The Garter Ridge Baby Cardigan by Sarah Hoadley is an easy free knitting pattern for a classic baby sweater with simple textured garter ridges and a comfortable button-front design.
Available in four baby and toddler sizes, this cardigan is worked with medium-weight yarn and straightforward knitting techniques, making it an approachable project for knitters ready to try a small garment.
Garter Ridge Baby Cardigan Pattern at a Glance
Designer: Sarah Hoadley
Publisher: Lion Brand Yarn
Pattern: Garter Ridge Baby Cardigan
Craft: Knitting
Category: Baby Cardigan / Sweater
Skill Level: Easy (Beginner+)
Yarn Weight: Medium / Worsted (#4)
Yardage: Approximately 336–504 yards (307–461 m)
Needles: US 8 (5 mm)
Gauge: 17 sts and 25 rows = 4 in in stockinette stitch
Sizes: 0–6 months, 6–12 months, 12–18 months, 2–3 years
Pattern Availability: Free
About the Garter Ridge Baby Cardigan
This baby cardigan combines a traditional button-front shape with simple garter-ridge texture. The result is a practical little sweater with enough stitch detail to keep the knitting interesting without making the project overly complicated.
Lion Brand rates the pattern as Level 2 – Easy (Beginner+), making it a useful first cardigan project for knitters who already know the basic knit and purl stitches.
Sizes and Finished Measurements
The pattern includes four sizes, from newborn and baby sizes through approximately age three.
0–6 months: 21 in (53.5 cm) finished chest
6–12 months: 22 in (56 cm) finished chest
12–18 months: 24 in (61 cm) finished chest
2–3 years: 27.5 in (70 cm) finished chest
Finished lengths are approximately 9.5, 10, 12 and 14 inches respectively. Check the complete Lion Brand sizing information before selecting the size to knit.
Yarn and Needle Notes
The cardigan is designed for Medium / Worsted (#4) yarn. The original pattern was published with Lion Brand yarns including Cotton-Ease and Lion Cashmere Blend.
Depending on the selected size, the project uses approximately 336–504 yards (307–461 m) of yarn.
The recommended needle size is US 8 (5 mm). Lion Brand lists a gauge of 17 stitches and 25 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in stockinette stitch.
Why This Is a Good Baby Cardigan Project
Small garments are a useful way to practice sweater construction without committing to the yarn and knitting time required for an adult-size sweater. The Garter Ridge Baby Cardigan also uses a familiar worsted-weight gauge, which makes yarn substitution easier when an appropriate replacement yarn is selected.
The subtle garter-ridge texture gives the finished cardigan a handmade look while keeping the overall design simple and timeless.
Get the Free Garter Ridge Baby Cardigan Pattern
The Garter Ridge Baby Cardigan was designed by Sarah Hoadley and published by Lion Brand Yarn.
Amazing Knitting does not reproduce the designer's complete knitting instructions. Visit the official Lion Brand pattern page below for the current free pattern and complete instructions.
Pattern design © Sarah Hoadley. Published by Lion Brand Yarn. Pattern availability is controlled by the publisher and may change over time.