Sue's Easy Top Down Baby Sweater

For Stephanie and Debbie, who have been asking for me to post this pattern, here it is. I'm sorry it has taken so long. I hope the wait was worth it. The hat is just a standard stocking cap pattern and the little sockies are a pattern by my friend Beth. But any standard baby sock pattern will work.

Sue's Easy Top Down Baby Sweater

Size: 0-3 months

Materials: Soft worsted weight yarn (model made with Caron Simply Soft)

Main Color: approximately 3 oz.

Contrasting Color: small amount

Size 6 and 8 (US) needles (24" circular and straight)

Stitch markers

Size F crochet hook (optional)

Yarn needle

4 buttons

Pattern Notes: To increase, knit in the front and the back of the indicated stitch.

Knitting Tip: When working a garter stitch button band, I find it helpful to use a stitch maker at the point where each band begins. It's a reminder to make sure those 4 stitches are always knitted.

With contrasting color and the smaller circular needles, cast on 52 sts.

Rows 1 and 2: work in K2, P2 ribbing

Row 3: change to main color and continue in K2. P2 ribbing

Row 4: K2, P2 across

Row 5: Change to larger circular needles, buttonhole row.

For a boy: K2, yo, K2 tog, knit across.

For a girl: Knit across to the last 4 sts, K2 tog, yo, K2.

Buttonholes will be worked every 8 ridges (2nd on 8th increase row, 3rd on row 7 of the body and 4th on row 23 of the body.

Row 6: Divide work as follows: K4 sts for button border, P8 for the front, pm, P6 for the sleeve, pm, P16 for the back, pm, P6 for the sleeve, pm, P8 for the front, K4 for the border.

Row 7: K to the st before the marker, inc, slip marker, inc, repeat across (8 increases - 60 sts).

Row 8: K4, P to the last 4 sts, K4, slipping markers as you go.

Repeat rows 7 and 8 ten times. You should have a total of 140 sts.

Sleeves

Knit across front to 1st marker. Taking a size 8 straight needle, remove the 1st marker and knit the sleeve sts (28) onto the straight needle, remove the 2nd marker and leave all other sts on the circular needle.

Knitting now in rows on straight needles only, beginning with a purl row, knit 20 rows in stocking st.

Change to smaller straight needles and knit 3 rows in K2, P2 ribbing.

Change to contrasting color and knit 2 rows in K2, P2 ribbing as established. Bind off loosely in ribbing with the contrasting color.

Note: If sewing the underarm seam leave an 18" tail on the main color. If using the alternate sleeve finish don't cut the main color.

I like to seam the underarm at thispoint. It makes for a smoother transition when you knit across to attach the fronts to the back.

Alternate Sleeve Finishing

Fold sleeve right sides together and loosely slip st the underarm together back to armpit edge with an F crochet hook and the MC. Slip the loop from the crochet hook onto your circular knitting needle (one stitch added) and knit across the sweater back. Work the second sleeve the same as the first.

Pick up the circular needle, attach yarn (unless you used the alternate sleeve finish, in which case the yarn is already attached) and knit across the sweater back to the other sleeve. Finish the second sleeve as the first.

Sweater Body

Picking up the circular needles, knit across the sweater front. Turn work.

Next row: K4, purl across to the last 4 sts, knit.

Beginning with a knit row, work 24 rows of stocking stitch for the body of the sweater, remembering to work a buttonhole every 8 ridges (on row 7 and row 23). Change to smaller circular needles.

Work 3 rows of K2, P2 ribbing, then change to contrasting color and work 2 rows of ribbing. Bind off loosely in ribbing.

Weave in loose ends.

Sew on buttons.

copyright 2010

Susan A. Coes

Pretzel Barrel Baby Blanket Revisited

I received a note asking me about the pattern I used for the square for this baby blanket. I have posted my version of the square I used for this blanket. It is tagged under afghan squares. 

I also thought it might be helpful to include my strategy. I wanted to use up all my little balls of yarn and maximize usefullness while minimizing waste. So I worked up a chart for the yardage required for each round of the square. Then I could measure my little "waddies" and know which round was best suited for each one thereby reducing waste.

Using an H hook and worsted weight yarn here is what I got:

Round 1: 2 yards (12 stitches)

Round 2: 4 yards (28 stitches)

Round 3: 6 yards (44 stitches)

Round 4: 8 yards (60 stitches)

Round 5: 10 yards (76 stitches)

Round 6: 12 yards (92 stitches)

Round 7: 14 yards (108 stitches)

My target size was a 7 inch square. I don't very often need the 7th round. The yardages will vary somewhat with the thickness of the yarn. The thicker the yarn and the tighter the twist, the fewer stitches you can get from it. I hope this helps.