Stardust Crochet

At the beginning of February when we had our Stylecraft Blogstars Meetup (with the non UK girls on Skype), Stylecraft gave us some gorgeous new baby yarns.      

I have been itching to use the WONDERSOFT STARDUST which comes in six oh-so-pretty pastel colours, with an opalescent thread adding a hint of sparkle!   

Our beautiful granddaughter, Madison, arrived on 22 February, weighing in at a teeny 2.8kg and measuring 48cm.     Her birth measurements were almost an exact match to those of her mommy (my daughter).    

Winter is fast approaching here in the Southern Hemisphere and the "Stardust" was just begging to be turned into a little cardigan for my favourite teeny human!

I came up with a quick and easy little cardigan pattern (one size only - 3-6 months) - worked in dc rows from the yoke down, with a sweet braid detail.   

I wrecked the yarn for the first one a bit (pulling out rows to adjust stitch counts etc) - but once I had that sorted churning out the next one was a breeze! 

The Stardust is soft and super to work with, giving really neat stitch definition, and......... I had the perfect matching Owl Buttons!!!

Warning - pattern is addictive.     I have made FIFTEEN so far!!   7 for Madison, 1 for a friend's little girl, and 7 to be donated (more pics in my next post).

I wrote the pattern up in record time (for me) and my dear friend Pat from SUNSHINE AND A SEWING BASKET tested it for me!     

If you would like to make one (or a few) you can find the pattern HERE!!

Happy hooking!

Quick and Easy Baby Cardigan

PATTERN TERMS:   US

Skill Level:  Beginner / Easy

Approximate Time:  3 - 6 hours

Yarn:   DK (8 ply / Light Worsted Weight) Acrylic;  Courtelle;  Acrylic / Wool;  Acrylic / Wool / Tweed

Yarn suggestions: 
Stylecraft Wondersoft Stardust DK
Stylecraft Wondersoft DK
Stylecraft Special DK
Stylecraft Merry-go-round DK
Elle Family Knit Print DK
Elle Family Knit DK
Elle Pullskein DK
Elle Pullskein Print, DK

Amount Required:  300m / 330y (approximately 100g depending on yarn choice)

Hook Size:  4.00mm (Use whatever hook size suits your choice of yarn and your tension)

Size:  3 – 6 months

3 Small Buttons
Length of ribbon (optional)

PATTERN NOTES:   
This little cardi is worked in rows from the yoke down.  The last dc of each row is worked into the third chain of the beginning stitch of the previous row – since the beginning 3ch counts as 1dc, I count it as such in the pattern.  The front panels and the back are worked in one piece after the armholes have been made.    The sleeves are crocheted onto the armholes and are worked in the round.
Decorate the Eyelet Row according to your preference with either a crochet braid, or a length of threaded ribbon;  Or leave it as is!
NOTE:  Odd number rows are worked on the right side (RS).     Even number rows are worked on the wrong side (WS).

Foundation:   46ch

Row 1: 1dc into 4^th ch from hook (counts as 2dc); *2dc into next dc, 1dc into each of next 2dc* repeat *to* 13 times more.

Row 2:  3ch (counts as 1dc), 1dc into next dc; *2dc into next dc, 1dc into each of next 3dc* repeat *to* 13 times more.

Row 3:  3ch (counts as 1dc), 1dc into each of next 2dc; *2dc into next dc, 1dc into each of next 4dc* repeat *to* 12 times more;  2dc into next dc, 1dc into each of next 3dc.

Row 4:  3ch (counts as 1dc), 1dc into each of next 2dc;  *2dc into next dc, 1dc into each of next 5dc* repeat *to* 12 times more;  2dc into next dc, 1dc into each of next 4dc.

Row 5:  3ch (counts as 1dc), 1dc into each of next 3dc;  *2dc into next dc, 1dc into each of next 6dc* repeat *to* 12 times more;  2dc into next dc, 1dc into each of next 5dc.

Row 6:  3ch (counts as 1dc), 1dc into each of next 4dc;  *2dc into next dc, 1dc into each of next 7dc* repeat *to*12 times more; 2dc into next dc, 1dc into each of next 5dc.

Row 7:  3ch (counts as 1dc), 1dc into each of next 4dc;  *2dc into next dc, 1dc into each of next 8dc* repeat *to*12 times more;  2dc into next dc, 1dc into each of next dc.

Row 8 – Eyelet Row:  3ch (counts as 1dc), 1dc into next dc;  *1ch, 1dc into next dc* repeat *to* 69 times more (70 x 1ch spaces).

