Charming, Cozy, Child's Crocheted Cardigan

Wonderful crocheted projects can emerge quite unexpectedly.  After a week of intense crocheting for my Yarn Scrap Pile Post, I promised myself a more relaxed week.  The plan was to focus on one piece and to teach myself one new stitch.  I had two skeins of Bernat Pop in Hot Chocolate that I crocheted into a wrap around scarf.
Fortunately, the scarf was finished by Wednesday, leaving me the rest of the week to write, photograph, and relax.  Unfortunately,  the scarf was just not up to publishing standards. 
Fortunately, I was able to frog the piece, leaving me with two balls of lighter colored yarns and two balls of darker brown. 
Unfortunately, I was discouraged and did not have a clue as to what I wanted to crochet or knit in the remaining few days of the week to meet my self-imposed posting date. 
Fortunately,  I was able to scroll through Facebook and Pinterest in search of new projects that would fit project criteria for this week.  The piece had to be attractive and appealing,  contain a new stitch or strategy,  look wonderful with my frogged cream and chocolate yarns, and be possible to crochet in a few days.
Unfortunately, Many of the projects were too complex for my time frame.
Fortunately,  I came across The Painted Canyon Cardigan written by Alehsa Konecny for Heart, Hook and Home.  I had seen several colorful renditions in adult sizes, but when I came across the self-striped gray version in a 12 month size,  I knew I had found my project for the week.  As with many fiber artists and bloggers, I have lots of ideas and only so much time to actually crochet or knit pieces to be photographed for posting.  Each time I came across this pattern,  I promised myself that I would get back to it.  This was the time.
Unfortunately, I did not have self-striping gray yarn or two shades of gray yarn in my stash.
Fortunately,  the cream, sand, and brown tone worsted yarns for the Hot Chocolate would look great with this cardigan.
I had a J hook.  The only stitch I needed for the body of the sweater was the Half Double Crochet.  My swatch was true to gauge.  All I had to do was go back to the website and I was off. 

Type hearthookhome.com/painted-canyon-hooded-cardigan into your search bar. Scroll down to correct link.  Photos for the adult sizes are displayed.  To reach a child size, just select from the list of sizes, and those directions appear.  The entire pattern for all sizes can be purchased without ads on Ravelry.

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Since I had already separated the colors into dark and light balls for yarn for the scarf project, I decided to follow the same course for the cardigan.  I let the creamy and sandy-honey shades fall where they may in crocheting the body and the sleeves.The browns were reserved for the cuff and edging. 

A YouTube video is helpful for crocheters who want to separate all of the colors for even bands of color.  Follow directions and you will end up with a colorful and symmetrical sweater.  The same video is also helpful in showing how to sew the shoulders together for correct placement of the crocheted hood. 
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=061ASkM1GB8)

I was proud that I had finally figured out how to crochet front and back post stitches to make a rib that looked like knitted counter parts.  Previously,  I had only used the front post stitch.  The front of the garments would look okay, but the inside had uncomfortable ridges.  After watching another video demonstration,  my cardigan had the right look and feel.  Repeat After Me offers a useful YouTube video for Front and Back Post Half Double Crochet.

To make sure the sweater stayed securely in place for a toddler, I plan to add 2 clasps for closing as there are no button holes in the design.

In the future, I hope to use yarn with greater color variation in the bands and make precise symmetrical color bands as in the video. A similar effect could be achieved by crocheting with separate complementary or contrasting skeins.  Then you would not have to cut up the self-striping yarn.

Unfortunately,  my light yarn yardage was short by two rows on each sleeve.
Fortunately,  I was able to improvise with the darker brown before transitioning to the Front and Back Post HDC stitches for the cuffs.  I still had ample amounts of dark brown yarn, even after I finished the edging that started at the left lower end, went up the side, across the hood, and down the right side to the righter lower end. at the bottom. The finished piece was charming and cozy (as promised in the title), and the workmanship met my publishing standards. 

The finished cardigan is more like a coat than a sweater. By subtracting a few rows from the body, the silhouette would be more gender neutral.  Although I bought the clasps,  I could experiment with creating closings from toggle buttons. 
Another variation might be to add patch pockets to the shortened version.

Many thanks to Alesha Honecny and Heart Hook Home for presenting this versatile, and multi-sized pattern to the community of crocheters.

Please share photos of your completed Painted Canyon Cardigans as well as hints that you have used to customize this sweater.