Little Baby Sweater
My son Bear is a rowdy, mysterious, extremely silly two and a half years old. I love his toddlerhood, its questions and observations, its vicissitudes and surprises, but there’s one thing I really do miss about his infancy. Those amazingly tiny little clothes! With their itty bitty sleeves and miniature proportions, they seem to me now like they were made for enchanted elves instead of babies! This irresistible cuteness makes baby gear almost everyone’s favorite thing to knit, me included.
And so to satisfy this hankering, I designed this charming Little Baby Sweater. It’s a simple knit, inspired by the no-nonsense engineering of knitting great, Elizabeth Zimmermann. Its inset sleeves pay homage to her genius Tomten Jacket, and its easy, low maintenance finishing would maybe please the guru herself! If you love Elizabeth Zimmermann’s style but have always felt a little intimidated by her approach, this is a very friendly place to start!
I was happy to have a great excuse to try out our newest yarn from Anzula, Sebastian, because it includes sea cell, a fiber I had never heard of. It turns out that sea cell is a seaweed and cellulose blend with the rigor and breathability of a plant fiber, the feather lightness of wool, and the soft shine of bamboo. It also turns out that sea cell plus superwash merino makes Sebastian the perfect choice for a baby!
Update: New Yarn
March 20, 2019
Originally knit in a now-discontinued yarn, how could we resist bringing back our Little Baby Sweater in our soft, sumptuous, and machine washable Posy and Pocket Posy yarns? We had some fun and changed the color of the Pocket Posy stripes in each section. Do the same with our 3-Skein Pocket Posy Bundle, available in seven palettes, or try your own thing: alternating stripes, gradating stripes, rainbow stripes, whatever you think baby might like!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Whitney Van Nes.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, and #PurlSohoLittleBabySweater. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 2 skeins of Anzula’s Sebastian, 70% Superwash Merino and 30% Sea Cell. These colors are Au Natural and Charcoal. NOTE: This yarn is no longer available. Try this sweater with a skein of Purl Soho’s Posy, plus a skein of Pocket Posy, instead!
- A US 3 (3.25 mm), 20- or 24- inch circular needles
- Four 3/8-inch buttons. We used Purl Soho’s Small Round Buttons in the color Gray.
Shop our wonderful collection of fingering-weight yarn to find a suitable substitute for this project, and remember that it’s always a good idea to check your gauge before you cast on… Our All About Gauge Tutorial shows you how!
Gauge
7 stitches = 1 inch in garter stitch
Size
Newborn-6 Months
- Finished Chest Circumference: 18¼ inches
- Finished Length From Bottom Hem To Top Shoulder: 9½ inches
- Finished Length From Bottom Hem To Underarm: 5½ inches
Note
For a lot less work at the end, instead of cutting the yarn when you finish a stripe, carry it loosely up the side.
Pattern
Body
With Main Color (MC), cast on 124 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Knit 5 rows.
*With Contrast Color (CC), knit 2 rows.
With MC, knit 6 rows.
Repeat from * 7 more times. (Piece measures 5 inches from bottom hem.)
With CC, knit 2 rows.
With MC, knit 5 rows.
Separate For Underarms
With wrong side facing you and still using MC, k15, bind off 31, k31, bind off 31, k14 to end of row. [15 stitches for Left Front; 32 stitches for Back; 15 stitches for Right Front]
Right Front
Now working just the 15 stitches of the Right Front and starting where you left off…
*With CC, knit 2 rows.
With MC, knit 6 rows.
Repeat from * 2 more times. Bind off and cut yarns.
Back
Now working just the 32 stitches of the Back, with right side facing you and joining CC and MC…
*With CC, knit 2 rows.
With MC, knit 6 rows.
Repeat from * 5 more times.
Bind off and cut yarns.
Left Front
Now working just the 15 stitches of the Left Front, with right side facing you and joining CC and MC…
*With CC, knit 2 rows.
With MC, knit 6 rows.
Repeat from * 2 more times.
Bind off, leaving last stitch on needle, and cut CC.
