Made and counted by Wren —

Marshmallow stitch baby cardigan with a fan-stitch hem

3.5mm hook, DK yarn: a V-stitch baby cardigan with a 12-row fan-stitch hem and button closure.

IntermediateLevel

6-8 hoursTime

3.5 mmHook

DKYarn

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About this pattern

This is a seamless V-stitch baby cardigan worked flat from a 46-chain foundation in DK weight yarn with a 3.5mm hook. The body splits into two 10-stitch sleeves and a 12-stitch back panel, repeats for 14 rows, then transitions into a 12-row fan-stitch hem. Closure uses 105 buttons at 12mm each, and the 0-3 month size takes 100g of yarn.

This cardigan starts as a single piece worked from a 46-chain foundation, with hbone stitches splitting into sleeve and back sections before the yoke builds up in V-stitches across Rows 2 through 14. The hem finishes with a 12-row repeat of fan stitches worked into each V-stitch space, and the closure runs on 105 buttons at 12mm each. Worked at 3.5mm in DK weight yarn, the piece takes 100g for the 0-3 month size, with yarn and button count both scaling up for larger sizes.

The pattern

Written out round by round

Materials

DK weight yarn (100g for 0-3 months, adjust for other sizes)
3.5 mm crochet hook (size E/5 US)
105 buttons (12mm size, adjust for other sizes)
Stitch markers

Abbreviations

ch = chain
st = stitch
sts = stitches
sl st = slip stitch
hdc = half double crochet
dc = double crochet
yo = yarn over
fpdc = front post double crochet
bpdc = back post double crochet
V st = V stitch (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc, fpdc)
fan = fan (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc, fpdc)

Body

Foundation Chain Foundation Chain: ch 46

Row 1dc in 4th ch from hook, hbone st (yo, insert hook in next ch, yo, pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops, repeat 3 more times), ch 3, hbone st x 6, ch 3, hbone st x 10 (sleeve), ch 3, hbone st x 12 (back), ch 3, hbone st x 10 (sleeve), ch 3, hbone st x 6, sl st in first dc. (44 sts total)(44)

Row 2ch 2, turn, V st in first dc, V st in next dc, ch 1, V st in next dc, repeat for each corner, V st x 10 (sleeve), corner, V st x 12 (back), corner, V st x 10 (sleeve), corner, V st x 6, dc in last dc, sl st in first dc. (27 V sts total)Repeat Rows 3 and 4 for 14 rows.(27)

Hem

Row 15ch 1, turn, hdc in first dc, V st in each ch-1 space, sl st in first hdc. (11 V sts total)(11)

Row 16ch 3, turn, fan in first V st, fan in each V st, sl st in first dc. (10 fans total)(10)

Row 17ch 3, turn, sl st in next dc, sl st in next dc, sl st in ch-1 space, ch 4, dc in same space, V st in each ch-1 space, sl st in ch-4 space, ch 1, repeat from *. (10 fans total)Repeat Rows 18 and 19 for 12 rows.(10)

Cuff

Row 20ch 1, turn, hdc in first dc, hdc in next dc, ch 1, skip next 2 dc, hdc in next dc, repeat around. (30 hdc total)(30)

Row 21ch 1, turn, fpdc in first hdc, bpdc in next hdc, fpdc in next hdc, repeat around. (30 hdc total)(30)

Row 22ch 1, turn, fpdc in first hdc, bpdc in next hdc, fpdc in next hdc, repeat around, sl st in first fpdc.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Attach buttons.

Tester's notes

3.5mm (US E/5) hook: size down slightly if the 44-stitch foundation row flares, since this pattern is meant to sit snug rather than drape loosely in DK weight yarn.

105 buttons at 12mm: count and separate them before starting, since the closure runs the full length of the front and a short button is easier to catch before Row 20 than after.

Stitch markers: place one at the start of each 10-stitch sleeve section and the 12-stitch back section in Row 1, so the four corners in Row 2 land correctly every repeat.

