This knit sweater vest pattern is one of those handmade pieces that gets just as many compliments on the kid wearing it as on the maker who made it. The knit sweater vest pattern works up as a sweet little cabled vest for babies — perfect for boys or girls — with adorable button-shoulder details you can personalize. Sweater vests are a forever staple, no matter what age, and this one’s the perfect introduction to cables in a small, satisfying project.

This knit sweater vest pattern is sized for babies 1-3 months through 12-18 months. Pick fun shaped buttons (the original used little ladybugs!) to really make it stand out. Cables take some getting used to, but once you get the hang of the cross-over, you’ll sail right through the rest of the vest.

Why You’ll Love This Knit Sweater Vest Pattern

✔ Classic cable detail across the front
✔ Sized for babies 1-3 mo, 6-9 mo, and 12-18 mo
✔ The knit sweater vest pattern works for boys or girls
✔ Adorable button-shoulder closure for personality
✔ Beginner-intermediate friendly with simple cables
✔ Quick weekend make — finished in a few sittings
✔ Perfect handmade baby shower gift
✔ Layers beautifully over onesies and long-sleeves

Pattern Details & Sizing

The knit sweater vest pattern is worked in two flat panels (front and back) with shaped armholes and neckline, then seamed at the sides and joined at the shoulders with buttons. The neckline and armholes use a circular needle for a tidy finish.

Pictured size: 6-9 months

Materials You’ll Need

• 1-2 balls Patons Classic Wool DK Superwash in Medium Blue (or substitute any DK weight yarn)
• 4 mm (US 6) straight knitting needles — for the body panels
• 4 mm (US 6) 6″ circular needle — for neckline and armholes
• 4 buttons — ladybug, animal, or any fun shaped buttons make this special
• 2 stitch holders
• Yarn needle for seaming
• Scissors

The original knit sweater vest pattern used Patons Astra (a discontinued DK weight). Any soft DK or sport weight yarn works as a substitute — Patons Classic Wool DK Superwash is a beautiful, durable, washable alternative that holds cable definition beautifully.

Abbreviations

• K — knit
• P — purl
• M1 — make 1 (increase by 1 stitch)
• K2 tog — knit 2 stitches together (decrease)
• YO — yarn over
• RS / WS — right side / wrong side
• st(s) — stitch(es)
• beg — beginning
• tog — together

Note: Sizes are listed as 1-3 mo / 6-9 mo / 12-18 mo throughout. Where you see numbers separated by hyphens (e.g. 50-56-62), follow the number that matches your size.

The Knit Sweater Vest Pattern

Front Panel

Cast on 50-56-62 sts (includes 1 edge st each side, worked in garter st throughout) on 4mm straight needles.

Work 4 rows garter st.

Set up row (RS): 1 edge st, P 11-14-17, *K2 in each of the next 2 sts, P4*, repeat from *-* 4 times, K2 in each of the next 2 sts, P 11-14-17, 1 edge st = 60-66-72 sts.

Row 2 (WS): 1 edge st, K 11-14-17, *M1, K 4*, repeat from *-* 4 times, M1, K 11-14-17, 1 edge st.

Row 3 (RS): 1 edge st, P 11-14-17, *M1, P 4*, repeat from *-* 4 times, M1, P 11-14-17, 1 edge st.

Repeat Rows 2 & 3 until back measures 6″-6¼”-7″.

Armhole Shaping (Front)

Work 4 rows garter st on 6 sts each side (work remaining sts as before). On last row, bind off 3 sts at beg of row, work remaining sts on row as before.

Bind off 3 sts at beg of next row, work remaining sts on row as before.

Continue with 3 garter sts each side. At the same time, bind off to shape the armhole each side: 1 st on every other row 4 times = 46-52-58 sts.

Neckline Shaping (Front)

When piece measures 8¾”-9″-10¼”, slip the middle 12-12-14 sts on a stitch holder for the neck and complete each side separately.

Bind off to shape the neckline at the beg of every row from mid front: 2 sts 1 time and 1 st 3-4-4 times = 12-14-16 sts left on shoulder. When piece measures 10¼”-11″-12¼”, work the 4 sts over cable together 2 by 2 = 10-12-14 sts left on shoulder.

