Child’s Fair Isle Cardigan with Scarf in Schachenmayr Merino Extrafine 120 - 5998 - Downloadable PDF

Child's Fair Isle Cardigan with Scarf in Schachenmayr Merino Extrafine 120 – Pattern Summary

This free downloadable PDF knitting pattern from Schachenmayr includes instructions for two coordinating accessories: a child's Fair Isle cardigan and a matching scarf. The pattern is worked in Schachenmayr Merino Extrafine 120, a popular DK weight yarn, and is sized to fit children in sizes 92/98 and 104/110 (approximate ages 2–5, depending on the child). Together, the cardigan and scarf make a charming, coordinated set ideal for cooler weather.

The Child's Fair Isle Cardigan

The cardigan is the centerpiece of this pattern and features classic Fair Isle colorwork — a traditional stranded knitting technique originating from the Fair Isle in Scotland. In Fair Isle knitting, two or more colors are used across each row, with the unused yarn carried loosely across the back of the work to create a fabric with beautiful repeating motifs and excellent warmth.

Construction and Shaping

The cardigan body is worked in one piece from the bottom up to the armholes, which is a practical construction method that minimizes seaming and keeps the colorwork pattern continuous across the front and back panels. At the armhole height — reached at 20 cm for size 92/98 and 23 cm for size 104/110 — stitches are divided and set aside for the left front, right front, and back sections, with stitches bound off at each underarm.

The neckline shaping begins at a total height of 30 cm (size 92/98) or 34 cm (size 104/110), with stitches decreased at the front edges to create a neat, tailored neckline. The pattern provides specific row-by-row instructions for each size, ensuring a well-fitted finish.

Stitch Patterns Used

• Ribbing (Bündchenmuster): The cardigan opens with approximately 2 cm of ribbing worked on smaller needles, providing a neat, elasticated edge at the hem.
• Fair Isle / Stranded Colorwork (Grundmuster): The main body is worked in a 14-stitch repeat colorwork pattern, with the pattern specifying exact row counts for each size. For size 92/98, rows 1–77 and rows 88–91 are worked; for size 104/110, all 91 rows of the repeat are completed once.
• Garter Stitch (Kraus rechts): Referenced in the gauge section, garter stitch is also used in parts of the construction, adding textural contrast and structural stability.

Needles and Gauge

• Smaller needles (size 3–3.5 mm): Used for the ribbed cuffs and edgings.
• Main needles (size 3.5–4 mm): Used for the Fair Isle colorwork body. Gauge is 21 stitches and 24 rows = 10 cm × 10 cm in the colorwork pattern.
• Larger needles (size 4–4.5 mm): Used where garter stitch sections appear. Gauge is 18 stitches and 32 rows = 10 cm × 10 cm in garter stitch.

Colors

The pattern references the color capri as the cast-on color, indicating a multi-color palette is used throughout the Fair Isle design. The Schachenmayr Merino Extrafine 120 yarn range offers a wide spectrum of shades, allowing knitters to follow the original colorway or substitute their own preferred combination.

The Matching Scarf

Alongside the cardigan, this pattern includes instructions for a coordinating child's scarf. The scarf is designed to complement the cardigan's colorwork aesthetic, making the two pieces work together as a cohesive set. While the PDF content provided focuses primarily on the cardigan construction details, the scarf is confirmed as part of this pattern set.

Techniques for the Scarf

• The scarf is likely worked