purlJam

<pattern>

# PLEATED BACK CARDIGAN

A classic child's cardigan featuring a decorative pleat at the centre back for added style and comfort. Worked from the bottom up in pieces with set-in sleeves.

---

## MATERIALS

**Yarn**: Approximately 400-450m of DK weight yarn
- Sample shown uses 2 balls of standard DK yarn (each 100g/225m)

**Needles**: 
- 3.25mm (UK 10, US 3) straight needles for ribbing
- 4mm (UK 8, US 6) straight needles for main body

**Notions**:
- Stitch holders or waste yarn
- Tapestry needle for seaming
- 5 buttons, approximately 15mm diameter
- Sewing needle and thread for attaching buttons

---

## TENSION

22 stitches and 28 rows = 10cm (4") in stocking stitch on 4mm needles

**Important**: Take time to check your tension. Adjust needle size if necessary to achieve correct tension.

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## SIZES

This pattern is written for child's age 2 years.

**Finished Measurements**:
- Chest circumference: 53cm (21")
- Body length from shoulder: 28cm (11")
- Sleeve length from underarm: 20cm (7.75")

---

## 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)
- **st st**: stocking stitch (knit on RS, purl on WS)
- **beg**: beginning
- **rem**: remaining
- **inc**: increase by knitting into front and back of stitch
- **cont**: continue
- **patt**: pattern
- **approx**: approximately

---

## NOTES

1. Cardigan is worked flat in pieces from the bottom up, then seamed together.

2. The back features a centre pleat which is formed at the cast-on edge. Extra stitches are cast on, then the pleat is folded and secured with a row of knitting through multiple layers.

3. All pieces use stocking stitch for the main fabric with rib edgings.

4. Fronts and back are seamed at shoulders, then sleeves are set into armholes. Side and sleeve seams are sewn last.

5. Button bands are picked up after assembly.

6. When working the pleat, take care to align the folds evenly for a neat finish.

---

## BACK

### Form Pleat

With 3.25mm needles, cast on 74 sts.

**Create pleat fold (worked on WS as first row)**:
- Row 1 (WS): This row creates the pleat. Fold work so that 8 sts at right edge sit behind the main fabric, and 8 sts at left edge sit behind the main fabric, with 58 sts in the centre front layer.
- Holding all three layers together: P8 (working through back right layer and front centre layer together), p42 (working through centre layer only), p8 (working through centre layer and back left layer together). You now have 58 sts on needle.

*Pleat is now formed. The 16 "hidden" stitches create the pleat depth of approximately 3.6cm at centre back.*

### Ribbing

Change to 3.25mm needles if not already using them.

Row 2 (RS): K2, *p2, k2; rep from * to end.
Row 3 (WS): P2, *k2, p2; rep from * to end.

Repeat Rows 2-3 three more times (8 rows of ribbing total, including the pleat row). 
Piece measures approximately 2.5cm from fold.

### Body

Change to 4mm needles.

Work in st st (knit on RS, purl on WS) until piece measures 16cm (6.25") from fold edge, ending with a WS row.

**Verify stitch count: 58 sts**

### Armhole Shaping

Cast off 3 sts at beg of next 2 rows. **52 sts remain**
- Math check: 58 - 3 - 3 = 52 ✓

Next row (RS): K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. **50 sts**
Next row (WS): Purl.

Repeat these 2 rows once more. **48 sts remain**
- Math check: 52 - 2 - 2 = 48 ✓

Continue in st st without further shaping until armhole measures 12cm (4.75") from beginning of armhole shaping, ending with a WS row.

Total back length is approximately 28cm from fold edge.

### Shoulder and Neck Shaping

Next row (RS): K14, place centre 20 sts on holder for back neck, join second ball of yarn and k14.
- Math check: 14 + 20 + 14 = 48 ✓

Working both shoulders simultaneously with separate balls of yarn:

**Left shoulder:**
Row 1 (WS): Purl to end.
Row 2 (RS): Knit to last 2 sts, k2tog. **13 sts**
Row 3 (WS): Purl.
Cast off remaining 13 sts.

**Right shoulder:**
Row 1 (WS): Purl to end.
Row 2 (RS): Ssk, knit to end. **13 sts**
Row 3 (WS): Purl.
Cast off remaining 13 sts.

---

## LEFT FRONT

With 3.25mm needles, cast on 30 sts.

### Ribbing

Row 1 (WS): P2, *k2, p2; rep from * to end.
Row 2 (RS): K2, *p2, k2; rep from * to end.

