Simply The Best Cardigan for Babies + Toddlers
When you know a baby is on the way, each moment is filled with anticipation and hope, and you spend your hours preparing to greet that new special someone for the first time. Our Simply The Best Cardigan For Babies + Toddlers imbues all that love into one very simple, very beautiful knit that says… Welcome, baby!
Even if you’re just beginning to knit, or picking up your needles for the first time in years, the simplicity of this pattern ensures that you can absolutely make this heirloom beauty.
All in garter stitch, there is nothing complicated here… You can knit this timeless sweater with brain space to spare, enough to savor each moment thinking about the new arrival and the joy they will bring.
It takes a particularly wonderful yarn to hold all that love, and our 100% cashmere Nigh DK is beyond extraordinary.
The perfect yarn for a treasured knit, Nigh DK is astonishingly soft, creating a gentle embrace, and its feather-light warmth means this sweater is never stiff or stuffy, just the right amount of cozy.
And since you’re knitting for a baby, you only need a few skeins. Vivid or earthy, there are 24 stunning colors of Nigh DK to choose from, plus four sizes to knit, so you can make simply the best cardigan for your little darling!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Gianna Mueller. Click here to see even more of Gianna’s designs!
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoSimplyTheBestCardiganForBabiesAndToddlers, and #PurlSohoNighDK. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 2 (2, 3, 3, 4) skeins of Purl Soho’s Nigh DK, 100% cashmere. Each skein is 199 yards/ 55 grams; approximately 355 (395, 475, 595, 790) total yards required.
- US 5 (3.75 mm), 24- or 32-inch circular needles, depending on size you are making
- A stitch holder or scrap yarn
- A ⅜ inch button. We used one of Purl Soho’s Small Round Buttons.
- A Simply The Best Cardigan For Babies + Toddlers pattern PDF
NOTE: For the 6-12 Month size, we used all of our two skeins, so if you want to be sure you have enough, consider ordering an extra skein. If you don’t end up needing it, you can return unwound yarn for a refund within 30 days of purchase, or within 6 months for store credit. Our Return Policy has all the details!
We knit the following sizes and colors:
Newborn: Nigh DK in Pink Pearl + Small Round Button in Pastel Peach
6-12 Months: Nigh DK in Beech Wood + Small Round Button in Khaki
1-2 Years: Nigh DK in Pink Snail + Small Round Button in Burgundy
GAUGE
23 stitches and 46 rows = 4 inches in garter stitch
SIZES
Newborn (6–12 Months, 1–2 Years, 2–3 Years, 3–4 years)
To fit actual chest circumference of 15–17 (17–19, 18–20, 21–23, 23–25) inches, with approximately 3½–5½ inches of ease
- Finished Chest Circumference: 20½ (22½, 23½, 26½, 29) inches
- Finished Body Length from Bottom Edge to Underarm: 6 (6½, 7, 7¾, 8½) inches
- Finished Body Length from Bottom Edge to Top of Shoulder: 9½ (10¼, 11, 12¼, 13½) inches
- Finished Sleeve Length: 6¼ (7¼, 7¾, 8½, 10½) inches
PATTERN
Our Simply The Best Cardigan For Babies + Toddlers pattern is available for purchase as a PDF download only.
Looking for something like this – simple and quick knit
Hi Doreen,
We’re so glad to hear that this pattern is what you’ve been looking for!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you. The pattern look’s lock and easy to knit.
You’re so welcome! Glad to hear that this pattern has caught your eye!
All the best,
Lili
Very nice
Luv the simplicity yet elegance of this design. Would luv to have one for me how can I size this to adult size?
Hi Lori,
Thank you for writing in! We are so happy that this pattern caught your eye. Unfortunately, we do not currently have pattern instructions for sizing up this pattern and I’m afraid these kinds of modifications are outside the scope of support we can offer at this time! I will be sure to pass along your kind suggestion to our design team for adult sizes!
Warmly,
Gavriella
I just finished knitting two baby hats from your pattern–this sweater will be a perfect accompaniment!
Easy pattern…thanks
Can I use the recycled cashmere in todays email?
Hi Nicola,
That’s a great question! Holding Echo Cashmere alone would unfortunately be too thin for this project but you could double your strands (holding two strands together as one) and it would work perfectly! We always suggest making a quick gauge swatch just to make sure you can match the one of the pattern and to check that you are happy with the result of the fabric. I hope this helps but please let us know if you have any more questions!
Warmly,
Gavriella
Thank you. ❤️
Love this adorable cardigan. Can you please recommend a non-wool option? I’m worried if the baby would be allergic to wool. Thank you.
Hi Stephanie,
That’s a great question! Although wool allergies vary from person to person, our Nigh DK is actually 100% cashmere and contains no lanolin, so it’s a perfect fiber for someone with a lanolin allergy. It’s also super soft with fine fibers, so they won’t scratch like most wool does! I hope this helps but please let us know if you have any other questions!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Vielen Dank für die schöne Anleitung.
Can I use any other yarn.? Possibly something that is machine washable?
Hi Susan,
Thanks for writing in! Normally, I’d recommend another DK weight yarn as a substitute for Nigh DK, but the gauge of this pattern is relatively small and closer to a typical sportweight gauge. I’d recommend our Cotton Pure, which is super soft completely machine washable. As always though, we recommend knitting a gauge swatch before casting on your project, especially when you are substituting yarns. You may need to size up or down your needles in order to get the correct gauge!
