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Ainur Berkimbay for Purl Soho: Pinwheel Baby Romper in Stormy Superwash Sock
Ainur Berkimbay has a gift for turning clever construction into something completely irresistible, and her Pinwheel Baby Romper is no exception. This beloved pattern has charmed us from the start, and now, in our wonderfully soft Stormy Superwash Sock yarn, it’s ready for a whole new round of cuddles, prettier than ever.
Aside from the adorable baby wearing it, the highlight here is the pinwheel, a whimsical bib that evokes a whirligig in the breeze, a sand dollar on the beach, or a sweet William blossom in the garden. You begin right at its center, casting on just a few stitches and knitting outward in the round, increasing at five points to create that distinctive shape. Then you get to do it all again to make an identical pinwheel for the back!
Once the two pinwheels are complete, you join them across the underarms and continue downward in the round, shaping the hips and gusset into an irresistibly voluminous puffball. Attached I-cords at the armholes become delicate straps that tie at the shoulders, allowing for an adjustable fit as the baby grows. In short, this romper is ready for all the real-life moments that come with dressing a very cute baby!
Incredibly soft and easy to care for, Stormy Superwash Sock is perfectly suited for a baby garment that’s sure to be worn and loved again and again. This fingering-weight yarn is made from 85% fine superwash merino wool and 15% recycled nylon, with a smooth surface and gentle bounce that make it a joy to knit. It’s plenty soft and comfortable enough for babies—and since it’s machine wash- and dry-able, it’s as practical as it is beautiful.
Stormy Superwash Sock’s subtly heathered palette brings depth to the fabric, especially as it plays across both garter and stockinette stitch. This Vintage Pink romper glows with warmth and gives the timeless, nostalgic feeling of an heirloom to treasure and fondly pass down.
You’ll need just 2–3 balls of Stormy Superwash Sock to make a Pinwheel Baby Romper for a very lucky little one, with sizes from 3 to 18 months. Cast on for a gift that you’ll love to knit—and to see on the bright-eyed little baby in your life!
Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 55 thoughtfully designed yarns in nearly every natural fiber and in every spectacular color you can imagine. Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!
Pattern designed and written by Ainur Berkimbay for Purl Soho. Ainur sees the unique constraints of knitting as opportunities rather than limitations. Using her remarkable ingenuity and love of geometry, she designs beautiful and adventurous pieces for knitters who share her enthusiasm for shape, texture, and adventure. See more from Ainur on her website!
Story written by Andrea Lotz for Purl Soho.
Materials
- 2 (3, 3) balls of Purl Soho’s Stormy Superwash Sock, 85% fine superwash merino and 15% recycled nylon. Each ball of this fingering-weight yarn is 192 yards/ 50 grams; approximately 330 (410, 500) yards required. We used the color Vintage Pink.
- US 3 (3.25 mm), 24-inch circular needles
- Six US 3 double pointed needles
- Spare double pointed or circular needles, US 3 or smaller
- Stitch markers, including one unique
- Stitch holders or scrap yarn
- A Pinwheel Baby Romper Pattern PDF
GAUGE
29 stitches and 52 rounds = 4 inches in garter stitch
29 stitches and 38 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
SIZES
3–6 months (6–12 months, 12–18 months)
To fit actual chest circumference of approximately 16 (18, 20) inches with approximately 2–3 inches of ease
- Finished Waist Circumference: 16¼ (18½, 20¾) inches
- Finished Bib Width and Height: 4¼ (4¾, 5¼) inches
- Front Length from Waist to Crotch: 6 (6¾, 7½) inches
- Leg Circumference: 8¼ (9½, 10½) inches
Sample: The romper shown here is size 6-12 months. The blanket is our Arbor Blanket. You can find the free pattern here!
PATTERN
The Pinwheel Baby Romper is available as a PDF download.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho. We can’t wait to see what you make!
LEARN ABOUT STORMY SUPERWASH SOCK + ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL YARNS
Stormy Superwash Sock is the perfect yarn to brighten a gloomy forecast and bring this project to life! This classic 85% superwash wool + 15% recycled nylon fingering-weight yarn feels soft in the hand and delightfully bouncy on your needles, with the strength to stand up to daily wear and lots of trips through the washer. The naturally luminous palette of heathered colors feels just right for gray skies and cozy days, and handy 50-gram balls encourage you to mix it up with contrasting heels and toes, stripes, and all the colorwork you can dream up!
More Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our growing collection of Stormy Superwash Sock knitting patterns and cast on!
More Fingering-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of fingering-weight yarns (What does fingering-weight yarn mean, really? Our guide to fingering-weight yarn will answer your questions and more!)
- If you want to use a different yarn, be sure to take the time to get the correct gauge. Need help? Check our All About Gauge Tutorial, our Yarn Substitution article, and our Complete Guide To Yarn for lots of helpful information.
More Yarns With Similar Fibers
- Shop superwash wool yarn
- Shop merino wool yarn
- Shop machine washable yarn
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our knitting patterns (including tons of 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!
Would Oleander work for this pattern? I’m knitting for a baby whose mom doesn’t like wool.
Hi Amy,
Thanks so much for reaching out! I’m so glad the Pinwheel Baby Romper caught your eye. I totally understand looking for a fiber substitute, and I’m happy to help!
Oleander should be able to knit up to gauge, but I do want to note it’s sometimes a bit tricky to substitute plant fiber yarns for animal fiber yarns in a garment pattern. Oleander may be a bit less stretchy and might be a bit heavier than the original yarn (with some lovely drape).
With that in mind, I’d always suggest knitting (and blocking) a gauge swatch to see if you meet gauge and if you like the look and feel of the fabric. You can read more about yarn substitution in our handy article Yarn Substitution Made Easy.
I hope this helps, and happy knitting!
Hills
OMG is it a challenge to start the pin wheel!! Any tricks, suggestions, or a video I can watch? I’ve started it about 10 times, even tried magic loop (no less challenging but at least I’m not fiddling with 4 dpns). I know I’ll be fine once I get past the first few rounds.
Hi Margrethe,
Thank you so much for reaching out! I’m so sorry to hear you’re running into trouble here… it can sometimes be tricky getting started and I would love to help you get on track for a fun knitting project.
If you’re still running into trouble, I’d suggest scheduling time with us for a 1-On-1 Help session. We would love to get you back on track!
I also love the idea for a video tutorial and will be sure to pass the suggestion along to our team, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us!
Best,
Hills