Jasper - babies 4ply raglan cardigan

Jasper - Babies 4ply Raglan Cardigan by Jennifer Lee

What is Being Made

The Jasper is a striped babies cardigan designed by Jennifer Lee, suitable for newborns through 12-month-old infants. This garment features raglan sleeves and is available in two distinct style options: Style A with a round neck and Style B with a V neck. The cardigan is worked in horizontal stripes up to the armholes, creating a visually appealing two-color design. Both styles are presented in size 0 months to showcase the finished garment.

Sizing and Fit

The Jasper cardigan is available in four sizes spanning from newborn to 12 months:

• 0 months: Fits chest 35cm (13¾ ins), actual measurement 41cm (16 ins), length approximately 22cm (8¾ ins), sleeve length approximately 11cm (4½ ins)
• 3 months: Fits chest 40cm (15¾ ins), actual measurement 46cm (18 ins), length approximately 26cm (10¼ ins), sleeve length approximately 13cm (5 ins)
• 6 months: Fits chest 45cm (17¾ ins), actual measurement 52cm (20½ ins), length approximately 29cm (11½ ins), sleeve length approximately 16cm (6¼ ins)
• 12 months: Fits chest 50cm (19¾ ins), actual measurement 58cm (23 ins), length approximately 33cm (13 ins), sleeve length approximately 19cm (7½ ins)

Knitting Techniques and Construction

The Jasper cardigan employs straightforward knitting techniques appropriate for intermediate-level knitters, despite being rated as easy in pattern difficulty. The garment is constructed using raglan sleeve shaping, a classic construction method where the sleeves are increased gradually from the wrist to the armhole, creating diagonal lines from the underarm to the neckline. This technique eliminates the need for complex cap shaping at the sleeve head.

The cardigan is worked in horizontal stripes using two colors up to the armhole depth, adding visual interest and demonstrating color-work skills without the complexity of Fair Isle or jacquard techniques. The striped sections are worked in the main color and contrast color alternately, creating a balanced, playful design suitable for babies.

The neckline finishing utilizes 1x1 ribbed bands, which provide elasticity and a neat, professional edge. The ribbed bands help the cardigan maintain its shape around the neck opening and contribute to the overall polished appearance of the finished garment.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch used throughout the Jasper cardigan is stocking stitch (also known as stockinette stitch), which creates a smooth, flat fabric with a V-shaped pattern on the right side. This fundamental knitting stitch is worked by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side, producing the classic appearance expected in babies' knitwear.

The 1x1 ribbing used for the neckbands, button bands, and cuffs alternates single knit stitches with single purl stitches in the same row, then reverses this pattern on subsequent rows. This creates vertical columns of texture that provide stretch and recovery, essential for garment edges that require flexibility.

Materials and Specifications

The Jasper cardigan is designed to be knitted using 4ply yarn, a lightweight yarn weight ideal for babies' garments. The pattern specifies Bendigo Woollen Mills Luxury 4ply yarn, supplied in 200-gram balls with a yardage of 720 meters per ball. Knitters require one ball each of the main color and contrast color for all sizes, with the note that quantities may vary depending on individual knitting tension and yarn characteristics.

Knitting needles required are 3.25mm needles (UK size 10, US size 3/4), paired needles suitable for working flat pieces. A wool needle for sewing seams is also necessary for finishing the garment. The pattern tension is specified as 28 stitches and 36 rows to 10cm (4 inches) over stocking stitch using 3.25mm needles, which is essential information for achieving the correct finished size.

Additional Requirements

Beyond yarn and needles, the Jasper pattern requires three stitch holders for managing stitches during raglan shaping and neckline construction. Button