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8-Spoke Yoke Pullover for Babies + Toddlers
An adventurous but very achievable first sweater, our 8-Spoke Yoke Pullover for Babies + Toddlers pattern has the graphic appeal of a raglan and the easy fit of a circular yoke. Our baby-friendly, machine-washable Morning yarn makes every stitch a joy and beautifully defines those charming yoke spokes.
You knit the 8-Spoke Yoke Pullover from the top down, working flat for a few inches before joining to work in the round, creating an opening with a loop-and-button closure that will easily accommodate babyās head. Then you work paired increases ināyou guessed it!āeight spokes to shape the sweaterās yoke.
Once you divide the body and sleeves, the shaping becomes decorative. You continue increasing at the front and center back spokes, while decreasing at the sides of the body to keep the stitch count even. Similarly, when you knit the sleeves, youāll keep increasing along the top of the sleeves while decreasing at the underarm. This gives a lovely contour to the rolled edges, with the center front, center back, and the tops of the sleeves a little longer than the side bodies and undersides of the sleeves… Details!
Cast on with Morning, a perfect yarn for babies and toddlers, made with 75% organically grown cotton and 25% yak. The cotton lends strength and coolness, while the yak, sourced from the downy undercoat the animal sheds for the summer, adds a gentle elasticityā¦ An absolute pleasure to knit and machine-washable, too!
This DK-weight yarn has an incredibly soft feel, with a multi-ply structure that gives you a smooth hand, a supple feeling on the needles, and tidy stitch definition that highlights the sweaterās stylish shaping. We chose Heirloom White for its timeless simplicity, but Morning comes in 13 more up-with-the sun colors, from cheery Yellow Apple to comfy Dungarees Blue.
The 8-Spoke Yoke Pullover for Babies + Toddlers pattern comes in four sizes, from tiny newborns to busy 3-year-olds, and you just need 2 or 3 skeins of Morning to make this sophisticated wee sweater!
Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, youāll 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 Sohoās online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!
Pattern designed and written by Purl Soho designer, Laura Ferguson.
Story written by Andrea Lotz for Purl Soho.
Materials
- 2 (2, 3, 3) skeins of Purl Sohoās Morning, 75% organically grown cotton and 25% yak. Each skein is 191 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 300 (365, 445, 565) yards required. We used the color Heirloom White.
- US 5 (3.75mm), 16-inch circular knitting needles
- US 6 (4mm), 12- or 16-inch circular needles, depending on size you are making
- A set of US 5 double pointed needles
- A set of US 6 double pointed needles
- Stitch markers, including one unique
- Stitch holders or scrap yarn
- A size E (3.5 mm) or F (3.75 mm) crochet hook
- One 1/2-inch button. We used Purl Sohoās Medium Corozo Button in Pale Oats.
- An 8-Spoke Yoke Pullover for Babies + Toddlers Pattern PDF
NOTE If you want to use Magic Loop, youāll just need US 5 and 6, 32-inch or longer circular needles.
GAUGE
20 stitches and 28 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch on larger needles
SIZES
Newborn (6ā12 Months, 12ā24 Months, 2ā3 Years)
To fit actual chest circumference of 15ā16 (17ā18, 19ā20, 21ā22) inches, with 3ā5 inches of ease, depending on the size
- Finished Chest Circumference: 19Ā¼ (21Ā½, 23Ā¾, 26) inches
- Finished Length from Front Neck to Bottom: 10Ā½ (11Ā¾, 13Ā¼, 14Ā¾) inches, with edges rolled
- Finished Length from Underarm to Bottom: 5Ā¾ (6Ā½, 7Ā¼, 8) inches, with edge rolled
- Finished Length from Underarm to Cuff: 7Ā¼ (8, 9Ā¼, 10Ā¾) inches, with edge rolled
Samples: We knit the 12ā24 Months size.
PATTERN
The 8-Spoke Yoke Pullover for Babies + Toddlers Pattern is available for purchase as a PDF download only.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho. We canāt wait to see what you make!
LEARN ABOUT MORNING + ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL YARNS
75% organically grown cotton and 25% yak, Morning adds something very special to this project! The cotton lends strength and a cool touch, while the yak is super soft and pliant. Together, this light worsted/DK-weight yarn has a satisfying weight, a very soft feel, and an incredibly lovely hand. In 14 up-with-the-sun colors, Morning is an absolute pleasure to knit!
More Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our vast collection of (mostly free!) Morning knitting patterns and cast on!
