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# 🐻 "Little Bear Meadow" Baby Cardigan
### A Top-Down Fair Isle Raglan with Tiny Bears

*A modern heirloom for your littlest adventurer — stranded colorwork bears dance around a cozy yoke, finished with warm rust, sage, and mustard accents on a soft cream backdrop. This pattern is an absolute joy, and I promise: if you've knit colorwork before, you've got this!* 💛

---

## ✨ Pattern Overview

- **Size:** 6–12 months (finished chest 21" / 53.5 cm)
- **Skill Level:** Advanced (stranded colorwork, raglan shaping, reading charts)
- **Construction:** Top-down, seamless raglan; sleeves worked in the round; button bands picked up last
- **Finished Measurements:**
  - Chest: 21" (53.5 cm)
  - Body length from underarm: 7" (18 cm)
  - Sleeve length from underarm: 6" (15 cm)
  - Yoke depth: 5.5" (14 cm)

---

## 🧶 Materials

### Yarn — Worsted Weight (100% merino or merino/alpaca blend recommended)

| Color Code | Color Name | Yardage |
|---|---|---|
| **MC** | Cream (background) | 400 yd (366 m) |
| **CC1** | Sage Green | 60 yd (55 m) |
| **CC2** | Warm Mustard | 50 yd (46 m) |
| **CC3** | Rust | 50 yd (46 m) |
| **CC4** | Dusty Pink | 40 yd (37 m) |
| **CC5** | Charcoal (bear details) | 40 yd (37 m) |

### Needles
- **US 7 (4.5 mm):** 24" / 32" circular + DPNs (main fabric)
- **US 8 (5 mm):** 24" circular (colorwork yoke — sizing up compensates for tightened colorwork gauge)
- **US 5 (3.75 mm):** 16" / 24" circular + DPNs (ribbing and button bands)

### Notions
- 5 stitch markers (1 unique for BOR, 4 for raglan lines)
- Waste yarn for holding sleeve sts
- Tapestry needle
- **5 buttons**, ½" (13 mm) diameter

---

## 📏 Gauge

- **20 sts × 26 rows = 4" (10 cm)** in stockinette on US 7
- **22 sts × 24 rows = 4" (10 cm)** in stranded colorwork on US 8

*Please swatch in colorwork — it's the single most important step for fit!* 🌱

---

## 🔤 Abbreviations

- **k** – knit
- **p** – purl
- **st(s)** – stitch(es)
- **RS / WS** – right / wrong side
- **kfb** – knit front & back (1 inc)
- **M1L / M1R** – make 1 left / right (lifted inc)
- **k2tog / ssk** – right / left leaning dec
- **yo** – yarn over
- **pm / sm** – place / slip marker
- **BOR** – beginning of round
- **MC / CC** – main color / contrast color

---

## 🎨 Color Dominance Note

In this pattern, the **contrast color (pattern color) is always held in your left hand / below**, and the **main color held above / right**. This keeps bears and motifs crisp and popping. Pick one method and stay consistent throughout the yoke.

---

## 📊 CHARTS

**Chart Reading:**
- Read all chart rows from **right to left** (knit side, working flat: RS rows right-to-left, WS rows left-to-right purling).
- Each square = 1 st. Each row = 1 row.
- Repeat the boxed section across the round/row.

### Chart A — Geometric Band (4-st repeat × 3 rows)

```
Row 3:  █ · █ ·     (CC1 on MC)
Row 2:  · █ · █     (CC1 on MC)
Row 1:  █ · █ ·     (CC1 on MC)
        4 3 2 1
```
Legend: `·` = MC Cream   `█` = CC1 Sage

### Chart B — Little Bears (8-st repeat × 9 rows) 🐻

```
Row 9:  · · · · · · · ·     (all MC - rest row)
Row 8:  · · ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ · ·     (CC3 Rust body)
Row 7:  · ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ·     (CC3 Rust body)
Row 6:  · ▓ ● ▓ ▓ ● ▓ ·     (CC3 + CC5 eyes)
Row 5:  · ▓ ▓ ♦ ♦ ▓ ▓ ·     (CC3 + CC5 snout)
Row 4:  · ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ·     (CC3 Rust head)
Row 3:  ▓ · ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ · ▓     (CC3 ears)
Row 2:  · · · · · · · ·     (all MC)
Row 1:  · · · · · · · ·     (all MC)
        8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
```
Legend:
- `·` = MC Cream
- `▓` = CC3 Rust
- `●` = CC5 Charcoal (eye)
- `♦` = CC5 Charcoal (snout)

