Little Skipper Baby Boy Cardigan

Easy knitted cardigan in stocking stitch with 2×2 rib, set-in sleeves and button bands. Worked flat in pieces from the bottom up.

MATERIALS

Yarn: Worsted / aran weight (approx. 10-ply). Smooth wool or wool-blend, machine-washable recommended.
Amount: 200 (250, 300, 350, 400) g; about 400 (500, 600, 700, 800) m.

Needles:

• 4.5 mm (UK 7) for stocking stitch
• 3.75 mm (UK 9) for ribbing
• Spare needle or circular for picking up bands

Notions: Stitch holders, tapestry needle, 5 (5, 6, 6, 6) buttons 15 mm, 4 stitch markers.

GAUGE

Tension (gauge): 20 sts and 26 rows = 10 cm in stocking stitch on 4.5 mm needles, after blocking.
Adjust needle size if needed.

SIZES

To fit age: 0–3 (3–6, 6–12, 12–18, 18–24) months
Finished chest (buttoned): 46 (50, 54, 60, 66) cm (18 (19¾, 21¼, 23½, 26) in)
Back length: 24 (26, 28, 31, 34) cm
Sleeve length to underarm: 13 (15, 17, 19, 21) cm

Instructions are written for the smallest size with larger sizes in parentheses. When only one number is given, it applies to all sizes.

ABBREVIATIONS

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

NOTES

• Selvedge: work first and last stitch of every row in stocking stitch for seaming (knit on RS, purl on WS) unless otherwise stated.
• When decreasing, work decreases one stitch in from the edge.
• Buttonholes are on the left front (as worn) for a traditional boy’s cardigan. Reverse if preferred.
• Block pieces before seaming.

BACK

With 3.75 mm needles, CO 42 (46, 50, 56, 62) sts.

Rib: *K2, p2; rep from * to last 2 sts, k2.
Work in 2×2 rib for 4 cm, ending with a WS row.

Change to 4.5 mm needles.
Work in st st until piece measures 14 (15, 16, 18, 20) cm from CO, ending with a WS row.

Shape armholes
BO 3 (3, 4, 4, 5) sts at beg of next 2 rows. 36 (40, 42, 48, 52) sts.
Dec 1 st each end of every RS row 3 (4, 4, 5, 5) times. 30 (32, 34, 38, 42) sts.
(Each pair of decreases: 36 − 6 = 30; 40 − 8 = 32; 42 − 8 = 34; 48 − 10 = 38; 52 − 10 = 42 ✓)

Work even until armhole measures 10 (11, 12, 13, 14) cm, ending with a WS row.

Shape shoulders
BO 8 (8, 9, 10, 11) sts at beg of next 2 rows.
Place rem 14 (16, 16, 18, 20) sts on a holder for back neck.

FRONTS

Work two fronts alike until neck shaping, then reverse.

Right front (as worn — button side for girls; no holes)

With 3.75 mm needles, CO 24 (26, 28, 31, 34) sts.

Rib:
0–3, 3–6, 6–12: *K2, p2; rep from * to last 0 (2, 0) sts, k0 (2, 0).
12–18, 18–24: k3, *p2, k2; rep from * to last 0 (3) sts, k0 (3) — or work 2×2 as even as possible, keeping 1 selvedge st each end.

Work rib for 4 cm, ending WS.

Change to 4.5 mm. St st until same length as Back to armhole, ending with a RS row (so armhole BO is at the side edge on WS? For right front, armhole is at the beg of WS rows).

Shape armhole (right front)
Next row (WS): BO 3 (3, 4, 4, 5) sts, p to end. 21 (23, 24, 27, 29) sts.
Dec 1 st at armhole edge on every RS row 3 (4, 4, 5, 5) times. 18 (19, 20, 22, 24) sts.

Work even until armhole measures 7 (8, 9, 10, 11) cm, ending with a WS row.

Shape neck
Next row (RS): BO 4 (5, 5, 6, 7) sts, k to end. 14 (14, 15, 16, 17) sts.
Dec 1 st at neck edge every RS row 6 (6, 6, 6, 6) times. 8 (8, 9, 10, 11) sts.
Work even until armhole matches Back. BO rem sts.

Left front (buttonholes)

Work as Right Front, reversing shapings (armhole BO at beg of RS rows) and working buttonholes on the rib later on the band, not on the front itself.

Armhole: BO 3 (3, 4, 4, 5) at beg of next RS row, then dec at armhole every RS row 3 (4, 4, 5, 5) times.
Neck: BO 4 (5, 5, 6, 7) at beg of a WS row (neck edge), then dec at neck every RS row 6 times to 8 (8, 9, 10, 11) sts. BO.

SLEEVES (make 2)

With 3.75 mm needles, CO 30 (32, 34, 36, 38) sts.
Work 2×2 rib for 3.5 cm, ending WS.

Change to 4.5 mm. St st, inc 1 st each end of next RS row then every 6th (6th, 6th, 8th, 8th) row until 40 (44, 48, 52, 56) sts.
(Inc pairs: 5 (6, 7, 8, 9) times: 30+10=40; 32+12=44; 34+14=48; 36+16=52; 38+18=56 ✓)

Work even until sleeve measures 13 (15, 17, 19, 21) cm from CO, ending WS.

Shape sleeve cap
BO 3 (3, 4, 4, 5) sts at beg of next 2 rows. 34 (38, 40, 44, 46) sts.
Dec 1 st each end of every RS row 8 (9, 10, 11, 12) times. 18 (20, 20, 22, 22) sts.
BO 3 sts at beg of next 2 rows. 12 (14, 14, 16, 16) sts.
BO rem sts.

BUTTON_BANDS

Join shoulders. With RS facing and 3.75 mm needles, pick up and knit along left front (as worn) from hem to neck, across back neck holder sts, and down right front, at about 3 sts per 4 rows on vertical edges plus 1 st per CO/BO st.

Count: aim for a multiple of 4 plus 2 (for 2×2 rib starting and ending k2). Adjust by 1–2 sts if needed.

Work 5 rows 2×2 rib.

Buttonholes (left front as worn): On next RS row, work 5 (5, 6, 6, 6) buttonholes evenly spaced from hem to start of neck shaping: (k2tog, yo) in k2 columns.
Work 4 more rows rib. BO in rib.

Sew buttons to right front band to match.

FINISHING

Sew sleeve caps into armholes. Sew side and sleeve seams. Weave in ends. Block to measurements. Attach buttons.

Care: Follow yarn label; typically 30 °C wool cycle, dry flat.