Button Up Cardigan Sweater – Free Knitting Pattern (Sizes XXS–XXL)

There is something quietly satisfying about a cardigan that buttons all the way up the front. It sits differently on the body than a pullover, gives you more control over how much warmth you want, and layers over nearly anything in your wardrobe without fighting for attention. This free knitting pattern for a button up cardigan sweater is designed to be the kind of project you reach for season after season — one that teaches you something useful while you knit it and rewards you with a garment you will actually wear.

Whether you are an intermediate knitter looking for your next wearable project or an adventurous beginner ready to step into sweater territory, this pattern is written to guide you clearly through every section. Sizes range from XXS through XXL, so this cardigan can be knit for yourself, gifted to someone you love, or worked up in multiples as a go-to handknit present.

Let’s get into everything you need to know before casting on.

Why a Button Up Cardigan Belongs in Your Queue

Cardigans have occupied a permanent place in knitwear history for very good reason. They are endlessly adaptable. A button up cardigan sweater can be worn open over a flowy dress in September, buttoned all the way up under a coat in January, or tossed over pajamas on a slow Sunday morning. The buttons themselves add a small design element that elevates the piece beyond a simple rectangle of fabric, and choosing the right buttons becomes one of the more delightful finishing decisions you will make.

This particular design is worked in one piece from the bottom up, which minimizes seaming and keeps the knitting meditative and flowing. The button bands are picked up after the body is complete, and the sleeves are worked flat and set in, giving the cardigan a clean, structured silhouette. The stitch pattern is simple enough to memorize quickly but has just enough texture to keep your hands interested across the full length of the project.

Materials You Will Need

Yarn: You will need a worsted weight yarn with good stitch definition. Natural fibers or blends with some wool content block beautifully and hold their shape after washing. Suggested yardage by size:

XXS: approximately 900 yards
XS: approximately 1,000 yards
S: approximately 1,100 yards
M: approximately 1,250 yards
L: approximately 1,400 yards
XL: approximately 1,550 yards
XXL: approximately 1,700 yards

Needles: US 7 (4.5 mm) circular needles, 32 inches or longer, for the body; US 7 straight or circular needles for the sleeves; US 6 (4.0 mm) needles for the button bands and ribbing. Adjust needle size as needed to achieve gauge.

Notions: Stitch markers, stitch holders or scrap yarn, tapestry needle for finishing, six to seven buttons approximately 3/4 inch in diameter (quantity depends on your finished band length), and a measuring tape.

Gauge: 20 stitches and 28 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch on US 7 needles after blocking. Gauge matters here because this is a fitted garment. Please swatch.

Sizing and Finished Measurements

This pattern is written for the following finished bust measurements, which include approximately 2 inches of positive ease:

XXS: 30 inches
XS: 33 inches
S: 36 inches
M: 39 inches
L: 42 inches
XL: 46 inches
XXL: 50 inches

Body length from hem to underarm: 14.5 (14.5, 15, 15, 15.5, 15.5, 16) inches
Sleeve length from cuff to underarm: 17 (17, 17.5, 17.5, 18, 18, 18.5) inches
Yoke depth: 7.5 (7.5, 8, 8, 8.5, 8.5, 9) inches

Choose your size based on your actual bust measurement and add ease according to how you prefer your cardigans to fit. If you are between sizes, go up for a more relaxed look or down for something that fits more closely.

Abbreviations

Before diving into the pattern, here is a quick reference for the abbreviations used throughout:

k — knit
p — purl
k2tog — knit two stitches together (a right-leaning decrease)
ssk — slip, slip, knit (a left-leaning decrease)
RS — right side
WS — wrong side
pm — place marker
sm — slip marker
BO — bind off
CO — cast on
rep — repeat
st(s) — stitch(es)
beg — beginning

Pattern Notes

This cardigan is worked flat in pieces: the back, the two fronts, and the two sleeves. The pieces are then seamed together at the shoulders, the sides, and the sleeve caps. Button bands are picked up along the front edges as the final step before attaching buttons.

Working flat means you will knit on right side rows and purl on wrong side rows for the stockinette sections. The ribbing is worked as k2, p2 throughout.

