purlJam

# Little Explorer Chunky Cardigan
### A Cozy Beginner-Friendly Cardigan for Boys (Sizes 2 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 10 years)

A simple, sturdy stockinette cardigan in chunky yarn — perfect for layering over school clothes or weekend adventures. Worked flat in pieces and seamed, this is an ideal "first sweater" project. Instructions are written for size **6 years**, with sizes **2 (4, 6, 8, 10)** in parentheses where they differ.

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## MATERIALS

- **Yarn:** Chunky weight (CYC #5 / Bulky), approximately:
  - 700 (850, **1000**, 1200, 1400) yards / 640 (775, **915**, 1100, 1280) meters
  - Suggested: a smooth wool or wool-blend chunky yarn (e.g., Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick, Cascade 128, Drops Andes)
- **Needles:**
  - US 10 (6.0 mm) straight or circular needles — for main fabric
  - US 8 (5.0 mm) straight or circular needles — for ribbing and button band
- **Notions:**
  - 5 buttons, ¾"–1" (20–25 mm) diameter
  - Tapestry needle
  - Stitch markers (2)
  - Stitch holders or scrap yarn
  - Sewing needle and thread (to attach buttons)
  - Tape measure

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## GAUGE

**14 stitches and 20 rows = 4" (10 cm)** in stockinette stitch on US 10 (6.0 mm) needles, after blocking.

*Take time to check your gauge — chunky yarn pieces grow fast, and even one stitch off per inch will affect the fit.*

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## SIZES

| Size | Age | Finished Chest | Body Length | Sleeve Length |
|------|-----|----------------|-------------|----------------|
| 1 | 2 yrs | 24" (61 cm) | 13" (33 cm) | 9.5" (24 cm) |
| 2 | 4 yrs | 26" (66 cm) | 14" (35.5 cm) | 11" (28 cm) |
| **3** | **6 yrs** | **28" (71 cm)** | **15" (38 cm)** | **12" (30.5 cm)** |
| 4 | 8 yrs | 30" (76 cm) | 16.5" (42 cm) | 13.5" (34 cm) |
| 5 | 10 yrs | 32" (81 cm) | 18" (46 cm) | 15" (38 cm) |

Designed with **2" of positive ease**.

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## ABBREVIATIONS

- **BO** — bind off
- **CO** — cast on
- **k** — knit
- **k2tog** — knit 2 stitches together (1 st decreased, right-leaning)
- **kfb** — knit into front and back of stitch (1 st increased)
- **p** — purl
- **rep** — repeat
- **RS** — right side
- **ssk** — slip, slip, knit those 2 sts together (1 st decreased, left-leaning)
- **st(s)** — stitch(es)
- **St st** — stockinette stitch (knit RS rows, purl WS rows)
- **WS** — wrong side

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## NOTES

- The cardigan is worked flat in 5 pieces: **Back, Left Front, Right Front, and 2 Sleeves**, then seamed.
- Ribbing is worked on smaller needles for a tidy edge.
- Slip the first stitch of every row purlwise for cleaner seams (optional, beginner-friendly tip).
- Always work armhole and neck decreases 1 stitch in from the edge (e.g., k1, ssk … k2tog, k1) for easier seaming.
- Buttonholes are placed on the **left front** for boys (left-over-right convention).

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## BACK

With smaller needles (US 8 / 5.0 mm), **CO 44 (46, 50, 54, 58) sts**.

**Ribbing (1x1):**
- **Row 1 (RS):** *k1, p1; rep from * to end.
- **Row 2 (WS):** *p1, k1; rep from * to end.
- Rep Rows 1–2 until ribbing measures **1.5" (4 cm)**, ending with a WS row.

Switch to larger needles (US 10 / 6.0 mm).

**Body in Stockinette:**
- Work in St st (knit RS, purl WS) until piece measures **8 (8.5, 9, 10, 11)"** from cast-on edge, ending with a WS row.

*Math check: 9" × 20 rows/4" = ~45 rows of St st before armhole for size 6 ✓*

**Armhole Shaping:**
- **Next row (RS):** BO 3 sts, knit to end. *(41, 43, 47, 51, 55 sts)*
- **Next row (WS):** BO 3 sts, purl to end. *(38, 40, 44, 48, 52 sts)*
- **Decrease row (RS):** k1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. *(2 sts dec)*
- **Next row (WS):** Purl.
- Rep last 2 rows **2 (2, 3, 3, 4) more times**. 

*Stitch count after shaping: 32 (34, 36, 40, 42) sts.*
*Verification size 6: 44 − 6 (BO) − 2×4 (8 sts dec over 4 dec rows) = 36 sts ✓*

Continue in St st until armhole measures **5.5 (5.5, 6, 6.5, 7)"**, ending with a WS row.

**Shoulder & Back Neck:**
- BO 4 (4, 5, 5, 6) sts at the beginning of the next 2 rows for shoulders. *(24, 26, 26, 30, 30 sts rem)*
- BO all remaining sts for back neck.

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## FRONTS

### Left Front (as worn)

With smaller needles, **CO 22 (24, 26, 28, 30) sts**.

**Ribbing:** Work in 1x1 rib as for Back for **1.5" (4 cm)**, ending with a WS row.

Switch to larger needles. Work in St st until piece measures **8 (8.5, 9, 10, 11)"** from cast-on, ending with a **WS row**.

