Muddy Duck Pond Cardigan - Free Baby/Kids Pattern March 9, 2022 16:46

This sweater has a really fun and unique construction. It begins by working the upper body from the center of the back out to the sleeve cuffs. A provisional cast-on is used at the center of the back for an invisible join. The body stitches are picked up along the lower edge of the upper body, then knit down.

The beginning of this pattern requires a bit of row counting and attention, but less and less attention is needed as it progresses, making it into a great mindless project for in front of the TV. The finished sweater is adorable on your little one, and the project is quick to knit and enjoyable!

Check out the pattern on Ravelry.

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Sizes
3-mos (6-mos, 12-mos, 2-yr, 3-yr, 4-yr)
Shown in 6-month size.

Finished Measurements
18¼ (20, 21½, 22½, 25, 26¾)" / 46.5 (51, 54.5, 57, 63.5, 68) cm chest circumference, buttoned with ¾" / 1.9 cm overlapping buttonband.

Materials
Worsted Weight (CYCA #4, Medium)
About 230 (280, 330, 380, 460, 550) yards / 210 (260, 300, 350, 420, 500) meters.
Shown in: Berroco Comfort Prints (50% nylon, 50% acrylic; 100 grams = 210 yards / 192 meters): 2 (2, 2, 2, 3, 3) skeins, Antipasto

Needles
Size US 5 (3.75 mm): straight and set of 4 or 5 double-pointed (dpn),
or size needed to obtain gauge.

Notions:
Size US F/5 (3.75 mm) crochet hook and waste yarn for provisional CO; 4 (5, 5, 5, 5, 5) ½" / 1.3 cm buttons

Gauge
19 sts and 27 rows = 4" / 10 cm in Stockinette Stitch; 19 sts and 36 rows = 4" / 10 cm in Garter St. Take time to save time, check your gauge.

Construction Notes
This sweater begins at the center of the upper body. The right front and back are knit side-to-side, then joined at the neck to work the shoulder. The work is joined at the underarm to work the sleeve in the round. The left back, front and sleeve are worked similarly to the right, then body stitches are picked up around the lower edge and knit down. There is no seaming required!

Pattern

Right Front
With straight needles, CO 12 (13, 14, 14, 14, 15) sts.
Knit 4 rows, then turn so the RS is facing. Place a removable marker into the fabric on the side facing you to indicate that it is the RS.
Knit 12 (14, 14, 16, 18, 20) more rows, ending after a WS row.
Keep sts on needle and break yarn.

Right Back
With crochet hook and waste yarn use the provisional method to CO 16 (17, 18, 19, 21, 23) sts onto the same straight needle that holds the right front sts.
Join working yarn and beg with a RS row, work in Gtr St (knit all sts, every row)
on right back sts only for 19 (21, 21, 23, 25, 27) rows, ending after a RS row.
Right back and right front sts are on separate needles at this point.

CO for Neck and Join Right Back and Front
With WS of right back facing, use the Cable Method to CO 10 (10, 10, 11, 11, 12) sts onto needle with right back sts, turn so RS is facing then knit across right front sts—38 (40, 42, 44, 46, 50) sts.

Cont working in Gtr St for 9 (11, 11, 15, 15, 15) more rows, ending after
a WS row.

Change to St st (knit on RS, purl on WS) and work 10 (10, 12, 10, 12, 14) rows even, ending after a WS row.

Right Sleeve
Change to dpns, and join sts to work in the rnd. Pm for beg of rnd.
Work even in St st (knit all sts, every rnd) for 6 rnds.

Shape Sleeve
Dec Rnd: K1, k2tog, knit to last 3 sts, ssk, k1—2 sts dec’d.
Knit 5 (5, 7, 9, 11, 11) rnds.
Rep the last 6 (6, 8, 10, 12, 12) rnds 3 (3, 3, 3, 3, 4) more times—30 (32, 34, 36, 38, 40) sts rem.

Continue working even until sleeve meas 5½ (6, 6½, 7½, 9, 10½)" / 14 (15, 16.5, 19, 23, 26.5) cm from join at beg of sleeve.

Purl 1 rnd, knit 1 rnd.
(Note: For some yarns, it may be necessary to work more rows/rounds of garter stitch at the hem of the sleeves and body to prevent the edges from rolling.)

BO all sts purlwise.

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Left Back
Carefully remove waste yarn from provisional CO and place 16 (17, 18, 19, 21, 23) sts onto needle so tip is pointing to the right (at the neck edge) with the RS facing. Join yarn to prepare working a RS row.

Work in Gtr St for 18 (20, 20, 22, 24, 26) rows, ending after a WS row.
Keep sts on needle and break yarn.

Left Front
CO 12 (13, 14, 14, 14, 15) sts onto the same needle that holds the left back sts.
Knit 4 rows on the left front sts only, then turn so the RS is facing. Place a removable marker into the fabric on the side facing you to indicate that it is the RS.
Knit 11 (13, 13, 15, 17, 19) more rows on the left front sts only, ending after a
RS row. Left back and left front sts are on separate needles at this point.

