Sweater & Cardigan in Stylecraft Merry Go Round Chunky - 10046 - Downloadable PDF

Stylecraft Merry Go Round Chunky Pattern 10046 – Children's Sweater and Cardigan Summary

Pattern 10046 from Stylecraft is a downloadable PDF knitting pattern offering two distinct designs for children: a classic pullover sweater and a button-front cardigan. Both garments are worked in Stylecraft Merry Go Round Chunky yarn and feature a beautifully textured cable and twist panel as the main stitch pattern, making them eye-catching yet practical knitwear for everyday wear. The pattern covers five sizes, fitting children aged 2–3, 4–5, 6–7, 8–9, and 10–11 years, with chest measurements ranging from 56 cm (22 in) to 76 cm (30 in) and actual garment measurements from 68 cm to 93 cm across the chest.

Design 1: Children's Pullover Sweater

What Is Being Made

The first design is a children's pullover sweater with set-in or drop-shoulder style sleeves, a ribbed hem and cuffs, and an all-over textured cable panel body. The sweater has a full length ranging from 38 cm (15 in) for the smallest size up to 56 cm (22 in) for the largest, with sleeve lengths from 24 cm (9½ in) to 41 cm (16 in). It is a cosy, structured garment ideal for cooler weather and is shown in Blue Denim shade 3122 of Merry Go Round Chunky.

Techniques Used

• Thumb method cast-on – used to begin the back, front, and sleeve pieces, creating a neat, elastic edge well-suited to chunky ribbing.
• Increasing (pfb – purl into front and back) – worked on a wrong-side row after the ribbing to expand the stitch count before transitioning to the main cable panel, ensuring the fabric sits correctly at the correct tension.
• Cable and twist panel construction – the body is worked flat in rows, with the textured pattern repeated across the width of each piece.
• Stitch holders – used to hold stitches during neckline and shoulder shaping, a standard technique for achieving a tidy, professional finish on children's knitwear.
• Seaming and finishing – the garment is constructed from separate flat-knitted pieces (back, front, sleeves) that are then sewn together.

Stitches Used

• 1x1 Rib (k1, p1) – worked on the smaller 5mm needles for the welts and cuffs, providing elasticity and a tidy border.
• Reverse stocking stitch ground – the background of the main panel is predominantly purl on the right side, giving the cables strong visual contrast.
• T6F (Twist 6 Front) – a cable crossing stitch worked on Row 3 of the pattern repeat, creating a six-stitch front-cross twist that forms the central decorative cable movement.
• T4R (Twist 4 Right) and T4L (Twist 4 Left) – worked on Row 5 of the repeat, these four-stitch twists branch outward from the central cable, creating a spreading, rope-like cable motif.
• Knit and purl combinations – Rows 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 use carefully placed knit and purl stitches to build up the cable structure between crossing rows, maintaining the texture and definition of the panel.

Materials

• Yarn: Stylecraft Merry Go Round Chunky, 100g balls, in Blue Denim 3122. You will need 3 balls for the smallest size up to 6 balls for the largest size.
• Needles: One pair 6mm (UK 4 / USA 10) knitting needles for the main fabric, and one pair 5mm (UK 6 / USA 8) knitting