Little Acorn Drop Shoulder Cardigan

A cozy, beginner-friendly crew neck cardigan for children, worked flat in simple stockinette. The relaxed drop shoulder construction means there is no armhole shaping — the body edges stay straight and the sleeve tops are sewn directly to them, so it's an ideal "next step" project after your first scarf or hat.

MATERIALS

• Yarn: Worsted weight (medium / #4) yarn, smooth wool or wool-blend recommended.
  • Approximate yardage: 1200–1800 yds (1100–1650 m) total, depending on size.
• Needles:
  • US 7 / 4.5 mm — main body (or size needed to obtain gauge)
  • US 5 / 3.75 mm — ribbing, bands, and neckband
• Notions:
  • Stitch markers
  • Stitch holders or scrap yarn
  • Tapestry needle
  • 5 buttons, approximately ½"–¾" (13–19 mm) diameter

GAUGE

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

That is 5 stitches and 6.5 rows per inch. Take time to check your gauge — it determines the finished fit.

SIZES

Written for child sizes 2 (4, 6, 8, 10) years.

Sample shown in size 6. Choose a size with about 2" of positive ease over the child's actual chest measurement.

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 (left-leaning decrease)
• M1 — make 1 (increase; lift bar between sts and knit through back loop)
• BO — bind off
• CO — cast on
• beg — beginning
• rep — repeat
• rem — remaining
• RS/WS row — right-side / wrong-side row
• St st — stockinette stitch (knit RS rows, purl WS rows)
• k1, p1 rib — k1, p1 repeated across

NOTES

1. This cardigan is worked flat in five pieces (back, two fronts, two sleeves), then seamed. Button bands and neckband are picked up and worked last.
2. Drop shoulder construction: the body side edges are worked completely straight — there is no armhole shaping. This is the main reason this pattern is beginner-friendly.
3. Only the fronts have neck shaping, and there is gentle shoulder shaping on the back and fronts using short bind-offs.
4. Slip the first stitch of every row purlwise for tidy edges if desired (optional).
5. Numbers are given as size 2 (4, 6, 8, 10). Read through your size before starting and, if helpful, highlight it throughout.

BACK

With US 5 / 3.75 mm needles, CO 60 (66, 70, 74, 80) sts.

Ribbing: Work in k1, p1 rib for 1.5" (4 cm), ending with a WS row.

Change to US 7 / 4.5 mm needles.

Body: Work in St st (knit RS, purl WS) until piece measures 11 (12.5, 14, 15.5, 17)" from cast-on edge, ending with a WS row.

Because this is a drop shoulder, keep the side edges straight — do not shape armholes.

Shoulder shaping:

• BO 6 (7, 7, 7, 8) sts at beg of next 2 rows. → 48 (52, 56, 60, 64) sts
• BO 6 (7, 7, 8, 8) sts at beg of next 2 rows. → 36 (38, 42, 44, 48) sts
• BO 6 (6, 7, 7, 8) sts at beg of next 2 rows. → 24 (26, 28, 30, 32) sts

Check: total bound off each shoulder = 6+6+6 = 18 (7+7+6 = 20, 7+7+7 = 21, 7+8+7 = 22, 8+8+8 = 24) sts per shoulder. Remaining back neck = 24 (26, 28, 30, 32) sts ✓

BO remaining 24 (26, 28, 30, 32) sts for back neck.

FRONTS

Make 2 — one Left Front and one Right Front. Work them identically until the neck shaping, which is mirrored.

With US 5 / 3.75 mm needles, CO 32 (34, 36, 38, 42) sts.

Ribbing: Work in k1, p1 rib for 1.5" (4 cm), ending with a WS row.

Change to US 7 / 4.5 mm needles.

Body: Work in St st until piece measures 9 (10.5, 12, 13.5, 15)" from cast-on edge, ending with a WS row. (This is 2" shorter than the back before shoulder shaping, to allow room for the front neck.)

Neck shaping

Left Front (neck edge is at the END of RS rows):

• Row 1 (RS): Knit to last 6 (6, 7, 8, 8) sts, BO these sts (neck edge). → 26 (28, 29, 30, 34) sts
• Turn. Purl 1 WS row.
• Neck decreases: On next and every following RS row, ssk at the neck edge (beginning of RS row, after slipping the edge st if used), 8 (8, 8, 8, 10) times total. → 18 (20, 21, 22, 24) sts
• Work even in St st until front matches back to shoulder, ending with a WS row.

