Cardigan Coat + Vest In New Colors
A little kid in a handknit makes us feel extra cozy, like, “Place another log on the fire and get out the Parcheesi board!” With its wholesome good looks and cuddly soft vibes, our Cardigan Coat + Vest is the perfect get-up for just those kinds of evenings.
A very approachable knit, you’ll work from the bottom up in one piece, incorporating garter stitch edges and button bands as you go. Its drop shoulder construction has a no-shenanigans handmade vibe and makes shaping super simple.
In kid sizes 2 through 12, you can knit up the whole Cardigan Coat, or choose to forgo the sleeves and whip up a sweet little Vest instead. Make a bunch of both as the kid in your life grows!
And because the whole point is to wrap kids up in soft made-with-love goodness, we knit up our Cardigan Coat + Vest in our incredibly comfy Worsted Twist, a no-itch merino wool whose softness is extreme. Cast on for cozy!
If you love the yarn used in this project, you’ll love all of our other yarn, too! Explore our 35+ lovingly created yarn collections, in nearly every natural fiber and spectacular color you can imagine… Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn shop!
Originally designed by Purl Soho designer, Laura Ferguson.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoCardiganCoatAndVest, and #PurlSohoWorstedTwist. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- Purl Soho’s Worsted Twist, 100% merino wool, each skein is 164 yards/ 100 grams.
- Cardigan Coat: 4 (4, 5, 5, 6, 7) skeins; approximately 545 (615, 675, 820, 910, 1035) total yards required. We used the color Red Poppy.
- Cardigan Vest: 3 (3, 3, 4, 4, 4) skeins; approximately 345 (385, 425, 515, 575, 655) total yards required. We used the color Peony Pink.
- US 8 (5 mm), 24- or 32-inch circular needles
- US 8, 16-inch circular needles (for Coat Sleeves only)
- US 7 (4.5 mm), 16-inch circular needles
- A set of US 8 double pointed needles (for Coat Sleeves only)
- Stitch markers
- Stitch holders or scrap yarn
- 5 (5, 5, 6, 6, 6) ¾-inch buttons. We used Purl Soho’s Large Round Buttons in the color Creme.
- A Cardigan Coat + Vest Pattern (Please Note: The Cardigan Coat + Vest Pattern is no longer available for purchase. For assistance, please contact us at customerservice@purlsoho.com.)
GAUGE
18 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch, using larger needles
SIZES
Child 2 (4, 6, 8, 10, 12)
To fit actual chest circumference of approximately 21-23 (23-25, 25-27, 27-29, 29-31, 31-33) inches, with 3-5 inches of positive ease
- Finished Chest Circumference: 25¾ (28, 29¾, 32, 34¼, 36) inches, buttoned
- Finished Length from Shoulder to Bottom Edge: 14 (14¼, 15½, 18, 19, 21) inches
- Finished Length from Underarm to Bottom Edge: 8½ (8¾, 9, 11, 12, 13½) inches
Sample: The Cardigan Vest shown here is size 4, and the Coat is size 8.
Pattern
Note: The Cardigan Coat + Vest Pattern is no longer available for purchase but you can contact us at customerservice@purlsoho.com and we’ll be able to get it to you!
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
I am looking for the adult version of this pattern. Is it no longer available?
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for reaching out! We no longer have the adult version of the pattern available on the site, but if you email our customer service team at [email protected] they can help you further from there!
Warmly,
Gianna
This is lovely! I’ve made one baby sweater…it was a challenge! I’m going to try this for my 4 year old granddaughter. I love that there are no seams!
Another question…I love the yarn for this sweater but it says hand wash, which is tough for a mother of three small children…do you recommend an alternate washable Purl Soho yarn for this sweater?
Hi Margaret,
I completely understand your concern! I would recommend using Campo instead, which is a cotton and wool blend that is machine washable! (I would still air dry it, though.)
As always, we recommend making a gauge swatch before starting a project to be sure you’re working with the right needles, especially when substituting yarns. If this is daunting, I’d recommend checking out a tutorial called All About Gauge, which covers some incredibly helpful information.
