Today at The Knitting Times I have a free chunky baby cardigan knitting pattern for you.

This a very fast to knit top down chunky baby cardigan in newborn size. It has no sewing and is knit flat in one piece.

I designed the cardigan for my daughter actually. She wanted to make a last minute new baby gift that can be whipped up in an evening. Furthermore, she didn’t want to knit a hat or booties.

And voila! Here is a top down chunky baby cardigan knitting pattern that can be knit in two hours or less. I am sure that some of you can knit this cardigan in an hour.

Read on to get the free knitting pattern and to find out more about this fun to knit chunky top down baby cardigan.

About Top Down Cardigans

Top-down baby cardigans are very popular at the moment because they are worked in one piece, often without seams or separate sleeves, making them quick and easy to knit. This chunky newborn cardigan follows the same approach, with a top-down construction and no sewing apart from attaching the buttons. The short sleeves give it a body-warmer jacket style. The knitting pattern is perfect for knitters who prefer a simple, seamless project that looks neat and is finished as soon as it comes off the needles.

To make this project extra fast I have used an extra chunky yarn. The yarn I chose for this top down baby cardigan design is King Cole Comfort Chunky. This is chunkier than your regular chunky yarns, and is super soft and perfect for a newborn cardigan such as this one.

I bought my King Cole Comfort Chunky yarn here at The Knitting Network.

Chunky Top Down Baby cardigan Free Knitting Pattern

Size: Newborn

Yarn: King Cole Comfort Chunky or similar

Materials Required

• A pair each of 8mm (USA 11) and 6.5mm (USA 10.5) knitting needles.
• Approx 100g of a heavy chunky yarn. The pattern has been designed with King Cole Comfort Chunky which is thicker than many standard chunky yarns. 
• One 20mm button.
• A pair of scissors and a wide eyed needle for tidying away yarn ends.

Yarn Choice

• Designed for heavy chunky or light super chunky yarn. Avoid regular chunky yarns that are on the thinner side.
• Choose a yarn that works with 6.5 to 8mm knitting needles.
• Works beautifully in plain, solid colours for a classic look. It is also an ideal pattern for self striping yarns. The pattern is knit in one piece, meaning the stripes work uninterrupted.
• The yarn used for the cardigans in the photographs is King Cole Comfort Chunky.

Tension

Using 8mm knitting needles and stocking stitch, in 5cm there are approximately 6 stitches across and 8 rows.

Abbreviations

• k – knit
• p – purl
• kfb – knit into the front and back of the same stitch (increases 1 stitch)
• yfwd – yarn forward (bring yarn to the front as if to purl, then knit the next stitch as instructed in the pattern)
• K2tog – knit 2 stitches together (decreases 1 stitch)
• 1 x 1 rib – work (k1, p1) across each row
• SSK – slip, slip knit. This is a left-leaning decrease in knitting; to work it, slip the first stitch knitwise, slip the next stitch knitwise, then insert the left needle into the fronts of the two slipped stitches and knit them together through the back loops.

To note before you start:

• Try not to knit too tightly when performing the kfb increase rows, as this can make the following rows fiddly to work.
• Once the yoke is complete, you will find a row of cast offs. Cast off knit-wise. The cast offs work as follows: Once you have knitted the first 16 stitches, leave them on the left needle without casting them off. Knit the next stitch and use this to begin casting off. This method applies to the remainder of the cast off row.

Here are the instructions to make a chunky, top down, no sew, newborn baby cardigan.

On 6.5mm needles, cast on 30 stitches.

1 x 1 rib for 4 rows.

Change to 8mm needles and work the following row by row instructions.

1. K6, (kfb x 2), k2, (kfb x 2), k6, (kfb x 2), k2, (kfb x 2), k6 (38)
2. K3, p to last 3 stitches, k1, yfwd, k2tog (buttonhole row)
3. K7, (kfb x 2), k4, (kfb x 2), k8, (kfb x 2), k4, (kfb x 2), k7 (46)
4. K3, p to last 3 stitches, k3
5. K8, (kfb x 2), k6, (kfb x 2), k10, (kfb x 2), k6, (kfb x 2), k8 (54)
6. K3, p to last 3 stitches, k3
7. K9, (kfb x 2), k8, (kfb x 2), k12, (kfb x 2), k8, (kfb x 2), k9 (62)
8. K3, p to last 3 stitches, k3
9. K10, (kfb x 2), k10, (kfb x 2), k14, (kfb x 2), k10, (kfb x 2), k10 (70)
10. K3, p to last 3 stitches, k3
11. K11, kfb, k13, kfb, k18, kfb, k13, kfb, k11 (74)
12. K3, p10, cast off 14 knit wise, p19, cast off 14 knit wise, p9, k3 (46)
13. K, thus joining the piece together and creating the sleeves
14. K3, p to last 3 stitches, k3
15. K
16. K3, p to last 3 stitches, k3
17. K
18. K3, p to last 3 stitches, k3
19. Knit 1, SSK, knit to the last 3 stitches, K2tog, knit 1 (44)
20. Knit 2, purl to the last 2 stitches, knit 2
21. Knit 1, SSK, knit to the last 3 stitches, K2tog, knit 1(42)
22. Knit 2, purl to the last 2 stitches, knit 2
23. Knit 1, SSK, knit to the last 3 stitches, K2tog, knit 1 (40) 
24. Knit 2, purl to the last 2 stitches, knit 2
25. Knit 1, SSK, knit to the last 3 stitches, K2tog, knit 1 (38) 

Work 1 x 1 rib for 2 rows and then cast off in 1 x 1 rib.

Sew in loose ends.

Sew on a button.

Sizing notes for the cardigan knitting pattern:

This jacket is for a newborn baby and is designed to be snug and cosy. If you would like a more generous sized garment, use larger knitting needles and/or a thicker yarn.

©Marie Bocock 2025 All Rights Reserved. Sale of garments permitted but the knitting pattern itself is subject to copyright thank you.

I hope you enjoyed this chunky top down newborn baby cardigan free knitting pattern. I have a knitting pattern leaflet for 4 top down baby cardigans knit in regular chunky yarn. You can find this available as a posted booklet. Additionally, the e-Book version is free to read if you have Kindle Unlimited.