CO for Neck and Join Front and Back:
With WS facing, use the Cable Method to CO 10 (10, 10, 11, 11, 12) sts onto needle with left front sts, turn so RS is facing then knit across left back sts—38 (40, 42, 44, 46, 50) sts.

Continue working in Gtr St for 9 (11, 11, 15, 15, 15) more rows, ending after a WS row.

Change to St st and work 10 (10, 12, 10, 12, 14) rows even, ending after a
WS row.

Left Sleeve
Work the same as right sleeve.

Body
With RS facing, beg at left front lower edge, pick up and knit 13 (15, 15, 18, 19, 20) sts along front garter stitch, then 7 (7, 9, 8, 8, 10) sts along St st to join of sleeve, 7 (7, 9, 8, 8, 10) sts along St st on back to garter st, then 29 (33, 33, 39, 41, 43) sts along back garter st, 7 (7, 9, 8, 8, 10) sts along St st to join of sleeve, 7 (7, 9, 8, 8, 10) sts along St st on right front to garter st, then 13 (15, 15, 18, 19, 20) sts from right front garter st—83 (91, 99, 107, 111, 123) sts.

Work in St st until piece meas 4½ (5¼, 6, 6¾, 7½, 8¼)" / 11.5 (13.5, 15, 17, 19, 21) cm from pick-up row, ending after a RS row.

Work 2 rows in Gtr St. BO all sts knitwise with WS facing.

Finishing
Block to measurements.

Right Buttonband: Beg at lower edge of right front, pick up and knit 24 (28, 32, 35, 39, 43) sts evenly along selvedge edge of St st to beg of Gtr St (approx 2 sts for every 3 rows), then pick up and knit 12 (13, 14, 14, 14, 15) sts along Gtr St to neck edge—36 (41, 46, 49, 53, 58) sts.
For Girls: Knit 2 rows, ending after a RS row.
Buttonhole Row (WS): K4 (4, 4, 6, 6, 4), yo, k2tog, *k7 (6, 7, 7, 8, 10), work yo, k2tog; rep from * 2 (3, 3, 3, 3, 3) more times, k3 (3, 4, 5, 5, 4) to end.
Knit 3 rows, ending after a RS row. BO all sts knitwise.
For Boys: Knit 6 rows, ending after a RS row. BO all sts knitwise.

Left Buttonband:
Beg at neck edge of left front, pick up and knit 12 (13, 14, 14, 14, 15) sts along Garter St to St st, then pick up and knit 24 (28, 32, 35, 39, 43) sts evenly along selvedge edge of St st to lower edge—36 (41, 46, 49, 53, 58) sts.
For Girls: Knit 6 rows, ending after a RS row. BO all sts knitwise
For Boys: Knit 2 rows, ending after a RS row.
Buttonhole Row (WS): K4 (4, 4, 6, 6, 4), yo, k2tog, *k7 (6, 7, 7, 8, 10), yo, k2tog; rep from * 2 (3, 3, 3, 3, 3) more times, k3 (3, 4, 5, 5, 4) to end.
Knit 3 rows, ending after a RS row. BO all sts knitwise.

Sew buttons opposite buttonholes.

Neck Trim:
Beg at corner of right front buttonband, pick up and knit 4 sts along band, 9 (10, 10, 11, 12, 13) sts along right front to CO sts, 10 (10, 10, 11, 11, 12) sts along CO sts, 19 (21, 21, 23, 25, 27) sts across back neck, 10 (10, 10, 11, 11, 12) sts across left front CO sts, 9 (10, 10, 11, 12, 13) sts along left front, then 4 sts along band—65 (69, 69, 75, 79, 85) sts.
BO all sts knitwise with WS facing.

Weave in ends. Block again if desired.

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Pattern Stitches

Garter Stitch (Gtr St):
Knit all sts, every row.

Provisional Cast-on Method:
With waste yarn, beg with slipknot on crochet hook. *Wrap yarn around knitting needle counter-clockwise, then use crochet hook to draw yarn through loop on hook; rep from * for desired number of sts. Fasten off.

Cable Cast-on Method:
Turn so yarn is attached to sts on LH needle, k1, slip new st onto LH needle; *insert RH needle between first 2 sts on LH needle, k1 from this position, leave the first st on LH needle and slip new st onto LH needle. Rep from * for desired number of sts.

Stockinette Stitch (St st):
Flat—Knit on RS, purl on WS
Circular—Knit all sts, every rnd.

Abbreviations

beg: begin(ning)
BO: bind off
CO: cast on
dec(‘d): decrease(d)
k: knit
k2tog: knit 2 sts together
LH: left hand
meas: measure(s)
p: purl
rep: repeat
RH: right hand
rnd(s): round(s)
RS: right side
ssk: (slip, slip, knit) slip 2 sts, 1 at a time, knitwise to the RH needle; return sts to LH needle in turned position and knit them together through the back loops
st(s): stitch(es)
WS: wrong side