This child lace cardigan pattern is a sweet and detailed design featuring tiny lace butterflies, and it fits right in with your favorite free sweater knitting patterns.
If you’ve been searching for a lightweight, kid-friendly cardigan that actually looks special without being overly complicated, this one checks all the boxes. The Mary Cardigan is knit bottom up with raglan shaping, making it easier to manage than it looks. I walk you through exactly how to create this child lace cardigan pattern using DK yarn, so you can confidently knit a beautiful sweater for babies and kids without second guessing every step.
If you’ve ever wanted a lace cardigan that feels approachable and wearable for everyday life, this is it. This child lace cardigan pattern keeps things simple with basic stitches while still giving you that delicate butterfly texture that makes it stand out.
This is one of those patterns that looks intricate but is actually very doable once you get going.
What materials do you need for this child lace cardigan pattern?
To make this child lace cardigan pattern, you’ll need a few simple tools and a good DK yarn that holds stitch definition well.
- DK weight yarn – I recommend Premier Yarns Anti-Pilling Everyday DK since the original yarn is discontinued
- Size 4 (3.5mm) circular needles
- Size 5 (3.75mm) circular needles
- Stitch markers
- Yarn needle
- Blocking mats
I really like using Anti-Pilling Everyday DK because it gives you a clean finish and makes those tiny lace butterflies pop without stretching out over time. It’s also easy to care for, which matters a lot for kids’ sweaters.
Once you have your materials ready, you’re already halfway there. This is a very approachable setup, even if lace isn’t something you knit all the time.
How is this child lace cardigan pattern constructed?
This child lace cardigan pattern is worked from the bottom up, which means you’ll start with the body and work your way up into the raglan shaping. The lace butterfly pattern is repeated throughout, but it uses simple knits, purls, and basic lace stitches, so it becomes easy to memorize.
The raglan shaping keeps everything structured while still giving a comfortable fit for growing kids. Just keep an eye on your stitch markers as you separate sleeves and body to stay on track.
One helpful tip is to take a minute to block your swatch before starting. That will give you a much better idea of how the lace opens up and how your final cardigan will fit.
Looking for more free sweater knitting patterns?
If you loved this child lace cardigan pattern, here are a few more to try next:
These all have their own unique texture or construction style, so they’re great for building your skills while still making something wearable.
Trying different styles like these helps you grow your confidence and gives you more options when you’re knitting for kids.
Mary Cardigan Pattern
Yarn – 2 (2) 2 (2) 2 (3) 3 (3) 4 skeins Yarn Bee Must Be Merino (100g 227yd)
Gauge: 24 sts x 34 rows = 10 x 10 cm [4 x4 inches] in on 3.75 mm [US5] needles
Needles – 4 (3.5mm) dpn & circular5 (3.75mm) dpn & circulars
Notions – stitch markers, 6 buttons
Sizes – 3mths (6mths) 9mths (12mths) 2yrs(3yrs) 4yrs (5yrs) 6yrs
Bust circumference: 48 (50) 53 (55) 58(61) 63 (66) 69 cm [19 (193⁄4) 203⁄4 (213⁄4)223⁄4 (24) 243⁄4 (26) 271⁄4 inches]
Length:
27 (29) 31 (33) 35 (37) 39 (41) 43 cm
[103⁄4 (111⁄2) 121⁄4 (13) 133⁄4 (141⁄2) 151⁄4(161⁄4) 17 inches]
PATTERN NOTES
Mary Cardigan is a bottom-up seamless raglan button cardigan in an easy-care yarn.
Created to match Mary Bonnet and Mary Pixie it features the same simplebutterfly lace.
Abbreviations can be found on the lastpage.
Note: choose size based on bust measurement for best fit.
LACE PATTERN
Row 1 – [k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k3] work [to] across
Row 2 – purl across
Row 3 – repeat row 1
Row 4 – purl across
Row 5 – knit across
Row 6 – purl across
Row 7 – k1[k3, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk] work [to] across
Row 8 – purl across
Row 9 – repeat row 7
Row 10 – purl across
Row 11 – knit across
Row 12 – purl across
PATTERN INSTRUCTIONS
Body
Cast on 107 (111) 117 (123) 127 (135) 141 (147) 155 sts using the smaller circular
needles
Work 5 rows of (k1, p1) rib.
Switch to larger size circular needles.
Work in lace pattern until your work measures 16 (17) 18 (20) 22 (24) 26 (28) 32 cm
[ 6 1⁄4 (6 3⁄4) 7 (8) 8 1⁄2 (9 1⁄2) 10 1⁄2 (11) 12 1⁄2 inches] measured from the cast-on edge.
Start lace pattern as follows:
K 1 (3) 2 (1) 3 (3) 2 (1) 1, pm, work in lace pattern across.
Keep track of which row on the lace pattern you ended with for the raglan
decreases.
