Charley Child's Cardigan - Knitting Pattern For Kids in Willow & Lark Strath by Willow & Lark

Charley Child's Cardigan – Knitting Pattern for Kids in Willow & Lark Strath

The Charley Child's Cardigan is a beautifully textured children's knitting pattern from the Strath Collection by Willow & Lark. Designed for young knitters' wardrobes, this cosy cardigan features charming moss stitch detailing and classic cable work, making it a rewarding project that produces a garment with real handcrafted character. The pattern is available as a downloadable PDF and is rated as an intermediate level knit, making it ideal for knitters who are comfortable with basic techniques and ready to expand their skills.

Sizes and Finished Measurements

The pattern is written to fit children aged 2–3, 3–4, 4–5, 5–6, and 6–7 years, offering excellent versatility across a range of ages. The finished measurements are as follows:

• Width across back: 32 (33, 34.5, 36, 37) cm / 12½ (13, 13½, 14, 14½) in
• Length to back neck: 40 (42, 44, 46, 48) cm / 15¾ (16½, 17¼, 18, 19) in
• Sleeve length: 28 (30, 32, 34, 36) cm / 11 (11¾, 12½, 13½, 14) in

These generous, well-graded measurements ensure a comfortable, wearable fit with room for layering, which is ideal for a chunky-weight children's cardigan.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern is designed specifically for Willow & Lark Strath yarn, which is exclusively available at lovecrafts.com. The sample shown uses the colourway Cornflower Blue, giving the finished cardigan a fresh, classic look. Strath is a chunky weight yarn, sold in 100g / 3½oz balls. You will need:

• 4 balls for sizes 2–3, 3–4, 4–5, and 5–6 years
• 5 balls for size 6–7 years

Chunky weight yarn like Willow & Lark Strath knits up quickly and produces a wonderfully warm, substantial fabric — perfect for a children's cardigan intended for cooler weather. Its weight also allows the moss stitch and cable textures to show up beautifully and with excellent definition.

Needles and Tools

Two needle sizes are required for this pattern:

• 5mm (US 8) knitting needles – used for ribbing and border sections
• 6mm (US 10) knitting needles – used for the main body fabric

You will also need 4 (4, 5, 5, 5) buttons depending on the size being knitted, to fasten the cardigan front bands.

Tension

The recommended tension is 15 stitches and 20 rows to 10cm / 4in, measured over stocking stitch using 6mm (US 10) needles. As always with knitting patterns, achieving the correct tension is essential to ensure the finished garment matches the stated measurements. Knitters are encouraged to swatch before beginning and adjust needle size if necessary.

Techniques and Stitches Used

The Charley Child's Cardigan brings together a satisfying range of techniques that make it a genuinely engaging intermediate-level project:

• Moss stitch: A classic textured stitch created by alternating knit and purl stitches across rows, offset on each subsequent row. Moss stitch creates a firm, non-curling fabric with a beautifully bumpy, tactile surface — ideal for borders, yokes, and decorative panels on children's knitwear.
• Cables: