One-Piece DK Raglan Cardigan

Babies & children — 12 months to 8 years

A quick, seamless cardigan worked from the neck down in one piece. Integrated garter button bands, a shallow scoop-V neck, and raglan sleeves knitted on from the yoke mean there are no seams to irritate little ones and almost no finishing. Designed in machine-washable DK so it is soft, practical, and ready for everyday wear.

Difficulty: Intermediate
Construction: Top-down raglan, worked flat through the yoke and body, sleeves in the round. No seaming.

Sizes

12 months (18 months, 2 years, 4 years, 6 years, 8 years)

Instructions are written for 12 months, with larger sizes in parentheses. When only one number is given, it applies to all sizes. Highlight your size before you begin.

To fit chest: 48 (51, 56, 61, 66, 71) cm / 19 (20, 22, 24, 26, 28) in
Finished chest (buttoned): 56 (60, 65, 70, 76, 82) cm / 22 (23½, 25½, 27½, 30, 32¼) in
Positive ease: approx. 8–11 cm

Choose a size by the child’s actual chest, not age. The 12-month size is written first; if in doubt, size up.

Finished measurements

Yarn

DK (8-ply; 11 wpi) — soft, machine-washable yarn. Superwash wool, wool-acrylic, or cotton-acrylic blends are ideal. Avoid hairy, scratchy, or loosely spun fibres next to a child’s skin.

Approximate metreage: 300 (360, 440, 560, 700, 860) m

Example: Stylecraft Special DK (100% acrylic; 295 m / 100 g): 2 (2, 2, 3, 3, 3) balls.
Other suitable yarns: King Cole Pricewise DK, Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, Cascade 220 Superwash Sport/DK, Debbie Bliss Rialto DK.

Always compare tension, not ball band, and buy an extra ball if you lengthen the body or sleeves.

Needles

• 4 mm (UK 8) circular needle, 60–80 cm long, for yoke and body (worked flat; a circular is simply more comfortable for the stitch count). Straight needles may be used instead.
• 4 mm DPNs, or a long circular for magic loop, for sleeves.
• 3.5 mm (UK 9/10) circular and DPNs (or magic loop) for hem and cuffs.

Use the size needed to match tension.

Notions

• 4 stitch markers
• Waste yarn or stitch holders
• Tapestry needle
• 5 (5, 6, 6, 7, 7) buttons, 12–15 mm diameter
• Sewing needle and thread to match

Tension

22 sts and 30 rows = 10 cm in stocking stitch on 4 mm needles, after blocking (equivalent gauge: 22 sts × 30 rows = 10 cm).

Work a swatch at least 12 cm square, wash and dry it as you will the garment, then measure the centre 10 cm. Change needle size if needed — stitch tension matters more than row tension. If your row tension differs, work to the centimetre measurements, not row counts.

Abbreviations (UK)

BO — not used; cast off is used throughout
cm — centimetre(s)
CO — cast on
g st — garter stitch (knit every row)
k — knit
k2tog — knit 2 together (right-leaning decrease)
m — metre(s) / marker (context)
M1L — make 1 left: lift the strand between sts from front to back and knit through the back loop
M1R — make 1 right: lift the strand between sts from back to front and knit through the front loop
p — purl
pm — place marker
rep — repeat
RS — right side
sm — slip marker
ssk — slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease)
st(s) — stitch(es)
st st — stocking stitch (knit RS, purl WS; knit every round in the round)
WS — wrong side
yo — yarn over

Pattern notes

• The cardigan is worked flat from the neck to the hem, then the sleeves are worked in the round from the underarm down. Nothing is sewn on.
• Button bands are knitted in as you go (5 garter sts at each front edge). When the cardigan is buttoned the bands overlap, so the finished chest is 5 sts narrower than the total body count.
• Buttonholes sit on the Right Front (beginning of RS rows) — traditional girls’ / unisex placement. For a boys’ cardigan, work them on the Left Front (end of RS rows) instead.
• A shallow scoop-V is formed by increasing at each neck edge as well as at the raglans for the first section of the yoke, then raglan-only increases after that.
• Raglan increases: M1R, k1, sm, k1, M1L. The increases lean towards the marker and form a clean 2-st raglan line.
• Length is easily customised: work extra even rows in the body or sleeves before the rib. Keep a little extra length in the body for nappies on the smaller sizes.
• Sew buttons on very securely. For under-threes, check they cannot be pulled off; press-snaps may be substituted.

Buttonholes

Work each buttonhole on a RS row over the Right Front band as follows:

Buttonhole row (RS): K2, yo, k2tog, k1, work in pattern to end.

Place 5 (5, 6, 6, 7, 7) buttonholes:

• the first 1.5 cm below the cast-on edge,
• the last 1.5 cm above the cast-off edge,
• the remainder evenly spaced between.

