Valley Yarns April In December Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns April In December Cardigan and Bonnet Set

Project Overview

The Valley Yarns April In December is an intermediate-level knitting pattern designed by Melissa Morgan-Oakes that features a coordinating cardigan and bonnet set. This downloadable PDF pattern is worked flat using a bottom-up construction method with seamed finishing, making it an excellent project for knitters looking to develop their shaping and seaming skills.

Cardigan Construction and Techniques

The cardigan is constructed using fundamental knitting techniques appropriate for intermediate crafters. The garment is worked flat on straight needles and features seamed construction, meaning pieces are knitted separately and then joined together with mattress stitch—a professional finishing technique that creates invisible seams. The bottom-up construction approach means you begin at the lower edge and work upward toward the neckline, allowing you to try on the garment as you progress.

Cardigan Sizing and Finished Measurements

The pattern is available in four sizes to fit infants from newborn through 18 months. The finished chest measurements range from 20.5 inches for the smallest size to 25 inches for the largest size, providing appropriate proportions for growing babies. This sizing structure ensures the garment can be worn across multiple seasons during the infant's first year and a half.

Cardigan Stitch Work and Shaping

The cardigan incorporates several key knitting techniques:

• Garter stitch is used for foundational sections and edge treatments, providing a textured, reversible fabric
• Stockinette stitch forms the main body fabric, creating a smooth, classic appearance
• The pattern stitch features a decorative lace motif worked using yarn overs and decreases (K2tog and K2tog tbl), creating an openwork design
• Strategic increases are worked at sleeve edges every third row to shape the sleeve cap properly
• Decreases are used to shape the sleeve cap, creating a fitted armhole opening

Cardigan Finishing Details

The cardigan features several finishing elements that add functionality and visual interest. The neckline and front bands are created by picking up stitches around the neck opening and working in garter stitch for a clean, stable edge. Five buttonholes are incorporated using the yarn over and K2tog decrease method, allowing for easy fastening. The pattern specifies that 24 small ribbon roses or decorative elements can be added as embellishment, offering customization options for personalization.

Bonnet Construction

The coordinating bonnet is also worked flat and begins with a cast-on of 65 to 89 stitches depending on the size. The bonnet construction starts with garter stitch for the first four rows, providing a stable foundation. The piece then transitions to the pattern stitch—the same decorative lace motif used in the cardigan—creating visual cohesion between the two garments.

Yarn and Needle Requirements

The pattern calls for Valley Yarns Southwick, a blend of 52% pima cotton and 48% bamboo fiber. This fiber content creates a soft, breathable fabric ideal for baby garments, with the pima cotton providing durability and the bamboo contributing a silky drape. The yardage requirement is 4 to 6 skeins of 105 yards per 50-gram skein, depending on the size selected. Knitting is worked on US size 4 needles or the size needed to achieve the specified gauge.

Gauge and Pattern Specifications

The pattern specifies a gauge of 22 stitches and 26 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch. Achieving the correct gauge is essential for obtaining the proper finished measurements, particularly important in baby garment sizing. The pattern stitch is a multi-row repeat that combines knit stitches, yarn overs, and decreases to create the decorative lace element featured throughout both the cardigan and bonnet.

Skill Development

This intermediate-level pattern provides excellent opportunities to practice essential knitting skills including gauge swatching, working increases and decreases, reading pattern stitches, picking up stitches, working buttonholes, and executing mattress stitch seaming. The coordinating pieces allow knitters to apply these techniques across multiple garment components while creating a cohesive, finished set.