Some people are just knit-worthy. You know the ones—the people you can’t help but knit for. For me, that’s always been my husband’s cousin, someone I’ve watched grow from a shy preteen into a kind and confident woman. She’s always cherished every handmade gift, no matter how small, so when she announced she was expecting her first child, my first thought was, “I’m going to knit for the baby!”

Time flew, and before I knew it, her baby was a toddler. But once I had the idea and the perfect yarn, everything clicked into place. The knitting flew by in less than a month because every stitch felt like a celebration of this special little girl. When I finally saw her wearing it—running around, playing, and completely living in it—I knew I’d made something truly special.

This is that knit. It’s a top-down, raglan cardigan with an elegantly simple lace stitch that’s both easy to memorize and completely addictive. You’ll find yourself saying, “Just one more row…” until it’s done—and then you’ll want to see it out in the wild, being worn and loved the way it was meant to be.

My little model put hers through a rigorous toddler durability test during our photo shoot—snacks, dirt, and all! But no worries: a little lint rolling and a quick spot clean later, the cardigan was good as new.

Since then, this pattern has been tested by knitters all over the world, and the stories that came back made my heart so full. Little ones refusing to take their cardigans off. Toddlers twirling around like tiny runway models. Kids who insisted on wearing theirs everywhere. That's the thing about knitting for children—when you get it right, they know, and they'll show you in the best possible ways.

And let’s be honest—who doesn’t love a mini-me moment? If you’re already imagining how cute this cardigan would look on you, guess what? There’s a grown-up version of the Nydia Cardigan available too. Because why should kids have all the fun?

Kids change quickly, but the joy of knitting for them never does.

I first designed the Bittie Bestie Vestie for the same tiny human who once toddled around in the Little Nydia Cardigan. She’s not tiny anymore, of course. She’s taller now, a little braver in her choices, and full of Opinions with a capital O.

When she spotted me working on this vest, she reached for the fuzzy ball of mohair like she already knew it belonged to her. I dared to ask if she liked the color, and she gave me this tiny, shy nod that said, Obviously. That was all the approval I needed.

Naturally, once hers was finished, I couldn’t leave her little brother out. But I didn’t want a twin set; I wanted each vest to have its own personality. So the second version came to be: one soft and airy with mohair and lace, the other clean and classic with a smooth wool and a crisp texture, both sharing the same signature cables and “instant favorite” energy as the adult Bestie Vestie.

The vest itself is worked bottom up with seamless construction, smart shaping, and just enough variety to keep the knit engaging. It’s friendly for newer knitters, still fun for the veterans, and supported with step-by-step video tutorials so you always know exactly where you’re headed.

It all started in spring 2021, just days after I finished knitting the Nydia pullover. With one skein of that beautiful yarn left, I imagined a matching hat with the same textured stitch and lateral braid detail. I excitedly cast on, expecting to finish it by the end of the weekend.

It didn’t work out that way. Another project called—a sweater!—and the hat got set aside. Weeks became months, and when I rediscovered the nearly finished hat in early 2022, I picked it up to work on the crown shaping, but it didn’t come together the way I wanted. Back into the project bag it went.

Then, at the beginning of 2023, after test knitting the Nydia Cardigan, a few testers asked if there’d be a matching hat. That question sparked something, and my initial excitement came rushing back. Unable to find my original project, I cast on again with the details still alive in my mind. And this time? Everything clicked. The crown shaping came together in a single day.

I cast on another, then another, and just kept going—working with different DK weight yarns, adjusting stitch placements, and fine-tuning every detail. Each hat flew off the needles. Before I knew it, the Nydia Hat had evolved into not just one but two variations in sizes graded to fit the whole family.

A generous group of test knitters helped me confirm the pattern worked, and several made multiple hats for themselves and loved ones too. And just like that, after all those years, the Nydia Hat was finally ready for the world.