Repeat Rows 1-2 three more times (8 rows ribbing total).
Piece measures approximately 2.5cm from cast-on edge.

### Body

Change to 4mm needles.

Work in st st until piece measures 16cm (6.25") from cast-on edge, ending with a WS row (same length as back to armhole).

**Verify stitch count: 30 sts**

### Armhole Shaping

Next row (RS): Cast off 3 sts, knit to end. **27 sts remain**
- Math check: 30 - 3 = 27 ✓

Next row (WS): Purl.

Next row (RS): K1, ssk, knit to end. **26 sts**
Next row (WS): Purl.

Repeat these 2 rows once more. **25 sts remain**
- Math check: 27 - 2 = 25 ✓

Continue in st st without further shaping until armhole measures 8cm (3.25") from beginning of armhole shaping, ending with a RS row.

### Neck Shaping

Next row (WS): Cast off 6 sts, purl to end. **19 sts remain**
- Math check: 25 - 6 = 19 ✓

Next row (RS): Knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. **18 sts**
Next row (WS): Purl.

Repeat these 2 rows twice more. **16 sts remain**
- Math check: 19 - 3 = 16 ✓

Next row (RS): Knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. **15 sts**
Next row (WS): Purl.
Next row (RS): Knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. **14 sts**
Next row (WS): Purl.
Next row (RS): Knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. **13 sts**
- Math check: 16 - 3 = 13 ✓

Continue in st st without further shaping until armhole measures 12cm (4.75") from beginning of armhole shaping, matching back armhole depth. End with a WS row.

Cast off remaining 13 sts for shoulder.

---

## RIGHT FRONT

With 3.25mm needles, cast on 30 sts.

### Ribbing

Row 1 (WS): P2, *k2, p2; rep from * to end.
Row 2 (RS): K2, *p2, k2; rep from * to end.

Repeat Rows 1-2 three more times (8 rows ribbing total).
Piece measures approximately 2.5cm from cast-on edge.

### Body

Change to 4mm needles.

Work in st st until piece measures 16cm (6.25") from cast-on edge, ending with a RS row (note: opposite ending to left front).

**Verify stitch count: 30 sts**

### Armhole Shaping

Next row (WS): Cast off 3 sts, purl to end. **27 sts remain**
- Math check: 30 - 3 = 27 ✓

Next row (RS): Knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. **26 sts**
Next row (WS): Purl.

Repeat these 2 rows once more. **25 sts remain**
- Math check: 27 - 2 = 25 ✓

Continue in st st without further shaping until armhole measures 8cm (3.25") from beginning of armhole shaping, ending with a WS row.

### Neck Shaping

Next row (RS): Cast off 6 sts, knit to end. **19 sts remain**
- Math check: 25 - 6 = 19 ✓

Next row (WS): Purl.
Next row (RS): K1, ssk, knit to end. **18 sts**

Repeat these 2 rows twice more. **16 sts remain**
- Math check: 19 - 3 = 16 ✓

Next row (WS): Purl.
Next row (RS): K1, ssk, knit to end. **15 sts**
Next row (WS): Purl.
Next row (RS): K1, ssk, knit to end. **14 sts**
Next row (WS): Purl.
Next row (RS): K1, ssk, knit to end. **13 sts**
- Math check: 16 - 3 = 13 ✓

Continue in st st without further shaping until armhole measures 12cm (4.75") from beginning of armhole shaping, matching back armhole depth. End with a WS row.

Cast off remaining 13 sts for shoulder.

---

## SLEEVES (make 2)

With 3.25mm needles, cast on 32 sts.

### Cuff Ribbing

Row 1 (WS): P2, *k2, p2; rep from * to end.
Row 2 (RS): K2, *p2, k2; rep from * to end.

Repeat Rows 1-2 five more times (12 rows ribbing total).
Cuff measures approximately 4cm from cast-on edge.

**Verify stitch count: 32 sts (divisible by 4) ✓**

### Sleeve Body

Change to 4mm needles.

Work in st st AND AT THE SAME TIME increase as follows:

Inc row (RS): K1, inc in next st, knit to last 2 sts, inc in next st, k1. **2 sts increased**

Work inc row every 6th row, 5 times total. **42 sts**
- Math check: 32 + (2 × 5) = 32 + 10 = 42 ✓

Continue in st st without further shaping until sleeve measures 20cm (7.75") from cast-on edge, ending with a WS row.

###