Left Button Band
Rotate work to pick up and knit 50 stitches along the Left Front edge to bottom corner. [51 stitches total]
Traditional For Boys
NOTE: If you don’t care where buttons traditionally go for boys versus girls, just go ahead and pick either set of instructions (For Boys or For Girls). If you do care but don’t know whether the recipient will be a boy or girl, you can follow the boys’ instruction here and the girls’ for the Right Button Band, and then when the baby is born, you can sew up the holes you don’t need and place the buttons right on top!
Knit 2 rows.
Next Row: K11, *yo, k2tog, k10, repeat from * 2 more times, yo, k2tog, k2.
Knit 2 rows and bind off.
Traditional For Girls
Knit 5 rows and bind off.
Right Button Band
With right side facing you and with MC, start at bottom corner of Right Front and pick up and knit 51 stitches along Right Front edge to top corner.
Traditional For Boys
Knit 5 rows and bind off.
Traditional For Girls
Knit 2 rows.
Next Row: K3, *yo, k2tog, k10, repeat from * 3 more times.
Knit 2 rows and bind off.
Right Sleeve
NOTE: When you begin picking up stitches for Right Sleeve, leave a 12-inch tail to use later for sewing.
With right side facing you and MC, start at bottom right corner of Back…
…and pick up and knit 24 stitches.
Use a Cable Cast On to cast on 12 stitches.
Making sure cast-on stitches aren’t twisted and with right side facing you, pick up and knit 12 stitches down Right Front. [48 stitches total]
**Now working back and forth in rows, start by turning work so wrong side is facing you.
Knit 5 rows.
*With CC, knit 2 rows.
With MC, knit 6 rows.
Repeat from * 3 more times and bind off, leaving an 18-inch tail.
Left Sleeve
NOTE: Again, when you begin picking up stitches for Left Sleeve, leave a 12-inch tail to use later for sewing.
With right side facing you and MC, start at bottom corner of Left Front…
…and pick up 12 stitches.
Use a Cable Cast On to cast on 12 stitches.
Making sure cast-on stitches aren’t twisted and with right side facing you, pick up and knit 24 stitches down left Back. [48 stitches total]
Repeat from ** of Right Sleeve.
Sewing Sleeves
Left Sleeve
*Thread Sleeve’s bind-off tail onto a tapestry needle and, starting at bind-off edge, sew together four ridges of Sleeve (one MC stripe and one CC stripe).
Fold the Body’s Underarm in half and insert tapestry needle just under Underarm’s bind-off edge at its halfway point.**
Sewing back and forth between back Underarm and back of Sleeve, connect back of Sleeve to Body. Remove needle from yarn.
Now threading tapestry needle onto first tail you left, sew together front of Sleeve and front Underarm.
Right Sleeve
Repeat from * to ** of Left Sleeve.
Sewing back and forth between front Underarm and front of Sleeve, connect front of Sleeve to Body. Remove needle from yarn.
Now threading the needle onto the first tail you left, sew together back of Sleeve and back Underarm.
Finishing
Sew four buttons onto Button Band across from buttonholes.
Weave in the ends and gently block your Little Sweater!
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
Love this little baby sweater. Thanks for the tutorial
While I've shied away from baby patterns, I'm beginning to rethink that whole idea. They're easy, quick and take little yarn – a great way to feel like you're accomplishing something when you're stuck on a larger project.
ist das ein niedlicher kleiner babypullover!
such a lovely little sweater, thank you for sharing!
greetings from bavaria,
anne
How I wish this pattern had directions for toddler sizes as well (hint, hint!)
Agree….need toddler directions!
Hi Nancy,
Thank you for the comment! Unfortunately converting this pattern to a specific larger size is a little tricky and time consuming. However there are a few quick tricks to achieving a larger size for a pattern. You can simply follow the pattern as written with a larger gauge yarn. Since the pattern is written for a fingering weight yarn using a dk weight will achieve a slightly larger size and a worsted weight to achieve an even larger size. While this is not an exact science you can get an idea of the size you’ll achieve by making a gauge swatch with your chosen yarn and multiplying the stitches/inch by the cast on number to figure out the chest circumference. If you’d like to try and adjust the pattern more precisely Elizabeth Zimmerman’s book Knitting without Tears has a great section on the subject which is available on our website; https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/166-Schoolhouse-Press-Knitting-Without-Tears
I hope this helps and feel free to write us back with future questions!
Goodluck!