All the best,
Lili
I am considering Campo for this sweater. However, is it the nature of this yarn to not have distinct ‘V’ stitch definition?
I looked at Wide Rib Hat + Hand Warmers pattern with Campo to see the look of the fabric. There is not the usual ‘V’ stitch definition. It looks more like ‘\|’ and I’m not a big fan of that look.
Just wondering! Any other suggestions?
Thank you!
Hi Margaret,
You’re right, the reason that some yarn doesn’t create perfect V-shape stitches all has to do with how it’s been constructed. Campo has been spun so that all the strands twist in one direction, which pulls that one leg up into a straight line when knit. There isn’t anything you can change about your knitting to fix this, so if you’re unsatisfied with the quality of the stockinette stitch it creates, then I would definitely recommend using a different yarn!
The only other machine-washable worsted weight yarn that we offer is Lantern. This yarn is irregularly spun, which means it has a “nubbly” texture that certainly makes it a fun and unique yarn! From what I can see on some of our designs that use Lantern, it looks like the stitches are pretty symmetrical.
All the best,
Lili
Oh that is a lovely yarn! I will look into it. Thank you for the suggestions!
I had the same thought—-LOVE this pattern and would love to get for an adult!
Hi Kate,
Thanks for writing in! We discontinued the adult version of this cardigan, but if you reach out to [email protected], we’ll be able to help you out!
All the best,
Lili
Please send me information on how I can obtain the adult version of the cardigan/vest pattern. Otherwise, I might be able to adjust it by my own measurements and the amount stitches/inch to fit my size. The pattern appears to be fairly straightforward from hip to under arm with adding additional stitches for shoulder cap.
Hi Lois,
Thanks for writing in! We discontinued the adult version of this cardigan, but if you reach out to [email protected], we’ll be able to help you out!
All the best,
Lili
Thanks for letting us know how to obtain the adult version of this pattern.
I’m working this pattern in the vest version in size 4. When beginning the left front, should I slip the first stitch on the right side and wrong side rows as I did for the body of the vest?
Hi Angela,
Thanks for reaching out. Yes, you will continue slipping the first stitch on both front panels of this cardigan! Hope this clarifies things.
All the best,
Lili
Hi Friends,
I’m working along on the vest and have encountered a problem. I’m at “Shape Right Front Neck” at the second to last step: “With wrong side facing you, rejoin yarn to remaining stitches and work in garter stitch for 6 more rows, ending with a right-side row.” What happens when I work in garter stitch the first two rows end up being stockinette fabric. I’m not sure what’s going on. Thanks for your help.
Hi Angela,
Thanks for reaching out! Since you are working in the round, you will need to work the garter portion by knitting a row, purling a row rather than knitting every town (when working in the round, if you knit each row you will end up with stockinette!)
I hope this helps clear things up!
Gianna
Hi Gianna,
This part of the pattern is worked flat, only 6 rows of 15 stitches. I contemplated working it all in purl, but wondered if that would mess up the next step, when I have to pick up stitches for the collar. The entire pattern is worked flat.
Thanks for your help.
Hi again,
Same situation with the last instructions for “Shape Right Front Neck.” I could start the last instruction on the RIGHT side instead of Wrong Side as the pattern suggests. That gives me garter stitch for the ensuing rows. However, working 6 rows will have me end on a WRONG-side row. Should I work 5 or 7 rows to get me on the RIGHT side?
Thanks for your help.
Hi Angela,
Thank you for your patience as we looked over this pattern more closely! Your observations have been spot on–the way the pattern had been written created a row of stockinette instead of maintaining the garter stitch. We’re in the process of updating the pattern file with changes to address this, but we also wanted to share those corrections with you as soon as possible. Here’s how we’re rewriting this part of the pattern (and it looks like you’ve already thought of these solutions as well!):
With right side facing you, rejoin yarn to remaining stitches and work in garter stitch for 7 more
rows, ending with a right-side row.
Thank you again for bringing this to our attention; we really appreciate it! I hope this helps you continue on with your project.
All the best,
Lili
Thanks. I’ve worked the 7 rows in knit garter on the right side rather than the 6 rows in purl garter on the wrong side.
You always provide great customer service.