Row 9:  3ch (counts as 1dc), 1dc into next dc; *2dc into next 1ch sp, 3dc into next 1ch sp* repeat *to* 4 times more (2dc + 25dc over 10 x 1ch spaces);
Skip 15 x 1ch spaces (1^st armhole)
*2dc into next 1ch sp, 3dc into next 1ch sp* repeat *to* 9 times more (50dc over 20 x 1ch spaces)
Skip 15 x 1ch spaces (2^nd armhole)
*2dc into next 1ch sp, 3dc into next 1ch sp* repeat *to* 4 times more, 1dc into 3^rd of beginning ch (start of previous row);   (25dc over 10ch spaces + 1dc).  (103dc)

Row 10:  3ch (counts as 1dc), 1dc into each of next 102dc.

Rows 11 – 24:   Repeat Row 10.   
Fasten off.

Left Sleeve:   With RS back panel of the cardigan facing you, working into the armhole ........

Round 1:   Join yarn around post of last dc of the back panel (Row 9);  2ch, 1dc around the post of the first dc of the left front panel (Row 9) (counts as 2dc tog = 1dc); 2dc into each of next 15 x 1ch spaces.   Sl st into top of 2dc tog to close (31dc).

Round 2:  3ch (counts as 1dc), 1dc into each of next 30dc.   Sl st into 3^rd of beginning 3ch to close.

Rounds 3 – 13:  Repeat Round 2

Round 14:  1ch (counts as 1sc), 1sc into each of next 30sc.   Sl st into beginning 1ch to close.

Rounds 15 & 16:   Repeat Round 14

Fasten off.

Right Sleeve:  with RS right front panel facing you, working into the armhole

Round 1:   Join yarn around post of last dc of the right front panel (Row 9);  2ch, 1dc around the post of the first dc of the back panel (Row 9) (counts as 2dc tog = 1dc); 2dc into each of next 15 x 1ch spaces.   Sl st into top of 2dc tog to close (31dc).

Rounds 2 – 16:  Repeat Rounds 2 – 16 as for left sleeve.

Edging & Buttonholes: Worked with RS facing throughout.   Do not turn work.   Rows referred to correspond to the row number in the pattern – not to row count.

Row 1:  With RS facing, join yarn in any dc along bottom edge.   1ch (counts as 1sc), 1sc in each dc to corner, 3sc around dc post, 2sc around each dc post along right front panel to Row 1;  3sc around dc post of Row 1;  1sc into each space between dc along neck edge to last dc, 3sc around dc post, 2sc around each dc post along left front panel to Row 16;  1sc into each dc along bottom edge to beginning 1ch.    Sl st into 1ch to close

Row 2:  1ch, 1sc into each sc to corner, 3sc into 2^nd sc of Row 1 corner 3sc.    1sc into each sc along right front panel to Row 12; 2ch, skip 2sc (Row 11), 2sc into each of next 6sc (Rows 10, 9 &8), 2ch,  skip 2sc (Row 7); 1sc into each of next 6sc (Rows 6, 5 &4). 2ch, skip 2sc (Row 3) 1sc into each of next 3sc, 3sc into next sc (corner), 1sc into each sc around neck edge, 3sc into 2^nd sc of 3sc corner, 1sc into each sc along side edge, 3sc into into 2^nd sc of 3sc corner, 1sc into each sc along bottom edge to beginning ch.   Sl st into 1ch to close

Row 3:  1ch, 1sc into each sc to corner, 3sc into 2^nd sc of corner, 1sc into each sc along side;  working 3sc into each 2ch buttonhole, 3sc into 2^nd sc of 3sc corner, 1sc into each sc along neck edge, 3sc into 2^nd sc of 3sc corner, 1sc into each sc along side edge to corner, 3sc into 2^nd sc of 2sc corner, 1sc into each sc along bottom edge to beginning ch.   Sl st into 1ch to close.

Fasten off.  Work in yarn tails.  

Sew buttons on to left side of jersey corresponding to Rows 11, 7 and 3.

Row 8 Eyelet Braid:  With RS of left front panel facing, join yarn with a sl st between 2sc of 1^st edging row.   4ch, remove hook from loop, insert hook under 1^st dc post, return loop to hook;  *4ch, remove hook from loop, insert hook under next dc post, return loop to hook* repeat *to* end of eyelet row.   Sl st between 2sc of 1^st edging row on right front panel.   Fasten off