Jake
I have recently been introduced to the amazing world of tiny knits and have been knitting up a storm! Inspiration is everywhere and your knits are so lovely and your instructions are some of the most clearly written i have ever come across.
Love this and just bought the yarn from my fave LYS ..Of course,it's Purl. Can't wait to start on this one!!
Thanks so much,Whitney.
Bambi
Hi Whitney, I love this sweater, it's super lovely, so thank you for the pattern and making it free.
I have a few questions though, as I can't find out the sex of the baby before it's born. Is the picture above a boy or girl version? How are they different? Thanks very much.
Lucy
Hi Lucy,
I made the boy version, but the only difference is that the buttons are on the the right for boys and on left for girls. If you don't know the sex, you could either just guess (50/50 chance of getting it right!) or you could do like Elizabeth Zimmermann does and make buttonholes on both sides, then sew up the holes on one side when you find out!
Thanks for your question and good luck!
Whitney
I have a sweet 2 week old granddaughter that I want to make this for. I just need to know the actual yardage needed for the one color version so I can see if it is possible to use something in my stash. I am itching to get started. Thanks Whitney.
Jane
Hi Jane,
I used about 300 yards of the Sebastian. I based this calculation on the weight of the sweater and the leftovers, but it can be a little tricky when you use a different fiber since cotton is heavier, wool lighter, etc. If you want to be on the really safe side give yourself a little leeway!
Thanks!
Whitney
I come here through pinterest! Beautiful sweater, excellent explanation! Thanks for sharing!
To everyone asking about other sizes:
Thank you so much for your interest in this pattern! Unfortunately at the moment we simply don't have time to size up this pattern for adults. We will consider it for sometime in the future, however we can't promise a time frame! Our suggestion is that you check out Elizabeth Zimmerman's Tomten Jacket which has a very similar look and method of construction, it can be found in her book The Opinionated Knitter if you'd like to give it a try. Here's a link: https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/816-Schoolhouse-Press-The-Opinionated-Knitter
Thanks again for your interest!
– The Purl Bee
Any chance you could post a picture of this sweater on a model? I'm having a hard time imagining those short sleeves on a baby!!? Thanks
Hi Karen-
Unfortunately we don't have a little baby around to photograph this on right now but it just fits like any short sleeved top, like a T-shirt. It can be worn on it's own or layered over a long sleeve top.
Hope this helps. Thanks for your question!
– Molly
Can you tell me roughly how much yarn you used for the CC/ MC? I'm guessing the ratio must be in the region of 1:3 … yes? All help welcome.
Great sweater! I'd love to make one for my 3-month-old niece, but I worry that she'll outgrow it in a day. Do you think that the pattern will scale up just by using a bigger needle? would you suggest going with a slightly thicker yarn, then? I'd love to use my stash for it rather than buying something new. If anyone has attempted this sweater with different yarn or needle size, please share your results!
Hi Mary,
I ended up using 68 grams of the main color (white) and 21 grams of the contrast color (gray). So, yes, it is in the region of 1:3, plus a little more of the MC for the button band!
Thanks for your question!
Whitney
I really love this sweater – thanks so much for the pattern! I am knitting it for a co-worker's baby, but she is not finding out the sex. In cases like this, do you prefer to place the button band/ buttons as for a boy or a girl?
-Carolyn
HI Carolyn-
If you don't know the sex, you could either just guess (50/50 chance of getting it right!) or you could do like Elizabeth Zimmermann does and make buttonholes on both sides, then sew up the holes on one side when you find out!
Thanks for your question and good luck!
Whitney
love the sweater your tutorial was wonderful..and agree it's hard once they grow, I am always looking for a baby to sew for
Hi, I am just making the sweater now and wondering whether or not you carried the contrasting color yarn thread with the main color, or if you cut every time you switched colors making the stripes. I cut and have so many ends now, and it doesn't look like you did!
Hi Jenny,
I did carry both yarns up the sides. I'm sorry I didn't specify in the pattern – I should have! I'm going to add it to the pattern right now for future Little Baby Sweater knitters…
Thanks for pointing out the omission, and I'm sure your sweater will be beautiful, just a little more work!