When shaping armholes and necklines, always work decreases one stitch in from the edge to keep the edges clean for seaming.

The Pattern

Back

Using your smaller needles, cast on 76 (84, 91, 98, 106, 116, 126) stitches.

Work in k2, p2 ribbing for 2.5 inches, ending after a WS row.

Switch to your larger needles and work in stockinette stitch until the piece measures 14.5 (14.5, 15, 15, 15.5, 15.5, 16) inches from the cast on edge, ending after a WS row.

Armhole Shaping:

BO 4 (5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 8) sts at the beg of the next 2 rows.

Then decrease 1 st at each end of every RS row 4 (5, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) times.

You will have 60 (64, 71, 74, 80, 86, 92) sts remaining.

Continue in stockinette without shaping until the armhole measures 7.5 (7.5, 8, 8, 8.5, 8.5, 9) inches from the first bind off, ending after a WS row.

Shoulder and Back Neck Shaping:

BO 6 (7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 11) sts at the beg of the next 4 rows.

BO 6 (6, 7, 8, 9, 9, 10) sts at the beg of the next 2 rows.

Place the remaining 24 (24, 25, 26, 26, 28, 28) sts on a holder for the back neck.

Left Front

Using smaller needles, CO 38 (42, 46, 49, 53, 58, 63) sts.

Work k2, p2 ribbing for 2.5 inches, ending after a WS row.

Switch to larger needles and work in stockinette until the piece measures the same as the back to the armhole, ending after a WS row.

Armhole Shaping (at side edge):

BO 4 (5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 8) sts at the beg of the next RS row.

Work 1 WS row.

Decrease 1 st at the armhole edge every RS row 4 (5, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) times.

You will have 30 (32, 36, 37, 40, 43, 46) sts remaining.

Work even until the armhole measures 5 (5, 5.5, 5.5, 6, 6, 6.5) inches, ending after a RS row.

Neck Shaping:

At the beg of the next WS row, BO 6 (6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9) sts for the front neck.

Then decrease 1 st at the neck edge every RS row 6 (6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8) times.

You will have 18 (20, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29) sts remaining.

Work even until the armhole matches the back armhole depth, ending after a WS row.

Shoulder Shaping:

BO 6 (7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 11) sts at the beg of the next 2 RS rows.

BO remaining 6 (6, 7, 8, 9, 9, 10) sts.

Right Front

Work as for the Left Front, reversing all shaping. That means your armhole shaping will begin on a WS row, your neck shaping will begin on a RS row, and your shoulder bind offs will begin on WS rows.

Sleeves (Make Two)

Using smaller needles, CO 40 (40, 44, 44, 48, 52, 56) sts.

Work k2, p2 ribbing for 2.5 inches, ending after a WS row.

Switch to larger needles and work in stockinette, increasing 1 st at each end every 8th (8th, 7th, 7th, 7th, 6th, 6th) row 12 (13, 14, 14, 15, 15, 16) times.

You will have 64 (66, 72, 72, 78, 82, 88) sts.

Work even until the sleeve measures 17 (17, 17.5, 17.5, 18, 18, 18.5) inches from the cast on edge, ending after a WS row.

Sleeve Cap Shaping:

BO 4 (5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 8) sts at the beg of the next 2 rows.

Decrease 1 st at each end of every RS row 16 (16, 17, 17, 18, 18, 19) times.

Decrease 1 st at each end of every row 4 times.

BO 2 sts at the beg of the next 4 rows.

BO remaining sts.

Finishing and Seaming

Block all pieces to finished measurements before seaming. This step is not optional if you want a professional result. Pin each piece to your blocking mat according to the schematic measurements, spritz with water or steam gently according to your yarn’s fiber content, and allow to dry completely.

Once blocked, seam the shoulders using mattress stitch or three-needle bind off for a clean, flat join. Set in the sleeves and seam the sleeve caps into the armholes, easing any fullness evenly around the cap. Seam the side seams and the sleeve seams.

Button Band (Left Front for Buttons, Right Front for Buttonholes)

With smaller needles and RS facing, pick up and knit approximately 3 stitches for every 4 rows along the left front edge, starting at the hem and ending at the neck shaping. The exact stitch count should be a multiple of 4 plus 2 for the ribbing to work out evenly.

