Two Way Cardigan - Knitting Pattern for Babies in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino

Two Way Cardigan – Knitting Pattern for Babies in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino

This Two Way Cardigan is a charming and versatile baby knitting pattern designed by Debbie Bliss, crafted to be worn in two different ways — making it a wonderfully practical addition to any little one's wardrobe. As a downloadable PDF, this pattern is available instantly and written in UK terminology with US terminology provided in brackets, ensuring accessibility for knitters on both sides of the Atlantic.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a baby cardigan — a classic, seamed garment designed for infants. The "two way" nature of the design means the cardigan can be worn in more than one configuration, adding flexibility and longevity to the garment. It is a neat, fitted knit that suits newborns and young babies, making it an ideal handmade gift or a wardrobe staple for everyday wear.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern is written specifically for Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, a beloved sport weight yarn that blends the softness of cashmere with the practicality of merino wool and microfibre. This yarn is renowned for being gentle against delicate baby skin, machine washable, and available in a wide palette of colours. Using the recommended yarn ensures the correct tension and drape for the finished garment.

• Yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino
• Weight: Sport weight
• Tools: Knitting needles in the size specified within the pattern PDF
• Notions: Buttons for fastening

Techniques Used

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it well suited to knitters who are comfortable with the basics and ready to develop their skills further. The construction is worked flat — meaning the pieces are knitted back and forth in rows rather than in the round — and then seamed together to create the finished three-dimensional garment. Seaming is an important finishing skill, and this pattern provides good practice in joining knitted pieces neatly.

• Worked flat: All pieces are knitted back and forth in rows on straight or circular needles.
• Seamed construction: Individual pieces — such as the back, fronts, and sleeves — are knitted separately and then joined using seaming techniques.
• Buttonholes: The pattern includes worked buttonholes, a key intermediate technique that requires careful stitch management to create neat, functional openings for buttons.
• Button bands: Buttons and corresponding bands are incorporated into the design, providing the classic cardigan opening and closure.

Stitches Used

The pattern draws on a range of standard knitting stitches and techniques. Based on the abbreviations and glossary provided, knitters can expect to work with the following:

• Knit (k) and Purl (p): The fundamental building blocks of all knitted fabric, used throughout the pattern.
• Garter stitch: Created by knitting every row, producing a ridged, reversible fabric — often used for borders and bands in baby garments.
• Moss stitch (seed stitch): An alternating knit-and-purl pattern that creates a textured, non-curling fabric. For an odd number of stitches, the pattern is K1, [P1, K1] repeated to the end on every row. For an even number, the first row is [K1, P1] and the second row is [P1, K1], alternating throughout.
• Ribbing: Alternating knit and purl stitches worked in columns to create an elastic, structured fabric — commonly used for cuffs and edgings.
• Increases: Including kfb (knit into the front and back of a stitch) and m1 (make one, lifting the strand between stitches and knitting into the back of it) to add stitches where shaping is required.
• Decreases: Including skpo (slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over), k2tog (knit two stitches together), sk2togpo, and s