*Max float length: 4 sts (between bears on Row 3). No catching required!* 🎉

### Chart C — Diamond Band (8-st repeat × 7 rows)

```
Row 7:  · · · ○ · · · ·     (CC4 Pink center)
Row 6:  · · ○ ▲ ○ · · ·     (CC4 + CC2 Mustard)
Row 5:  · ○ ▲ ▲ ▲ ○ · ·     (CC4 + CC2)
Row 4:  ○ ▲ ▲ ★ ▲ ▲ ○ ·     (CC4 + CC2 + CC5 star)
Row 3:  · ○ ▲ ▲ ▲ ○ · ·     (CC4 + CC2)
Row 2:  · · ○ ▲ ○ · · ·     (CC4 + CC2)
Row 1:  · · · ○ · · · ·     (CC4 Pink)
        8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
```
Legend: `·` = MC · `○` = CC4 Pink · `▲` = CC2 Mustard · `★` = CC5 Charcoal

*Max float length: 5 sts on Row 4 — at the very edge of our rule. Catch floats of 5+ sts mid-span on any non-repeat edges.*

---

## 🌼 Float Management

- **Never carry floats longer than 5 sts** without catching.
- Catch long floats by twisting the working yarn around the floating yarn every 3–4 sts.
- Maintain even tension — stretch your work horizontally every few rows to ensure floats aren't tugging.

---

## 🧵 THE PATTERN

### 🌟 Yoke (Worked Flat)

With **US 5** and **MC**, cast on **64 sts** using long-tail cast-on.

**Neckband (flat):**
- Row 1 (WS): Sl1, [k1, p1] to last st, k1.
- Rows 2–5: Repeat Row 1 (4 more rows).

**Set-Up Row (RS):** Switch to **US 7**. Sl1, k9 (right front), pm, k8 (right sleeve), pm, k28 (back), pm, k8 (left sleeve), pm, k10 (left front). *64 sts: 10 – 8 – 28 – 8 – 10.*

**Row 2 (WS):** Sl1, p to end.

#### Raglan Increase Rows
Switch to **US 8** for colorwork section.

**Raglan Inc Row (RS):** Sl1, k to 1 st before marker, M1R, k1, sm, k1, M1L, k to 1 st before next marker, M1R, k1, sm, k1, M1L, k to 1 st before next marker, M1R, k1, sm, k1, M1L, k to 1 st before last marker, M1R, k1, sm, k1, M1L, k to end. *(+8 sts)*

**Row 2 (WS):** Sl1, p to end.

Work raglan increases every RS row **while introducing colorwork** as follows:

| Row # | Chart / Color | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Row 3 (RS) | MC only — inc row | 72 sts |
| Row 4 (WS) | MC purl | — |
| Rows 5–7 | **Chart A** (Sage band) — inc on each RS row | After row 7: 88 sts |
| Row 8 (WS) | MC purl | — |
| Rows 9–10 | MC stockinette — inc on RS | 96 sts |
| Rows 11–19 | **Chart B** (Bears!) — inc on each RS row | 8 inc rows within chart. After row 19: 136 sts |
| Row 20 (WS) | MC purl | — |
| Rows 21–27 | **Chart C** (Diamonds) — inc on each RS row (4 RS rows) | After row 27: 168 sts |
| Row 28 (WS) | MC purl | — |
| Row 29 (RS) | MC inc row | 176 sts |
| Row 30 (WS) | MC purl | — |

**Math check:** 64 + (8 × 14 inc rows) = **176 sts** ✓
Distribution: 24 (L front) – 36 (sleeve) – 56 (back) – 36 (sleeve) – 24 (R front). *24+36+56+36+24 = 176 ✓*

💡 **Chart integration tip:** Because the yoke grows, start chart repeats **centered on the back**, and let partial repeats fall at the fronts. Keep raglan seam sts (1 st each side of marker) in MC always — this creates a clean raglan line.

---

### 🌿 Dividing for Body & Sleeves

Switch back to **US 7**.

**Division Row (RS):** Sl1, k23 (right front), remove marker, place next 36 sts on waste yarn (right sleeve), CO 4 sts using backward loop (underarm), k56 (back), remove marker, place next 36 sts on waste yarn (left sleeve), CO 4 sts, k24 (left front). **108 sts** on needle.