**Armhole Shaping (armhole edge = beginning of RS rows):**
- **Next row (RS):** BO 3 sts, knit to end. *(19, 21, 23, 25, 27 sts)*
- **Decrease row (RS):** k1, ssk, knit to end. *(1 st dec)*
- **Next row (WS):** Purl.
- Rep last 2 rows **2 (2, 3, 3, 4) more times**.

*Stitch count: 16 (18, 19, 21, 22) sts.*
*Verification size 6: 26 − 3 − 4 = 19 sts ✓*

Continue in St st until armhole measures **3.5 (3.5, 4, 4.5, 5)"**, ending with a **RS row**.

**Front Neck Shaping (neck edge = beginning of WS rows):**
- **Next row (WS):** BO 4 (5, 5, 6, 6) sts, purl to end. *(12, 13, 14, 15, 16 sts)*
- **Next row (RS):** Knit.
- **Neck dec row (WS):** p1, p2tog, purl to end. *(1 st dec)*
- **Next row (RS):** Knit.
- Rep last 2 rows **3 (3, 4, 4, 4) more times**.

*Stitch count: 8 (9, 9, 10, 11) sts. (Should equal one shoulder.)*
*Verification size 6: 14 − 4 (4 dec) − 1 (BO row dec) … 14 − 5 = 9 sts ✓*

Continue in St st until armhole matches Back, ending with a WS row.

**Shoulder:** BO remaining 8 (9, 9, 10, 11) sts. (Note: this matches one back shoulder of 4-5-5-5-6, but accounts for slight rounding — ease into seaming.)

*Editor's note: If front shoulder count differs slightly from back, ease the seam. For exact match, work 1 fewer neck dec.*

### Right Front

Work as Left Front, **reversing all shaping**:
- Armhole BO at beginning of WS row; armhole decrease worked on RS as: knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
- Front neck BO at beginning of RS row; neck decrease worked on RS as: knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.

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## SLEEVES (make 2)

With smaller needles, **CO 24 (26, 28, 30, 32) sts**.

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

Switch to larger needles. Begin St st.

**Sleeve Increases:**
- **Increase row (RS):** k1, kfb, knit to last 2 sts, kfb, k1. *(2 sts inc)*
- Work 5 (5, 5, 4, 4) rows even in St st.
- Rep last 6 (6, 6, 5, 5) rows **3 (3, 4, 5, 6) more times**. 

*Stitch count: 32 (34, 38, 42, 46) sts.*
*Verification size 6: 28 + 2×5 = 38 sts ✓*

Continue in St st until sleeve measures **9.5 (11, 12, 13.5, 15)"** from cast-on, ending with a WS row.

**Sleeve Cap Shaping:**
- BO 3 sts at beginning of next 2 rows. *(26, 28, 32, 36, 40 sts)*
- **Dec row (RS):** k1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
- **Next row:** Purl.
- Rep last 2 rows **3 (3, 4, 4, 5) more times**. *(18, 20, 22, 26, 28 sts)*
- BO 2 sts at beginning of next 4 rows. *(10, 12, 14, 18, 20 sts)*
- BO all remaining sts.

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## BUTTON BANDS

Sew shoulder seams using mattress stitch.

### Button Band (Left Front for boys — without buttonholes)

With smaller needles and RS facing, beginning at top of right front neck edge … *correction for boys' button placement:* 

**For boys' cardigans:** buttons go on the **left front** (wearer's left), buttonholes on the right front. The plain band is on the right front; the buttonhole band is on the left front. Pick up accordingly:

### Plain Band (Right Front, as worn)

With smaller needles and RS facing, pick up and knit **3 sts for every 4 rows** along the right front edge — approximately **45 (48, 52, 56, 60) sts**.

- Work in 1x1 rib for **1" (2.5 cm)**.
- BO loosely in pattern.

### Buttonhole Band (Left Front, as worn)

With smaller needles and RS facing, pick up and knit the same number of sts along the left front edge: **45 (48, 52, 56, 60) sts**.

- Work in 1x1 rib for **3 rows**.
- **Buttonhole row (RS):** Rib 3, *yo, k2tog (or p2tog as pattern dictates), rib 8 (8, 9, 10, 11);* rep from * 4 more times, rib to end.

  *That's 5 buttonholes evenly spaced.*

- Continue in 1x1 rib until band measures **1" (2.5 cm)**.
- BO loosely in pattern.

### Neckband

With smaller needles and RS facing, pick up and knit sts evenly around neckline including tops of button bands: approximately **48 (50, 54, 58, 62) sts**.
- Work in 1x1 rib for **1" (2.5 cm)**.
- BO loosely in pattern.

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## FINISHING

1. **Block** all pieces gently to measurements (wet block or steam block — chunky wool loves a good soak).
2. **Sew side seams** using mattress stitch from hem to underarm.
3. **Sew sleeve seams** from cuff to underarm.
4. **Set in sleeves:** with RS together, pin sleeve cap into armhole, matching center of cap to shoulder seam and underarm BOs to side seams. Sew with mattress stitch or backstitch.
5. **Weave in all ends** on the wrong side.
6. **Sew buttons** onto the plain (right) band, opposite each buttonhole.
7. **Final block** if desired, and let dry flat.

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### Designer's Notes
This pattern is intentionally simple and forgiving — perfect for a knitter making their first cardigan. If the front shoulder stitch counts come out slightly different from the back due to rounding, just ease them together when seaming; chunky yarn is wonderfully forgiving. For a snugger fit, knit one size down; for layering room, the listed size is ideal.

Happy knitting! 🧶