"Niklas Cardigan" - Cardigan Knitting Pattern in MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino

Niklas Cardigan – Children's Striped Cardigan Knitting Pattern by MillaMia

The Niklas Cardigan is a charming children's striped cardigan knitting pattern designed by MillaMia, worked in their signature Naturally Soft Merino yarn. Sized to fit children aged 1–2, 2–3, 3–4, and 4–5 years, this pattern produces a classic, neatly tailored cardigan with a bold stripe design and a carefully considered three-colour palette. The finished garment is versatile enough for casual everyday wear with jeans or as a polished finishing touch for a party outfit, making it a genuinely practical addition to any child's wardrobe.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a seamed, bottom-up children's cardigan featuring a structured stripe pattern across the body and sleeves. The garment includes a neat button band with three buttons (approximately 18mm/¾in in diameter), making it easy to put on and take off. Actual chest measurements range from 58cm (23in) to 72cm (28¼in), with lengths to shoulder ranging from 28cm (11in) to 40cm (15¾in) and sleeve lengths from 21cm (8¼in) to 28cm (11in), depending on the size selected.

Design Details and Colourwork

One of the most appealing aspects of the Niklas Cardigan is its thoughtful use of a three-colour stripe sequence. Two main colours dominate the body and sleeves, while a third accent shade is introduced in smaller quantities — a clever approach that allows a child's favourite colour to feature prominently without overwhelming the overall design. The stripe sequence is carefully structured across both the body and the sleeves, with the sleeve instructions specifying precise stripe rotations using all three colours in a set order.

The pattern suggests the following colour combination as the primary colourway, all in MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino:

• Midnight (101) – referred to as M (main colour)
• Putty Grey (121) – referred to as A
• Peacock (144) – referred to as B (accent colour, requiring two balls)

Several suggested alternative colourways are also provided within the pattern, including combinations featuring Fuchsia (143), Daisy Yellow (104), Claret (160), Fawn (161), Putty Grey (121), and Seaside (142), giving knitters plenty of creative flexibility to personalise the cardigan.

Techniques Used

The Niklas Cardigan is constructed using a combination of well-established knitting techniques that make it an excellent project for a beginner or improving knitter:

• Bottom-up construction – the garment pieces are worked from the cast-on edge upward, a traditional and intuitive approach for beginners learning garment shaping.
• Worked flat – all pieces are knitted back and forth in rows rather than in the round, keeping the construction straightforward and easy to manage.
• Seamed finishing – the individual pieces (fronts, back, and sleeves) are joined together using seams, producing a structured, durable finish that holds its shape well in a child's garment.
• Stripe knitting – the pattern uses a regular four-row stripe repeat, cycling through the three colours in a defined sequence. Carrying yarn up the side of the work or joining new colours as needed are standard stripe techniques that beginners will find manageable and satisfying.
• Buttonhole construction – the button band includes worked buttonholes to accommodate the three buttons, introducing knitters to this essential garment-finishing skill in a gentle, low-pressure context.
• Sleeve increases – the sleeves are shaped with regular increases worked alongside the stripe sequence. The pattern includes a helpful note clarifying that the increase instructions apply simultaneously with the full stripe sequence from the very beginning of the sleeve, ensuring knitters don't misread the timing of these shaping rows.

Stitches Used

The Niklas Cardigan is primarily worked in the following stitches:

• Stocking stitch (