V Neck Baby Cardigan (newborn, 0-3 months) in DK

It feels like a permanent production line here at the farm house with three colleagues at work all expecting babies and my sons baby due in the autumn. I am not complaining far from it. I love making the crochet blankets for my work colleagues.

My manager is expecting her first baby in the autumn. They decided not to find out the babies gender so it will be like all their birthdays and Christmas's at once when their baby arrives. She is lovely to work with and will often come to the office for a catch up and a cuppa and of course there have been lots of discussions around babies of late.  I have asked her if she would like a layette set for her baby and the big smile and squeels of excitement I think gave me the answer I was looking for.

It's also been lovely reworking the patterns that have been passed down from my own family and sharing these with you. This is the V neck version to match the crew neck cardigan  and bootees, hat & mittens I have shared with you previously. Her baby is due two weeks after my sons so it will be interesting to see who has their baby first they may even arrive on the same day.

If you would like to have ago at making this little cardigan then this is how you do it. you will need needle size 2.75mm and 3.25mm for a new born size or 3.75mm and 4mm for 0-3 months, a darning needle (wool needle) and to finish off three buttons.

The yarn I have used is Stylecraft Special DK in Cream, but you could make it to match the crew neck cardigan  and the bootees, hat & mittens or vice versa if making as part of a layette set, either way it will work in any double knitting yarn and you will need 100g of your main colour and  50g of a contrast colour if using.

Back

Using the smaller needles cast on 54 stitches and working in 2 x 2 rib work 10 rows

Change to larger needles and work approximately 30 rows or until piece measures 12 cm in stocking stitch (one row knit one row purl)

Shape armholes

Continuing in stocking stitch and cast off 3 stitches at the beginning of next two rows.

Decrease 1 stitch at each end of the next and every alternate row until 44 stitches remain.

Continuing in stocking stitch, without any further decreasing, work a further 27 rows.

Shape shoulders

Cast off 6 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows, then 5 stitches at the beginning of the next two rows. Now cast off the remaining 22 stitches.

Left Front


Using the smaller needles cast on 26 stitches and work 10 rows in 2 x 2 rib as for the back.

Change to larger needles and work the same number of rows as worked for the back in stocking stitch up to the armhole shaping. With the right side facing cast off 3 stitches at the beginning of the next row and then work 1 row.

Decrease 1 stitch at each end (knit two together) on the next and every alternate row until 19 stitches remain. Work 1 row. You should now have the right side facing ready for your next row. Decrease 1 stitch at the front edge only on the next and following alternate row until you have 15 stitches, then on every 4th row until you have 11 stitches remaining. Work 3 rows so that you have the right side facing for your next row


Shape shoulder

Cast off 6 stitches at he beginning of the next row. Work 1 row. Cast off the remaining 5 stitches.

Right Front

Work as for the left front reversing the shaping and working an extra row at the armhole and shoulder shaping.

Sleeves x 2

With smaller needles cast on 30 stitches and work 9 rows of 2 x 2 rib.

Increase row - rib 7 M1 (by picking up the horizontal loop lying before the next stitch and working into the back of it) rib 7 M1 until you have 34 stitches and rib to the end.

Change to larger needles and work in stocking stitch increasing 1 stitch at each end of the 3rd and every following 6th row until you have 44 stitches. Now work approx 7 rows or until your sleeve measures 11cm.

Shape the armhole

With the right side facing cast off 3 stitches at the beginning of the next two rows.  Now continue decreasing 1 stitch at each of end of the next and every alternate row until you have 22 stitches, then on every row until 8 stitches remain. Cast off the remaining 8 stitches.


To make up

Block so that your pieces are flat when joining.

Join the shoulder seams

Join side and sleeve seams. Insert sleeves.

Border

With smaller needles cast on 8 stitches and work 4 rows of 2 x 2 rib.

Next row (buttonhole row) rib 4 yon (yarn over the needle) and knit 2 together and rib to the end.

Work 13 rows of 2 x 2 rib

repeat the last 14 rows once more then repeat the buttonhole row again. You will now have 3 buttonholes in total.

Continue without further buttonholes until the border when slightly stretched fits up the right front slope across the back and down the left front slope to lower edge sewing in place as you go. Remember to fit from the left  if you are wanting your buttonholes on the left hand side.

This a lovely little cardigan to make if you are new to knitting or not a confident knitter and come up a treat making a lovely gift for any new arrival. 

Enjoy

Mx