Tammy-Li’s favourite cardigan ~ Easy-peasy and mega-fun!

It’s time once again to lose those parkas, people! Here at Thematic Stitchings, we love the North country, especially in spring. Nature lightens up its colours, tossing forth crocuses and new shoots of grass framed by sapphire skies.

The kids are thrilled to lighten up their wardrobes, trading coats and boots for sweaters and running shoes.

Blue variegated baby weight in garter stitch

This baby-soft sweater was so easy to create, it was almost embarrasing. For the newbie who wants to graduate from scarves to sweaters, I recommend a project like this. Using a high quality variegated Double Knit-weight acrylic (I used King Cole “Splash” variegated) build the back first. I used a 3.25 mm needle, but be sure to make a guage swatch before you begin to check for tension and size. Cast on 76 stitches for the back and knit in a simple garter stitch, knit every row.

When casting on, match variegated yarn colours

My tip #1: When using a high quality variegated yarn, always cast on from the same point in the colour variegations. This way, your colours will flow in tandem for the project.

Shape armholes by casting off 8 st

Depending on your child’s age and height, continue in garter stitch for approximately 12 inches. Then shape the armholes. Cast off 8 stitches on the right side, knit the rest of the row. Then cast off 8 stitches on the wrong side and knit the rest of the row.

My tip #2: Use your child’s size as a guide for how and when to shape the armholes.

For next 4 rows, decrease 1 stitch at each end of row by knitting 2 together. Continue in garter stitch till back = approx 17-1/2 to 18 inches from bottom, or 5-1/2 to 6 inches from armhole shaping.

To shape shoulders, cast off 11 stitches on right side and knit rest of row. Next row, cast off 11 st on wrong side, knit rest of row. Next 2 rows, repeat this. Then cast of all remaining stitches.

For front, left side panel, cast on 40 stitches.
Row 1 (right side): Knit 34 st, Purl 6
Row 2 (wrong side): Knit all
Row 3 (right side): Knit all
Row 4 (wrong side): Purl 6, knit 34

Continue till panel = approx 12 inches. (Be sure to measure against Back panel.) Then shape left armhole to match armhole on back panel. Continue in pattern for 2-1/2 inches, then shape neckline.
On wrong side, cast off 6 stitches, knit remaining.
On right side, knit all till 2 st remain, knit 2 together.
On wrong side, knit 2 tog, knit remaining.

Continue to knit all till panel reaches approx 17-1/2 to 18 inches from bottom, then:
On right side, cast off 11 st, knit rest.
On wrong side, knit all
On right side, cast off 11 st, knit rest
On wrong side, knit all
On right side, cast off all.

Right panel will be a mirror image of left panel, except that you will insert 6 buttonholes in the panel
Row 1 (right side): Purl 6, knit rest.
Row 2 (wrong side): Knit all
Row 3 (right side): Knit all
Row 4 (wrong side): Knit 34, purl 6

My tip #3: Always create the left front panel first, so you can determine where to place buttonholes when you create right front panel.

To create buttonholes, place safetypin markers on the left panel to ensure spacing is exact. When you are ready to place a buttonhole:
On right side: Knit 2, cast off 2, knit 2 (Or if pattern calls for it, P2, Cast off 2, P2)
On wrong side: Knit 34, K2, make 2 stitches, K2 (Or if pattern calls for it, P2, make 2, P2)
Continue in pattern throughout, till right panel shapes into a mirrored version of the left panel.

Sleeves: Cast on 36 stitches. Work in Garter st, knit all rows, increasing 1 st at each end every 8th row till you have 54 stitches on needle. Continue in garter without increasing till sleeve reaches from your child’s wrist to chld’s underarm. I always leave a little growing room — you can always roll the sleeve up if needed.

Then:
On right side: Cast off 8 stitches, knit rest.
On wrong side: Cast off 8 st, knit rest.
Continue knitting for 2 more inches, reducing 1 st at each end of every row. (reduce 2 st each row.)
Cast off all remaining stitches.

My tip #4: To make up, I prefer using a darning needle and a mattress stitch. You can find “how-to” on mattress stitching in almost any knitting reference guide. The reason I prefer it is that it allows the garment pieces to fit together smoothly, without a lot of seam-bulk.

Tack collar down with matching buttons

When sweater is made up, use a 3.25 mm circular needle to pick up stitches around the neckline to create the collar. Pick up a multiple of 4 st plus 2.
Row 1 (right side): *Purl 2, Knit 2,* continue to last 2 st, Purl 2
Row 2 (wrong side): *Knit 2, Purl 2,* continue to last 2 st, Knit 2

Continue this 2-row pattern till collar is desired length, approx 2-1/2 or 3 inches. I used extra matching buttons to tack down the collars.

Tammy-Li's favourite blue cardigan

Tammy very graciously agreed to model the sweater for us, so here it is!
If you have questions about this or any other project, feel free to reach me directly through my contact page.

The First Excellence

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However, if you’re more interested in following this crafty bird through the labyrinth of fabric and yarn that we call a life, you can always join me on my Just Knittin’ Twitter site under @DCarrickCrafts . Either way, I’d love to meet you on FaceBook, so be sure to look me up!

Best in knitting and living passionately,

Donna Carrick