Whitney
Thanks, Whitney! It's a labor of love as I've really enjoyed the pattern. And of course I can't wait to put it on my little girl this summer when she is born! Cheers!
love love love this, but would you consider possibly sizing it up for the little kid set? because i think this shape and style would be GRAND for my 4 year old. short sleeve sweaters are the bomb for keeping cores warm and sleeves clean!
fingers crossed….
A friend's daughter has just had a little girl and I am seeing this pattern modified into a very cute summer onesy
I second Jennifer's hint that toddler sizes for this sweater would be greatly appreciated!
I like this and so many of your other patterns. I have one general comment, though: couldn't you format them for printing so they took less paper? This one used 18 sheets.
Hi Phyllis-
We recommend that when printing our patters you copy the text into a Text or Word document and print from that. We realize that this isn't ideal at all and it's something we're working on.
Thanks for writing in!
Molly
I usually copy to a word document, either shrink or edit out the pictures and re-size and space the text. I have always managed to get everything down to six pages or less. Using this layout format, they are so easy to read and also have room for margin notes. An added bonus is that while doing this process, I really get to analyse the pattern and have it all figured out before I start to knit.
To get a 18 months size, I simply used sport weight yarn (debbie bliss baby cashmerino), 3.5mm needles, and i followed your pattern.
I hope it helps
Really hope someone can offer me some advice!
I came into Purl last week while visiting NY and bought this yarn to make this jumper. My friends were being rather impatient so I didn't get the yarn wound – big mistake! It all fell apart in my bag and stupidly I started knitting on the plane thinking it would be fairly easy to fix but what I now have is 6 rows of knitting and 130 yards of tangled mess!
Any advice on how to sort it out? I've never bought yarn not in a ball before – in the UK you pretty much only get balls – so I didn't realise how much of a nightmare it would be! Can't wait to get on with it though – saw the original jumper in the shop and it's adorable!
Hi Rachel.
Oh so many of us have been where you are! The first thing I would do is cut the yarn from the project. You will have to rejoin later, but it will be a lot easier to untangle the skein if it isn't attached to your needles.
Then, I would wind the skein into a ball. There will be some untangling as you go and it'll take some patience, but it'll come undone. There are lots of methods of winding balls, here is a link to a center-pull ball video (http://www.knittinghelp.com/video/play/winding-a-center-pull-ball).
With the new, untangled skeins. After you take the tags off you can drape the skein over your knees or the back of a chair or a friend's hands while you make your ball. This will help keep the tangles at bay. Hope this helps. Sorry for the mess, so frustrating when all you want to do is knit!!! -Laura
Thanks Laura – I bit the bullet yesterday and sat down to unravel it. It took me about 7 hours but it's now all in one piece and a very nice ball! I thought it would be much worse than it was, to be honest!
However, I now have another problem – beginning to think I might be jinxed. Despite counting and recounting when I cast on, I've just realised I've only cast on 122 stitches, not 124. I'm guessing the missing 2 stitches won't make a huge difference in terms of finished size, but without going further I can't figure out which bits of the pattern would need to be modified – I'm guessing I need to either take one stitch off each front, or two out of the back… Or should I start over?
So frustrated – I was just thinking how nice it was looking!
Hi Rachel,
No problem at all! Just change the “Separate from Underarms” section to this:
Still with MC (wrong side facing), k14, bind off 31, k31, bind off 31, k13 to end.
(14 stitches for Left Front, 32 stitches for Back, 14 stitches for Right Front).
That's it! I'm so glad you're finally on your way!
Whitney
Thanks Whitney – I'm about halfway through the first section now as I was finishing the chevron baby blanket first!
Just wondering if anyone has any tips for picking up stitches – if you're not picking up every stitch, do you just pick them up evenly across the section? I'm guessing that's right, but wanted to check!
Also, just checked the yarn band and it says this is handwash only – has anyone tried machine washing at a low temp? I thought “superwash” meant machine washable but it's not something that's usually written on yarn in the UK!
Thanks everyone – I'm loving these projects, and already deciding what I'm going to do next – I'm having surgery in a few weeks so will need something to occupy my brain and hands!
I'm so baffled – again. In fairness, this is more complex than the stiff I usually knot (still quite new) but I feel like an idiot.