Tip: as you knit, put removable markers on the Left Front band at the intended button positions. When the Right Front reaches the same length, work the matching buttonhole. Count them as you go so you do not forget the later ones on the body.

Instructions

Neck edge

With 4 mm needle and using a long-tail (or other stretchy) cast-on, CO 53 (53, 57, 57, 63, 71) sts.

Knit 4 rows (garter stitch). The piece should measure about 1.5 cm from the cast-on edge, ending with a WS row.

Set-up row (RS): K5 (Right Front band), k 4 (4, 4, 4, 5, 5) (Right Front), pm, k 6 (6, 8, 8, 10, 12) (Right Sleeve), pm, k 23 (23, 23, 23, 23, 27) (Back), pm, k 6 (6, 8, 8, 10, 12) (Left Sleeve), pm, k 4 (4, 4, 4, 5, 5) (Left Front), k5 (Left Front band).

53 (53, 57, 57, 63, 71) sts ✓

Next row (WS): K5, purl to last 5 sts, k5.

Yoke

Section A — Neck and raglan increases

Work the following 2 rows 6 (6, 7, 7, 7, 7) times.

Neck & Raglan Inc Row (RS): K5, M1L, *knit to 1 st before marker, M1R, k1, sm, k1, M1L; rep from * 3 times more, knit to last 5 sts, M1R, k5.
[+10 sts: +1 at each neck edge and +8 at the raglans]

WS row: K5, purl to last 5 sts, k5.

After 6 (6, 7, 7, 7, 7) repeats:
53 (53, 57, 57, 63, 71) + 10 × 6 (6, 7, 7, 7, 7) = 113 (113, 127, 127, 133, 141) sts ✓

Section counts (band / front / sleeve / back / sleeve / front / band):
5 / 16 (16, 18, 18, 19, 19) / 18 (18, 22, 22, 24, 26) / 35 (35, 37, 37, 37, 41) / 18 (18, 22, 22, 24, 26) / 16 (16, 18, 18, 19, 19) / 5

Section B — Raglan increases only

Work the following 2 rows 10 (12, 12, 15, 17, 19) times, and at the same time work buttonholes on the Right Front band as they fall (see Buttonholes).

Raglan Inc Row (RS): K5, *knit to 1 st before marker, M1R, k1, sm, k1, M1L; rep from * 3 times more, knit to last 5 sts (knit the band).
[+8 sts]

WS row: K5, purl to last 5 sts, k5.

After 10 (12, 12, 15, 17, 19) repeats:
113 (113, 127, 127, 133, 141) + 8 × 10 (12, 12, 15, 17, 19) = 193 (209, 223, 247, 269, 293) sts ✓

Section counts:
5 / 26 (28, 30, 33, 36, 38) / 38 (42, 46, 52, 58, 64) / 55 (59, 61, 67, 71, 79) / 38 (42, 46, 52, 58, 64) / 26 (28, 30, 33, 36, 38) / 5
Check: 10 + 52 (56, 60, 66, 72, 76) + 76 (84, 92, 104, 116, 128) + 55 (59, 61, 67, 71, 79) = 193 (209, 223, 247, 269, 293) ✓

Work 1 WS row even if you did not just finish one.

The yoke should measure approx. 12 (13, 14, 15.5, 17, 18.5) cm from the cast-on edge. If it is short, work even in pattern (garter bands, st st elsewhere, slipping markers) to length, ending with a WS row. If it is already long enough, divide on the next RS row.

Divide body and sleeves

Divide row (RS): K5, knit 26 (28, 30, 33, 36, 38) Right Front sts (to the marker), remove marker, slip the next 38 (42, 46, 52, 58, 64) sleeve sts onto waste yarn, remove marker, cast on 6 (6, 8, 8, 10, 10) sts for the underarm, knit 55 (59, 61, 67, 71, 79) Back sts, remove marker, slip the next 38 (42, 46, 52, 58, 64) sleeve sts onto waste yarn, remove marker, cast on 6 (6, 8, 8, 10, 10) sts for the underarm, knit 26 (28, 30, 33, 36, 38) Left Front sts, k5.

Body: 5 + 26 (28, 30, 33, 36, 38) + 6 (6, 8, 8, 10, 10) + 55 (59, 61, 67, 71, 79) + 6 (6, 8, 8, 10, 10) + 26 (28, 30, 33, 36, 38) + 5 = 129 (137, 147, 159, 173, 185) sts ✓

(When buttoned the 5-st bands overlap: 129 (137, 147, 159, 173, 185) − 5 = 124 (132, 142, 154, 168, 180) sts → 56 (60, 65, 70, 76, 82) cm ✓)

Body

Working flat on these 129 (137, 147, 159, 173, 185) sts, continue in stocking stitch with 5-st garter bands as set, working remaining buttonholes as they fall.

