Asian-inspired style for little tykes!

Knit a playful and stylish jacket for the little ones in your life with our Asian-inspired cardigan pattern. Featuring a stand-up collar, raglan shaping, and architectural garter stitch stripes, this boxy baby sweater is sure to be a hit with both boys and girls. The roomy fit allows plenty of space to grow, and the seamless design makes this a fast, satisfying project with minimal finishing.

Choose from the long-sleeved, short-sleeved, or sleeveless options… or make one of each for any type of weather! Work flat from the neck down, adding the button band as you go with the intarsia technique, then pick up and knit the sleeves in the round. Finish with colourful buttons for an extra dash of charm!

Perfect for beginners who want to try some new techniques. Grab two or three colours of bulky yarn from your stash and get started on this modern quick-knit baby jacket today!

PROJECT LEVEL: Easy
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Download includes:

• Bookmarked PDF (best for printing or sighted knitters)

See “Accessibility” for more information.

CONSTRUCTION:

Cardigan is worked flat from the neck down. Arm stitches are held until the body is complete. Button band is worked with the body.

SIZES:

• 6 months
• 12 months
• 18 to 24 months

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS:

This pattern has a great deal of positive ease to allow it to fit over clothing, and is meant to be loose.

6 months: 21-inch (52.5 cm) chest; 10 inches (25 cm) long
12 months: 26-inch (65-cm) chest; 11.5 inches (28.75 cm) long
18 to 24 months: 27-inch (67.5-cm) chest; 13 inches (32.5 cm) long

SUPPLIES:

Yarn:

2 to 3 skeins 100 grams (3.5 ounces)/150 metres (164 yards) bulky-weight yarn that knits to gauge in two colours as follows:

• Colour A (garter stitch areas): 1 skein
• Colour B (stockinette stitch areas): 1 skein EXCEPT 18- to 24-month long-sleeved variation will need two skeins

ABOUT YARN CHOICE:
I recommend a plied soft Superwash wool yarn for warmth and ease of care, but an acrylic yarn is a hardy substitute for baby clothing.

See “About Samples” below for more.

Needles:

6.0 mm (US 10/UK 4) needles, both straight and double-pointed (for sleeves) OR use a 24-inch/60-cm circular needle to replace both

Notions:

• 7 (8, 9, 9) 18-mm (¾-inch) buttons
• yarn needle
• 16-inch (40-cm) scraps of yarn for stitch holders
• stitch markers (10)
• needle and thread for sewing on buttons

GAUGE:

15 stitches and 20 rows = 10 cm (4 inches) in stockinette stitch knit flat.

SKILLS YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE THIS PATTERN:

• Knit
• Purl
• Make a gauge swatch in Stockinette Stitch

All other skills are explained.

TECHNIQUES USED TO MAKE THIS PATTERN:

• Knitting flat on straight needles
• Knitting in the round on double-pointed needles or circular needles.
• Increasing and decreasing
• Long Tail Cast On
• Intarsia colour twisting
• Backward Loop Cast On
• Basic Bind Off

INCLUDED RESOURCES:

• A comprehensive list of links to online tutorials on my website for necessary skills. Tutorials are screen-reader accessible, with instructions relayed fully in text, and also include videos and downloadable photo tutorials.
• Full glossary
• Instructions for alterations
• Written instructions for creating the intarsia twist to prevent holes at the button band.

ABOUT SAMPLES:

TURQUOISE / WHITE / ORANGE & SILVER SAMPLES:
Bernat Softee Chunky, a plied 100% acrylic bulky yarn with 150 metres (164 yards) per 100 grams (3.5 ounces) that works up to 15 stitches per 4 inches (or 10 cm) on 6 mm (US 10 or UK 4) needles. Discontinued and replaced with another yarn of the same name but a different gauge. See suggested substitutes below.

Turquoise & white: Size 18 to 24 months. Model is an almost-two-year-old girl.
Orange & silver: Size 18 to 24 months.

BLUE / GREEN AND RED / TEAL/ GREY SAMPLES:
Patons Shetland Chunky, a plied 75% acrylic / 25% wool bulky-weight yarn with 136 metres (148 yards) per 100 grams (3.5 ounces) that works up to 15 stitches per 4 inches / 10 cm on 6 mm (US 10 / UK 4) needles. Discontinued. Both samples: 12-month size.

Suggested yarn substitutes:
Knit Picks Brava Bulky, a plied 100% acrylic bulky-weight yarn with 124 metres (136 yards) per 100 grams (3.5 ounces) that works up to 15 stitches per 4 inches / 10 cm on 6 mm (US 10 / UK 4) needles.

Knit Picks Swish Bulky, a plied 100% merino Superwash wool yarn with 125 metres (137 yards) per 100 grams (3.5 ounces) that works up to 15 stitches per 4 inches / 10 cm on 6 mm (US 10 / UK 4) needles.

Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Superwash Bulky, a plied 100% Highland Superwash wool bulky-weight yarn with 125m (137 yds) per 100 grams (3.5 ounces) that works up to 15 stitches per 4 inches / 10 cm on 6 mm (US 10 / UK 4) needles.

Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Grande, a plied 100% Superwash wool bulky-weight yarn with 201m (220 yds) per 200 grams (7 ounces) that works up to 15 stitches per 4 inches / 10 cm on 6 mm (US 10 / UK 4) needles.

PUBLISHING INFORMATION:

Release Date: 2012
Most recent revision: May 2023
Publisher: My Secret Wish Publishing
Knitting pattern type: Multiple Design Options
Project type: Jacket, Vest
Page Count: 7

COPYRIGHT AND LICENSING NOTICE: This pattern is copyright My Secret Wish by Talena. Your purchase of this pattern gives you the right to use it for personal, non-profit use only. To license the pattern to use for profit, please e-mail me for permission. You do NOT have the right to print the pattern for other people (unless they reside in your household) or to transfer the digital file to any other person. This pattern may not be sold, copied, or distributed in any way.

UPDATE HISTORY
December 2022: Revised formatting of PDF to align with current template style. Clarified language where necessary. Converted PDF to be screen reader accessible.

May 18, 2023: Updated URLs for new store and social links.

ACCESSIBILITY:

Pattern Accessibility (all formats):

Colour Blind Accessible – all text is black or very high-contrast, and no colour is used to relay pattern instructions.

Left-Handed Inclusive – instructions are given in terms of hand dominance and working needles, not right and left hands.

Bookmarked PDF:

• This document can be navigated using bookmarks that link directly to various sections.
• All images have ALT-text descriptions.
• Fonts are embedded in the document, and it retains its original formatting.
• Any charts are also fully written out.
• Text uses minimal abbreviations to make the pattern easier to understand, and is written in plain language.
• Best for printing or sighted knitters.