Slip shoulder sts on a stitch holder.

Front Neckline Edging

With circular needles, pick up 26-28-30 sts round neckline (includes sts on stitch holder). K 1 row from WS. K 2 rows and bind off.

Left Shoulder (Front)

Work sts from stitch holder back on needle and pick up 2 sts on neckline = 12-14-16 sts. K 1 row from WS and work next row as follows: K 1, K2 tog, YO, K 5-7-9, K2 tog, YO, K 2-2-2. K 1 row and bind off on next row.

Right Shoulder (Front)

Pick up 2 sts on neckline and work sts from stitch holder back on needle = 12-14-16 sts. Work like left shoulder.

Back Panel

Worked back and forth on straight needles. Cast on 50-56-62 sts (includes 1 edge st each side, worked in garter st throughout). Work 4 rows garter st and continue in reverse stockinette st.

Bind off for armhole each side as described for front piece, and continue until piece measures 9½”-10¼”-11⅜”. Now bind off the middle 14-16-18 sts for neck and complete each side separately. Bind off 1 st on neckline on next row = 10-12-14 sts left on shoulder. When piece measures 10¼”-11″-12¼”, slip shoulder sts on a stitch holder.

Back Neckline Edging

Pick up approx 18 to 26 sts round neckline on needle. K 3 rows and bind off.

Back Shoulders

Left Shoulder: Work sts from stitch holder back on needle and pick up 2 sts on neckline = 12-14-16 sts. K 3 rows and bind off.

Right Shoulder: Like left shoulder.

Assembly

Sew side seams inside 1 edge st. Sew 4 buttons onto the back shoulders (2 per shoulder) and use the buttonholes on the front shoulders to fasten. Weave in all ends. Enjoy your finished knit sweater vest!

Tips for the Perfect Knit Sweater Vest

• Use lifelines: for the cable section, run a lifeline through every 4 rows. Cables are hard to rip back without one.
• Pick fun buttons: ladybug, dinosaur, animal-shaped, or contrasting solid buttons all make the knit sweater vest pattern feel special.
• Check gauge before starting: baby sizing has zero forgiveness — work a small swatch first.
• Block before assembly: blocking the panels makes seaming so much easier and the finished vest lay flat.
• Mattress stitch the side seams: the cleanest possible seam — barely visible from the outside.
• Use stitch markers: mark the cable section edges so you don’t lose track of where they belong in the row.
• Substitute yarn freely: any soft DK or sport weight yarn works. Just match your gauge.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size yarn does this knit sweater vest pattern need? DK weight (#3) yarn. The original used Patons Astra; any soft DK or sport weight works as a substitute.

Can I make this for an older child or adult? The pattern is sized for babies up to 18 months. For larger sizes, you’d need to upsize the stitch counts proportionally — this would be a major modification, not a simple scale.

Is this beginner-friendly? Beginner-intermediate. You need to be comfortable with knit, purl, M1 increases, K2tog decreases, and yarn-over buttonholes. The cable is the only new skill.

What kind of buttons should I use? 4 buttons that match the yarn weight and personality of the vest. Ladybug, dinosaur, animal, or solid contrast all look adorable.

How long does this take? Approximately 10-15 hours per vest, depending on knitting speed and size.

Can I sell finished vests? Yes — small batch sales are allowed for personal income. Please credit SeeLoveShare as the designer.

More Baby & Cable Knit Patterns You’ll Love

If you enjoyed this knit sweater vest pattern, you’ll love these related projects:

• Hudson’s First Baby Beanie — Free Crochet Pattern
• Bubble Stitch Knit Baby Blanket
• Knit Cable Leg Warmers — Free Pattern
• Honeycomb Knit Throw — Chunky Cable
• Chunky Cable Knit Beanie

Save This Knit Sweater Vest Pattern

Want to come back to this knit sweater vest pattern later? Save it to Pinterest so you can find it when baby gift season rolls around — and share it with your knitting friends!