Deep Blue Sea

Deep Blue Sea Nautical Cardigan by Cindy Newhouse

Project Overview

The Deep Blue Sea is a gender-neutral nautical cardigan designed for babies and toddlers, sized from approximately 9-12 months through 4T. This intermediate-level knitting project features a charming maritime theme with cable anchor motifs and color accents that give young sailors a polished, adventure-ready appearance.

What Is Being Made

A button-front cardigan suitable for infants and toddlers, featuring a classic nautical aesthetic. The garment is designed to be versatile and gender-neutral, making it an ideal handmade gift or wardrobe staple for little ones. The finished chest measurements range from 20 inches to 25 inches across the five available sizes.

Construction Technique

The Deep Blue Sea cardigan is worked from the bottom up, a common approach in modern knitting that allows for easy fitting adjustments and the ability to try on the garment as you progress. This method provides greater control over the final fit, particularly important when designing for growing children.

Stitch Techniques and Details

• Cable Anchor Motif: The signature design element features cable stitches arranged in an anchor pattern, requiring the use of two cable needles to manipulate stitches and create the dimensional, twisted appearance characteristic of cable knitting.
• Increases: The pattern employs multiple increase methods including M1R (Make 1 Right) and M1L (Make 1 Left) worked in reverse stockinette, as well as Kfb (knit front and back) and Kfbf (knit front, back, front) variations for shaping.
• Purl Increases: Pfb (purl front and back) increases are also used, allowing for seamless shaping within textured sections.
• Marker Placement: The pattern uses clip-type markers placed down the sleeves to track stitch placement and pattern repeats, with instructions to place markers (Pm) and slide markers (Sm) at designated points.
• Color Accents: Strategic color work appears at the hem and cuffs, adding visual interest and enhancing the nautical theme.

Finishing Details

The cardigan features six to nine buttons measuring 5/8 inch, allowing customization based on the chosen size. Button placement provides a classic front closure suitable for easy dressing of active toddlers.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern was designed using Premier Cotton Fair yarn in sport weight, a practical blend of 52% cotton and 48% acrylic. This fiber composition offers breathability and durability, making it well-suited for children's garments that require frequent washing. Sport weight yarn creates a fabric with excellent stitch definition, allowing cable and color work details to display beautifully while remaining lightweight enough for layering in various seasons.

Skill Level

Rated as intermediate, this project is appropriate for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to tackle cable work and color changes. The combination of cable techniques, multiple increase methods, and sizing variations requires attention to pattern details and comfort with managing multiple stitch types.