Knit a children’s sweater with lace butterflies with this pattern by @ileradebu, Katia Designers Awards 6 finalist

Knitting, crochet, sewing… The Katia community, once again, shares its creativity and makes our pulse race with marvelous projects. And, not only on social media, we also discover new talents at each edition of our creative competition, Katia Designers Awards 6. Like Esti Juango @ileradebu, one of the finalists thanks to the charming Butterfly Sweater design knit with Katia Basic Merino. As well as sharing the free pattern to knit a children’s sweater with butterflies, we invite you discover first-hand her history as a knitter and where she found her inspiration to design the Mariposas Sweater. 

 

@ileradebu, Katia Designers Awards 6 finalist 

My name is Esti Juango, I’m 33, and I’ve been knitting for more than 15 years. Knitting is with me wherever I go. It’s my source of escape, of creativity… Although I’m an industrial engineer and my everyday work has nothing to do with this world, I never stop learning knitting, an art where there’s always something to learn. I’ve done a variety of pattern designing, pattern writing, technique courses, etc. 

This year, I’m starting to publish my own designs independently under the brand @ileradebu. Both my daughters are my main inspiration to create unique clothes that we all enjoy: me creating them and them wearing them. 

Children’s sweater with lace butterflies 

To take part in Katia Designers Awards 6 I designed the Butterfly Sweater with Katia Basic Merino, a sweet children’s sweater with lace butterflies and bobbles. I like to think of garments that are attractive to kids. So that when they see them in their wardrobe, they want to wear them. That’s why I chose this motif. Because who doesn’t like butterflies? I hope that you enjoy this free pattern, both knitting it and dressing your little ones in this children’s sweater with butterflies. 

 

Free Mariposa Sweater pattern 

Sizes and measurements 

a) 4, b) 6, c) 8, d) 10, e) 12 years of age

The design in the photograph corresponds to size: b) 6 years of age

• Bust: a) 36, b) 39, c) 42, d) 45, e) 48 cm 
• Length: a) 41, b) 45, c) 49, d) 53, e) 57 cm 
• Neckline width: a) 14, b) 15, c) 16, d) 17, e) 18 cm 
• Shoulder width: a) 11, b) 12, c) 13, d) 14, e) 15 cm 
• Sleeve length: a) 27, b) 31, c) 35, d) 39, e) 43 cm
• Sleeve width: a) 36, b) 38, c) 40, d) 42, e) 44 cm 
• Cuff width: a) 19, b) 20, c) 21, d) 22, e) 23 cm
  

Materials 

Katia Basic Merino color 77 (light lilac): a) 2, b) 3, c) 3, d) 4, e) 4 balls.

4-mm knitting needles

 

Stitches and techniques 

• 2×2 rib – R1: *k2, p2*, rep ** to end of r. Rep R1
• Bobble
• k2tog – knit 2 stitches together
• lace stitch – see chart 
• rev st st – Reverse stockinette stitch: purl the RS and knit the WS
• side seam – Place both pieces side by side, with the right side facing up, pass the needle between the first and second stitches and pull the yarn, move to the other piece and do the same. Repeat joining both pieces until the end of the seam.
• sl1 k1 psso – slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over.
• sl1 k2tog psso – slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over.
• yo – yarn over

Gauge 

With 4-mm needles in stockinette stitch 

18 sts and 25 rows = 10/ 10 cm or 4×4”. 

 

Instructions 

This sweater is worked in 3 parts: the back, the front, and the sleeves. 

Work the entire sweater in reverse stockinette stitch, except when stated otherwise. 

 

Abbreviations 

• 2×2 rib – k2, p2 
• BOR – beginning of row 
• k – knit 
• m – marker 
• p – purl 
• pm – place marker 
• R and r(s) – row(s) 
• rep– repeat 
• st(s) – stitch(es) 

Back 

With Katia Basic Merino and 4-mm needles, cast on a) 64, b) 70, c) 76, d) 82, e) 88 sts and work in 2×2 rib. Start the rib with k2 and end with a) p2, b) k2, c) p2, d) k2, e) p2. 

