Valley Yarns Penny Candy Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Penny Candy Infant Cardigan

What Is Being Made

The Penny Candy is a gender-neutral infant cardigan designed by Julie Turjoman, sized to fit active babies from newborn through toddler stages. This adorable garment is available in four sizes: 0-6 months, 6-12 months, 12-18 months, and 18-24 months, with finished chest measurements ranging from 19½ inches to 22¼ inches when buttoned with 1 to 2 inches of positive ease. The cardigan features decorative cables on the fronts, making it a special handknit project for a special little one.

Craft and Skill Level

This is an intermediate-level knitting project that requires solid foundational skills. The Penny Candy cardigan is worked flat on circular needles, meaning it is constructed in rows rather than rounds, allowing knitters to work back and forth across the piece. This flat construction method makes it accessible for those comfortable with basic shaping and stitch techniques.

Techniques Used

The Penny Candy employs several key knitting techniques:

• Bottom-up construction: The cardigan is built from the lower edge upward, allowing for easier fitting adjustments and a more intuitive building process
• Seamed assembly: Pieces are sewn together after completion, creating neat, professional-looking seams
• Cable work: Cables are featured prominently on the front panels, adding visual interest and texture to the design
• Worked flat: The garment is knitted in rows on circular needles rather than in the round, giving knitters flexibility in their working method

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Penny Candy cardigan incorporates several essential knitting stitches and techniques:

• Stockinette stitch: The primary stitch pattern for the body and sleeves, creating a smooth, classic fabric
• Ribbing: K1/P1 (knit one, purl one) ribbing is used for finishing edges, providing stretch and a polished appearance
• Cable stitches: The pattern includes 2/2 Right Cross (2/2 RC) and 2/2 Left Cross (2/2 LC) cable techniques, where stitches are slipped to a cable needle and held while working subsequent stitches to create the twisted, dimensional cable effect
• Decreases and increases: Standard shaping techniques including K2tog (knit two together), ssk (slip, slip, knit), and kfb (knit into front and back) are used for fitting the garment to the baby's body

Materials and Gauge

The Penny Candy cardigan is designed to be worked in Valley Yarns Montague, a 100% cotton yarn that is comfortably soft against a baby's delicate skin. Yarn requirements vary by size: 3 hanks for the smallest size (0-6 months), increasing to 4 hanks (6-12 months), 5 hanks (12-18 months), and 5 hanks (18-24 months). Each hank contains 50 grams and 110 yards. The sample shown was knitted in the Straw colorway.

Needles required include US size 7 (4.5 mm) and US size 6 (4 mm) circular needles in both 16-inch and 24-inch lengths, allowing flexibility based on the knitter's preference and the specific size being worked. The pattern calls for a gauge of 19 stitches and 26 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch on the larger needle, blocked. Achieving proper gauge is essential for the finished garment to fit correctly.

Additional materials needed include stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats, stitch holders or waste yarn for managing live stitches, a cable needle for executing the cable crossings, a tapestry needle for seaming and weaving in ends, and one ½-inch button for fastening the cardigan.

Construction Overview

The pattern begins with the sleeves, which are cast on using the Long-Tail method and worked flat. Knitters establish K1/P1 ribbing for 6 rows before transitioning to stockinette stitch on the larger needles. The body and front panels incorporate the cable patterns that define this design, while shaping is achieved through strategic increases and decreases to accommodate the growing baby. Once all pieces are completed and blocked, they are se