Opera Baby Cardigan

Opera Baby Cardigan Free Knitting Pattern - Babies are even cuter when they're wearing handmade clothing! This cardigan is made with Phil Opera and is soft and breezy, meaning your little one is even more irresistible! We love the grey-yellow color combination, but of course you can pick your own colors. Are you ready to get started with the free knitting pattern of the Phil Opera Baby Cardigan below?

Whether it's for your own baby or for the little one of a friend or family; handmade pieces of clothing are so adorable! This little striped baby cardigan is made using Phildar Phil Opera, a wonderful 100% cotton yarn [EDIT: This yarn is no longer in our assortment. A good alternative is Phildar Phil Coton 3 which come in lots of fantastic colors.]

Sizes: A Newborn - B 3 months - C 6 months - D 12 months

What do you need?
- 1/1/2/2 balls Phildar Phil Opera color Gris [Alternative yarn: Phildar Phil Coton 3]
- 1/1/2/2 balls Phildar Phil Opera color Mimosa [Alternative yarn: Phildar Phil Coton 3]
- Knitting needles 2 and 3 mm
- 6 buttons

Stitches used:
Striped stockinette stitch: *4 rows color Mimosa, 4 rows color Gris*, repeat *to*. (= 8 rows in total.)
1-1 Rib stitch

Gauge:
10 x 10 cm = 25 sts and 34 rows with 3 mm knitting needles in stockinette st.

Opera Baby Cardigan - Free Knitting Pattern

Back

Cast on A 59 - B 61 - C 67 - D 71 stitches with size 2 mm knitting needles and knit 2 cm (8 rows) 1-1 rib st, starting and ending the 1^st row with a knit st.

Then continue in striped stockinette st with size 3 mm knitting needles and increase 1 st in the first row. You should have: A 60 - B 62 - C 68 - D 72 sts.

Once you reach a total height of A 9 cm (30 rows) - B 11 cm (38 rows) - C 13 cm (44 rows) - D 15 cm (50 rows) above the 1-1 rib st, cast off to shape the armholes: cast off 3 sts at the beginning of the next 2 rows, 2 sts at the beginning of the following 2 rows, 1 st at the beginning of the following 6 rows. You should now have A 44 - B 46 - C 52 - D 56 sts remaining.

Once you reach a total height of A 19 cm (64 rows) - B 22 cm (74 rows) - C 25 cm (84 rows) - D 28 cm (94 rows) above the 1-1 rib st, cast off on both sides to shape the shoulders:
A 3 sts at the beginning of the next 2 rows, 4 sts at the beginning of the next 4 rows.
B 3 sts at the beginning of the next 2 rows, 4 sts at the beginning of the next 4 rows.
C 4 sts at the beginning of the next 2 rows, 4 sts at the beginning of the next 4 rows.
D 4 sts at the beginning of the next 2 rows, 4 sts at the beginning of the next 2 rows, 5 sts at the beginning of the next 2 rows.

At the same time as the last 2 cast-off rows for the shoulders, cast off the middle A - B 10 - C - D 12 sts for the neckline. Then, working each side of the neckline separately, cast off A 6 - B 7 - C 8 - D 9 sts at the beginning of the following 2 rows.

Work the other side of neckline in the same way.

Front Panels

Cast on A 35 - B 37 - C 39 - D 41 sts with size 2 mm knitting needles and color Gris. Knit 2 cm (8 rows) in 1-1 rib st, starting the first row with 2 knit sts and ending with 1 purl st.

Then knit striped stockinette stitch with size 3 mm knitting needles and increase A 1 - B - C 1 - D 1 st in the 1^st  row. You should now have: A 36 - B 37 - C 40 - D 42 sts.

Once you reach a total height of A 9 cm (30 rows) - B 11 cm (38 rows) - C 13 cm (44 rows) - D 15 cm (50 rows) above the 1-1 rib st, cast off on the left of the panel to shape the armhole. Cast off 3 sts at the beginning of the next purl row. Then in every 2^nd row (i.e. only at the beginning of the purl rows) cast off 1 x 2 sts, then 3 x 1 st. You should now have A 28 - B 29 - C 32 - D 34 sts remaining.

Once you reach a total height of A 16 cm (54 rows) - B 19 cm (64 rows) - C 22 cm (74 rows) - D 24 cm (80 rows) above the 1-1 rib st, cast off on the right of the panel for the neckline (i.e. only at the beginning of the knit rows):
A 1 x 6 sts, then in every 2^nd row: 1 x 4 sts, 1 x 3 sts, 1 x 2 sts and 2 x 1 st.
B 1 x 7 sts, then in every 2^nd row: 1 x 4 sts, 1 x 3 sts, 1 x 2 sts and 2 x 1 st.
C 1 x 8 sts, then in every 2^nd row: 1 x 4 sts, 1 x 3 sts, 1 x 2 sts and 3 x 1 st.
D 1 x 8 sts, then in every 2^nd row: 1 x 4 sts, 1 x 3 sts, 2 x 2 sts and 2 x 1 st.