More Light Worsted/DK-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of light worsted/DK-weight yarns (What does DK-weight yarn mean, really? Our guide to DK yarn will answer your questions and demystify.)
- If you want to use a different yarn, be sure to take the time to get the correct gauge. Need help? Check ourĀ All About Gauge Tutorial, ourĀ Yarn Substitution article, and ourĀ Complete Guide To YarnĀ for lots of helpful information.
More Yarns With Similar Fibers
- Shop cotton yarn (What helps cotton keep its cool? Learn all about this soft, natural fiber in our guide to cotton yarn!)
- Shop yak 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!
Love this 8 spoke pattern so much. But also love the little pants that are paired with them! Any chance there is a sewing pattern you could refer me to?
Hi Elizabeth!
Thanks so much for your kind words! We’re really glad to see you love the 8-Spoke Pullover pattern for babies and toddlers!
These pants are not handmade, though I can absolutely see why you might think that! It looks like they’re sourced from Zara Kids, actually.
I hope this helps!
Happy knitting,
Hills
Love the sweater does the pattern exist in adult sizes?
Hi Cathy,
Thank you so much for reaching out with your kindness. I’m really glad to see you’re loving the 8-Spoke Yoke Pullover for Babies + Toddlers!
I’m so excited to share that larger sizes are in the works! You can expect an adult size near the end of October š Please feel free to reach back out with any other questions!
Happy knitting!
Hills
I love hearing this! I had the same question.
Please, please make this pattern in larger sizes. I would love to knit it for growing grandbabies!
Hi Patricia!
I’m so glad to read that you would love to knit this pullover in a larger size!
Thankfully, larger sizes are coming! Keep an eye out for larger child sizes around February!
Don’t hesitate to reach back out with any questions in the meantime, of course.
Happy knitting,
Hills
My granddaughter lives in Maine. Is there a warmer yarn substitute I could use?
Hi Lynn Ellen,
Thank you so much for reaching out with your question! I think this pullover would look lovely in tons of different yarns, and I’m happy to consider a warmer alternative with you!
You might consider checking out Cashmere Merino Bloom, Note, and Simply Yak. They’re all quite soft and warm! The Cashmere Merino Bloom may grow and bloom as it’s blocked, offering a lovely drape. The Yak would also likely have a beautiful halo, and it’s a very warm and durable fiber. Note is a powerhouse of merino and alpaca for a little more elasticity than Cashmere Merino Bloom, a slight halo, and subtle drape.
I’d suggest knitting and blocking a gauge swatch to ensure you can reach the gauge listed in the pattern. This also gives you the chance to adjust your needle size and get an idea of the look and feel of the finished fabric. You may also enjoy reading more about yarn substitutions in our article, Yarn Substitution Made Easy!
I hope this is helpful, and that your granddaughter loves her sweater!
Happy knitting,
Hills
will you expand this pattern to include adult sizes? I want one for myself!
Hi Rebecca,
Yes! We’re so thrilled to be able to offer adult sizes near the end of October, and larger children’s sizes nearer to February. We’re equally as excited for these releases!
Please feel free to reach out anytime!
Happy knitting,
Hills
I was about to make the same request and am thrilled an adult size pattern will be coming!
Great question. I’d definitely be keen for an adult version.
Are the sleeves seamed or worked in the round?
Hi Mary!
Thanks so much for reaching out with your question!
The sleeves for the 8-Spoke Yoke Pullover are worked in the round.
Please feel free to reach back out if you have any other questions!
Happy knitting,
Hills
I love this pattern. Do you have it in an adult size?
Hi HM,
Thanks so much for reaching out! We’re thrilled to see how excited folks are for larger sizes in the 8-Spoke Yoke Pullover!
Luckily, we’ll be releasing adult sizes in October and larger children’s sizes in February!
Stay tuned!
Happy knitting,
Hills
Thanks – looking forward to that š
Maybe I’m just really tired but I’m having trouble understanding the placement of the stitch markers in the set up round in the yoke. Are there meant to be stitch markers one stitch in from both ends? Is it: sl1, place marker, purl 7, sl1, place marker, purl 7 (repeat)? And then after the first increase round it says there have been 16 stitches increased but the pattern only details 8 stitches being increaded. I’m really confused and I’m not a beginner knitter. Some diagrams would surely be helpful if the text is less than utterly specific. Just bought this pattern and now I’m pulling my hair out!
Hi Heidi,
I’m so sorry to read how frustrated you’re feeling working through the yoke, and I’m happy to help clear things up a bit!
