American Girl Doll Basic Top-Down Raglan Cardigan

Free Doll Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Skills Required/Techniques Used:

-Knit & purl, cast on & bind off

-Increasing: make 1 (m1), yarn over (yo)

-Decreasing: knit 2 together (k2tog)

-Picking up stitches

-Working in the round on double pointed needles

Materials: Knit Picks (affiliate link) Shadow Tonal lace weight yarn (100% Merino), 440 yards (402 meters) / 50 gr, color Blue Yonder - 0.3 ball
Knit Picks (affiliate link) Aloft lace weight yarn (75% Mohair, 25% Silk) 246 yards (225 meters)/ 25 gr, color Tranquil - 0.6 ball

The cardigan is worked using 1 thread of each yarn mentioned above. However, you can use any worsted weight yarn from your stash. You’ll need approx 110 yds (100 m) total.

Notions: yarn needle, 4 stitch markers, 2 pieces of waste yarn, four 6mm buttons, sewing needle and thread to attach buttons

Needles: US #6 (4mm) circular, US #6 (4mm) dpn needles and US #5 (3.75 mm) OR SIZE NEEDED TO OBTAIN GAUGE

Gauge for stockinette stitch: 18 st x 24 rows = 4" (10 cm)

Abbreviations

k - knit

p- purl

m1 - Make 1 increase - I used the increase described by Elizabeth Zimmerman
Make a backward loop over the right-hand needle and in the next row/round purl/knit as a regular stitch.

pu&k - pick up and knit

co - cast on

sm - slip marker

pm - place marker

Pattern Notes:

Stockinette Stitch in rows:
Row 1 (RS and all RS rows) - knit
Row 2 (WS and all WS rows) - purl

Repeat 2 rows

Stockinette Stitch in rounds: all rounds knit

Garter Stitch in rows: all rows knit

Garter stitch in rounds:
Round 1 and all odd rounds - knit
Round 2 and all even rounds - purl

Repeat 2 rounds

Selvedge stitches: the first st knit, the last st purl.

Raglan increases: Increase for raglan by making 1 st (m1) on each side of indicated, marked, stitch in every right side (RS) row: m1, sm (slip marker), k1 (raglan st), m1. There are 4 raglan lines, therefore the number of sts in each RS row will increase by 8 sts.

The cardigan is worked in 2 strands of yarn, from the top down, with increases on the raglan lines, back and forth. The button bands are worked in garter stitch simultaneously with the body of the cardigan. The sleeves are worked in-the-round on dpn.

On circular #6 needles, cast on 40 sts and work 2 rows in garter stitch - both rows knit.
Check the stitches and place markers:
1 edge - 3 button band - 3 left front - 1 raglan (place the first marker before this st) - 6 left sleeve - 1 raglan (place the second marker before this st) - 10 back - 1 raglan (place the third marker before this st) - 6 right sleeve - 1 raglan (place the forth marker before this st) - 3 right front - 3 button band - 1 edge.

Row 3 (RS and all RS rows except rows 5 and 13, increase row): *knit till marker, m1, sm, k1, m1 - repeat from * 4 times, knit till the last st, p1.

Row 4 (WS and all WS rows): k4, purl till last 4 sts, k3, p1.

Rows 5 and 13 (RS, increase rows with button hole): *knit till marker, m1, sm, k1, m1 - repeat from * 4 times, knit till the last 4 sts, yo, k2tog, k1, p1.

Work 15 more rows as described above.

After row 3 the number of sts is 48 sts.

After row 5 - 56 sts

After row 7 - 64 sts

After row 9 - 72 sts

After row 11 - 80 sts

After row 13 - 88 sts

After row 15 - 96 sts

After row 17 - 104 sts

After row 19 - 112 sts

Divide for Sleeves and Bodice:

Row 21 (RS): k17, transfer the next 24 sts of the sleeve to a piece of waste yarn, co 1, k30 sts, transfer the next 24 sts of the sleeve to another piece of waste yarn, co 1, k13, yo, k2tog, k1, p1. = 66 sts

Row 22 (WS and all RS rows): k 1, p65.

Row 23 (RS and all RS rows except row 29): k65, p1.

Row 29 (RS, row with button hole): k 62, yo, k2tog, k1, p1.
Work as established till row 30. Work 6 more rows in garter stitch: rows 31, 33 and 35 purl, rows 32, 34 and 36 knit. Bind off.

Sleeve

Transfer 24 sts of the sleeve to US #6 dpn, distributing them evenly, pu&k one underarm stitch. Work 15 rounds in stockinette (all rounds knit)
Change to US #5 dpn and work 6 more rounds in garter stitch: rounds 16, 18 and 20 purl, round purl, 17, 19, 21 knit. Bind off.

Finishing: Weave in all yarn ends. Sew on the buttons on the left button band.

Enjoy!