Leo Cardigan - Knitting Pattern For Kids in Debbie Bliss Luna

Leo Cardigan – Knitting Pattern for Kids in Debbie Bliss Luna

The Leo Cardigan is a charming and classic children's knitting pattern designed by Debbie Bliss, worked in the luxurious Debbie Bliss Luna yarn. This beautifully structured cardigan is sized to fit babies and toddlers aged 3–6, 6–12, 12–18, and 18–24 months, making it a versatile wardrobe staple for little ones across their earliest years. With finished chest measurements ranging from 57 cm (22½ in) to 72 cm (28¼ in) and lengths to shoulder from 26 cm to 37 cm, the pattern grows neatly with the child.

What Is Being Made

The Leo Cardigan is a seamed, flat-knitted children's cardigan featuring a rich cable and rib pattern as its primary design element. The finished garment is a structured, button-front cardigan with set-in or tailored sleeves, designed to be both practical and stylish for everyday wear. The textured cable detailing gives the piece a timeless, heirloom quality that makes it equally suitable as a gift or a keepsake garment.

Techniques Used

• Seamed construction: The cardigan is worked in separate flat pieces — typically a back, two fronts, and sleeves — which are then sewn together. This traditional method gives the finished garment excellent structure and shape retention.
• Cables: The signature technique of this pattern is the C4F (Cable 4 Front), which involves slipping 2 stitches onto a cable needle and holding them at the front of the work, knitting the next 2 stitches, and then knitting the 2 stitches from the cable needle. This creates the classic twisted rope effect that defines the Leo Cardigan's texture.
• Buttonholes: The pattern includes neatly worked buttonholes to accommodate 5 buttons, integrated into the button band for a clean, professional finish.
• Buttons: Five buttons are required to fasten the front of the cardigan, adding a functional and decorative detail.
• Worked flat: All pieces are knitted back and forth in rows rather than in the round, which is the traditional approach for seamed garments and allows for precise shaping.
• Make One Purl (m1p): An increase technique used within the pattern, worked by picking up and purling into the back of the loop between stitches, creating a neat, nearly invisible increase.

Stitches Used

• Cable stitch (C4F): The central decorative stitch of the pattern, creating a four-stitch front-crossing cable panel throughout the body and sleeves.
• Rib stitch: Used in combination with the cable panels to create the overall cable and rib pattern that defines the fabric of the cardigan. Rib stitches add elasticity and texture, helping the garment hug the body comfortably.
• Knit (k) and Purl (p): The foundational stitches used throughout all sections of the pattern.
• Increases (inc, m1p): Shaping stitches used to form the sleeve tapers and body shaping.

Materials Required

• Yarn: Debbie Bliss Luna in Charcoal 02 — a 4-ply weight yarn, sold in 25g/¾oz balls. You will need 7, 8, 8, or 9 balls depending on the size being knitted. Luna is a fine, lightweight yarn that produces a beautifully defined stitch definition, making it ideal for showcasing the cable and rib texture of this design.
• Knitting Needles: A pair of 3mm (US 2-3) knitting needles and a pair of 3.25mm (US 3) knitting needles are required. A 3mm (US 2-3) circular needle is also needed, likely for picking up and working the button bands.
• Cable Needle: Essential for working the C4F cable