I'm at the point where I've separated into 3, but I must have gone wrong somewhere. It says the bind off row before this stage (where you're left with 3 sections) should be wrong side facing. But…
Assuming row 1 is the right Side, based on my calculations, the bind off row is row 77 so that would be the right side too. Just realised as I'm knitting the back that I've had to start on the wrong side when it says I should be restarting the back on the right side, and the front I've just done is the left instead of the right.
I'm so confused – what have I done wrong and why am I do confused?! I've had a long day of teaching today and my brain has stopped working normally! I'd like to know where I've gone wrong and whether I can fix it!
HI Rachel,
It sounds like you went a little awry, but if you can manage to keep the striping on the right side and the distance between stripes consistent, then you're in very good shape! Otherwise, you may need to back up and start the back with the right side facing you. We all make these kinds of mistakes, especially at the end of the day!
Whitney
I was so excited when I saw this pattern, so cute. Then I discovered it was for a baby. How about this pattern for adults, I love it.
This is too sweet! But what about an adult version of this? I'd love to knit one for myself!
I ditto Fillus and Mariana, I'd love to make this for myself…I wear a size 6-8 adult…thanks. 🙂
I love this lbaby jacket! It is just perfect!
https://www.purlsoho.com/create/little-baby-sweater/2011/8/7/whits-knits-little-baby-sweater.html – Axel looks perfectly wonderful in it! http://miracledesign.blogspot.fr/search/label/Baby
Thanks for the beautiful pattern! Have hit a bump in the road. I knitted 3 sets of (MC/CC) on the right and the left side of 15 st across… I am at the section where I need to pick up stitches for the right sleeve and all of a sudden I am told to pick up 24 st and the picture shows the right side being twice as tall as the left… (6 sets of cc/MC). Help!! Did I miss something? I read the pattern over about 20 times and can't find where I should have knitted more on the right front.
Hi Nicole,
Don't worry, you did it right! The picture I think you're talking about is showing the Back of the sweater, not the Right Front. The Back is twice as long as the Fronts (from the point where they separate), and the Back is where you begin to pick up for the Right Sleeve.
I hope this makes sense! Please let me know if it doesn't and we'll work it out!
Thanks so much for your question and good luck!
Whitney
Hello, I seem to have a similar problem as Rachel, above. It does seem, from the pattern that by the time you separate for the underarms, you should have 77 rows. I am using one color, so I'm not concerned with striping, but at 43 rows, my piece is already measuring 5″. :/
I am using the same yarn and the recommended needles and I don't think my knitting is abnormally loose, but I am quite a novice knitter, so it's likely I am not fully understanding the pattern. The fact that Rachel arrived at the same row count gives me some hope, but that she was also on the wrong path leaves me scratching my head. Should I keep going until I reach 77 rows or stop when I reach 5″ + 7rows? (In my case, 50 total)
Thanks!
Hi Valerie,
Yes, there are a total of 77 rows (including the cast on) before you separate for the underarms, but the most important thing is the measurement. So, if your piece is measuring 5 inches at 43 rows,then I think you should knit 7 more rows and move on to the underarms. Just make sure when you're measuring that you're not stretching the knitting at all, that it's just in a relaxed position.
Having said all that, I am concerned about your gauge. If your row gauge is off, then your stitch gauge probably is too. Have you checked that you're getting 7 stitches to the inch? I'm worried you might end up witth a short, wide sweater.
Please let me know if you have any more questions and good luck!
Whitney
Love this pattern!
Love the style – like a Little hipster 🙂
But why on Earth does it matter if it is a boy or girl that will wear it, regarding which side you put the button holes on? Jeez. Why make differnt directions, when whichever version is fine?
Sorry for jumping down your throats, it just irks me that we find the need to differentiate so early and so unnecessarily. Totally gonna make the sweater though, choosing a version that is fine for all Babies.
Hi Maria,
Since this sweater was so inspired by Elizabeth Zimmermann, I made the button band distinction in homage to her. She always made a point to differentiate between the traditional boy side and girl side. Old fashioned, definitely, but meant in good spirit!
Thanks for your comment!
Whitney
I've made three of these for the babies in my life. I wanted a larger size–more like 6-12 months–and a slightly heavier knit, so I used the original directions with sport yarn. I reduced the number of stitches a bit so it would be a little leaner and adjusted the back, front and underarm sections proportionally. It's a great sweater in medium gray and bright yellow contrast. Regarding the boy-girl question, if it matters to you or the baby's parents, knit the sweater and leave the front bands for last, then knit them after you know the baby's gender. There is nothing you have to do differently, as the bands connect only to the front panels, not to anything else.
