SIX LITTLE FLOWERS CARDIGAN
by uma knits (@[Link])
The Six Little Flowers (6LF) Cardigan is a simple, top-down knit with
a button band and 3/4 length sleeves. It is absolutely seamless! You
have the choice to add on embroidered flowers at the end. Knit in
bulky weight yarn held double stranded, the 6LF Cardigan is a quick
project and a great, beginner-friendly introduction to top-down
knitting.
Be sure to read the notes section in its entirety before getting
started as there are some helpful tips and tricks mentioned. I also
recommend going through the pattern and highlighting the
numbers corresponding to your size so you don’t get any stitch
counts mixed up.
Sample shown here in size S, knit with KnitPicks ‘Wonderfluff’
1
SIZES MATERIALS
XS (S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL) • 8mm circular knitting needles (32” or 40” for ribbing/button
band)
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS • 12mm circular knitting needles (32” or 40” for body and 24”
Bust circumference: 34 (38, 42, 46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66) in
for sleeves)
86 (96, 107, 117, 127, 137, 147, 157.5, 168) cm
• optional: 12mm DPNs for sleeves
Length: 15.5 (16, 16.5, 17.5, 18, 19, 19.5, 20.5, 21.5) in
• optional: 8mm DPNs for sleeves
39 (41, 42, 44.5, 46, 48, 49.5, 52, 55) cm
• Stitch markers
• Measuring tape
YARN • 5 buttons
Weight: 142yds = 50gr (bulky)
• Sewing thread
Suggested: ‘Wonderfluff’ by KnitPicks or similar yarn that
• Scrap yarn for embroidery
matches gauge
• Embroidery needle &
260 (280, 300, 320, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550) gr
sewing needle
Note: The suggested yarn is held double stranded for this
piece. I strongly encourage you to use whichever yarn you like TECHNIQUES
or have stashed. This cardigan is designed to be flexible and • 1x1 rib
customizable in terms of fit. The above suggestion is not • Stockinette stitch
meant to be a strict guideline. • Raglan increases - M1R &
M1L
GAUGE (held double stranded on 12mm needles): • Knitting in the round
Stockinette st: 8 stitches x 11 rows = 4in/10cm x 4in/10cm
2
NOTES & RESOURCES BUTTON BANDS: This is a great video tutorial on picking up
stitches for neat button bands. (I am not affiliated with this
CONSTRUCTION: This cardigan is knit top-down without video.)
seaming. You begin with the yoke, then separate the sleeves
from the body and leave them on hold, picking up those ABBREVIATIONS: K = knit, P = purl, rs = right side, ws =
stitches later to finish the sleeves in the round. Stitches are wrong side, St st = stockinette stitch, sts = stitches, PM =
picked up along the front edges for the button bands. place stitch marker, M1R = make 1 right-leaning increase, M1L
= make 1 left-leaning increase, SM = slip stitch marker, BO =
RAGLAN INCREASES: You knit the raglan increases 1 stitch bind off, K2tog = knit two stitches together
before and after each marker, meaning you will have 2 center
stitches at the seams. I recommend this video tutorial for the Let’s begin!
M1R and M1L technique that is used in this pattern. BODY
• With 8mm circular needles and holding 2 strands of yarn
PICKING UP STITCHES: When picking up stitches, pick a new together, cast on 36 (40, 48, 48, 48, 56, 60, 64, 64) sts (do
thread up through the already existing stitch with a crochet not join in the round).
hook or knitting needle. This method will result in a neat line. • Knit in 1x1 rib (k1, p1) for 4 rows or desired.
Switch to 12mm needles (32” or 40” cable)
• Set up markers (ws):
1. P 6 (7, 9, 9, 9, 11, 11, 12, 12) (right front)
2. PM
3. P 6 (6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 8, 8, 8) (right sleeve)
4. PM
3
5. P 12 (14, 18, 18, 18, 22, 22, 24, 24) (back) • You should now have 68 (76, 84, 92, 100, 108, 116, 124,
6. PM 132) sts on your needles.
7. P 6 (6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 8, 8, 8) (left sleeve)
8. PM At this point, you should try your cardigan on and see how
9. P 6 (7, 9, 9, 9, 11, 11, 12, 12) (left front) it fits. If it’s not fitting comfortably yet, continue to knit
increase rows as before while working the body. If you
Shape the shoulders: don’t need to increase anymore, you can remove all stitch
• Row 1: *K to 1 st before marker, M1R, K1, SM, K1, M1L* markers.
repeat from * to * to end of row (increase 8 sts)
• Row 2: P all sts to end of row. Work the body:
• Repeat rows 1 and 2 for 22 (24, 24, 28, 32, 32, 36, 38, 42) • Row 1 (rs): K all sts.
rows. You should have 124 (136, 144, 160, 176, 192, 204, • Row 2 (ws): P all sts.