When it measures 4 cm, continue working in rev st st increasing 1 st only on the first r until piece measures a) 38, b) 42, c) 46, d) 50, e) 54 cm. [a) 65, b) 71, c) 77, d) 83, e) 89 sts] 

 

Shoulders 

Bind off on both sides, at BOR: 

a) 7 sts on 1st r and 6 sts on next 2 rs.

b) 7 sts on first 3 rs.

c) 8 sts on first 2 rs and 7 sts on 3rd

d) 9 sts on 1st r and 8 sts on next 2 rs.

e) 9 sts on first 3 rs.

 

Neckline 

3 cm from beginning of shoulders, bind off remaining a) 27, b) 29, c) 31, d) 33, e) 35 sts. 

 

Front 

With Katia Basic Merino and 4-mm needles, cast on a) 64, b) 70, c) 76, d) 82, e) 88 sts and work in 2×2 rib. Start the rib with k2 and end with a) p2, b) k2, c) p2, d) k2, e) p2. 

When it measures 4 cm, continue working in rev st st increasing 1 st only on the first r. 

 

Continue working as follows throughout the chart: 

a) *24 sts in rev st st, pm, chart, pm, 24 sts in rev st st*, rep** twice more.

b) Work 2 rs in rev st st and continue: *27 sts in rev st st, m, chart, m, 27 sts in rev st st*, rep** twice more. Work 4 rs in rev st st. 

c) Work 6 rs in rev st st. *30 sts in rev st st, m, chart, m, 30 sts in rev st st. Work 4 rs in rev st st,* rep ** twice more. Work 2 rs in rev st st. 

d) Work 6 rs in rev st st. *33 sts in rev st st, m, chart, m, 33 sts in rev st st. Work 8 rs in rev st st,* rep ** twice more. 

e) Work 10 rs in rev st st. *36 sts in rev st st, m, chart, m, 36 sts in rev st st. Work 10 rs in rev st st,* rep ** twice more. 

 

Neckline 

Bind off a) 11, b) 13, c) 15, d) 17, e) 19 center sts and continue each side separately, binding off on the neckline side at the BOR: 

R1: bind off 3 sts. 

R2: bind off 2 sts. 

R3: bind off 1 st. 

Rep R3 twice more. 

 

Shoulders 

2 cm from beginning of neckline, bind off on the left side, at each BOR: 

a) R1: 7 sts, R2-3: 6 sts.

b) R1-3: 7 sts.

c) R1-2: 8 sts, R3: 7 sts.

d) R1: 9 sts, R2-3: 8 sts.

e) R1-3: 9 sts.

Finish the other side in the same manner, but reverse the shaping. 

SLEEVES 

With 4-mm needles, cast on a) 34, b) 36, c) 38, d) 40, e) 42 sts. Start the rib with k2 and end with a) k2, b) p2, c) k2, d) p2, e) k2. 

When piece measures 4 cm, continue working in rev st st, increasing a) 31, b) 33, c) 35, d) 37, e) 39 sts evenly distributed across R1. [a) 65, b) 69, c) 73, d) 77, e) 81 sts]  

Work in rev st st for a) 10 cm, b) 14 cm, c) 18 cm, d) 22cm, e) 26cm. 

Make the butterfly: a) 24, b) 26, c) 28, d) 30, e) 32 sts in rev st st, chart, a) 24, b) 26, c) 28, d) 30, e) 32 sts in rev st st.

Work in rev st st until the piece measures a) 27 cm, b) 31 cm, c) 35 cm, d) 39 cm, e) 43 cm in total and bind off all sts. 

Repeat for the other sleeve. 

  

ASSEMBLY AND FINISHES 

Side seam the right shoulder. 

Neckline 

With 4-mm needles, pick up all sts around the neckline, increasing or decreasing as needed throughout R1 until you have: [a) 64, b) 70, c) 76, d) 80, e) 84 sts] 

Work 2×2 rib for 3 cm and bind off all sts. 

Sew the left shoulder and neckline. 
Sew sleeves and sides. 

 

CHART

 

New Katia Designers Awards 

Do you feel inspired after learning about Esti Juango’s story and want to share your talent for design? Then, keep an eye on upcoming blog posts. Soon we’ll announce the seventh edition of the Katia Designers Awards with new challenges, super prizes, and surprises that will make you say Wow!😉