Shawl Collar Cardigan, Hat & Blanket in Sirdar Snuggly Bubbly DK and Snuggly DK - 4558 - Downloadable PDF

Sirdar Shawl Collar Cardigan, Hat & Blanket in Snuggly Bubbly DK and Snuggly DK – Pattern 4558

This charming Sirdar pattern (number 4558) is a downloadable PDF offering three coordinating knitted designs for babies and young children: a shawl collar cardigan, a hat, and a blanket. Worked in a combination of Sirdar Snuggly Bubbly DK and Sirdar Snuggly DK, the set makes a beautifully textured and practical gift for newborns through to children aged seven years. The two yarns work together to create visual contrast and tactile interest, with the bubbly texture of the main shade playing against the smooth finish of the contrast shade.

Shawl Collar Cardigan

The centrepiece of the pattern is a classic shawl collar cardigan sized to fit chest measurements from 41 cm (16 in) for newborns up to 66 cm (26 in) for children aged 6–7 years. The actual finished measurements range from 45 cm to 71 cm across the chest, with full lengths from 24 cm to 48 cm and adjustable sleeve lengths from 15 cm to 33 cm, making it a versatile pattern that grows with the child.

The cardigan is knitted flat using two pairs of straight knitting needles — 4 mm (UK8 / USA6) and 3¼ mm (UK10 / USA3) — and is fastened with 4 to 6 buttons depending on the size being made. The shawl collar is a distinctive design feature, creating a cosy, folded neckline that is both practical and stylish for keeping little ones warm.

• Main shade (Snuggly Bubbly DK): worked in stocking stitch, with a tension of 22 stitches and 31 rows to 10 cm on 4 mm needles
• Contrast shade (Snuggly DK): worked in a broken rib pattern, with a tension of 23 stitches and 32 rows to 10 cm on 4 mm needles
• Ribbed welts and cuffs are typically worked on the smaller 3¼ mm needles to create a neat, elasticated edge

Yarn requirements for the cardigan range from 2 balls of Snuggly Bubbly DK and 1 ball of Snuggly DK for the smallest sizes, up to 4 balls of Snuggly Bubbly DK and 2 balls of Snuggly DK for the largest sizes. The recommended colourways are shade 103 or 105 in the main yarn and shade 321 or 449 in the contrast yarn.

Hat

The matching knitted hat is sized to fit an average baby's or child's head for each of the six age ranges covered by the pattern. Like the cardigan, it combines Sirdar Snuggly Bubbly DK as the main shade with Sirdar Snuggly DK as the contrast shade, ensuring a cohesive look across the set. Each size requires just 1 ball of each yarn, making this an economical and quick project.

The hat uses the same needle sizes as the cardigan and the same core stitches — stocking stitch in the bubbly main yarn and broken rib in the smooth contrast yarn — creating a consistent textural theme across all three pieces in the set.

Blanket

The knitted blanket measures approximately 61 x 72 cm (24 x 28¼ in), making it a generous size suitable for a pram, cot, or play mat. It is worked using the same two Sirdar yarns — Snuggly Bubbly DK in shade 105 as the main colour and Snuggly DK in shade 449 as the contrast — and requires 2 balls of the main shade and 3 balls of the contrast shade.

The blanket is