From the Archives: Cloverfield Baby Cardi

(Originally published on PetitePurls.com, 2011)

I was so sorry to hear that the adorable web magazine, Petite Purls will be closing its virtual doors at the end of 2014. It’s a sweet, classic and beautifully executed contribution to the online knitting world, and will be missed. The editors however, have graciously allowed us contributors to republish our designs on our owns sites.

The Cloverfield is one of my favorite pieces, both because it was fun to design and because it was the first published pattern to support the launch of  Sheep(ish) yarn. It’s hard to believe that the bright-eyed toddler in that picture is now a sassy, 5 year old!

I hope you love making Cloverfield for your little darling as much as I did for mine. Enjoy! –Vickie

Size
18 months [2T, 3T]
Shown in 18 months

Finished Measurements
Chest: 26 [27, 28] inches
Length: 12½ [13, 13½] inches

Materials
Bernat Sheep(ish) by Vickie Howell [30% Wool/ 70% Acrylic; 167 yards / 153 meters per 3 ounce/ 85 gram skein];
#0018 Robin’s Egg(ish) (A); 2 balls
#0020 Chartreuse(ish) (B); 1 ball
#0004 White(ish) (C); 1 ball
#0019 Olive(ish) (D); 1 ball
Recommended needle sizes
US #8/5 mm 24 inch circular needle or size needed to obtain gauge
US #8/5 mm dpns (set of 4 or 5) or size needed to obtain gauge
Second set of dpns or waste yarn to hold sleeve stitches
Notions
4 Stitch Markers
½ inch Buttons – 5
Tapestry Needle
Sewing needle and thread

Gauge
18 sts and 24 rows= 4 inches in St st
Pattern Notes
This cardi is knit in one piece from the bottom up.
MB (make bobble for flower heads): Join Color C and kf&b 3 times in next st; turn; p6; turn; k3tog twice; slip second st on right needle over first st; slip st from right needle to left needle and knit it with Color A. Cut Color C, leaving tails to weave in. Reattach at next MB.
Skills Required
Knitting on dpns, making bobbles, minor slip stitch color-work, joining sleeves while knitting yoke, embroidered chain stitch.

Instructions
Border
With Color B and circular needle, cast on 122 [126, 131] sts.
Work in Garter st (knit every row) for 1 inch, ending with a WS row.
“Grass” Rows
(Every slipped st will stay as Color B, to simulate grass.)
Next Row (RS): Join Color A, * k1, slip 1 pwise; repeat from * to last 0 [0, 1] st, k0 [1, 0].
Next Row: P0 [0, 1], * slip 1 pwise, k1; repeat from * across.
Cut Color B, leaving a tail for weaving in.
Body
Row 1(RS): with Color A, knit across.
Row 2: K4, purl across to last 4 sts, k4.
Rows 3-8: Repeat Rows 1 and 2, 3 times.
Row 9 (Flower row): K8 [10, 9], MB, * k7, MB ; repeat from * across to last 9 [11, 9] sts, k9 [11, 9].
Row 10: Repeat Row 2.
Rows 11 and 12: Repeat Rows 1 and 2.
Row 12: K12 [14, 13], MB, * k7, MB; end k13 [15, 13].
Maintaining 4 sts at each edge in Garter st, work center sts in St st until piece measures 8[8½, 9] inches from cast on edge, ending with a WS row.
Armholes: K26 [27, 28], bind off next 5 sts, knit until you have 60 [62, 65] sts on needle after armhole, bind off next 5 sts, k26 [27, 28]: 112 [116, 121] sts.
Cut yarn, leaving tail. Set piece aside.

Sleeves
With Color B and dpns, cast on 38 [38, 40] sts. Join rnd, taking care not to twist, place marker.
Rnd 1: Knit around.
Rnd 2: Purl around.
Rnds 3 and 4: With Color A, repeat Rnds 1 and 2.
Rnds 5 and 6: With Color B, repeat Rnds 1 and 2.
Rnds 7 and 8: With Color A, repeat Rnds 1 and 2.
Set aside, without binding off: 33 [33, 35] sts.
Note: If you don’t have a second pair of dpns in the same size used, simply place live sts on hold on smaller size dpns or waste yarn.
Make second sleeve.

Yoke
Row 1 (Join Sleeves to Body): Rejoin Color A to RS of Body and knit to armhole, pm, knit sleeve sts from waste yarn or dpns (matching bound off edges), pm, knit across back sts to next armhole, pm, knit second sleeve sts from waste yarn or dpns, pm, knit to end: 178 [182, 191] sts.
Row 2: Knit across.
Row 3 (Decrease row): With Color B * knit to within 2 sts of marker, k2togtbl, slip marker, k2tog; repeat from * 3 times more, knit to end: 170 [174, 183] sts.
Row 4: Knit across.
Row 5 (Buttonhole and Decrease row): With Color A k2, yo twice, * knit to within 2 sts of marker, k2togtbl, slip marker, k2tog; repeat from * 3 times more, knit to end: 162 [166, 175] sts plus 2 yo.
Row 6: Knit across to double yo, drop both yo, k2.
Rows 7 and 8: Repeat Rows 3 and 4: 154 [158, 167] sts.
Row 9: With Color A * knit to within 2 sts of marker, k2togtbl, slip marker, k2tog; repeat from * 3 times more, knit to end: 146 [150, 159] sts.
Row 10: Knit across to last 2 sts, yo twice, k2.
Row 11: With Color B k2, drop both yo, * knit to within 2 sts of marker, k2togtbl, slip marker, k2tog; repeat from * 3 times more, knit to end: 138 [142, 151] sts.
Continue working in Garter st, decreasing in same manner every RS row, maintaining stripe sequence and working buttonhole every fifth row until 3 [3, 5] sts remain between first and second, and third and fourth markers (at top of sleeves): 58 [62, 71] sts.
Neckband
With Color B, knit 2 rows.
Bind off all sts.
FINISHING
With tapestry needle, Color D and using photo as a guide, chain stitch embroider stems beneath bobble flower heads.

Use coordinating scrap yarn to sew underarm seams. Hand sew buttons to left side of yoke. Weave in ends.