Charity Baby Sweater
(Five-Hour Baby Sweater)
The size of the baby sweater is determined by the size of the knitting needle! Directions are for sizes preemie to 12 months.
Materials: Preemie: size 5 needle; Newborn: size 8 needle; 6 month: size 10 needle; 12 month: size 11 needle; 200 yds worsted weight yarn (Encore is perfect for this project!)
Notes: Kfb: knit front and back to increase: M1: pick up yarn btwn sts & put on the left needle. Knit through the back loop to increase. K: knit. P: purl. St st: stockinette stitch (knit on right side, purl on wrong side)
Directions: Starting at the neck edge, cast on 33 sts, using a knitted cast on
.Yoke: Rows 1-4: K;
Row 5: K3, P to the last 3 sts, K3. Always work first 3 and last 3 sts as a knit no matter what side you are on. These sts form the front opening band.
Row 6: K3, *Kfb, K1, rep from * end with kfb, K3 (47 sts)
Row 7: K3, P to last 3 sts, K3
Row 8:K
Row 9: K
Row 10: K3, *Kfb, K2, rep from *, ending Kfb, K4 (61 sts)
Row 11: K3, P to last 3 sts, K3
Row 12: K
Row 13: K
Row 14: K4, *Kfb, K3, rep from * to last 5 sts, ending Kfb, K4 (75 sts)
Row 15: K3, P to last 3 sts, K3
Row 16: K
Row 17: K
Row 18: K4, *Kfb, K4, rep from * to last 6 sts, ending Kfb, k5
Row 19: K3, P to last 3 sts, K3
Row 20: K
Row 21: K
Row 22: K5, *Kfb, K5, rep from * to end of row
Row 23: K3, P to last 3 sts, K3
Row 24: K
Row 25: K
Row 26: You will be adding markers to show positions of fronts, back and sleeves. k6, m1, k5, m1, k5, m1, k1, pm (20 sts for front) k1, m1, k6, m1, k5, m1, k6, m1, k1, PM (23 sts for sleeves) k1, m1, (k6, m1) twice, k5, m1, (k6, m1) twice, k1, PM (37 sts for back) k1, m1, k6, m1, k5, m1, k6, m1, k1, PM (23 sts for sleeve) K1, m1, k5, m1, k5, m1, k6 (20 sts for other front);
Row 27: K3, P to last 3 sts, k3; Row 28: K across row, Kfb in stitch before and after each marker (131 sts); Row 29: K3, P to last 3 sts, k3; Row 30: K across row, Kfb in stitch before and after each marker (139 sts); Row 31: K3, P to last 3 sts, K3
Front: Knit 22 sts and place on holder.
Sleeve: Cast on 2 sts and K across the next 27 sts for first sleeve, cast on 2 sts. Work on these 31 sts in St st for 22 rows.
Sleeve dec row: K2, (k2tog, K3) 5 times, K2tog, K2 (25 sts) K 7 rows. Bind off. Sew inner seam tog.
Back: Cast on 1 st and K across 37 sts; place on holder.
Repeat directions for second sleeve.
Sweater Body: Row 1: K across sts of the other front section (22sts in this section). Beg with next row, you will be working on all the sts as one piece. You will work the first front section, then work the back sts from the holder, and then the other front sts from the holder. Row 2: K3, P to last 3 sts, K3; Row 3: K; Row 4: K3, P to last 3 sts, K3; Rows 5-16: rep rows 3 & 4; K the next 8 rows. Cast off. You can use a variety of closures or snaps for the front.