I love this Little Baby Sweater and knit this for my granddaughter. She's now almost two and my DIL requested I remake this in a size 3T. I used a bamboo sock yarn and she loved the fabric it created. Can you suggest how I can make this larger without using a heavier yarn? I would consider using DK weight if that helps, just nothing heavier than that.
Hi Beadness,
I'm sorry to say that we just don't have the resources here at the Purl Bee to resize anything but the most basic patterns. As you suggest, using bigger yarn would be the easiest way to get a bigger sweater. Other than that, I can simply recommend that you cast one the number of stitches that will give you the chest circumference you want in the gauge you're knitting at, and alter the pattern proportionately from there.
I'm so happy to hear that you (and your granddaughter) enjoyed the first version. Good luck with the second!
Whitney
This yarn seemed so perfect for this pattern, but it’s been discontinued. Can you suggest something with all the same baby-friendly qualities?
Hi Steph!
You could probably use the Anzula Squishy instead! You basically just need a fingering weight wool that is washable (if you prefer).
Thanks for your question!
Thomas
Looks like this yarn is discontinued. What would be the best substitute that you’d suggest?
Hello Caitlin!
Yes, unfortunately Sebastian is discontinued. We would highly recommend the Purl Soho Mulberry Merino since its silk has a lovely sheen, just like the sea cell in the Sebastian did! You can find that yarn here: https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/9650-Purl-Soho-Mulberry-Merino Whichever yarn you decide, make sure you’ll be able to yield a gauge of 7 stitches = 1 inch in garter stitch and you’ll be golden!
Thanks for your question! -Alyson
Hi Caitlin-
You could use almost any fingering weight yarn: https://www.purlsoho.com/yarn.html?yarn_stitches_per_inch_filter=968
Specifically I would recommend Squishy: https://www.purlsoho.com/yarn/knitting-crochet/squishy.html
Or line weight: https://www.purlsoho.com/yarn/knitting-crochet/line-weight.html
Thanks for getting in touch!
Molly
Can this be made for a 12 month size? How would you recommend enlarging it?
Hello ML Ley,
Thanks for your interest in this pattern. Unfortunately we don’t have the resources to customize patterns at the moment. We will keep your request in mind!
Thank you,
Adam
Hello!
I am confused about which side the work should be facing when working the left button band, I’m following the directions and it looks like the work would now start in the wrong side, however under the right side it wants you to start in the right side of the work! Help! Would love some clarification!
Hi Dakota,
Sorry for the trouble with this pattern! You’ll bind off the work with the right side facing you and you’ll leave the last stitch. To pick up for the left band you’ll turn the work clockwise and insert your needle into the row to the left of your last bind off stitch. Pick up along this edge for the button band with the right side facing you at all times. I hope this clarifies things a bit!
Best,
Adam
What is the best way to sew the sleeves to the body? I sewed them using running and also whip stitch, but both look rather messy… Thanks!
Hi Jessica,
Thanks for writing in! Seaming garter stitch can be a little tricky but fortunately we have a great little tutorial that I think could be very helpful for you. It can be found here: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2013/11/11/seaming-garter-stitch/
Happy knitting!
Cassy
I made a scarf last year with some yarn that contained sea cell. All was fine until I washed it in preparation for blocking. When it was wet it had a very distinctive odor of rotting kelp on the beach! Fortunately the odor was not evident when it dried, and I’ve had no complaints from the friend who acquired it. Still, I wonder if that’s why sea cell is no longer a commonly advertised component of knitting yarn!
Hi Pat,
Thank you for writing in. Just like wet wool smells like damp sheep, sea cell will also smell like well… the sea. Sea cell is actually hard to produce, source and reorder and this is why it isn’t commonly a component in yarn. I’m glad the project didn’t end up smelling like the ocean!
-Adam
I would very much like to make this for size 5 and up
Any suggestions, help?
Thank you
Hello Susan,
Thank you for reaching out! Unfortunately we don’t have the resources to customize patterns at the moment. We will keep your request in mind!
