Autumn Smiles Cardigan

Knitted jacket for babies and children in DROPS Merino Extra Fine. The piece is worked top down with raglan, garter stitch, cables and pockets. Sizes 6 months - 8 years.

DROPS Children 37-15
DROPS Design: Pattern no me-062-bn
Yarn group B
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SIZES:
6/9 - 12/18 months (2 - 3/4 - 5/6 - 7/8 years)
The size is approx. equivalent to the child’s height in cm:
68/74 - 80/86 (92 - 98/104 - 110/116 - 122/128)

MATERIALS:
DROPS MERINO EXTRA FINE from Garnstudio (belongs to yarn group B)
300-300 (350-350-400-450) g colour 23, grey blue

KNITTING TENSION:
21 stitches in width and 28 rows in height with stocking stitch = 10 x 10 cm.

NEEDLES:
DROPS CIRCULAR NEEDLE SIZE 4 MM: Length 60 cm or 80 cm.
DROPS CABLE NEEDLE – for cables.
Needle size is only a guide. If you get too many stitches on 10 cm, change to a larger needle size. If you get too few stitches on 10 cm, change to a smaller needle size.

DROPS MOTHER OF PEARL BUTTONS, Arched (white) NO 521: 5-6 (6-6-7-7) items.

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EXPLANATIONS FOR THE PATTERN:

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RIDGE/GARTER STITCH (worked back and forth):
Knit all rows.
1 ridge in height = Knit 2 rows.

BUTTONHOLES:
Work buttonholes on right band (when garment is worn). Work from the right side when there are 3 stitches left on the row as follows: Make 1 yarn over, knit 2 together and knit the last stitch. On the next row (wrong side) knit the yarn over to leave a hole.
The first buttonhole is worked when the neck measures 1½-2 cm. Then work the other 4-5 (5-5-6-6) buttonholes with approx. 5-4½ (5-5½-5½-6) cm between each one.

PATTERN:
See diagrams A.1 and A.2. The diagrams show all rows in the pattern from the right side.

RAGLAN:
All increases are worked from the right side!
Increase 1 stitch on each side of each A.1 and A.2 (= 8 stitches increased on the row).
Increase 1 stitch by making 1 yarn over. On the next row knit the yarn overs twisted to avoid a hole.

DECREASE TIP (for sleeves):
All decreases are worked from the right side!
Decrease 1 stitch on each side of the piece as follows: Work 1 stitch in garter stitch, slip 1 stitch as if to knit, knit 1 and pass the slipped stitch over the knitted stitch (= 1 stitch decreased), work garter stitch until there are 3 stitches left, knit 2 together (= 1 stitch decreased) and finish with 1 stitch in garter stitch (= a total of 2 stitches decreased).

CASTING-OFF TIP:
To avoid the cast-off edge being tight you can cast off with a larger size needle. If the edge is still tight, make 1 yarn over after approx. each 4th stitch at the same time as casting off and the yarn overs are cast off as normal stitches.

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START THE PIECE HERE:

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JACKET – SHORT OVERVIEW OF THE PIECE:
The jacket is worked top down, back and forth with circular needle and from mid front. The sleeves are worked back and forth with circular needle, then sewn together to finish. The pockets are worked back and forth with circular needle and sewn onto the jacket.

NECK:
Cast on 68-72 (80-80-88-92) stitches (including 4 band stitches on each side towards mid front) with circular needle size 4 mm and Merino Extra Fine. Work 2 RIDGES – read description above and increase 4 stitches evenly spaced on the last row = 72-76 (84-84-92-96) stitches.

YOKE:
The next row is worked as follows from the right side – remember BUTTONHOLES on the right band – read description above:
Work 10-11 (13-13-15-16) stitches in garter stitch (= left front piece), A.1 (= 6 stitches), 8 stitches in garter stitch, A.2 (= 6 stitches) (= left sleeve), 12-14 (18-18-22-24) stitches in garter stitch (= back piece), A.1 over the next 6 stitches, 8 stitches in garter stitch, A.2 over the next 6 stitches (= right sleeve), 10-11 (13-13-15-16) stitches in garter stitch (= right front piece).
Work 1 row from the wrong side.
Increase to RAGLAN – read description above – on each side of each A.1 and A.2 as follows:
Increase every 2nd row a total of 5 times, then every 4th row a total of 9-10 (11-12-13-14) times = 184-196 (212-220-236-248) stitches.
REMEMBER THE KNITTING TENSION!
When all the increases to raglan are finished the piece measures approx. 11-12 (13-14-15-16) cm from the cast-on edge.
If necessary, continue working with garter stitch and cables but without further increases until the piece measures 11-12 (13-14-15-16) cm.
On the next row divide the piece for body and sleeves as follows:
Work 28-30 (33-34-37-39) stitches in garter stitch (= front piece), place the next 40-42 (44-46-48-50) stitches on 1 thread for the sleeve, cast on 6 new stitches under the sleeve, work 48-52 (58-60-66-70) stitches in garter stitch (= back piece), place the next 40-42 (44-46-48-50) stitches on 1 thread for the sleeve, cast on 6 new stitches under the sleeve, work 28-30 (33-34-37-39) stitches in garter stitch (= front piece).

BODY:
= 116-124 (136-140-152-160) stitches.
Work garter stitch until the piece measures 16-18 (20-23-26-29) cm from where the body and sleeves were divided. Cast off – read CASTING-OFF TIP.

SLEEVE:
Place the 40-42 (44-46-48-50) stitches from the thread on the one side of the piece on circular needle size 4 mm. Cast on 4 stitches at the end of the next 2 rows (= 4 new stitches on each side of the piece) = 48-50 (52-54-56-58) stitches (including 1 edge stitch on each side). Work garter stitch back and forth.
When the piece measures 2 cm from the division, decrease 1 stitch on each side of the piece – read DECREASE TIP. Decrease like this every 8th-10th (12th-14th-14th-14th) row a total of 7-7 (7-7-8-8) times = 34-36 (38-40-40-42) stitches.
Continue with garter stitch until the sleeve measures 17-20 (24-29-32-35) cm from the division. Cast off.
Work the other sleeve in the same way.

POCKET:
Cast on 14-14 (16-16-18-18) stitches with circular needle size 4 mm and Merino Extra Fine. Work garter stitch back and forth until the piece measures 7-7 (8-8-9-9) cm. Cast off.
Work one more pocket in the same way.

ASSEMBLY:
Sew the sleeve seams inside the 1 edge stitch. Sew the openings under the sleeves. Sew buttons onto the left band. Sew on the pockets, approx. 3-3 (3-4-4-4) cm above the bottom edge and in the middle of each front piece.

Diagram explanations

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