Everyday Stockinette Cardigan

A relaxed, classic cardigan knit flat in soft worsted-weight yarn. Worked in simple stockinette stitch with tidy garter-stitch button bands and set-in sleeves, this is an ideal first sweater project. Sizes range from a snug 36" to a generous 52" finished chest.

MATERIALS

• Yarn: Worsted weight (medium / #4), smooth wool or wool-blend recommended.
  • Approximate yardage: 1200 (1350, 1500, 1650, 1800) yds
• Needles:
  • US 7 / 4.5 mm — main body and sleeves
  • US 5 / 3.75 mm — ribbing and button bands
  • (Use a 24"–32" circular needle for picking up button bands, worked back and forth)
• Notions:
  • Stitch markers
  • Stitch holders or waste yarn
  • Tapestry needle
  • 6 (6, 7, 7, 7) buttons, approx. ¾" (20 mm) diameter

GAUGE

20 stitches and 26 rows = 4" (10 cm) in stockinette stitch on US 7 / 4.5 mm needles, after blocking.

Take time to check your gauge. A small difference changes the finished size significantly across a full garment.

SIZES

Sample shown in Size 2 (40"). Choose a size with 2–4" of positive ease over your actual chest measurement for a relaxed fit.

Numbers are written as: Size 1 (2, 3, 4, 5). Where only one number appears, it applies to all sizes.

ABBREVIATIONS

• k – knit
• p – purl
• st(s) – stitch(es)
• RS – right side
• WS – wrong side
• k2tog – knit 2 stitches together (right-leaning decrease)
• ssk – slip, slip, knit these 2 stitches together (left-leaning decrease)
• BO – bind off
• CO – cast on
• rep – repeat
• beg – beginning
• rem – remaining
• St st – stockinette stitch (knit on RS, purl on WS)

NOTES

• This cardigan is worked flat in five pieces — Back, two Fronts, and two Sleeves — then seamed. Button bands are picked up and worked last.
• The body is worked in stockinette stitch with a 1x1 rib hem and cuff.
• All decreases are worked on RS rows unless stated otherwise.
• Slip the first stitch of every row purlwise for a neat edge if you like (optional; not counted in shaping).
• Read through each section fully before beginning.

BACK

With US 5 / 3.75 mm needles, CO 90 (100, 110, 120, 130) sts.

Ribbing: Work in 1x1 rib (k1, p1) for 2" (5 cm), ending with a WS row.

Change to US 7 / 4.5 mm needles.

Body: Beginning with a RS knit row, work in St st until piece measures 15 (15, 15.25, 15.25, 15.5)" from cast-on edge, ending with a WS row.

Check: back is now ready for armhole shaping.

Armhole Shaping

BO 4 (4, 5, 5, 6) sts at beg of next 2 rows. Stitch count: 82 (92, 100, 110, 118) sts.

Decrease row (RS): k1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (2 sts decreased) Purl the following WS row. Rep these 2 rows 3 (4, 4, 5, 5) more times — i.e., decrease 1 st each end on the next 3 (4, 4, 5, 5) RS rows.

Total decrease rows: 4 (5, 5, 6, 6), removing 8 (10, 10, 12, 12) sts. Stitch count: 74 (82, 90, 98, 106) sts.

Verify: 82 (92,100,110,118) − 8 (10,10,12,12) = 74 (82,90,98,106). ✓

Continue in St st until armhole measures 9 (9.5, 10, 10.5, 11)", ending with a WS row.

Shoulders and Back Neck

BO 7 (8, 9, 10, 11) sts at beg of next 2 rows, then 7 (8, 9, 11, 12) sts at beg of following 2 rows. Shoulder sts bound off each side: 14 (16, 18, 21, 23).

Place remaining 46 (50, 54, 56, 60) sts on a holder for the back neck.

Verify: 74 (82,90,98,106) − [2 × (7+7)] ... = 74 − 28 = 46; 82 − 32 = 50; 90 − 36 = 54; 98 − 42 = 56; 106 − 46 = 60. ✓

FRONTS

Make 2 — one Left Front and one Right Front. Work them identically, reversing shaping as noted. The 3-stitch overlap for the button band is built into each front width.

With US 5 / 3.75 mm needles, CO 48 (53, 58, 63, 68) sts.

Ribbing: Work in 1x1 rib for 2" (5 cm), ending with a WS row.

Change to US 7 / 4.5 mm needles.

Body: Beginning with a RS knit row, work in St st until piece measures the same as the Back to the underarm — 15 (15, 15.25, 15.25, 15.5)" — ending with:

• Right Front: a WS row (shape armhole at beg of next RS row).
• Left Front: a RS row (shape armhole at beg of next WS row), OR work one extra row so the armhole BO falls at the armhole edge.

Beginner tip: the armhole is always shaped at the side seam edge, and the neckline at the center front edge. Keep track of which edge is which for each front.

Armhole Shaping (side edge)

BO 4 (4, 5, 5, 6) sts once at the armhole edge. Stitch count: 44 (49, 53, 58, 62) sts.

Decrease at armhole edge on RS rows (Right Front: k1, ssk at start; Left Front: k2tog, k1 at end) a total of 4 (5, 5, 6, 6) times, once every RS row, removing 4 (5, 5, 6, 6) sts.

Stitch count: 40 (44, 48, 52, 56) sts.