All the best,
Lili
Looks like a nice easy pattern
I like the look of this cardigan for toddlers. It looks very nice and easy to make. I look forward to receiving the pattern so I can make some
This will be a great pattern to work to keep some ‘you got a new grandbaby’ gifts on hand.
Hi there
Love this beautiful pattern and its simplicity, can it be adapted to straight knitting needles and if so what size?
Most of us older Aussies aren’t familiar with the circular needles.
Kind regards
Hi Susan,
Thank you for writing in! I’m afraid that straight needles probably won’t work for this pattern. You’ll be working with a lot of stitches at once, so the width will be too long for the needles, and the stitches will be at risk of falling off. I’d recommend investing in a pair of circular needles–they’ll be super useful for all sorts of future projects too!
Warmly,
Gavriella
I believe the circular needles are simply to help with the number of stitches and not actually to join and work in rounds, although I admit that I have not read through the whole pattern yet. But if that is the case, you would not need to adapt anything. Just use the same size straight needles that get the gauge, but a long straight needle to hold all the stitches. Otherwise, 8f possible to obtain circular needles, you would use them just like straight needles, turning your work each row instead of joining.
Bellissimo! Grazie
Luigina
Very good & easy patterns
Is there a yarn that can be substituted? Bit pricy for me till I give it a try see if I can do it! Thanks Lynn
Hi Lynn,
Thanks for writing in! Normally, I’d recommend another DK weight yarn as a substitute for Nigh DK, but the gauge of this pattern is relatively small and closer to a typical sportweight gauge. Here are some sportweight yarns that I think would be perfect for the pattern:
Season Alpaca: 100% super baby alpaca
Cotton Pure: 100% organically grown cotton
Good Wool: 100% Andean highland wool
Speckled Hen: 80% baby alpaca, 20% fine merino wool
I hope this helps, and please let me know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Lili
This is adorable…however….cashmere scares me. How about cotton? Is this possible?
Hi Margie,
You could absolutely use a cotton yarn for this pattern! I’d recommend our Cotton Pure, which is super soft and perfect for baby items. As always though, we recommend knitting a gauge swatch before casting on your project, especially when you are substituting yarns. You may need to size up or down your needles in order to get the correct gauge!
All the best,
Lili
Can you please make this pattern in adult? It’s exactly the kind of simple sweater I’ve been looking for to wear over T-shirt’s!
Hi Lib,
Thank you for writing in! That sounds like a wonderful idea and I will be sure to share this feedback with our team!
All the best,
Gavriella
Would love to see this in adult sizes
I’m so happy to have this pattern. I’ll knit this for my friends, soon to be born, first grand child. It’s such a beautiful simplistic pattern. I love it!
Beautiful little sweater!
Darling little sweater and easy to knit up. Requesting adult size pattern for this also pretty please!
I am wondering if I could knit this with Plein Air yarn instead of the cashmere. I would do a gauge swatch to make sure I had the right needle size, but would that yarn work for a baby and this pattern?
Hi Michelle,
Thank you for writing in! You can absolutely use Plein Air for this pattern. As you mentioned, you will just want to be sure you get gauge for the pattern before beginning. I hope this helps but please feel free to let us know if you have any other questions!
Happy Knitting,
Gavriella
Would Serif work for this pattern?
Hi Rachel,
That’s a great question! You can definitely use Serif for this project but we always recommend knitting a gauge swatch just to be sure you can match the one in the pattern and to see how you like the fabric! I hope this helps!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Hello This gorgeous little cardigan is so cute.
I live in UK and can’t afford this yarn
Baby double knit 150grams would that be suitable substitute?
Hi Sues,
Thank you for writing in! Unfortunately, I am not entirely familiar with that yarn but from the details you have shared, it sounds like it should be a great alternative to use with this pattern. The most important part is that you are able to get gauge with the yarn so I would start by making a quick knitting swatch before you begin. I hope this helps but please let me know if you have any other questions!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Thank you Gavriella I will do a gauge swatch as you advise.
In UK we call them Tension Square. I love the way the construction is explained within the pattern too.
Lovely pattern! I’m knitting this for my 4 th granddaughter who will be born the beginning of April.
I think there is a mistake in the pattern regarding the slipped stitches.
I slip the 1st stitch and then the pattern calls to skip the last stitch as well (pg5). I did that but it didn’t look nice. I have a nice chain look if I knit the last stitch and then slip the 1st stitch as called for in the pattern.
Hope this is what is intended.
Thank you for the pattern!
Hi Katrin,
Thank you for writing in! You can definitely work your slip stitches that way if you prefer. The slip stitch detail was a design choice by the designer but you can knit those edges in the way you like best!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Nice patterns
Hi!
I’m loving knitting this, but then I looked at the measurements on the layout and… I’m confused.
Has no one else had an issue with the measurements on the layout of this pattern? How can the sides be 6” and the arms be 7” as drawn?
Hi Jean,
Thank you for writing in! The layout schematic shown includes all the measurements before you seam the final piece together at the sides. Since this pattern is knit flat all the way through, you will notice in the construction details that the arms will be folded in half and seamed along the sides to finish off your sweater. I hope this helps!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Lovely sweater!