Row 1 (WS): P2, k2, p2; rep from to end.
Row 2 (RS): K2, p2, k2; rep from to end.

Repeat these 2 rows for 1.25 inches.

BO in pattern.

For the right front button band, pick up stitches in the same way and work 3 rows of k2, p2 ribbing. On the 4th row, work buttonholes evenly spaced along the band. A simple one-row buttonhole: work to the first buttonhole position, BO 2 sts, then cast on 2 sts over the gap as you continue along the row. Space the remaining buttonholes evenly, placing the first near the bottom and the last near the top of the band. Continue ribbing for another 3 rows and bind off in pattern.

Sew buttons to the left band to correspond with the buttonholes on the right.

Choosing Your Buttons

Buttons are worth spending time on. They will catch the eye every time someone looks at this cardigan. For a relaxed, earthy feel, wooden or horn buttons in a warm brown or amber work beautifully against natural-toned yarns. For something more polished, matte metal or resin buttons in a deep neutral give the piece a slightly refined quality. Vintage buttons from a thrift shop or estate sale are always worth hunting for and can turn a simple handknit into something truly one of a kind.

The size matters too. A 3/4 inch button is standard for this band width, but you can go slightly larger for a bolder statement or smaller for something more delicate, as long as it fits snugly through your buttonholes.

Yarn Substitutions

The beauty of a worsted weight pattern is how many yarn options open up to you. A few things to look for when choosing your yarn: good stitch definition, so the subtle texture of the fabric reads clearly; some natural fiber content, because animal fibers like wool and alpaca block more easily and drape more gracefully than pure synthetics; and a color that you will genuinely enjoy wearing in multiple situations.

If you are knitting for someone else, check their care preferences before choosing. A superwash wool or a wool-acrylic blend is easier to launder for people who are not interested in hand washing. Drape a hank in your hands in the shop or order a single skein to swatch before committing to the full yardage.

Tips for Getting the Best Results

Swatch before you start. This is easy to say and easy to skip, but a cardigan that comes out two sizes too large is a project you will not want to wear. Knit a square at least five inches in each direction, wash and block it the way you plan to care for the finished sweater, and measure it once dry. Adjust your needle size if needed.

Take your time with the seams. A sloppy seam will show every time you button this cardigan closed. Mattress stitch, when done carefully with a blunt tapestry needle and the same yarn as your project, becomes nearly invisible and creates a tidy, smooth join.

Count rows, not inches, when matching the fronts to the back. Row count eliminates the variation that happens when you hold a tape measure at a slight angle or measure in a slightly different spot. It also makes seaming much easier because you have exact rows to match stitch for stitch.

Block your button bands after seaming and attaching the buttons. A final light steam or wet block once the sweater is fully assembled helps everything settle into a cohesive finished shape.

Caring for Your Finished Cardigan

Hand wash this sweater in cool water with a gentle wool wash or mild soap. Do not wring or twist it. Press out the water gently, then roll it in a towel to remove excess moisture. Lay flat to dry, reshaping it to your finished measurements. With proper care, a well-knit wool cardigan will last for many years and only improve with wear as the fibers gently bloom and soften.

If you have used a superwash or machine-washable yarn, check the label, but most can be machine washed on a gentle cycle in a mesh laundry bag and laid flat to dry.

A Note on Adjusting Length

This pattern is easy to lengthen or shorten. To adjust the body length, simply work more or fewer rows between the ribbing and the armhole shaping. Every 7 rows of stockinette in worsted weight adds approximately 1 inch of length. Make a note of how many rows you worked so that both fronts and the back match exactly.

Sleeve length can be adjusted the same way, adding or removing rows before the cap shaping begins. If you lengthen the sleeve significantly, you may need slightly more yardage than the estimates above suggest.

Sharing Your Finished Cardigan

When you finish this button up cardigan sweater, please do share it. Projects made from free patterns support the community that makes them possible. You can tag your finished object on social media with #buttonupcardigan or leave a note wherever you found this pattern. Seeing how different yarns, colors, and button