Can Do Cardi in Spud & Chloe Sweater - 201720 - Downloadable PDF

Can Do Cardi in Spud & Chloë Sweater – Knitting Pattern 201720 by Sylvia Hager

The Can Do Cardi is an adorable children's cardigan from the Small Fries Collection – Kiddos line, designed by Sylvia Hager and published as knitting pattern number 201720. Part of the thoughtfully designed range of patterns created specifically for use with Spud & Chloë yarns, this sweet garment is sized for girls ages 4–6 and features a stylish empire waist silhouette that gives it a charming, feminine look. Described as perfect for "that I-can-do-anything little girl in your life," this cardigan is designed to be a versatile, wearable piece suitable for all seasons.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a children's knitted cardigan with an empire waist construction. The finished garment is a button-front cardi featuring shaping at the armholes and neckline, making it a polished, well-fitted piece rather than a simple rectangular pullover. Five ¾-inch buttons are used as closures along the front band, adding a classic, finished touch to the design.

Construction Method

The Can Do Cardi is worked bottom up, beginning at the lower edge of the body and working upward toward the shoulders. The body pieces are worked back and forth (flat knitting) rather than in the round, even though a circular needle is used — a common technique to accommodate the large number of stitches comfortably on the needle without the strain of straight needles. Stitch markers are used throughout to help track shaping and pattern sections. The pattern includes armhole shaping and neck shaping, with bound-off stitches and decrease rows worked at specific intervals to create a clean, tailored fit. Shoulder seams are joined using the three-needle bind-off, a technique in which two needle tips are held parallel with right sides facing, and stitches from both needles are knitted together and bound off simultaneously — creating a neat, seamless-looking join on the inside of the garment.

Techniques Used

• Bottom-up flat knitting on circular needles to manage stitch count
• Empire waist shaping for a fitted, feminine silhouette
• Armhole shaping with bind-offs and decrease rows
• Neck shaping with bind-offs and decrease rows on both right-side and wrong-side rows
• Three-needle bind-off for shoulder seam joining
• Stitch holders or waste yarn used to hold live stitches while other sections are worked
• Increases and decreases for waist and body shaping

Stitches Used

• Knit (k) and purl (p) — the foundational stitches of all knitting, used throughout the body and shaping sections
• K2tog (knit two together) — a right-leaning decrease worked by inserting the needle through two stitches simultaneously and knitting them as one, used in shaping sections
• M1L (make one left) — a left-leaning increase worked by inserting the left needle from front to back under the strand between the last stitch worked and the next stitch, then knitting through the back loop
• M1R (make one right) — a right-leaning increase worked by inserting the left needle from back to front under the strand between stitches, then knitting through the front loop

Materials and Yarn

This pattern is designed specifically for Spud & Chloë Sweater yarn, a worsted-to-aran weight yarn with a fiber content of 55% Superwash Wool and 45% Certified Organic Cotton, available in 100g/160-yard skeins. The superwash treatment makes the finished garment easy to care for — an important quality in children's knitwear. The pattern calls for 4 (4, 5) hanks depending on the size being worked. The cotton content gives the yarn a lovely drape and breathability, making this cardigan comfortable across seasons