A Grey Cardigan for Grey Days

It’s no secret that my mum/Super Grandi is a prolific knitter for Eleanor – the whole Winter she has been decked out in gorgeous hand knitted jumpers and cardigans. Because of Grandi’s knitting prowess (and speed!) I didn’t have much of an inclination, or need, to crochet anything other than the occasional hat for Eleanor. Crochet patterns for cardigans can be a bit hit and miss, mostly the patterns I find and love are for knitting, so over to Grandi they go! Although I do know how to knit, it’s pretty basic. (Scarf anyone?) And similarly Grandi’s crochet jobs get handed my way. We’re the perfect knitting/crochet ninja team. But I thought I would like to make Eleanor something myself, just especially made for her by mummy. A grey cardigan was missing from her wardrobe, and I just so happened to have some gorgeous Spud and Chloe yarn in a soft dove grey…

This pattern I have made several times as a new baby gift, and a no-sleeve version in salmon pink with white trim for Eleanor when she was about size 00. It’s such an easy pattern to follow, resulting in a beautiful but simple yoke and a chunkier textured body to it. I love the stitch pattern of ‘single crochet, half-double crochet in one stitch, skip the next’. The pattern calls for full long sleeves but as I was so late in the season finishing this off (and let’s be honest, I ran out of wool and then just quite liked the look!) I kept the sleeves cropped so Eleanor can wear it over long sleeve tops and they can peek through. The Spud and Chloe yarn is quite bulky too so I think with long sleeves it would be a very stiff cardigan.

I did the border trim in a simple single crochet stitch and opted for plain white buttons, just two, so that the bottom can be left open like a little swing jacket. I contemplated red or pink buttons but I wanted a ‘go-with-everything’ cardigan and didn’t want to limit it to a grey-pink or grey-red outfit. Am I a bit bonkers like that or does everyone make the same considerations?! I also didn’t add a collar as the pattern suggests.

I’m so glad that I did end up making a cardigan for Eleanor this Winter – even if Winter is actually over, at this rate she’ll be wearing it well into December with the weather we’re having! Although she has about seven hand-knitted jumpers and cardigans from Grandi’s knitting needles (which we love) this little grey number is taking pride of place at the moment, perfect for grey days snuggled in our cosy farmhouse. And can we just talk about Eleanor’s crazy hair at the moment? Baby girl has sprouted some serious locks lately and it seems to have grown a life of it’s own too!

‘Nina’ baby cardigan pattern available here. Although the largest size is 6-9 months using DK weight yarn and a 4.5mm hook, I knew from previous cardigans made using this pattern that it ran a bit small (or I crochet a bit tight) and I wanted a larger size for a 12 month old anyway. So I experimented a bit with the yoke and ended up using a 4.5mm hook with the Spud and Chloe worsted weight yarn in ‘Beluga’ (purchased from The Wool Shack) which resulted in a size 1 cardigan.