Pattern Description:
Henry’s Sweater is an easy, top-down cardigan designed to be completed in one weekend.
This double-breasted cardigan features a shawl collar, providing comfort and warmth for babies. It uses Aran weight yarn and Size 5 needles to help maintain its shape.
Materials Needed & Measurements:
- Yarn: Queensland Collection-Kathmandu (Aran), or any Aran weight yarn.
- Yarn Weight: Aran weight yarn.
- Needles:
- Size 5 circular or straight needles for the sweater body.
- Size 5 circular needle for the collar.
- Size 5 double-pointed needles (dpns) for sleeves – or size needed to obtain gauge.
- Notions:
- 4 stitch markers.
- Scrap yarn (to place live sleeve stitches on).
- Tapestry needle.
- 4 buttons – size ¾ inch or smaller.
- Measurements:
- Size: 3-6 months (6-12 months).
- Gauge: 19 stitches to every 4 inches in stockinette.
Stitches & Abbreviations Used:
- CO – cast on
- K – knit
- P – purl
- st – stitch
- sl1 – slip 1 stitch
- pm – place marker
- sm – slip marker
- PU – pick up stitch
- dpn – double pointed needle
- psso – Pass the slipped stitch over and off the stitch just knitted on the right-hand needle
- M1R – Make one stitch to the right: With left needle tip, lift the strand between the needles from back to front. Knit the lifted loop through the front to twist the stitch.
- M1L – Make one stitch to the left: With left needle tip, lift the strand between the needles from front to back. Knit the lifted loop through the back to twist the stitch.
- K2tog – Knit 2 stitches together
- W&T – Wrap and turn: Bring yarn to front, slip next stitch from left to right needle, bring yarn to back, slip wrapped stitch back to left needle, turn work.
Instructions for Making the Henry’s Sweater Pattern:
The pattern is designed for sizes 3-6 months (6-12 months) and requires a gauge of 19 stitches to every 4 inches in stockinette.
Begin With Yoke
Start the sweater by casting on stitches for the yoke.
- CO 46 (52) stitches.
- Row 1: P1, pm, P12 (14), pm, P20 (22), pm, P12 (14), pm, P1.
- Row 2: Kfb, sm, Kfb, K to 1 st before next marker, repeat 2 times, Kfb, sm, Kfb.
- Row 3: Purl all stitches.
- Row 4: K1, M1R, Kfb, sm, Kfb, K to 1 st before next marker, repeat 2 times, Kfb, sm, Kfb, M1L, K1.
- Row 5: Purl all stitches.
- Row 6: K1, M1R, K to 1 st before next marker, Kfb, sm, Kfb, repeat 2 times, Kfb, sm, Kfb, K to 1 st before end, M1L, K1.
- Row 7: Purl all stitches.
- Repeat rows 6 & 7 until there are a total of 164 (180) stitches. These stitches will be distributed between the markers as follows: 24-36-44-36-24 (26-40-48-40-26).
Slip Off Sleeves
After completing the yoke, the sleeve stitches will be set aside.
- Remove all markers as you reach them.
- Row 1: K1, M1R, K to next marker, using a tapestry needle, place all stitches between 1st and 2nd markers on scrap yarn, K to next marker, place all stitches between 3rd and 4th markers onto scrap yarn, K to 1 st before end, M1L, K1.
- There should now be 94 (102) stitches on the needle.
- Row 2: Purl all stitches.
Top Half of Body
Continue working on the body of the sweater.
- Row 1: K1, M1R, K across all stitches until 1 st before end, M1L, K1.
- Row 2: Purl all stitches.
- Repeat rows 1 & 2 until there are a total of 106 (116) stitches.
Bottom Half of Body
This section includes creating buttonholes and completing the main body of the sweater.
- Row 1 (Make button holes): K5 (6), cast off 1 st, K8 (8), cast off 1 st, K across all stitches.
- Row 2: P all stitches until 1st cast off st is reached, CO 1 st to tip of right needle, P until next cast off st is reached, CO 1 st to tip of right needle, P to end. You should have 106 (116) stitches.
- Row 3: Knit all stitches.
- Row 4: Purl all stitches.
- Repeat rows 3 & 4 ten more times (or about 2 inches).
- Repeat rows 1 & 2 one time.
- Repeat rows 3 & 4 eight more times (or about 1 ½ inches).
- Garter stitch border: K all stitches for the next 5 rows.
- Cast off loosely using the following method: K2tog, slip the stitch just worked back on to the left needle, repeat until all stitches have been worked.
Shawl Collar
The shawl collar is worked by picking up stitches around the front and neck.
- Beginning on the right-side of the sweater at the last increase row (which is equivalent to the top button hole row), PU stitches around the front of the sweater and neck and continue around to the other side of the sweater until the button hole row is reached. Try to maintain the same gauge as for the body.
- Rows 1-4: Knit all stitches.
- Row 5: Knit until 2 stitches before end of row, W&T.
- Row 6: Repeat row 5.
- Row 7: Knit until 4 stitches before end of row, W&T.
- Row 8: Repeat row 7.
- Continue in this manner, increasing the number of stitches to leave at the end of the row by 2 every alternate row until 14 stitches are left on each end of the row (7 wrapped stitches).
- Knit across 1 row.
- Cast off loosely using the same method described above.
Sleeves
Finally, work on the sleeves by rejoining the reserved stitches.
- Beginning at the underarm, slip all stitches onto 3 dpns. With a 4th dpn, PU 3 stitches at the underarm (between the 1st and 3rd needle).
- Knit all stitches, inserting a decrease row (instructions below) after the following rows:
- 3-6 months: Insert a decrease row after 2, 4, and 5 ½ inches from the underarm (you will decrease 6 st total).
- 6-12 months: Insert a decrease row after 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 inches from the underarm (you will decrease 10 st total).
- K 1 more inch or to desired length.
- Decrease row instructions: K2tog last 2 stitches on 3rd needle (directly under arm). For the first two stitches on 1st needle: Sl1, K1, psso.
- Work garter stitch border: (P 1 round, K 1 round) for 5 rows.
- Cast off loosely as described previously.
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