Verify: 44 (49,53,58,62) − 4 (5,5,6,6) = 40 (44,48,52,56). ✓

Continue straight until armhole measures 6.5 (7, 7.5, 8, 8.5)", ending at the center front (neck) edge.

Neck Shaping (center front edge)

BO 12 (13, 14, 15, 16) sts at the neck edge once. Stitch count: 28 (31, 34, 37, 40) sts.

Neck decrease row (at neck edge, RS): decrease 1 st at the neck edge every RS row 6 (7, 7, 6, 6) times. Stitch count: 22 (24, 27, 31, 34) sts.

Verify: 28 (31,34,37,40) − 6 (7,7,6,6) = 22 (24,27,31,34). ✓

Work straight until armhole matches the Back — 9 (9.5, 10, 10.5, 11)" total — ending at the armhole edge.

Shoulder

BO 7 (8, 9, 10, 11) sts at armhole edge once, then 7 (8, 9, 11, 12) sts at armhole edge once. Total shoulder sts: 14 (16, 18, 21, 23) — matching the Back shoulder.

Remaining sts after shoulder BO: 22 − 14 = 8 (24 − 16 = 8, 27 − 18 = 9, 31 − 21 = 10, 34 − 23 = 11).

Note: These remaining few stitches form the front neck curve and are consumed by the final short neck rows. If any stitches remain after the second shoulder BO, work them off along the neck edge as you complete the shoulder rows so the shoulder count matches the Back exactly (14, 16, 18, 21, 23).

Reverse all shaping for the second Front so the two mirror each other.

SLEEVES

Make 2.

With US 5 / 3.75 mm needles, CO 42 (46, 50, 54, 58) sts.

Cuff: Work in 1x1 rib for 2.5" (6.5 cm), ending with a WS row.

Change to US 7 / 4.5 mm needles.

Body & Increases: Beginning with a RS row, work in St st.

Increase row (RS): k1, M1 (or k into front and back of next st), knit to last 2 sts, M1, k1. (2 sts increased) Work the increase row every 8th (8th, 6th, 6th, 6th) row 8 (8, 10, 11, 12) times, working plain St st between increase rows.

Stitch count after increases: 58 (62, 70, 76, 82) sts.

Verify: 42 (46,50,54,58) + [2 × 8 (8,10,11,12)] = 42+16=58; 46+16=62; 50+20=70; 54+22=76; 58+24=82. ✓

Continue straight until sleeve measures 17.5 (18, 18, 18.5, 18.5)" from cast-on, ending with a WS row.

Sleeve Cap

BO 4 (4, 5, 5, 6) sts at beg of next 2 rows. Stitch count: 50 (54, 60, 66, 70) sts.

Decrease row (RS): k1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. (2 sts decreased) Work the decrease row every RS row until 22 (22, 24, 24, 26) sts remain.

BO 2 sts at beg of next 4 rows. Stitch count: 14 (14, 16, 16, 18) sts.

BO remaining 14 (14, 16, 16, 18) sts.

BUTTON_BANDS

Seam shoulders together (see FINISHING) before working bands.

Button Band (left front for most wearers)

With US 5 / 3.75 mm needles and RS facing, pick up and knit approximately 3 sts for every 4 rows along the front edge — about 90 (92, 94, 96, 98) sts.

Work in garter stitch (knit every row) for 1" (2.5 cm). BO knitwise.

Buttonhole Band (right front)

Pick up the same number of sts, 90 (92, 94, 96, 98) sts, along the opposite front edge.

Work in garter stitch for ½" (1.5 cm), ending with a WS row.

Buttonhole row (RS): Knit 3, yo, k2tog, knit 12 (13, 12, 13, 14); rep from * for a total of 6 (6, 7, 7, 7) buttonholes, ending knit to end. Space evenly — adjust knit counts slightly if needed so the top and bottom buttonholes sit about ¾" from each edge.

Continue in garter stitch until band measures 1" (2.5 cm). BO knitwise.

Tip: Mark desired button positions on the button band first, then place buttonholes to match.

FINISHING

1. Weave in all yarn tails except long seaming tails.
2. Block all pieces to the measurements given in the SIZES section. Blocking evens out the stockinette and makes seaming far easier.
3. Shoulder seams: With RS together, seam the front shoulders to the back shoulders (14 (16, 18, 21, 23) sts each side).
4. Back neck: With the held 46 (50, 54, 56, 60) back neck sts, either BO loosely and seam, or leave live to pick up for a neckband (see below).
5. Set-in sleeves: Center the sleeve cap at the shoulder seam and pin the cap into the armhole, easing gently. Seam using mattress stitch.
6. Side and sleeve seams: Sew the underarm and side seams in one continuous line from cuff to hem on each side.
7. Button bands: Work as directed above.
8. Neckband (optional but recommended): With US 5 / 3.75 mm needles and RS facing, beginning at the right front neck, pick up and knit stitches evenly around the neckline (including the held back neck sts) — approximately 80 (84, 88, 92, 96) sts. Work in garter stitch for 1" (2.5 cm) and BO knitwise.
9. Buttons: Sew buttons to the button band opposite each buttonhole.
10. Final block lightly to settle seams. Weave in remaining ends.

Congratulations — your Everyday Stockinette Cardigan is complete!

Quick Math Summary (for the maker's confidence)

Back shoulder + neck: 14 + 14 + 46 = 74 ✓ (and equivalently for all sizes).