Mini Water's Edge

Mini Water's Edge Cardigan by Hannah Fettig

What is Being Made

The Mini Water's Edge is a children's cardigan designed by Hannah Fettig of Knitbot, featured in the CKIDS Collection #2. This is a miniature adaptation of the Water's Edge Cardigan from Coastal Knits, specifically tailored for young children. The garment is sized to fit infants and toddlers ranging from 6 months through 14 years old, with finished chest circumferences spanning from 18 inches up to 32½ inches. The cardigan features a sophisticated design suitable for year-round wear and can be styled casually or dressed up for special occasions.

Design Features and Construction

This cardigan showcases several distinctive design elements that elevate it beyond a basic children's sweater. A well-placed pleat adds visual interest and structure to the garment. The design includes a flared skirt that creates a feminine silhouette appropriate for little girls' wardrobes. Elbow-length sleeves provide versatile coverage for various seasons and layering options.

The hem incorporates short row shaping, a advanced knitting technique that creates subtle curves in the fabric. This shaping mimics the natural contours of a shoreline, which inspired the cardigan's name and design aesthetic. The body length varies by size, ranging from 9¾ inches for the smallest size to 20 inches for the largest size, ensuring proper proportions across the full size range.

Knitting Techniques Used

• Short row shaping: Applied at the hem to create curved shaping that mimics shoreline contours, and utilized in the yoke construction for fitted shoulder shaping
• Wrap and turn (w&t): A short row technique used to prevent holes and create smooth transitions in the shaped sections
• Yoke construction: The cardigan is worked from the top down using a yoke method, beginning with cast-on stitches on a circular needle
• Stitch markers: Used to delineate different sections of the garment during construction

Stitches and Stitch Work

The pattern employs fundamental knitting stitches worked in stockinette stitch, which creates a smooth, classic fabric suitable for children's garments. The construction uses both knit (RS) and purl (WS) stitches in the short row sections to shape the garment. The pattern includes detailed row-by-row instructions for the yoke shaping, with specific stitch counts provided for each size to ensure proper fit and proportion.

Yarn and Materials

The Mini Water's Edge is designed to be worked in worsted weight yarn, a medium-weight yarn that provides good stitch definition and durability for children's garments. The pattern requires circular needles for the yoke-down construction method. Stitch markers are essential notions for tracking pattern sections throughout the knitting process.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty, reflecting the inclusion of short row shaping techniques and yoke construction. While not suitable for complete beginners, knitters with foundational skills in basic stitches and comfortable reading pattern instructions will find this an achievable and rewarding project.