Angela
Good afternoon, Purl Soho Friends,
I’ve grafted the shoulders and am ready to rejoin the yarn to the collar by picking up stitches. Before I begin I would like to clarify where the 3 “picked up stitches” occur. On my fabric, there is about a 1/2-3/4 inch of selvage between the grafted shoulder seam and the 18 stitches on scrap yarn of the Right Front Neck and Back Front Neck. Is this selvage where I pick up the three stitches on each side of the neck? Thanks again for all your advice.
Hi Angela,
Glad to hear that you’ve made so much progress on the Cardigan Coat! You’re correct that you’ll pick up the 3 stitches along the selvage between the shoulder seam and the stitches on scrap yarn. (Coincidentally, this selvage happens to be created by the ends of the 6 (or 7!) rows you were asking about previously!) Hope this helps.
All the best,
Lili
Hello, I am just starting this pattern and have a very basic question. When you count rows are you counting the cast on row as row 1? Is the first row the right side or the wrong side?
Thank you, Jessica
Hi Jessica,
Thanks for reaching out. The cast-on row does not count as Row 1, and the first row (the one right after the cast-on row) will be a wrong side row if you used the long tail cast-on! Hope this helps clarify things.
All the best,
Lili
Thank you very much!
Hi there, I am working the sleeve and realized that the stockinette portion has the wrong side on the outside. Not sure how this happened—any ideas? I Didn’t even notice until starting the last inch of garter stitches and the ridge is on the inside. I’m going to frog it and start over-any ideas how to avoid making the same mistake twice would be much appreciated.
Hi Christiana,
Thanks for reaching out. It sounds like you may be knitting the sleeve inside-out, which can happen when your DPNs are oriented in the wrong direction! When knitting in the round, the tips of the needles you’re currently working with should be closest to your body, and the other needles should be further away from you. This ensures that the right side of your work stays on the outside of the sleeve, rather than appearing on the inside. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Hi Lili,
As I am shaping the right front neck the directions say:
” Next Row (wrong side): Knit to the end of the row.”
Am I supposed to knit all the way to the end of this row and pick up the wrapped stitches on the way?
Should I already have picked up stitches on the left side when I was shaping the left front side? If so where? Because I did not pick up any stitches on the left side, The wrapped stitches are on my stitch holder.
As you edit this patterns, could you please note when we are supposed to pick up wrapped stitches.
Than you,
Marian
Hi Marian,
Thanks for reaching out. Because short rows are worked in garter stitch in this pattern, you do not have to work wraps together with wrapped stitches. Simply ignore wraps when you come to them! I hope this clarifies things more.
All the best,
Lili
Hello,
I am now at the stage of doing the short rows. It says in the pattern: knit to 2 stitches before the marker, wrp-t. What marker are you referring to? the one that divides left front from the rest of the sweater? I don’t have any other markers!
thanks for your advice!, jessica
Hi Jessica,
Thank you for your question! When you begin the LEFT FRONT section, you should have 31 stitches and one stitch marker remaining on your needles. (All other stitches have been placed on scrap yarn or stitch holders at this point.) The marker on your needles is 8 stitches in from the edge for the button band. The first row in SHAPE LEFT FRONT NECK has you knit to 2 stitches before the marker before doing the first wrap + turn, which means you will knit 21 stitches, then wrap + turn, leaving 10 stitches unworked.
I hope this helps clear things up!
Best,
Margaret
Hello,
I am still struggling with the wrap and turn. So you wrap and turn the first stitch. Then you are purling? How or when do you work the second stitch….In the video it seems you wrap the first stitch knit wise and then you purl to the end? I am lost!
Hello Jessica,
Thanks for writing in! I’d be happy to help you with your short rows!
For this section, you are going to knit across each short row and then wrp-t. Our short row video tutorial is great for learning how to do the wrap and turn for both the knit side of the fabric and the purl side of the fabric when you are working in stockinette stitch, but since the short rows in the Cardigan Coat + Vest pattern are in garter stitch, you will only need to use the knit-side instructions from the video! This means that when you turn your work after wrapping your stitch, your yarn will be held at the back of your work, ready to knit across the next short row.
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Carly