Baby Sweater Knitting Pattern

This basic baby sweater knitting pattern is rated as an easy knit as it has very little shaping and is knitted in stocking stitch.

Easy Knitting Baby Sweater | © Deborah Mason & Knitting Naturally

The jumper in this pattern consists of four pieces, the back and the front and two sleeves.  The kind of neckline in this baby sweater knitting pattern is often called a boat neck and is straight rib with a little shaping for the shoulders.

The style of neck on this basic baby sweater is particularly good for infants as the opening at the neck is quite wide making it easy to get the jumper on and off over their heads.

I used Bendigo Woollen Mills Luxury 4 Ply Baby Yarn to knit the example of the sweater produced using this basic baby sweater knitting pattern.

Approximate sizing for this pattern is 000 (newborn to 3 months), 00 (3-6 months) and 0 (6-12 months), but remember not all babies are the same size at the same age.  It might pay to check the infants chest measurement before you start knitting!

Basic Baby Sweater Knitting Pattern

Materials

Needles

1 pair each 3.25mm (UK 10, US 3) and 2.75mm (UK 12, US 2) or sizes needed to give correct tension. 

Accessories

Knitters Needle for sewing seams
4 small buttons 

Tension

28 sts and 36 rows to 10 cm width over stocking stitch.

Abbreviations

Easy Knitting Baby Sweater  Knitting Instructions

This basic pattern is uses two basic knitting stitch patterns; stocking stitch and 1x1 rib and has minimal shaping.  

Assumed knowledge includes:

• cast on and cast off
• forming knit stitches
•  forming purl stitches
• stocking stitch
• 1x1 rib
• increase stitches and yon

BACK

**Using 2.75mm Needles, cast on 63, (67, 71) sts.

1st row: K2, *P1, K1, rep from * to last st, K1.
2nd row: K1, *P1, K1, rep from * to end.
Rep 1st and 2nd rows until work measures 2cm ending with a 1st row.

Change to 3.25mm needles and work in stocking stitch until work measures approx. 13 [14, 15] cm.

Shape armholes by casting off three sts at beg of next 2 rows.
Dec 1 st at each end of next 3 rows, then every alt row until 49 [53, 57] sts remain. **
Work straight until Back measures 22 [24, 26] cm, ending with right side facing for next row.

Work 4 rows in K1, P1 rib.
Next row: Rib 15 [15,17] cast off next 19 [23, 23] sts for back of neck, rib to end.
Work 3 rows in rib.
Next row: (Buttonhole rib), rib 4, yon, k2tog, k3, k2tog, yon, rib to end.
Work 3 rows in rib, cast off.

With wrong side facing, rejoin yarn to remaining sts, rib to end. Work 3 rows in rib.
Next row: (Buttonhole rib), rib 4, yon, k2tog, k3, k2tog, yon, rib to end.
Work 3 rows in rib, cast off.

Cast off.

FRONT

Work as for Back from ** to **

Work straight until work measures 21 [23, 25] cm ending with a wrong side row.

Work 4 rows in K1, P1 rib.
Next row: Rib 15 [15,17] cast off next 19 [23, 23] sts for back of neck, rib to end.
Work 5 rows in rib.
Cast off.

Re-join yarn to other side and work 5 rows in rib.

Cast off.

SLEEVES (make two)

With 2.75mm needles, cast on 35 [37, 39] sts.

Work 2cm in K1, P1 rib ending with a wrong-side row.
Change to 3.25mm needles and work in stocking stitch, shaping sides by inc 1 st at each end of every 3rd (5th, 7th] row until there are 49 [51, 53] sts.
Work straight in patt until sleeve seam measures approx. 14 [15, 18] cm.

Shape top by casting off 3 sts at beg of next 2 rows.
Dec 1 st at each end of next and every alt row until 39 [35, 31] sts remain. Work 1 row.
Now dec 1 sts at each end of every row until 16 sts remain.

Cast off..

TO MAKE UP

Easy Knitting Baby Sweater Pieces | © Deborah Mason & Knitting Naturally

Do not press.
Join side and sleeve seams. Overlap back tabs over front tabs at armhole edge and insert sleeves, stitching through double thickness at shoulders.

Sew on buttons.