Last Row (ws) – Purl 24 (25) 26 (28) 28 (32) 33 (35) 36 sts, bind off 3 (3) 4 (3) 3 (2) 3
(2) 4 sts, purl 53 (55) 57 (61) 63 (67) 69 (73) 75, bind off 3 (3) 4 (3) 3 (2) 3 (2) 4 sts,
purl 24 (25) 26 (28) 28 (32) 33 (35) 36 sts
Put all stitches aside DO NOT CUT YARN.
Sleeves (make 2)
Cast on now 26 (28) 30 (32) 36 (38) 40 (40) 42 sts on smaller dpn needles and join in
the round.
Work in k1,p1 ribbing for 5 rounds.
Switch to larger dpn needles
Round 1 – k1, M1L, knit around
You will now have 27 (29) 31 (33) 37 (39) 41 (41) 43 sts on the needles
Work in the round in the lace pattern (understanding that when working in the
round all “purl across” rows on lace pattern become a “knit across” rows) until the
sleeve measures 17 (18) 20 (22) 24 (27) 29 (31) 33 cm [6 3⁄4 (7) 7 3⁄4 (8 1⁄2) 9 1⁄2 (10
1⁄2) 11 1⁄4 (12 1⁄4) 13 inches] from the cuff or to the desired length, WHILE AT THE
SAME TIME working an increase round every 7th (7th) 8th (9th) 13th (12th) 13th
(10th) 13th round a total of 5 (6) 6 (6) 5 (6) 6 (8) 7 times, as follows: K1, M1L, work
in pattern to the last 3 sts of the round, M1R, k1.
There are now 37 (41) 43 (45) 47 (51) 53 (57) 57 sts on the needles. End on the
same row number of lace chart as your body was ended.
Bind off 2sts, work 33 (37) 39 (41) 43 (47) 49 (53) 53 sts, Bind off 2sts
Cut yarn, put aside on a stitch holder.
Now connect the sleeves and body, while keeping in lace pattern as follows:
Left front: Work 23 (24) 25 (27) 28 (31) 32 (34) 35 sts in pattern, pm, k1, pm
Left sleeve: Work 33 (37) 39 (41) 43 (47) 49 (53) 53 sts from stitch holder, pm
Back: k1, pm work 51 (53) 55 (59) 61 (65) 67 (71) 73 sts in pattern, pm, k1, pm
Right sleeve: Work 33 (37) 39 (41) 43 (47) 49 (53) 53 sts from stitch holder, pm
Right front: k1, pm, Work 23 (24) 25 (27) 28 (31) 32 (34) 35 sts in pattern.
You know have 169 (179) 187 (199) 207 (225) 233 (249) 253 sts
Purl 1 row.
RAGLAN DECREASES
Work raglan decreases as follows:
Row 1 (RS): work in lace pattern to 2sts before marker, k2tog, sm, k1, sm, ssk,
work in lace pattern to 2sts before marker, k2tog, sm, k1, sm, ssk, work in lace
pattern to 2sts before marker, k2tog, sm, k1, sm, ssk, work in lace pattern to 2sts
before marker, k2tog, sm, k1, sm, ssk, work in lace pattern across (8sts
decreased).
Row 2 (WS): Purl across.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 a total of 13 (14) 15 (16) 17 (19) 20 (22) 22 times.
There are now 63 (67) 67 (71) 71 (73) 73 (73) 77 on needles
Work more 2 more rows in lace pattern if you end on a row 1 or 7 of the lace
pattern.
NECK
Switch to smaller circular needles.
Row 1 (RS): k1 p1, k1, repeat from * to * to end of row.
Work 3 more rows back and forth in established rib pattern (k1, p1).
Bind off in established rib pattern using your favorite stretchy bind off.
FRONT RIB EDGES
LEFT FRONT EDGE
Pick up and knit 62 (67) 72 (77) 82 (87) 92 (97) 102 sts along the edge with the
smaller sized circular needles.
Work 5 rows of rib (k1, p1).
Bind off in established rib pattern.
RIGHT FRONT EDGE
Pick up and knit 63 (67) 73 (77) 83 (87) 93 (97) 103 sts along the edge with the
smaller sized circular needles.
Work 2 rows in k1p1 ribbing
Buttonhole row: Work 2 sts in established rib pattern, k2tog yarn over, work 9 (10) 11 (12) 13 (14) 15 (16) 17 sts in established rib pattern, work k2tog, yarn over,
repeat from * to * to the last 3 sts, work 3 sts in rib.
FINISHING
Stitch the underarms closed. I prefer a kitchener st but you can use your preferred
st. Weave in all ends. Sew the 6 buttons on along the left front edge across from
the buttonholes
ABBREVIATIONS
K – knit P – purl
PM – place marker SM – slip marker
K2tog -knit 2 stitches together YO – yarn over
SSK – slip, slip, knit the slipped sts together
M1R – Insert the left needle under the strand that runs between two
stitches from back to front, then knit this strand
M1L – Insert the left needle under the strand that runs between two
stitches from front to back, then knit this strand through the back loop
If you make this child lace cardigan pattern, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments what yarn you used and who you made it for!
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