Baby and Girls Cardigans in Hayfield Baby Sparkle DK - 4540 - Downloadable PDF

Baby and Girls Cardigans in Hayfield Baby Sparkle DK – Pattern 4540

This downloadable PDF knitting pattern from Hayfield includes instructions for two charming cardigans designed for babies and young girls, sized from birth through to 7 years. Both designs are worked in Hayfield Baby Sparkle DK, a yarn chosen for its soft handle and gentle shimmer, making these cardigans ideal as everyday garments or special occasion pieces. The pattern covers six sizes to fit chest measurements from 41 cm (16 in) up to 66 cm (26 in), with actual finished measurements ranging from 45 cm to 71 cm, giving a comfortable, slightly relaxed fit across all sizes.

The Two Designs at a Glance

Design One: V Neck Cardie

The first garment is a classic V-neck cardigan featuring a delicate lace border worked sideways along the button band. This elegant finishing detail adds a decorative, feminine touch that suits both babies and older girls. The V-neck shaping creates a neat, tailored neckline that is easy to put on and take off — a practical consideration for young children's knitwear.

• Yarn: Hayfield Baby Sparkle DK, shade 604 — requiring 1 to 2 x 100g balls depending on size
• Buttons: 4 buttons for the three smallest sizes; 5 buttons for the three largest sizes
• Needles: 4mm (UK8 / USA6) and 3¼mm (UK10 / USA3) straight needles, plus a 3¼mm 80cm circular needle if preferred for picking up stitches along the front band

The lace border on the V Neck Cardie is worked sideways and incorporates a simple yet pretty lace repeat using yarn forward (yfwd) and k2tog (knit two together) to create eyelet holes, alongside yarn over needle (yon) increases. This gives the border a light, openwork texture that contrasts beautifully with the smooth stocking stitch body. Knitters pick up stitches evenly along the front edges — between 98 and 152 stitches depending on size — before working the lace pattern.

Design Two: Round Neck Cardie

The second garment is a round neck cardigan, offering a softer, more classic silhouette that is universally flattering on babies and young children. The rounded neckline is a timeless choice for children's knitwear and pairs well with dresses, dungarees, or casual everyday outfits.

• Yarn: Hayfield Baby Sparkle DK, shade 605 — requiring 1 to 3 x 100g balls depending on size
• Buttons: 5 buttons for the three smallest sizes; 6 buttons for the three largest sizes
• Needles: 4mm (UK8 / USA6) and 3¼mm (UK10 / USA3) straight needles

The round neck version uses a slightly greater quantity of yarn than the V-neck version in the larger sizes, reflecting the additional fabric in the neckband and button band construction.

Construction Method

Both cardigans share the same clever seamless construction approach for the body: the back and both fronts are worked in one piece to the armholes, reducing the number of seams required and making finishing simpler and neater. This is a particularly useful technique for children's garments, where smooth, flat seams are important for comfort against delicate skin. After dividing for the armholes, the back and fronts are completed separately before being joined at the shoulders.

The sleeves are worked flat and set in separately. Sleeve length is described as adjustable, ranging from 15 cm (6 in) for the newborn size up to 33 cm (13 in) for the 6–7 years size, allowing knitters to customise the fit as needed.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Stocking stitch