RS: K5, knit to last 5 sts, k5.
WS: K5, purl to last 5 sts, k5.

Work until the body measures 16 (18, 20, 23.5, 27, 29.5) cm from the divide, ending with a WS row. (This leaves 3 cm for the hem.) Lengthen here if you want a longer cardigan.

Hem

Change to 3.5 mm needle.

Rib row (RS): K5, *k1, p1; rep from * to last 6 sts, k1, k5.
Rib row (WS): K5, *p1, k1; rep from * to last 6 sts, p1, k5.

The 119 (127, 135, 149, 163, 175) sts between the bands are odd, so the rib begins and ends with k1 on the RS, sitting neatly next to the garter bands.

Continue in rib as set until the hem measures 3 cm, ending with a WS row. Work any final buttonhole if it falls in this section (keep the yo/k2tog on the garter band; do not rib those 5 sts).

Cast off loosely in pattern (knit the knits, purl the purls, knit the band sts).

Body from underarm to cast-off: 19 (21, 23, 26.5, 30, 32.5) cm ✓
Total length from neck: 30 (33, 36, 41, 46, 50) cm ✓

Sleeves

Work both sleeves the same.

With 4 mm DPNs (or magic loop) and RS facing, return the 38 (42, 46, 52, 58, 64) held sleeve sts to the needle(s). Join yarn at the centre of the underarm. Pick up and knit 6 (6, 8, 8, 10, 10) sts along the underarm cast-on, picking up 1 extra st in each corner gap if a hole wants to form. Place a marker for the beginning of the round (centre underarm).

If you picked up extra corner sts, decrease them on the next round (k2tog at each gap) so you have:

38 (42, 46, 52, 58, 64) + 6 (6, 8, 8, 10, 10) = 44 (48, 54, 60, 68, 74) sts ✓

Knit 6 rounds even (about 2 cm).

Decrease round: K1, k2tog, knit to last 3 sts, ssk, k1. [2 sts decreased]

Work 3 (3, 3, 3, 3, 4) rounds even.

Rep the last 4 (4, 4, 4, 4, 5) rounds 7 (8, 10, 11, 14, 16) more times — that is 8 (9, 11, 12, 15, 17) decrease rounds in total.

44 (48, 54, 60, 68, 74) − 2 × 8 (9, 11, 12, 15, 17) = 28 (30, 32, 36, 38, 40) sts ✓

Knit even until the sleeve measures 13 (15, 18, 22, 26, 30) cm from the underarm, or 3 cm less than the desired finished length.

Cuff

Change to 3.5 mm needles.

Work k1, p1 rib in the round for 3 cm.

Cast off loosely in rib.

Sleeve length from underarm: 16 (18, 21, 25, 29, 33) cm ✓

Finishing

1. Weave in all ends, using underarm tails to close any remaining gap at the join.
2. Block lightly to measurements. Do not stretch the ribbing. A wash-and-lie-flat block is enough for superwash and acrylic.
3. Sew buttons to the Left Front band opposite the buttonholes. Use thread (not yarn) and pass through each button several times; knot securely on the WS. For babies, add a tiny stitch through the button shank so it cannot unscrew, or use snaps.
4. If the neck edge sits a little open, a single row of slip-stitch crochet or a picked-up garter row along the neck is optional — it is not required.

No side seams, no sleeve seams, no shoulder seams.

Schematic (measurements in cm)

                    neck opening (buttoned)
                 __________/\__________
                /                      \
               /        yoke            \
              /   12 (13, 14, 15.5,     \
             /    17, 18.5) cm deep      \
            /______________________________\
            |                              |
            |         body                 |  length 30 (33, 36, 41, 46, 50)
            |                              |
            |______________________________|
   chest (buttoned) 56 (60, 65, 70, 76, 82)

   sleeve 16 (18, 21, 25, 29, 33) from underarm
   upper arm 20 (22, 24.5, 27.5, 31, 33.5)

Customising (quick notes)

• Longer body: add even rows before the hem. For nappies, an extra 2 cm on 12–18 months is often welcome.
• Longer sleeves: add even rounds before the cuff.
• Stripes: change colour every 6 or 8 rows on the body; carry unused yarn up the WS of a garter band.
• Need it faster still: work the whole cardigan in garter stitch on 4 mm (same cast-on and increase counts). The piece will be slightly shorter row-for-row, so work to centimetre measurements.

Checklist before you cast on

• Tension matches 22 sts = 10 cm
• Size chosen by chest measurement, not age
• Yarn is machine-washable and soft
• Buttons (or snaps) ready, 5 (5, 6, 6, 7, 7) of them

Happy knitting.