This free baby sweater knitting pattern is the perfect design for a beginner knitter to improve his or her basic knitting skills. It has a nautical style neckling that fastens with buttons which makes it easier to pull over baby’s head.
It has stripes across the front and back and up the arms. If you prefer you can choose to knit it in a plain colour. This post does contain affiliate links.
Free Baby Sweater Knitting Pattern
Measurements:
This pattern fits a 6-12(12-18; 18-24) month old baby. The actual measurements are 56(62;68) cm. The length to shoulder will be 28(31; 34) cm and the sleeve length is 16(18; 21)cm.
The instructions are given for the smallest size with the larger sizes in brackets. Where one set of figures is given, it applies to all the sizes.
Tension:
25sts and 34 rows to 10cm measured over st st using 3.25 mm needles.
Materials:
3(4; 5) x 50g balls of Elle Pure Gold Baby 4 ply yarn in a shade of your choice. (This will be your main color A)
1(2; 2) x 50 g balls of Elle Pure Gold 4 ply yarn in your secondary color of choice B.
Stitch holders or large safety pins and two cute buttons. I normally keep a stash of them, like the ones above, for all those cute baby projects.
Abbreviations:
You can see a full list of all the abbreviations you will ever need by clicking right here.
Let’s get started.
Back:
Using 2.75mm needles and color A cast on 72(80;86) sts.
Work 7 rows in g st to form the hem.
Change to 3.25mm needles and work in st st stripe pattern as follows:
Note: remember to twist the yarns over each other at the WS of the work to avoid a hole where the color changes at the side edges.
Row 1: (RS): using A, k to end.
Row 2: using A, k3, p to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 3: using A, k to end.
Row 4: using A, k3, p to last 3 sts, K3.
Row 5: using A, K3, join in color B, k to last 3 sts, using A, k3
Row 6: Using A, k3, p to last 3 sts using B, using A, k3.
These 6 rows complete the side slit edges at the bottom.
Beg with a k row and working in one colour only across entire row cont in st st and stripe patt as follows:
* Work 2 rows A.
Work 2 rows B.
Work 2 rows A.
Work 2 rows B.
Work 4 rows A.
Work 2 rows B.
These 14 rows form the stripe pattern. Rep from * until 42(42: 56) rows have been completed from the top of the g st hem. Cont in st st and color A only until the back measures 24(27; 30 cm) from the c/on edge, ending with a WS row.
Shape Shoulder and Neck:
Next Row (RS): K21(24; 27) sts, turn, leave the rem sts on a spare needle.
Now work on the first set of sts on N only.
Cont stratight on these sts until the back measures 27(30; 33)cm from the c/on edge, ending with a WS row.
Change to 2.75 mm Ns and work 3 rows in g st.
C/off.
Shape Other Side of Shoulder and Neck:
With the RS facing, sl the centre 30(32; 32) sts onto a st holder. Join in yarn and patt ot end of row.
Cont straight on these 21(24;27) sts until the back measures 27(30; 33) cm from the c/on edge, ending with a WS row.
Change to 2.75 mm Ns and work 5 rows in g st.
C/off.
Front:
Work exactly as given for the back until the front measures 22(25; 28) cm from the c/on edge ending with a WS row.
Shape Shoulders and Neck:
Next Row (RS): k21(24; 27) sts, turn leave rem sts on a spare needle.
Now work on the first set of sts on N only.
Cont straight on these sts until the front measures the same as the back to shoulder, ending with a WS row.
Shape Shoulder:
Change to 2.75 mm Ns and work 2 rows in g st.
Buttonhole Row (RS): k14(16; 18), k2 tog, yfwd, k to end.
Work 2 more rows in g st.
C/off.
Shape Other Side of Shoulder and Neck:
With the RS facing, sl the centre 30(32; 32) sts onto a st holder, join in yarn and patt to end of row. Cont straight on these 21(24; 27) sts until the front measures the same as the back to shoulder, ending with a WS row.
Change to 2.75mm Ms and work 3 rows in g st.
C/off.
Sleeves:
Using 2.75mm Ns and color A, c/on 46(46; 50) sts.
Row 1 (RS): K2, *P2, k2, rep from * to end.
Row 2: P2, *k2, p2, rep from * to end.
Rep the last 2 rows for 2(2; 3) cm, ending with a WS row.
Change to 3.25mm Ns.
Beg with a k row work in st st stripe patt throughout as folls:
Work 4 rows A.
Work 2 rows B.
Work 2 rows A.
Work 2 rows B.
Work 2 rows A.
Work 2 rows B.
At the same time inc 1 st at each end of the row on the 3rd and every foll 4th row until there are 62(68; 74) sts on the Ns.
Cont straight on these sts until sleeve measures 16(18; 21) cm from the beg, ending with a WS row.
C/off.
Back NeckBand:
Using 2.75 mm Ns and color A, with the RS facing, pick up and k7 sts down the right side of back neck, k across the 30(32; 32) sts held on st holder for centre back, pick up and k 9 sts up the left side of back neck [46(48; 48) sts.]
K 1 row.
Dec Row (RS): k 5, SKPO, k2 tog, k26 (28; 28), SKPO, k2 tog, k7[42(44; 44) sts].
K 1 row.
Dec Row: k4, SKPO, k2 tog, k24(26; 26), SKPO, k2 tog, k6[38(40; 40) sts].
k 1 row.
C/off, dec as before.
Front NeckBand:
Using 2.75mm Ns and color A, with the RS facing, pick up and k 14 sts down the left side of front neck, k across the 30(32; 32) sts held on st holder for centre front, pick up and k 12 sts up right side of front neck [56(58; 58) sts].
K 1 row.
Dec Row & Buttonhole Row (RS): k2, k2 tog, yfwd, k8, SKPO, k2 tog, k26(28; 28), SKPO, k2 tog, k10[52(54; 54) sts].
K 1 row.
Dec Row: k11, SKPO, k2 tog, k 24(26; 26) SKPO, k2 tog, k9[48(50; 50) sts].
K 1 row.
C/off, dec as before.
To Complete:
Join the right shoulder seam. Overlap the left front buttonhole band over left back button band and sew the side edges together.
Set in sleeves. Join sleeve seam. Join side seams to top side of slit, leave the remaining seam open. Sew on buttons to correspond with buttonholes.
This free baby sweater knitting pattern was actually designed by Debbie Bliss. You can grab some more of her great patterns in this book.
