Just Hatched Cardigan

Just Hatched Cardigan by Affiknity

What is Being Made

The Just Hatched Cardigan is a cute, seamless baby cardigan designed for newborns through 24 months. This knit cardigan features a top-down raglan construction that allows crafters to try on the garment as they work and easily customize the body and sleeve lengths to achieve the perfect fit for the intended wearer.

Construction Method and Techniques

This cardigan uses top-down raglan construction, a popular technique in modern knitting that begins at the neckline and works downward to the hem. This method offers several advantages: it eliminates the need for seaming, allows for easy fit adjustments during the knitting process, and makes it simple to modify sleeve and body length without unraveling completed work. The seamless construction creates a polished, professional finish ideal for a baby garment.

A distinctive design feature is the wide border of ringlet stitch worked on both the body and sleeves. This textured stitch adds visual and tactile interest to an otherwise plain stockinette background, creating a charming, finished appearance while maintaining the ease of a primarily stockinette pattern.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette stitch – forms the main body of the cardigan for a smooth, classic fabric
• Ringlet stitch – a decorative textured border applied to the body and sleeves for added visual interest

Yarn and Needles

The Just Hatched Cardigan is knit using worsted weight yarn, which produces a quick knit suitable for last-minute gifts and ensures the project is manageable for intermediate-level knitters. Plymouth Yarn Encore is the recommended yarn choice.

Needle requirements: US 9 (5.5mm) circular needles and US 9 (5.5mm) double-pointed needles (DPNs), or the size required to obtain proper gauge. Circular needles accommodate the large circumference of the body, while DPNs are used for the narrower sleeve sections.

Yardage and Sizing

The pattern includes six size options ranging from newborn through 18-24 months, with finished chest measurements from 14.75 inches to 24.75 inches. Yardage requirements range from 170 yards for the smallest newborn size to 350 yards for the largest 18-24 month size, making this an efficient project in terms of yarn consumption.

Additional Materials and Notions

• 3–5 buttons for the cardigan front closure
• 4 stitch markers to track raglan increases and pattern sections
• Darning needle for weaving in loose ends

Skill Level

Rated as intermediate difficulty, this pattern is suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are comfortable working with circular needles, managing increases for raglan shaping, and executing both stockinette and ringlet stitches. The top-down construction and ability to try on as you go make it an excellent project for building confidence in garment knitting.