Moss Stitch Stripe Baby Cardigan: Easy Raglan Knitting Tutorial
This moss stitch stripe baby cardigan from Sheila's Just Knitting is a sweet, practical knit with a texture that does most of the work for you. Bands of moss stitch alternate with stocking stitch, so the fabric gets a soft, ridged look without cables, colorwork or charts.
The full video tutorial runs about an hour and a half and walks through every piece: the back, both fronts, two raglan sleeves, the neckband, the button bands and the sewing up. If you are planning handmade gifts for a new baby this winter, it is a calm, steady project you can pick up a little at a time.
Moss Stitch Stripe Baby Cardigan at a Glance
- Designer: Sheila's Just Knitting
- Level: Easy, with a six-row pattern repeat and simple raglan decreases
- Size: 16 inches, as made in the video
- Yarn: James C. Brett Baby Double Knit Super Soft (100% acrylic)
- Needles: 3.25 mm for the ribbing and 4 mm for the main fabric
- Construction: knitted flat in pieces with raglan sleeves, sewn up at the end
- Video length: 1 hour 31 minutes
What You'll Need
- Baby double knit yarn (the video uses James C. Brett Baby Double Knit Super Soft in white)
- 3.25 mm and 4 mm knitting needles
- A stitch holder for the back neck stitches
- Stitch markers to space the buttonholes
- Buttons
- A yarn needle for sewing the seams and the buttons
The Moss Stitch Stripe Pattern
Every piece of this cardigan uses the same stitch pattern, so once you have learned it on the back, the fronts and sleeves feel familiar. After the ribbing you work two rows of stocking stitch to set things up. These two rows are not counted as part of the repeat.
The repeat itself is six rows: three rows of moss stitch (knit one, purl one, then purl one, knit one on the next row so the stitches alternate), followed by three rows of stocking stitch that start with a purl row. Keep repeating those six rows and the stripes build up on their own.
The ribbing is a twisted rib: knit one through the back loop, purl one. It is used on the hem, the cuffs and the front bands, and it gives a firm, tidy edge that holds its shape well on a small garment.
How to Knit the Cardigan Step by Step
The video has no chapters, so the times below are approximate and only meant to help you jump to the right section.
1. The back (from about 0:40)
Cast on 49 stitches with the cable cast on and work eight rows of twisted rib on the 3.25 mm needles. Change to 4 mm needles, work the two set-up rows in stocking stitch, then start the six-row stripe pattern.
Keep going until the back measures 5 inches. For the armholes, cast off 3 stitches at the start of the next two rows. The raglan decreases are spaced four rows apart at first and then worked on every other row until 15 stitches remain. Those stitches go onto a stitch holder and are picked up later for the neckband.
2. The two fronts (from about 18:30)
Each front starts with 23 stitches. Sheila knits both fronts at the same time on one needle, which keeps the length, the pattern rows and the shaping matched on both sides. It is a handy approach if reversing shaping usually trips you up.
The fronts follow the same rib, set-up rows and stripe pattern as the back up to 5 inches. From there you cast off for the armhole, work the raglan decreases along the armhole edge (keeping two knit stitches at the edge for a neat line), and shape the neck on the other edge until only a couple of stitches are left.
3. The sleeves (from about 49:00)
Cast on 29 stitches, work eight rows of twisted rib, then move into the pattern. The increases are worked inside the pattern on the first moss stitch row of the repeat, so they blend into the texture instead of standing out at the edges.
Increase until you have 41 stitches and continue until the sleeve measures 5½ inches, or the length you prefer. The top of each sleeve is shaped like the body: cast off 3 stitches at each side, then work the raglan decreases.
4. The neckband (from about 1:02:00)
Pick up stitches around the neck from the right front, across the top of the first sleeve, the 15 back stitches from the holder, the second sleeve and the left front, for 51 stitches in total. Knit one row, work four rows of knit one, purl one rib and cast off loosely.
5. The button bands (from about 1:07:30)
Pick up the same number of stitches along each front edge; Sheila aims for 55 on each side. Getting the counts equal matters here, because the buttons are lined up by counting stitches later. The button band is five rows of twisted rib, cast off loosely.
On the buttonhole band, place a stitch marker on every sixth knit stitch so the buttonholes are spaced evenly. On the third row, at each marker, bring the yarn forward and knit the next two stitches together to make the hole.
6. Sewing up and buttons (from about 1:22:00)
Sheila finishes all of the knitting before any sewing. The raglan seams are joined with a flat seam, followed by the side and sleeve seams. To place the buttons, count the knit stitches between two buttonholes and count the same number on the button band, so every button sits right opposite its hole.
Tips for a Neat Baby Cardigan
- Leave long tails. Sheila leaves a long end when she casts on and casts off and uses it to sew the seams, which means fewer ends to weave in.
- Keep track of the repeat. Note which of the six pattern rows you finished on before any shaping, so the stripes line up across the back, fronts and sleeves.
- Cast off the bands loosely. A tight cast-off pulls in the neckband and front bands and can make the edges gather.
- Match your band counts. Equal stitch counts on both front bands make it easy to line up the buttons with the buttonholes.
- Measure the sleeves on the baby, if you can. The sleeve is worked to a measurement, so it is simple to add or take away a little length.
Images and patterns courtesy of Sheila's Just Knitting
Enjoy the Video Tutorial
Source: Sheila's Just Knitting on YouTube
Frequently Asked Questions
What size is this baby cardigan?
The cardigan in the video is the 16-inch size. Because the body and sleeves are worked to measurements, you can easily adjust the sleeve length.
Is the moss stitch stripe pattern hard to learn?
No. It is a six-row repeat of three moss stitch rows and three stocking stitch rows, and the same pattern is used on every piece. Sheila describes it as a very easy pattern to remember.
Which yarn and needles are used in the video?
James C. Brett Baby Double Knit Super Soft, a 100% acrylic yarn, with 3.25 mm needles for the ribbing and 4 mm needles for the main pattern.
More from Sheila's Just Knitting
- How to Knit a Beautiful Drop Stitch and Garter Baby Cardigan
- Baby Slip Stitch Cardigan: Charming and Practical Garment
- How to Knit a Blackberry Cardigan: Step by Step
- How to Sew the Perfect Knitwear Seam for a Neat Finish
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