Want to try fair isle or stranded knitting? New to knitting and want to learn simple shaping and finishing techniques? These baby cardigan patterns are perfect first steps. All three are top-down, circular yoke sweaters with little to no seaming. All three also make great use of leftover sock yarn, if you have some hanging around!

Cardigan A uses a simple garter stitch with self-striping yarn to create a cool effect with little effort.

Cardigan B makes use of Barbara Walker’s “mosaic knitting” to give your cardigan a stranded effect while working with only one yarn at a time, but also includes first-step instructions if you want to give stranded knitting a try.

Cardigan C makes use of a circular needle to knit “fair isle” patterning with mosaic techniques. Achieve fair isle looks without steeking or working with more than one color at a time!

All three have the same gauge, measurements, and finishing instructions.

This pattern includes detailed, illustrated instructions for every technique besides knit, purl, k2tog (knit two together) and YO (yarn over). See the appendix at the end if you need to learn how to make a stitch (M1), work a left-leaning ssk decrease, pick up stitches for a buttonband, or use mattress stitch to seam. Cardigan B includes charts and instructions for mosaic knitting, and Cardigan C includes charts and instructions for modified mosaic knitting over one row at a time for a “fair isle” look.

Along the way are hints, information, and suggestions set apart from the rest of the pattern by blue boxes. Skip them if they are annoying to you!

Side note: all three cardigans in this pattern also have the same gauge, measurements and finishing instructions as my “Sock Yarn Stranded” sweater -- so these would be a great first step toward that pattern!