216, 232) sts on your needles. • Repeat rows 1 and 2 until your cardigan measures 39 (41,
42, 44.5, 46, 48, 49.5, 52, 55) cm from the cast on edge or
Separate the sleeves: desired length (you can make the cardigan as cropped or
On the next rs row, you will knit as in row 1 above (continuing oversized as you’d like at this point).
increases), but slip the two sleeve section sts onto spare
needles or threads in the process. It looks like this: Switch to 8mm needles (32” or 40” cable)
• K to 1 st before marker, M1R, K1, remove marker, slip all • Knit in 1x1 rib (K1, P1) for 6 rows or desired.
sleeve sts onto spare needle or thread, SM, K1, M1L, K to 1 • BO all sts loosely in rib.
st before marker, M1R, K1, remove marker, slip all sleeve sts
onto spare needle or thread, SM, K1, M1L, K to end of row.
• Next row: P all sts.
4
SLEEVES BUTTON BANDS
• Transfer your sleeve sts from the spare needle or thread to How to calculate how many sts to pick up:
your 12mm circular needles (24” cable) or DPNs. Time to check gauge! On your cardigan, gather the following
• Joining new yarn, pick up 7 sts around the armpit (you can counts:
pick these up in spaces that aren’t technically stitches). Be Sts of ribbing on the body in 4in:
sure to pick up sts in secure spots to close any gaps/holes. Divide this number by 4: sts/in
• Place a stitch marker between the last st you picked up with Rows of St st on the body in 4in:
new yarn and the first st you transferred from a spare needle Divide this number by 4: rows/in
to mark the beginning of round.
• Knit all the way around to 1 st before the first st you picked Round both amounts to whole numbers and now you have
up with new yarn, k2tog, k to end of round. At this point, your ratio! The top number is how many sts you will pick up in
you should have an even number of sts on your needle. the bottom number amount of rows.
• Continue to knit in the round until your sleeve measures 28
(30, 30, 32, 32, 34, 34, 36, 36) cm from the underarm (if For example:
you prefer full-length sleeves, try your cardigan on and Sts of ribbing on the body in 4in: 8.5
continue knitting to desired length). Divide this number by 4: 2.125 sts/in
• Next row: *K2tog, k2tog*, repeat from * to * to end of Rows of St st on the body in 4in: 11
round. You should now have HALF the number of sts on your Divide this number by 4: 2.75 rows/in
needles.
• Next row: K all sts. Rounded to whole numbers, this comes to 2 sts for every 3
• BO all sts loosely. rows. So I’m going to pick up 2 sts, skip one row, pick up 2
Repeat all steps in this section for the second sleeve. sts, skip one row, etc.
5
Let’s begin! FLOWER EMBROIDERY
Right: If you’d like to embroider flowers on your cardigan, gather
• With 8mm needles, pick up sts along the right front edge of some yarn scraps and follow my instructions in the video
your cardigan according to your calculations above. below. I show you how to do the lazy daisy stitch in this video,
• Knit in 1x1 rib (k1, p1) for 4 rows (if you would like a thicker but there are many other tutorials out there that can show you
button band, knit a couple more rows of ribbing, but how to make other kinds of embroidered flowers. You can
remember to do the same on the left side and place your place your flowers anywhere you’d like!
button holes accordingly).
• BO all sts loosely in rib.
Left:
• With 8mm needles, pick up sts along the left front edge of
your cardigan according to your calculations above.
• From the bottom edge, count 3 sts and PM. Using a
measuring tape as a guide, place 4 more stitch markers at
even intervals along the picked up sts to mark where your
button holes will be (5 total button holes).
• Row 1 (ws): *K1, p1*, repeat * to * to end of row.
• Row 2 (rs): *Knit in 1x1 rib (k1, p1) to SM, YO, k2tog*, repeat
* to * 4 more times, knit in 1x1 rib to end of row (you now FINISHING
Sew your buttons onto the right button band. Weave in all
have your button holes!)
ends, then steam or wet block (if desired). You have now
• Continue knitting in 1x1 rib for 2 more rows.
completed your Six Little Flowers Cardigan!
• BO all sts loosely in rib.
6
Thank you so much for choosing to
knit the Six Little Flowers
Cardigan! If you like to share your
knits on social media, please tag
me @[Link] and use
#sixlittleflowerscardigan so I can
see your wonderful creations and
share them.
Stay cozy,
Uma
