Ella Rae Garter Rib Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Ella Rae Garter Rib Cardigan

What Is Being Made

The Ella Rae Garter Rib Cardigan is a knitted baby cardigan designed for infants and toddlers in five size ranges: 3-6 months, 6-12 months, 1-2 years, 2-3 years, and 4-5 years. This classic wardrobe piece features a button-front closure and is constructed with a combination of ribbed and garter stitch textures for visual interest and comfort. The cardigan is worked in a bottom-up construction method, meaning the garment is knitted from the hem upward, with pieces seamed together after completion.

Techniques Used

This cardigan employs several fundamental knitting techniques:

• Worked flat: All pieces are knitted on straight needles in rows rather than in the round, allowing for easy shaping and seaming.
• Seamed construction: Individual pieces (back, fronts, and sleeves) are knitted separately and then joined together using mattress stitch or similar seaming methods. Shoulder seams are joined first, sleeves are centered into armholes and sewn into place, and side and sleeve seams are completed.
• Shaping techniques: The cardigan incorporates increases worked at side edges to create a fitted silhouette, with increases worked into garter stitch at the sides. Armhole shaping is achieved by casting off stitches at the beginning of rows, and front neck shaping is created through a combination of cast-offs and decreases (k2tog) worked over multiple rows to create a gradual, curved neckline.
• Pattern integration: Increases are strategically incorporated into the established stitch pattern to maintain consistency in the design.

Stitches Used

The Ella Rae Garter Rib Cardigan combines two primary stitch patterns:

• Garter Rib: This is the main stitch pattern used throughout the body of the cardigan. Garter Rib is created by alternating knit and purl stitches in a specific sequence (p1, k1, p1, k3 repeat) across rows. This creates vertical ridges of purl stitches against a background of knit stitches, producing a textured, elastic fabric that is both visually appealing and forgiving for a baby garment.
• 1x1 Ribbing: Used for the initial ribbed cuffs at the hem and sleeve edges. This ribbing is created by alternating single knit and purl stitches (K1, p1) across every row, which creates a stretchy, fitted edge that helps the garment retain its shape and prevents rolling.
• Garter stitch: Used selectively, particularly at the side edges where increases are incorporated, creating a smooth transition and visual frame for the cardigan.
• Knit stitch: Used for establishment rows and specific shaping areas to create clean, structured edges.

Materials

The Ella Rae Garter Rib Cardigan is knitted using Ella Rae Cozy Soft yarn, which is an appropriate choice for baby garments due to its softness and gentle feel against delicate skin. The pattern requires two needle sizes: 3.75mm needles for working the ribbed edges and cuffs, and 4.00mm needles for the main body and sleeves. The larger needle size creates a slightly more open, comfortable fabric for the body of the cardigan while the smaller needles produce tighter ribbing for structure and fit. Specific yardage requirements vary by size, with larger sizes requiring proportionally more yarn.

Construction Details

The cardigan is constructed in five separate pieces: a back panel, two front panels, and two sleeves. The back is worked first, establishing the garter rib pattern and incorporating side shaping through increases worked at regular intervals (every 3rd, 8th, or 10th row depending on size). Once the back reaches the appropriate length, armhole shaping is created by casting off 3 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows. The left and right front panels are worked similarly, with the same ribbed cuff and pattern establishment, side increases, and armhole shaping. Front neck shaping is then worked by casting off a group of stitches and then decreasing one stitch at the neck edge on alternating rows over multiple rows to create a curved, finished neckline. Sleeves are cast on, worked in ribbing for the first 4 rows, then changed to the main needle size and worked