Children’s Knit Dream of a Cardigan Pattern

As I mentioned in the adult Dream of a Cardigan Pattern, our 11 year old was hoping that she would get to keep the one I made for myself after she tried it on. I love the cardigan too much to give it up, but couldn’t resist the love for it that I saw in her eyes, too.

So, we went to Michaels to pick out what color of yarn she wanted for her own Dream of a Cardigan. She picked out this lighter blue color, that honestly, in the store I was not fond of. But, she loved it and had decided upon it. I even took her picture with several up against her shoulder so that she could see how it looked next to her. With her having more red in her hair it does impact how some colors look, but for the most part all looked good. She liked the blue the best and thought it would work well with many of the things in her wardrobe. So, the yarn was purchased and now I needed to make her one of her own.

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As the yarn was working up into larger sections of the sweater, my opinion changed on the color she chose. In the skein it looked a bit harsh and too chromatic for my taste, not really girlie or an easy to wear color. However it knit up into this beautiful bright blue that really does work with a lot of the clothes our daughter already had. Maybe I should start letting her pick out some of my next colors for my sweaters and see how it goes. I may find a new favorite color to wear that I wouldn’t have expected.

With kid sizes from 2-16 I’m sure you will be able to find a size to fit the little loved one in your life. With the adult sizes in Dream of a Cardigan, what could be better than to coordinate with your dear child.

Other children patterns by City Farmhouse Studio:

Children’s Knit Dream of a Cardigan 
by City Farmhouse Studio

See the machine knit version of the pattern HERE

Get the printable PDF version of the pattern (without ads) HERE
Or, an interactive digital version HERE
Add it to your Ravelry queue HERE

Loops & Threads Creme Cotton – 5.29 oz/150g – 324 yd/296 m – 87% Cotton/13% Nylon – Category 4 Medium Yarn – 1 (2, 2, 2, 2) (3, 3, 3) skeins

US 10 – 6mm knitting needles

Sizes: 2 (4, 6, 8, 10) (12, 14, 16) 
Back width:  12 (13, 14, 15, 15) (16, 17, 18) inches
Garment Length:  13.6 (15.2, 16.8, 20, 22.4) (24, 24.8, 25.6) inches
Cuff to Cuff measurement: 36.8 (39.4, 41.2, 44.6, 47.8) (52, 53.8, 56.4) inches

Gauge: 16 sts and 20 rows in stockinette = 4” x 4”

Notes: a YouTube video showing all the steps of construction can be seen at https://youtu.be/YIMKEWY3VTg?si=xcH9Aboa7Ib_3IHH

Abbreviations:
RS – right side of work
WS – wrong side of work
Sts – stitches
Skp – slip, knit, pass first stitch over just knit stitch
K2tog – knit 2 together
RLi – right leaning increase
LLi – left leaning increase

Front Right Panel:
Long tail cast on 24 (24, 28, 28, 32) (32, 36, 36) sts.  

Starting as RS, knit 10 (10, 10, 12, 12) (12, 14, 14) rows of 2×2 rib, beginning and ending the right side rows with 3 knit stitches, and wrong side rows with 3 purl stitches.  Note:  refer to youtube video for more information on rib pattern set up.  

Knit 30 (46, 46, 68, 64) (72, 66, 78) rows in stockinette, or 6 (9.2, 9.2, 13.6, 12.8) (14.4, 13.2, 15.6) inches (not including ribbing).  End after a wrong side row. 

Begin decrease for neck edge.  Knit the first 2 stitches.  Decrease one stitch with a skp.  Knit the remainder of the row.  Work 3 rows in stockinette.  Repeat for a total of 7 (5, 7, 5, 9) (9, 11, 9) decreases.  Sts left in work:  217 (19, 21, 23, 23) (23, 25, 27).  

Bind off all stitches.

Front Left Panel:
Long tail cast on 24 (24, 28, 28, 32) (32, 36, 36) sts.  

Starting as RS, knit 10 (10, 10, 12, 12) (12, 14, 14)rows of 2×2 rib, beginning and ending the right side rows with 3 knit stitches, and wrong side rows with 3 purl stitches.  Note:  refer to youtube video for more information on rib pattern set up.  