Right Front (neck edge is at the BEGINNING of RS rows): work as for Left Front, mirroring all shaping — BO the neck sts at the beginning of a RS row, then work neck decreases as k2tog at the end of each RS row.

Check: 32 (34, 36, 38, 42) − 6 (6, 7, 8, 8) BO − 8 (8, 8, 8, 10) dec = 18 (20, 21, 22, 24) sts. This equals the back shoulder count ✓

Shoulder shaping (both fronts)

With 18 (20, 21, 22, 24) sts, shape shoulder at the armhole edge (opposite the neck) to match the back:

• BO 6 (7, 7, 7, 8) sts at beg of next armhole-edge row.
• BO 6 (7, 7, 8, 8) sts at beg of next armhole-edge row.
• BO rem 6 (6, 7, 7, 8) sts.

Check: 6+6+6 = 18 (7+7+6 = 20, 7+7+7 = 21, 7+8+7 = 22, 8+8+8 = 24) sts ✓

SLEEVES

Make 2.

With US 5 / 3.75 mm needles, CO 30 (32, 34, 36, 38) sts.

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

Change to US 7 / 4.5 mm needles.

Sleeve increases: Work in St st, increasing 1 st each side (M1 after first st and before last st) on the next RS row, then every following 8th (8th, 8th, 6th, 6th) row a total of 6 (7, 8, 9, 10) times each side. → 42 (46, 50, 54, 58) sts

Check:

• Size 2: 30 + (6 × 2) = 42 ✓
• Size 4: 32 + (7 × 2) = 46 ✓
• Size 6: 34 + (8 × 2) = 50 ✓
• Size 8: 36 + (9 × 2) = 54 ✓
• Size 10: 38 + (10 × 2) = 58 ✓

Work even until sleeve measures 9 (10.5, 12, 13.5, 15)" from cast-on edge, ending with a WS row.

BO all sts loosely.

Because this is a drop shoulder, the sleeve top is worked straight and bound off flat — there is no sleeve cap shaping.

BUTTON BANDS

Seam both shoulders (back to fronts) before working the bands.

Button Band (Left Front for a girl's cardigan / Right Front for a boy's — choose per preference)

With US 5 / 3.75 mm needles and RS facing, pick up and knit stitches evenly along the front edge at a ratio of 3 sts for every 4 rows. For the body length given, this is approximately 56 (62, 68, 74, 80) sts — the exact number is not critical; aim for a smooth, non-flaring edge.

Work in k1, p1 rib for 1" (2.5 cm). BO in pattern.

Buttonhole Band (opposite front)

Pick up the same number of sts as the button band.

Work in k1, p1 rib for ½" (1.25 cm), ending with a WS row.

Buttonhole row (RS): Rib to first buttonhole position, yo, k2tog (or p2tog to stay in pattern), rib to next buttonhole position; rep for all 5 buttonholes, ending rib to end.

Space the 5 buttonholes evenly: place the top buttonhole about ½" below the neck edge and the bottom buttonhole about ½" above the lower edge, with the remaining 3 spaced evenly between.

Continue in rib until band measures 1" (2.5 cm). BO in pattern.

FINISHING

1. Neckband: With US 5 / 3.75 mm needles and RS facing, beginning at the top edge of the buttonhole band, pick up and knit sts around the neck: up the right front neck, across the back neck, and down the left front neck. Aim for approximately 64 (68, 72, 76, 80) sts, picking up about 1 st per BO st and 3 sts per 4 rows along the shaped edges. Work in k1, p1 rib for ¾" (2 cm). BO loosely in pattern. (Tip: for a crew neck, keep the neckband snug but not tight so it sits flat against the neck.)
2. Seam sleeves to body: Center each sleeve top over the shoulder seam. The straight sleeve edge should span 8.4 (9.2, 10, 10.8, 11.6)" of body length below the shoulder seam (half the sleeve width down each side). Pin and sew.
3. Side and sleeve seams: Sew each side seam from hem to underarm, then continue up the sleeve seam from cuff to underarm in one line. Match the ribbing at the hems.
4. Weave in all ends.
5. Attach buttons opposite the buttonholes.
6. Block the finished cardigan gently to measurements. Lay flat to dry.

Enjoy your finished Little Acorn Drop Shoulder Cardigan!