*Math check: 24 + 4 + 56 + 4 + 24 = 108 ✓ → 108 ÷ 5 sts/inch = 21.6" chest ✓*

---

### 👕 Body

Work flat in stockinette with MC:
- **Row 1 (WS):** Sl1, p to end.
- **Row 2 (RS):** Sl1, k to end.

Continue until body measures **5.5" (14 cm)** from underarm, ending with a WS row.

**Optional colorwork hem band (highly recommended for that modern touch!):**
- Work **Chart A** once (3 rows, Sage on Cream). *108 ÷ 4 = 27 repeats ✓*
- Purl 1 row WS in MC.

**Hem ribbing:** Switch to **US 5**.
- Row 1 (RS): Sl1, [k1, p1] to last st, k1.
- Repeat for **1.5" (4 cm)**.
- Bind off loosely in pattern.

Body length total: ~7" ✓

---

### 🧦 Sleeves (Worked in the Round)

Transfer 36 held sleeve sts to **US 7 DPNs or magic loop**. With MC, starting at center of underarm CO:

- Pick up 2 sts from underarm CO, k36 sleeve sts, pick up 2 sts from underarm CO, pm for BOR. **40 sts.**

Knit 4 rounds plain in MC.

**Decrease Round:** K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, ssk, k1. *(−2 sts)*

Repeat dec round every **6th round, 3 more times**. **32 sts remain.**

*Math check: 40 − (2 × 4) = 32 ✓*

Work even until sleeve measures **4.5" (11.5 cm)** from underarm.

**Sleeve colorwork cuff band:** Work **Chart A** once. *32 ÷ 4 = 8 repeats ✓*

Purl 1 round MC (to create a fold line / reset).

**Cuff ribbing:** Switch to **US 5**. Work [k1, p1] ribbing for **1.5" (4 cm)**.
Bind off loosely in pattern.

Repeat for second sleeve.

---

### 🌸 Button Bands

Decide which side is your buttonhole side:
- **Girl's tradition:** buttonholes on **right front** (wearer's right)
- **Boy's tradition:** buttonholes on **left front**
- **Modern / unisex:** your choice! 💕

#### Button Band (no buttonholes — worked first)

With **US 5** and **MC**, RS facing, starting at lower hem of chosen front, pick up and knit **3 sts for every 4 rows** along the front edge, plus every st along the neck curve.

For a 9" front + neckband: pick up approximately **54 sts** (adjust as needed — aim for an odd number).

Work [k1, p1] ribbing for **1" (2.5 cm)**. Bind off in pattern.

#### Buttonhole Band

With **US 5** and **MC**, RS facing, starting at neck edge of opposite front, pick up same count as button band (**54 sts**).

- Rows 1–3: [k1, p1] rib.
- **Buttonhole Row (RS):** Work in rib for 3 sts, *yo, k2tog (in pattern), work 9 sts in rib*; repeat from * 4 more times, work in rib to end. **5 buttonholes.**
- Continue in rib for 3 more rows (to match 1" total). Bind off in pattern.

*Buttonhole spacing check: 3 + (5 × 11) − 2 + remaining = 54 sts ✓. Adjust first/last spacing to center buttonholes vertically.*

Sew buttons onto button band opposite each buttonhole.

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## 🫧 Finishing & Blocking (for Stranded Colorwork)

1. Weave in all ends on the WS, following color paths so tails disappear into matching stitches.
2. **Soak** the cardigan in lukewarm water with wool wash for 20 minutes.
3. Gently squeeze (don't wring!) and roll in a towel.
4. **Lay flat**, gently stretch the colorwork yoke in all directions to even out stranded tension.
5. Pin to finished measurements, paying special attention to:
   - Straight raglan lines
   - Even yoke circumference
   - Square underarms
6. Allow to dry completely (24–48 hours).

*Blocking is magic for colorwork — it's where your bears find their final cozy shape!* 🐻✨

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## 💌 Designer's Note

You did it! This little cardigan carries a whole meadow's worth of charm, and the bears will be a keepsake your little one (or the lucky gift-ee) treasures. Don't stress perfection on your first colorwork row — tension evens out, floats relax with blocking, and the finished piece will be utterly magical.

*Happy knitting, and give those tiny bears a little pat from me.* 🌼🧶

— *Pattern © for personal use. Share your finished cardigans with #LittleBearMeadow!*