Baby Hexagon Cardigan

 The concept of a hexagon cardigan is not my invention.  Again, I've built on what others before me have made, but I've added just a few differences which give the finished product a different look and feel.  Lots of the patterns you will see use a granny-square type stitch pattern - I personally feel it looks too chunky on a baby/small child.  I prefer what I've done - but that's purely personal preference.

This one was a project for my current bellybabe.  It's newborn size, and rather cute, if I do say so myself!

This is more or less what I did :)  Apologies if it's a bit vague - I am recording this after having completed the cardigan.  If you need any help following the instructions, please just ask!

I used 8ply Lincraft Cozy yarn (in this case, a lovely variegated yarn, and a matching yellow), a 4mm hook, and a 3.5mm hook.  Also, sewing thread in a coordinated colour, and 4 buttons.  I work in UK terms.

Make 2 of the below, worked in the round, using your main colour and 4mm hook.

Ch 6.  Join with sl st to first chain.
Rnd 1: ch 6 (counts as 1 tr, 3 ch). * 3tr into ring, 3ch ** (5 times), 2tr into ring, join with sl st into 3rd of the original 6ch in this round.
Rnd 2: sl st into middle of 3ch sp, ch 6 (counts as 1tr, 3ch). * 2tr into 3ch space, 1tr into each of the next 3 tr, 2tr into next 3ch space, 3ch ** (5 times), 1 tr into first 3ch space, before the 6ch from the start of the round, sl st into the 3rd ch.
Continue in this way until desired size is reached, adding a total of 4tr to each side each round.  For this cardigan, I had a total of 8 rounds.  Finish off.

Your hexagon will not sit flat, unlike a hexagon that you might make for a blanket or similar.  It's meant to be wibbly-wobbly.   Trust me :)

I actually prefer the look of this cardigan using the wrong side as the outside, but you can work to your preference, it makes absolutely no difference to the method.

Wrong sides together, stitch one side of each hexagon together from corner to corner.  This seam is the middle of the back of the cardigan.  It looks a pretty wonky shape at this stage.  Don't worry, it's about to all come together!

Fold each hexagon into a neat "L" shape.  Two of the sides will be folded in half.  The centre of each hexagon will form the armpit of the cardigan.  One arm of the "L" will form the sleeve; the other will form half the back, and half the front of the cardigan.

This is what your folded hexagon should look like

Still with wrong sides together, start at the wrist end of each arm, and stitch the top edge together, leaving about 2 inches unstitched.  This leaves room for baby's neck!  For a larger size cardigan, you may want to increase the amount left unstitched.  Have a play with it to see what works.

Now the basic cardigan is in shape.  Turn the right way out & continue as below.

Switching to your matching colour, and 3.5mm hook, join with a sl st anywhere on the wrist edge of one sleeve.  Ch 3 (counts as 1 tr), and stitch 1tr in each tr around, 2tr in each ch sp where the sleeve join is.  When you reach the beginning, join with a sl st into the 3rd ch of the original 3ch/tr.  Ch 3 to begin next round, and then alternate front post trebles and back post trebles into the tr of the previous round, joining with a sl st into the 3rd ch of the original 3ch/tr.  Finish off.  This gives you a nice ribbed cuff that is slightly narrower than the sleeve. Repeat on the other sleeve.

Then to the cuff around the bottom of the cardigan, and the edging and buttonholes.  These are all going to be worked together, in the round, continuing with the matching yarn & 3.5mm hook.

Join yarn with a sl st at bottom front right corner.  Dc in each tr up the front of the cardigan.  5dc in 3ch space in the top corner of the first hexagon, and continue with a dc in each tr around the neck.  When you reach the back seam, st 2dc into each ch space and continue as before.  When you reach the left front of the neck, 5dc into 3ch space in the corner, and continue dc in each tr down the left front.  At the left bottom corner, 3dc in 5ch sp.  Ch 3 (counts as 1 tr), 1tr into 3ch space, then 1 tr in each tr along the bottom of the cardigan, with 2tr in each ch space at the back seam.  Finish with 1tr into the first dc of the bottom right front corner.  Stitch 2dc into the side of the last tr you just made.  Dc into next 2 dc up the front, then ch 2, skip 1dc (forms first buttonhole) dc into next dc.  You will need to work out how many buttons you want (I used 4) and space the buttonholes evenly up the front right edge, leaving 1-1.5 inches free at the top which can be folded down as a little collar.  On my cardigan, there were 8dc between each buttonhole.

The top button is placed below the top corners to make the fit a little more comfortable

 Continue to dc in each dc of previous round.  In the front top corners, 3dc into 3rd of 5dc of previous round.  Continue around neck and down the other side.  When you reach the bottom corner, ch 3, and alternate front post trebles and back post trebles in each tr of previous round.  When you reach the bottom left corner, as for previous row, 2dc in the side of the last tr, and dc in each dc up the side (2dc in each 2ch button hole).  3dc in 2nd of the 3dc in each top corner, and continue to dc around and down to bottom left corner.  Finish off.

Detail of the ribbing

Now all that remains is to use a needle and thread to stitch on the buttons onto the left front edge, opposite each buttonhole.  I like to stitch mine on in a fleur-de-lis sort of style if it's a 4-hole button - just a little different to the normal ways of stitching on a button.  It's cute.

A different way to sew on a 4-hole button

Don't forget to weave in your ends.

You're all done!  Enjoy the adorableness.

I have done another similar cardigan previously.  I followed the same basic idea, except that I used tr around the neck instead of dc, to form a complete collar that can be folded down.  I also used a 4ply yarn & smaller hooks, and consequently more rounds.  I have noticed a similar looking one on Ravelry more recently (as in, the picture of it looks similar, but I have no idea how the pattern compares to what I did), but as I actually made this one months ago & made up the collar etc myself just by playing with it, I'm claiming ownership over it as my own work.

The other similar cardigan, also in a variegated yarn, with collar added.