Tension: hbone stitches in Row 1 tighten fast; recheck the 44-stitch count against the 46-chain foundation before starting Row 2, since the layout allows no spare stitches.

100g covers the 0-3 month size only; weigh the ball before casting on a larger size and scale the button count past 105 to match the longer front edge.

Length: 25 cm (10 in); Chest: 21 cm (8.25 in); Sleeve length: 23.5 cm (9.25 in); Sleeve width: 14 cm (5.5 in).

Work in progress

Marshmallow stitch baby cardigan with a fan-stitch hem — photo 2

Marshmallow stitch baby cardigan with a fan-stitch hem — photo 3

Marshmallow stitch baby cardigan with a fan-stitch hem — photo 4

At a glance

Rounds	8
Parts	4
Level	Intermediate
Time	6-8 hours
Hook	3.5 mm
Yarn	DK

Gauge check

After Row 1, confirm the 44 total stitches sit flat across the chain without the fabric cupping at the sleeve or back sections; if the count is off, unpick back to the foundation chain rather than adjusting stitches into Row 2.

Check that the 27 V-stitches in Row 2 line up evenly over the four corners before repeating Rows 3 and 4, since a loose or tight turning chain-2 at this stage carries through all 14 rows of the yoke.

Stitch-count checkpoints

Body · Row 1: 44 sts
Body · Row 2: 27 sts
Hem · Row 15: 11 sts
Hem · Row 16: 10 sts
Hem · Row 17: 10 sts
Cuff · Row 20: 30 sts

If something looks wrong

The front edges do not match up when buttoned.: This usually comes from an uneven V-stitch count across the front sections worked in Rows 3 through 14; recount to 27 V-stitches total before starting the Row 15 hem transition, adding or removing a full repeat rather than a partial one.
The fan-stitch hem puckers instead of lying flat.: A fan worked into a skipped or doubled ch-1 space during Row 16 pulls the hem tight; check that all 10 fans line up one per V-stitch before repeating Rows 18 and 19 for the full 12 rows.
The sleeve sections flare wider than the back panel.: A missed hbone stitch in Row 1 shifts the 10-10-12-6-6 split that defines sleeves versus back; recount each section against the 44-stitch total before moving past Row 1.
Buttonholes do not match the 105-button: Spacing drifts when the hdc count in Row 20 falls short of 30; recount the 30 hdc total before working Rows 21 and 22, and set button placement to the actual stitch count rather than forcing it to 105.

Yarn substitutions

Acrylic, DK weight	closest swap to the 100g quantity given; hook size, stitch count, and fan-hem shape stay the same, though the fabric feels stiffer across the V-stitch sections.
Cotton, DK weight	adds weight and reduces stretch, so the 44-stitch foundation row may need a half-size-up hook to keep hbone stitches from tightening; the fan hem hangs heavier and less rounded.
Wool-blend, sport weight	a size lighter than the pattern's DK, so expect to add stitches to the 46-chain foundation for the same width and move to roughly 3.25mm; drape softens and the 105-button spacing needs recalculating for the smaller fabric.

Original pattern: https://crocheteverything.com/crochet-marshmallow-baby-cardigan-sweater-tutorial-for-windy-days/

FAQs

Questions

Why does the pattern split sleeve and back stitches unevenly (10, 10, 12, 6, 6)?

This split comes directly from the 44-stitch Row 1 count and sets the width of each section before the V-stitch yoke shaping starts in Row 2. Changing any one number without adjusting the others shifts the corner placements the shaping relies on.

Can the 12mm button size be swapped for something smaller?

Yes, but the 105-button count and spacing are built around 12mm buttonholes worked through the V-stitch and fan-stitch fabric. Swapping to a smaller button leaves gaps in the closure, so resize buttonholes to match whatever button goes in.

How much yarn is needed for a size larger than 0-3 months?

The pattern gives 100g for 0-3 months only, with no fixed amount listed for other sizes. Weigh a swatch worked to the Row 1 gauge and scale up from the 100g baseline in proportion to the longer chain.