I have a new favourite baby cardigan pattern – the Norwegian Fir Top Down Cardigan. I may never knit another Liesl again – that’s how good it is!
I came across this pattern when my friend Jill was doing a bit of stash busting by whipping up some baby clothes. Jill is savvy enough to keep a supply of baby knits tucked away so she can cope with those times when everyone seems to be having babies at the same time.
I decided to follow Jill’s example and go stash diving. I came up with two 100g balls of Heirloom’s Dazzle Star acrylic 8ply. I rarely buy acrylic, but I’m a sucker for novelty colourways. Because my local supermarket sells this yarn I couldn’t resist popping a few balls into my trolley with the weekly groceries.
I used a whole ball for the cardigan, with only about 10g left over. I still have another ball of this yarn but I think I’ll send it to the op shop. Dazzle Star knits up very prettily, and it’s the best acrylic yarn I’ve ever used – I just don’t enjoy knitting with acrylic.
Norwegian Fir is a top down, garter stitch cardigan that comes in sizes for newborns to nine-year-olds.
The sleeves are knit in the round, although I did knit mine flat. I thought I’d get a neater finish and avoid the underarm gap that comes with top down designs, but it wasn’t really worth changing. Next time I’ll just knit them in the round.
The increases are knit into the eyelet pattern along the raglan lines on the front and back. I found it an easy pattern to memorise, but for those who read every line from the printed pattern, it’s well written and easy to follow.
I purchased my own copy of this pattern from the OGE Knitwear Designs Ravelry shop. There are so many beautiful patterns! While I was there I fell in love with another pattern – the Wyntreaux Bolero. Once my Christmas knitting is done, I’ll be casting this on – I might make it my New Year’s Day cast on for 2020.
Despite not being very keen on babies that don’t meow, I do love making cardigans for them and I’m really happy to have some new patterns to get excited about.
