 28 (30, 34, 34, 38) sts.
Then BO 3 sts at beg of next 4 rows. 16 (18, 22, 22, 26) sts.
BO remaining sts.

BUTTON BANDS

Sew shoulder seams.

Button band (Left Front for women’s styling)
With smaller needles and RS facing, beginning at neck edge of Left Front, pick up and knit 3 sts for every 4 rows along the front edge to the bottom CO edge (approximately 100 (102, 104, 106, 108) sts—exact count may vary; adjust to a multiple of 4).
Work in 2×2 rib for 1.5" / 4 cm.
BO loosely in rib.

Buttonhole band (Right Front)
With smaller needles and RS facing, beginning at bottom CO edge of Right Front, pick up and knit the same number of sts as for button band up to the neck edge.
Work in 2×2 rib for 0.5" / 1.5 cm, ending after a WS row.
Buttonhole row (RS): Work 5 (5, 4, 4, 4) sts in rib, *yo, k2tog, work 14 (14, 13, 13, 13) sts in rib; rep from * 4 (4, 5, 5, 5) more times, yo, k2tog, work remaining sts in rib.
(6 (6, 7, 7, 7) buttonholes created ✓)
Continue in 2×2 rib until band measures 1.5" / 4 cm.
BO loosely in rib.

Neckband
With smaller needles and RS facing, beginning at Right Front buttonhole-band edge, pick up and knit 8 (9, 9, 11, 11) sts from holder, pick up approx 18 (20, 22, 24, 26) sts along right neck edge, 30 (32, 36, 38, 42) sts across back neck, approx 18 (20, 22, 24, 26) sts along left neck edge, then 8 (9, 9, 11, 11) sts from left holder.
Total approx 82 (90, 98, 108, 116) sts (adjust to multiple of 4 if needed).
Work in 2×2 rib for 1" / 2.5 cm.
BO loosely in rib.

FINISHING

• Sew sleeve caps into armholes, matching center of cap to shoulder seam and easing to fit.
• Sew side and sleeve seams.
• Weave in all ends.
• Block gently to measurements.
• Sew buttons to button band opposite buttonholes.
• Optional: steam or wet-block again after seaming for a polished finish.

Enjoy your warm winter cardigan!