Meanwhile, once you reach a total height of A 19 cm (64 rows) - B 22 cm (74 rows) - C 25 cm (84 rows) - D 28 cm (94 rows) above the 1-1 rib st, cast off on the left of the panel (i.e only at the beginning of the purl rows) to shape the shoulder:
A 1 x 3 sts, then in every 2^nd row: 2 x 4 sts.
B 1 x 3 sts, then in every 2^nd row: 2 x 4 sts.
C 1 x 4 sts, then in every 2^nd row: 2 x 4 sts.
D 1 x 4 sts, then in every 2^nd row: 1 x 4 sts and 1 x 5 sts.

Knit the second front panel, but reverse the sides on which you work the decreases. Remember you can only cast off at the beginning of a row to have the yarn ready to continue working the rest of the row. So, check whether you need to cast off at the beginning of the knit rows or the purl rows (they will also be reversed for the second panel).

Sleeves

Cast on A 42 - B 44 - C 46 - D 50 sts with size 2 mm knitting needles and color Gris and knit 2 cm (8 rows) 1-1 rib st.

Then continue in striped stockinette st with size 3 mm knitting needles. Increase on both sides:
A In every 6^th row: 4 x 1 st (i.e. inc 1 st on both sides in the 6^th, 12^th, 18^th and 24^th rows)
B In every 8^th row: 4 x 1 st. Then in the 6^th row after that: 1 x 1 st.
C In the 8^th row: 1 x 1 st. Then in every 6^th row: 6 x 1 st.
D In every 8^th row: 6 x 1 st. Then in the 6^th row after that: 1 x 1 st.
You should now have: A 50 - B 54 - C 60 - D 64 sts.

Once you reach a total height of A 8.5 cm (28 rows) - B 13 cm (44 rows) - C 15 cm (50 rows) - D 18 cm (60 rows) above the 1-1 rib st, cast off on both sides for the sleeve cap:
A 1 x 3 sts, then at the beginning of the next 2 rows: 1 x 3 sts, 1 x 2 sts, 1 x 1 st, 1 x 2 sts and 2 x 3 sts.
B 1 x 4 sts, then at the beginning of the next 2 rows: 1 x 3 sts, 1 x 2 sts, 1 x 1 st, 1 x 2 sts, 1 x 3 sts and 1 x 4 sts.
C 1 x 4 sts, then at the beginning of the next 2 rows: 2 x 3 sts, 1 x 2 sts, 2 x 3 st and 1 x 4 sts.
D 1 x 4 sts, then at the beginning of the next 2 rows: 1 x 4 sts, 1 x 3 sts, 1 x 2 st, 1 x 3 sts and 2 x 4 sts.

Once you reach a total height of A 12.5 cm (42 rows) - B 17 cm (58 rows) - C 19 cm (64 rows) - D 22 cm (74 rows) above the 1-1 rib st, cast off the remaining 16 sts.

Knit a second sleeve the same way.

Neckband

Cast on A 67 - B 73 - C 79 - D 89 sts with size 2 mm knitting needles and color Gris. Knit 1.5 cm (6 rows) in 1-1 rib st, starting and ending the 1^st row with 2 knit sts. Then knit 1 row on the right side of your work. Add a few more rows in stockinette st in a different color (these will be invisible when the neckband is attached stitch by stitch to the neckline).

Finishing

Sew up the shoulder, side and sleeve seams. Sew the sleeves into the armholes. Hem the central edges of the front panels by folding 1 st all the way down the edge towards the inside and sewing in place with an invisible stitch.

Sew the neckband to the neckline stitch by stitch using a mattress stitch on the right side of your work.

Make A 4 - B 5 - C - D 6 afterthought buttonholes: Pull the sts apart to create small holes at the points where you want the buttonholes to go. Make sure they are 5 sts from the central front edge. Fix the edges of the buttonholes in place with some small sts in matching yarn. Make the first buttonhole A in the 1^st Gris-colored stripe - B - D in the 1^st Mimosa-colored stripe - C in the 1-1 rib st at the bottom; make the next ones 4 stripes up from each other. The last buttonhole should go in the neckband at the opening of the neck.

Attach the buttons to the other front panel at the same height as the buttonholes.

More Baby Knitting Patterns

Are you looking for more knitted models like this Opera baby cardigan? Take a look at one of these fun patterns below!

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