Happy knitting,
Marilla
Maria, Im a novice knitter, so I’m not sure if this will work, but you could figure out how may stitches per square inch this pattern makes for you (it may vary from the purl soho gauge), and then figure out what the finished size of this garment is, so you know how many stitches equal say, twelve inches… and then its just a ratio: i need x inches here, so how many more stitches do i need to cast on here? Does that make sense, or only in my mind? 🙂
Thank you for the beautiful pattern and the update for new yarn. I’m working this up for grandchild #2!
I have a question concerning the construction of the Left Sleeve. The directions indicate to start at the bottom corner of Left Front … and PICK UP 12 stitches. However, in all other parts of the directions, we are instructed to PICK UP AND KNIT. So for the Left Front, are we supposed to simply slip 12 stitches onto the needle and work them as though they are live stitches?
Thanks for your help.
Hi Angie,
Thanks for writing in! Although we used two different slightly different terminologies in this pattern, the phrases “pick up stitches” and “pick up and knit stitches” are often used interchangeably and almost always refer to the same technique, which is using the working yarn to pick up stitches, as we show in our Picking Up Stitches tutorial. You should continue to pick up stitches using the working yarn for both sleeves.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
Hello! I started knitting this adorable sweater in Pocket Posy and realize that the main piece of my little sweater is about 20″ wide before adding the button bands (I cast on using 124 stitches as per the instructions, but I did not do a sample swatch, oops). Is this the kind of error that will work itself out and result in a slightly larger sweater, or will the proportions be significantly off (meaning it would be best to start over)? This is my first tiny sweater project, so am hoping someone sager than I can share some advice…thank you!
Hello Katherine,
Happy first sweater! It does sound like you gauge is off, which is totally fine if you don’t mind the sweater coming out larger. Because your gauge will still be consistent your proportions will also be consistent!
I hope this helps and let us know if you have any further questions!
-Marilla
I am having trouble getting the sleeve seams right. I see you shared a tutorial for seaming garter stitch but these sleeves have a vertical to horizontal garter seam and the tutorial only shows horizontal to horizontal. Would really love some guidance. Thank you!!
Hi Melissa,
Thanks for reaching out! After sewing the first four ridges of the sleeve together, you should have 15 ridges left, and the underarm edge of the front and back body will each be 15 stitches as well. You will be sewing one garter ridge to each stitch, following the instructions from the Seaming Garter Stitch tutorial for the sleeve edge and the Seaming Stockinette Stitch Horizontally tutorial for the body edge.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
I love this sweater. It looks somewhat retro and antique. I have seen several comments asking for an adult version. Please couldn’t someone make an adult version. I thought about trying to convert it myself (something I’ve never done ) but yarn is not cheap and I wouldn’t want to mess it up! I await with bated breath!
Cheers,
Jo
Hi Jo,
Thanks so much for the kind words and for reaching out! I will be sure to add your voice to the chorus of request for larger sizes!
Best,
Julianna
I am confused about the sleeves. The pattern seems to skip over actual knitting of the sleeves as it goes from casting on and picking up stitches to sewing the sleeves together. Where are directions as to how many rows and shaping, if any.
Thanks
Hi Naomi,
Thanks for reaching out! You can find the instructions for how many rows to knit on the sleeve beneath the fourth picture in the “Right Sleeve” section of the pattern.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Hi, I made this sweater, awhile ago in Pocket Posey in Mourning Dove, Teal Twilight, Fern Green & Beetle Blue. I thought it was worsted weight yarn. When I looked, it said Pocket Posey was fingering wt. yarn. I am confused. What weight is this yarn, please. Thanks.
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for reaching out! Our Posy yarn is a fingering weight yarn, and we recommended needle sizes US00 – US3.
I hope this helps clear things up, and please let me know if you have any other questions!
Warmly,
Kelsey
Hi
this looks so interesting and I would love to see a photo with a child wearing it, to get a clear idea of how it ‘sits’. I’d say the same with the other children’s garments without images. It really helps to see how they work.
Hi Victoria,
Thanks for writing in! Since this is an older pattern we do not have photos of this on a model. However, if you visit Ravelry, for this pattern along with all of our other baby patterns, you can find hundreds of photos of finished sweaters made by our customers!
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna