Gidday Baby Free Pattern

Pattern Description:

The Gidday Baby cardigan is a seamless, top-down knitting pattern featuring simple increases in a striped garter stitch circular yoke.

Designed for welcoming babies, it’s suitable for beginners and those polishing skills, with support from blog posts. 

It is sized for chest measurements of 15 and 16 inches (38 and 40.5 cm) and fits approximately newborn to 6 months.

Materials Needed & Measurements:

• Yarn:
  • White Gum Wool 8ply (100% ethical superfine merino; 286yd [236m]/100g), Main Colour: 1 ball, Contrast Colour: 1 ball.
  • OR Augustbird White Gum Wool 8ply (100% ethical superfine merino; 286yd [236m]/100g), Main Colour: 1 ball, Contrast Colour: 1 ball.
  • OR 8ply/DK weight yarn of approximately: Main Colour: 220/205 (250/230) yards/metres, Contrast Colour: 50/45 (50/45) yards/metres.

• Yarn Weight: 8ply/DK weight.
• Needle:
  • US6/4mm 32”/80cm and 8”/20cm circular (or size required for tension).
  • US5/3.75mm: 32”/80cm and 8”/20cm circular (or size required for tension).

• Notions:
  • One stitch marker.
  • Two pieces of waste yarn.
  • Two 18mm buttons.
  • Darning needle.
• Measurements (Finished garment, for chest measurements 15”/38cm and 16”/40.5cm respectively):
  • A: Yoke depth: 3½/9 (3½/9)”/cms.
  • B: Garment length: 10½/26.5 (11/28)”/cms.
  • C: Body length: 7/17.5 (7½/19)”/cms.
  • D: Body circumference: 16/40.5 (17/43)”/cms.
  • E: Sleeve length from underarm: 5¼/13.5 (6¼/16)”/cms.
  • F: Upper arm circumference: 6¼/16 (6½/16.5)”/cms.
  • G: Lower arm circumference: 5½/14 (5¾/14.5)”/cms.
  • The garment is designed with 1”/2.5cm of positive wearing ease, which is already incorporated into the sizing.
  • The pattern is sized for actual chest measurements of 15”/38cm (newborn to 3 months) and 16”/40.5cm (3 to 6 months).

Stitches & Abbreviations Used:

• CC: Contrast Colour.
• inc.: increased.
• k: knit.
• k2tog: knit 2 stitches together.
• kfab: knit into front and back of stitch.
• LH: Left Hand.
• MC: Main Colour.
• p: purl.
• RH: Right Hand.
• RS: Right Side.
• sl1: slip one.
• slipm: Slip stitch from left to right needle purl-wise, unless decreasing.
• sm: stitch marker.
• SOR: Start of Round.
• ssk: slip slip knit. Slip two stitches knit-wise one at a time. Use the left needle to knit through both stitches to decrease.
• st/s: stitch/es.
• WS: Wrong Side.
• wyib: with yarn in back.
• wyif: with yarn in front.
• yo: yarn over.

Instructions for Making the Gidday Baby Pattern:

The cardigan is knit top-down, with the body knit flat and the sleeves in the round. It features a circular yoke shaped with simple yarn over increases. When switching colours on the yoke, carry the yarn not in use up the side. Edging and button bands are integrated as you knit, minimizing finishing.

Yoke

• Begin with MC. Using your smaller size longer length needle and a long-tail cast on, cast on 48 (50) sts.
• Rows 1 & 2: Switch to CC, k.
• Rows 3 & 4: Switch to MC, k.
• Row 5 (Buttonhole One): (RS) Switch to CC, k until last 3 sts, yo, k2tog, k1. (Stitch count: 68 (72)).
• Row 6: (WS) k.
• Row 7 (Increase Row One): (RS) Switch to MC, work as indicated for your size:
  • 15”: k4, yo, k2; repeat from * to last 4 sts, k4.
  • 16”: k4, yo, k2; repeat from * to last 4 sts, yo, k4.
  • (20 (22) sts inc.). Tip: To avoid an obvious hole from the yo, on the next row, k through the back of the yo st.
• Row 8: (WS) k.
• Rows 9 & 10: Switch to CC, k.
• Rows 11 & 12: Switch to MC, k.
• Rows 13 & 14: Switch to CC, k.
• Row 15 (Increase Row Two): (RS) Switch to MC and work: k4, yo, k2; repeat from * to last 4 sts, yo, k4. (31 (33) sts inc.; Stitch count: 99 (105)).
• Row 16: (WS) k.
• Rows 17-22: Repeat Rows 9 to 14, switching colour as indicated.
• Row 23 (Increase Row Three): (RS) Switch to MC and work: k4, yo, k3; repeat from * to last 5 sts, yo, k5. (31 (33) sts inc.; Stitch count: 130 (138)).
• Row 24: (WS) k.
• Row 25 (Buttonhole Two): (RS) Switch to CC and k until last 3 sts, yo, k2tog, k1.
• Row 26: (WS) k.
• Rows 27-30: Repeat Rows 11 to 14, switching colour as indicated.
• Row 31: (RS) Switch to longer length larger needle and MC, k.
• Row 32: (WS) k3, wyib sl1 purl-wise, p to last 4 sts, k4.
• Row 33: (RS) k3, wyif sl1 purl-wise, k to end of row.
• Repeat Rows 32 and 33, finishing with a WS row, until yoke measures from the cast on edge to the needles 3½”/9cms.

Split for Body and Sleeves

• Next Row: (RS) k3, wyif sl1 purl-wise, k 16 (17) sts, kfab into next stitch.
• Slip next 26 (28) sts onto waste yarn and backward loop cast on: 5 (6) sts.
• Kfab into next st, k 34 (36), kfab into next st.
• Slip next 26 (28) sts onto waste yarn and backward loop cast on: 5 (6) sts.
• Kfab into next st, k to end of row. (Stitch count: 92 (98)).

Body

• Row 1: (WS) k3, wyib sl1 purl-wise, p to last 4 sts, k4.
• Row 2: (RS) k3, wyif sl1 purl-wise, k to end of row.
• Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until garment measures approximately 9¾/24.5 (10¼/26) inches/cms from the shoulder point next to the neckline, finishing with an RS row.
• Note: Hemline will add an additional ¾”/2cm.

Hemline

• Knit 6 rows.
• Cast off loosely on the WS.

Sleeves

• Place one set of held sts on your choice of US6/4mm needles for small circumference knitting.
• Pick up and knit 10 sts from the underarm cast on edge of the body. (Stitch count: 36 (38)).
• Initial Shaping Round: k round to the last original sleeve st, ssk (worked over the last of the sleeve sts and the first of the picked up sts). k4, place sm to indicate SOR. k4, k2tog (worked over the last of the picked up sts and the first of the sleeve sts). k to end of round. (Stitch count: 34 (36)).
• Sleeve Decreases (Repeat as needed for shaping):
  • Rounds 1-6: k.
  • Round 7: k until last 5 sts, ssk, k3.
  • Round 8: k3, k2tog, k to end of round. (Stitch count after one repeat: 32 (34)).
• Repeat Rounds 1 to 8 (the decrease rounds).
• Knit straight in stocking stitch until sleeve measures 4½/11.5 (5½/14) inches/cms, as measured from the underarm join.
• Note: Sleeve Cuff will add an additional ¾”/2cm.

Sleeve Cuffs

• Switch to your smaller size 8”/20cm or preferred option for small circumference knitting.
• Round 1: Switch to CC and k.
• Round 2: p.
• Round 3: Switch to MC and k.
• Round 4: p.
• Rounds 5-7: Repeat Rounds 1 to 3.
• Cast off loosely purl-wise.
• Repeat for the other sleeve.

Finishing

• Weave in all ends and sew on buttons.
• Soak in a good quality wool wash and wet block gently, being careful not to overstretch the garment.

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