Cardigans, Hat & Mittens in Stylecraft Wondersoft DK - 9480 - Downloadable PDF

Cardigans, Hat & Mittens in Stylecraft Wondersoft DK – Pattern 9480

This Stylecraft pattern 9480 is a delightful collection of baby and toddler knitting designs worked in Wondersoft DK yarn. The set includes a Wrap Cardigan, a V Neck Cardigan, a Hat, and Mittens, all sized from Newborn through to 12–14 months. With chest measurements ranging from 36 cm (14 in) to 51 cm (20 in) and actual finished measurements from 41 cm to 56 cm, the patterns are designed to grow with a baby through their first year. The collection is rated as intermediate in difficulty and is available as a downloadable PDF, making it instantly accessible for knitters ready to start a project right away.

Yarn and Materials

All designs in this collection are worked in Stylecraft Wondersoft DK, a soft double knitting weight yarn particularly well suited to baby garments. The pattern showcases two colourways: Denim 1312 for the Wrap Cardigan, Hat, and Mittens set, and Misty 1336 for the V Neck Cardigan, Hat, and Mittens set. Each complete set requires 1 to 2 x 100g balls depending on the size being made.

The pattern also notes alternative yarn options, specifically Stylecraft Special for Babies DK and Stylecraft Lullaby DK, though knitters are advised to check meterage carefully when substituting, as ball quantities may vary.

Required needles include:

• 1 pair of 4mm (UK8 / US6) knitting needles – used for the main body of all garments
• 1 pair of 3.25mm (UK10 / US3) knitting needles – used for borders, cuffs, and ribbed sections
• 1 x 3.25mm (UK10 / US3) 80cm circular needle – required for the V Neck Cardigan neckband
• 3 to 4 buttons – for the V Neck Cardigan, quantity depending on size

The Wrap Cardigan

The Wrap Cardigan is a charming crossover-style baby cardigan with a distinctive front overlap and a decorative lace panel. It is described as one of 4 Easy Lace designs within the pattern collection, making it approachable even for knitters who are newer to lace techniques.

Construction begins with the Left Front, cast on using the thumb method with 3.25mm needles. An initial border of 6 rows of garter stitch is worked before switching to 4mm needles for the body. The lace pattern is introduced through an 8-row repeat that combines knit rows, purl rows, and a lace row featuring P2tog and yarn round needle (yrn) to create the eyelet effect. This lace repeat is worked twice before the piece transitions into stocking stitch for the remainder of the front.

Front shaping is achieved through decreases at the front edge, with the shaping method varying by size to achieve the wrap overlap. The shaped front edge creates the characteristic angled wrap neckline that gives this cardigan its elegant, classic baby look.

Techniques used in the Wrap Cardigan include:

• Thumb cast-on method
• Garter stitch (g-st) – knitting every row, used for borders
• Stocking stitch (st-st) – knit on right side, purl on wrong side, used for the main body
• Lace patterning using P2tog (purl two together) and yrn (yarn round needle) to create eyelets
• Front edge shaping through decreases worked on right-side and wrong-side rows