Knit 30 (46, 46, 68, 64) (72, 66, 78) rows in stockinette, or 6 (9.2, 9.2, 13.6, 12.8) (14.4, 13.2, 15.6) inches (not including ribbing).  End after a wrong side row. 

Begin decrease for neck edge.  Knit until 4 stitches remain.  Decrease one stitch with a k2tog.  Knit the last stitch. Work 3 rows in stockinette.  Repeat for a total of 7 (5, 7, 5, 9) (9, 11, 9) decreases.  Sts left in work:  17 (19, 21, 23, 23) (23, 25, 27).  

Bind off all stitches.

Back Panel:
Long tail cast on 48 (52, 56, 60, 60) (64, 68, 72) sts.

Starting as RS, knit 10 (10, 10, 12, 12) (12, 14, 14)rows of 2×2 rib stitch, keep the beginning and end first stitch as knit stitch.  Begin pattern repeat with 2 purls.  Note:   Refer to Youtube video for more information.

Knit 58 (66, 74, 88, 100) (108, 110, 114) rows in stockinette, or 11.6 (13.2, 14.8, 17.6, 20) (21.6, 22, 22.8) inches. 

Bind off all stitches.  

Ribbing:
Option 1:  Long tail cast on 130 (138, 154, 178, 194) (214, 222, 230) stitches.  Knit 10 (10, 10, 12, 12) (12, 14, 14) rows of 2×2 rib stitch, beginning and ending the right side rows with 2 knit stitches and wrong side with 2 purl stitches.  Bind off.  Sew evenly around front opening of garment (after shoulder seams have been seamed for front and back panels).

Option 2:  Pick up 130 (138, 154, 178, 194) (214, 222, 230) stitches evenly around front garment (after shoulder seams have been seamed for front and back panels).  Knit 10 (10, 10, 12, 12) (12, 14, 14) rows of 2×2 rib stitch, beginning and ending the right side rows with 2 knit stitches and wrong side with 2 purl stitches.  Bind off.

Option 3:  Pick up 59 (63, 71, 83, 91) (99, 103, 107) stitches evenly on front panel along the decrease edge.  Knit 10 (10, 10, 12, 12) (12, 14, 14) rows of 2×2 rib stitch, having the right side rows with 2 knit stitches at the bottom hem, and 3 knit stitches near neck; on the wrong side with 2 purl stitches at the hem and 3 purl at the neck.  Bind off.

Pick up 16 (16, 16, 16, 16) (20, 20, 20) stitches evenly on back panel, skipping 16 (18, 20, 22, 22) (22, 24, 26) stitches on each side for the shoulder seam.  Knit 10 (10, 10, 12, 12) (12, 14, 14) rows of 2×2 rib stitch, having the right side rows start with 1 knit stitch followed by 2 purl, and the row end with 2 purl stitches and then 1 knit stitch; wrong side starts with 1 purl stitch followed by 2 knit stitches, and the row ends with 2 knit stitches and then 1 purl stitch.  Bind off.

Sleeve:
Long tail cast on 26 (26, 30, 30, 34) (34, 34, 34) sts.  

Starting as RS, knit 10 (10, 10, 12, 12) (12, 14, 14) rows of 2×2 rib stitch.  The edge will begin with 3 knit stitches on the right side and end with 1 knit stitch.  

Knit 4 (8, 2, 8, 16) (6, 22, 18) rows in stockinette.

Begin increases for sleeve width.  Knit the first stitch.  RLI over the next stitch.  Knit to till 2 stitches remain.  LLI over the next stitch.  Knit the last stitch.  Knit 7 (5, 7, 5, 5) (5, 3, 3) rows in stockinette.  

Repeat increase row and plain rows for a total of 6 (8, 7, 9, 9) (12, 14, 16) increases.

Final stitches in work:  38 (42, 44, 48, 52) (58, 62, 66).

Bind off.  Make one more sleeve.

Finishing:
Sew shoulders of front panels to coordinating back shoulder if not done so for ribbing.  Sew sleeves starting 4.75 (5.25, 5.5, 6, 6.5) (7.25, 7.75, 8.25) inches down from shoulder on each side front and back (armhole depth in rows on each side:  24 (26, 28, 30, 33) (36, 39, 41)).  Sew sleeves together continuing down body sides.  Weave in all ends.