Mia Cardigan

Mia Cardigan by CrepleKnits

What is Being Made

The Mia Cardigan is a top-down knitted baby cardigan designed for infants ranging from newborn to 12 months old. This downloadable PDF pattern from independent designer CrepleKnits features a decorative front pattern and button closure, making it a charming layering piece for babies in sizes 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-9 months, and 9-12 months.

Garment Specifications

• Width: 22 cm (0-3 months), 24 cm (3-6 months), 25 cm (6-9 months), 27 cm (9-12 months)
• Length: 25 cm (0-3 months), 28 cm (3-6 months), 30 cm (6-9 months), 33 cm (9-12 months)
• Yarn Requirements: 100 g for smallest sizes, 150 g for larger sizes
• Notions: 6 buttons for front closure

Knitting Techniques

The Mia Cardigan is constructed using a top-down method, a popular approach for baby garments that allows for easy fitting adjustments and minimal seaming. The cardigan features raglan increases worked on every other round on both sides of the raglan stitch markers, creating the characteristic diagonal lines that shape the sleeves and yoke. The sleeves are worked in rounds using double pointed needles, eliminating the need for seaming at the underarm. A decorative pattern adorns the front of the cardigan, adding visual interest to this beginner-friendly design.

Stitches and Abbreviations

The pattern uses fundamental knitting stitches suitable for beginner knitters:

• k — knit stitch
• p — purl stitch
• yo — yarn over (creates decorative eyelets)
• k2tog — knit 2 together (decreases)
• ssk — slip, slip, knit (slip two stitches knitwise, move the slipped stitch back to the left needle, and knit them together through the back loop)
• sl — slip a stitch

Materials and Gauge

The Mia Cardigan calls for DK weight yarn, a lightweight option ideal for baby garments. The suggested yarn is LANG YARNS Merino 120, which offers 120 meters per 50-gram ball, providing a soft and breathable fiber suitable for delicate infant skin. The pattern is worked at a gauge of 22 stitches by 30 rows over 10 centimeters using size 4 mm needles for the main fabric and size 4 mm double pointed needles for working the sleeves in the round. Achieving the correct gauge is essential for proper fit in baby garments.

Difficulty Level

Rated as a beginner project, the Mia Cardigan is an excellent introduction to top-down raglan construction and circular knitting. The pattern includes visual instructions and a row checklist to guide knitters through the process, making it accessible to those new to garment knitting.