The setup row should be worked as follows. I’ve expanded the instructions for ease and included instructions for the first three sizes only:
The increase row can be worked as follows:
You’ll only be slipping a stitch at the beginning of the row. Everything within the brackets will be repeated 8 times (including 2 increases per repeat), and you’ll finish by knitting 1. Below are the expanded instructions for the row.
I hope this helps! Please reach back out with any other questions!
Kindly,
Hills
My goodness, thank you so much! I’m not sure why I was having such a hard time.
This helps a lot!
Heidi,
Yoke increases: I felt the exact same way, I was full of self-doubt! I actually reached out to a knitting teacher/friend about it before I read your letter.
Thanks so much for asking for clarification. I am also a seasoned knitter so I thought, āhow could this be that confusingā Anyhow, I wanted to thank you for sharing, and to ask:
Purlsoho, would you consider adding the longer instructions for others? The pattern is gorgeous and deserves the extra notes. * I would also mention that the extended instructions in the reply above do not mention slipping the first marker.
Thanks so much for this extra clarification.
Susan
Hi Susan,
I’m so sorry to read that you ran into some trouble here! I’m happy to clarify.
Thank you so much for your suggestion; I’ll be sure to pass it along to our team. In the meantime, you might enjoy our article on How to Read a Knitting Pattern, where we provide guidance on understanding and expanding upon the condensed pattern instructions.
In the above comment, slipping the marker is indicated as “sm.” Since you’re working flat here, the marker that was placed at the beginning of the setup row should now be at the end of your first row in the yoke.
I so hope this helps. Please feel free to reach out with any other questions!
Happy knitting,
Hills
Ah-ha! I see now that I added an extra marker at the end of the set-up round, which gave me a mystery marker at the beginning of the right side /first increase round.
Shout out to PurlSoho for quick response, really appreciate it. I think I would have been muddled for a while, instead, Iām back with this project by the next day!!
Btw, my local yarn store only had an Aran weight available in a natural fibre; gauge is 17sts/4ā
Iām making 3yrs size. We shall seeā¦
Hi Susan,
Thank you so much for your kind reply! I am so very glad to see this was helpful for you, and that totally makes sense!
A small note: if you’re knitting with a yarn that works up to 17 stitches per 4 inches (4.25 spi) rather than 20 stitches per 4 inches (5 spi), your project would end up being about 85% smaller, roughly. You may consider trying to size up from your intended measurements, and this will likely impact your yardage requirements… Unfortunately, I can’t really give an accurate estimate of how much yarn you might need, as reworking the pattern for a different gauge is a bit beyond our resources at this time. I do wish you the best of luck with this project, though, and hope it works out well for you! Please feel free to upload your work to the Ravelry Project page for other knitters to see, or on the bottom of our homepage!
Happy knitting!
Kindly,
Hills
If I want to knit this for a true newborn 0-6mo. could I adjust the pattern?
Hi Angela,
Thank you so much for reaching out with your interest in the 8-Spoke Pullover! So happy to help here.
This pattern features the size you’re looking for, though I can totally see how it could be overlooked! It’s written out rather than assigned a numerical value (like the other sizes within the parentheses).
Please feel free to reach out with any questions you might have as you’re working, and I hope you love the 8-Spoke Pullover as much as we do!
Happy knitting,
Hills
Hi. I am struggling on the neckband! I have cast on 66 sts on a number 5 , 16 in circular needle. I find that I am stretching the stitches so much to finish the round I can hardly do it. The 16 inch is what the pattern calls for. Why am I having so much trouble? Thank you.
Hi Jean,
I’m so sorry to read that you’ve run into some trouble here! I’m happy to help.
If you’re comfortable with Magic Loop, you might consider switching to longer needles and using this technique.
You could also try out some DPNs if they’re more comfortable at this circumference, and switch over to the circular needles as your yoke grows.
Please don’t hesitate to reach back out!
Happy knitting,
Hills
Under Yoke, after set up row, I switched to larger needles and did the increase row. My question is, when ācontinuing in stockinette as establishedā am I knitting the LAST stitch in each wrong side row (as I did in set up row) or do I slip first stitch and then purl to the end (as I did in the neckband)
Hiya Elizabeth,
Thanks for reaching out with this great question! I’m happy to help!
I would suggest following the instructions from the neckband… It appears you should slip the first stitch in each row and either knit to the end (RS) or purl to the end (WS). If you were to knit the last stitch in the wrong-side row, you would have a purl stitch on the other side to slip, and we want to slip a knit stitch at the beginning of the next row.
I hope this is helpful. Please feel free to reach out anytime!
Happy knitting,
Hills