Simple Seamless Baby Jacket - a free knitting pattern

My gift to you this week is a lovely pattern to knit a baby jacket from the top down with NO SEAMS to sew up!  Quick and easy and achievable no matter what your knitting ability.  The design is mostly knit stitches only, with a little purling when you work the sleeves in the round - a great introduction to seamless top down knitting!  There is also an option to embroider the jacket if desired!  I chose a lovely slubby boucle cotton yarn which hangs really well too.  A lovely way to smarten up any outfit - very designer with three quarter length puff sleeves and inspired by boxy Chanel boucle jackets.

So here goes:

Simple Seamless Baby Jacket

You will need:

Yarn: 100g (220m) of double knitting / lightly worsted weight yarn (Bergere de France’s Flash yarn used here)
Needles: 4mm / UK size 8 / US size 6 (you can use straight of circular needles for the body and then either DPNs or circular needle via the Magic Loop method for the sleeves)
Yarn needle
1 button
4 stitch markers
Embroidery thread in coordinating colour to embellish the jacket
Gauge: 10cm² = 22 stitches, 38 rows in garter stitch
Measurements:
Finished jacket to fit 0 – 6 mth baby: chest 44cm and length 21 cm approx.
Abbreviations:
K: Knit
PM: place marker
M1:  increase 1 stitch by picking up horizontal bar before the next st, and knit into the back of it.
RI:  Raglan Increase over 2 sts:  M1, K1, move marker, K1, M1. (2sts increased to 4 sts)
sts:  stitches
rep:  repeat
P:     Purl
K2tog: decrease 1 st by knitting the next 2 sts together.

Cast on at the neck:
With 4mm needles cast on 47 sts.
Work the set up row (WS row):
K2, PM, K11, PM, K21, PM, K11, PM, K2
Work the raglan yoke of the jacket:
Row 1: *K to 1 st before marker, RI, rep from * 3 more times, K to end. 
Row 2:  K all sts.
Row 3:   as Row 1
Row 4:  as Row 2
Row 5: K1, M1, *K to 1 st before marker, RI, rep from * 3 more times, K to last st, M1, K1.
Row 6: as Row 2
Rep Rows 5 & 6  5 more times.
16  rows worked.(123 sts)
Begin neck shaping and edging:
Row 17: Cast  on 5 sts and work as follows:  *K to 1 st before marker, RI, rep from * 3 more times,  K to end.
Row 18: Cast on 5 sts and work as follows: K to end.
Row 19:  *K to 1 st before marker, RI, rep from * 3 more times, K to end.
Row 20: K all sts.
Repeat Rows 19 & 20, 3 more times.  26 rows worked.  (173 sts)
Divide Stitches (to work the fronts and back together & put sleeve sts on spare yarn
Next row:  K to 1^st marker, place all 37 sts before 2nd marker onto spare yarn, cast on 2  sts, K to 3^rd marker, place all 37 sts before 4^th marker onto a second spare piece of yarn, cast on 2 sts, K to end.  (103 sts)
Work the back and fronts:
K all rows until the back measures 21cm.  Cast off loosely knitwise and break yarn Work the puff  sleeve:
Beginning at the back, with the right side facing, and using a smaller needle, transfer the sleeve sts from the stitch holder to the needle, then pick up 2 sts from the underarm section. (39 sts)
Start working in the round using either DPNs or the Magic Loop method as follows:
Round 1: P all sts.
Round 2: K all sts.
Repeat these 2 rounds until the sleeve measures 10cm from the underarm (or 15cm for a full length sleeve), finishing with a Purl round.
Next round:* K2, K2tog, rep from * to last 3 sts, K1, K2tog. 
Cast off loosely purlwise and break yarn.
Rep for 2^nd sleeve.
Work the neckband & buttonhole:
Beginning with the right front and using a smaller needle, pick up evenly 20 sts along the neck edge, pick up 11 sts across top of right sleeve, pick up 21 sts across back neck edge, pick up 11 sts across the top of the left sleeve & pick up evenly 20 sts down left front.  (83 sts)
Working in rows with 4mm needles, and beginning with the RS facing, K 4 rows.
Row 5: K2, cast off 2 sts, K to end.
Row 6: K to last 2 sts, cast on 2 sts, K2.
Row 7 & 8: K all sts.
Cast off loosely knitwise and break yarn.

Making up:
Sew in all loose ends.  Sew button to the opposite end of the neckband.  If you wish to embroider a flower on the right front, use all 6 strands of embroidery thread and begin at the bottom.  Sew a slightly wiggly stem in chain stitch up the middle of the front, sew a circle of chain stitch for the centre and then sew 6 petals (5 loose chain stitches long) around the centre.  Finish off with a second circle of chain stitch in the centre.  Finished!

You can also find a PDF version of this pattern here.  

 

 

Baby Jingle Ball - a free knitting pattern

Looking for a quick knitting pattern for a unique baby shower present?  This baby jingle ball can easily be made in an evening and is suitable for all knitting abilities.  It is soft, washable and would make a great baby gift!

Knitting Pattern - Baby Jingle Ball

You will need:
Yarn: 25g ball of Aran / Worsted weight Cotton in each of 2 coordinating colours
Needles: 4mm/UK size 8/US size 6
Yarn needle
toy stuffing
craft jingle bell (optional)
Gauge: 10cm² =  16 stitches, 20 rows in stocking stitch stitch
Measurements:
Finished ball measures approx. 12cm (height)
Abbreviations:
K: knit
P: purl
sts: stitches
rep: repeat
P2tog: purl 2 stitches together to decrease 1 st.
kfb: knit into the front & back of the stitch to increase 1 st.
Tips:
If you knit quite loosely, drop a needle size for a tighter woven fabric which is essential for items that are to be stuffed.

Instructions

Cast on 8 sts with yarn A.
Row 1: *kfb, rep from * to end. (16 sts)
Row 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14: P all sts.
Row 3: *kfb, K1, rep from * to end. (24 sts)
Row 4: As row 2.
Row 5: *kfb, K2*, rep from * to end. (32 sts)
Row 7: *kfb, K3, rep from * to end. (40 sts)
Row 9: *kfb, K4, rep from * to end. (48 sts)
Row 11: *kfb, K5, rep from * to end. (56 sts)
Row 13: *kfb, K6, rep from * to end. (64 sts)
Row 15: change to yarn B & K all sts.
Row 16: P all sts.
Row 17: change to yarn B, *K1, P1, rep from * to end.
Row 18: *P1, K1, rep from * to end.
Rows 19-22: rep rows 17 & 18 2 times.
Row 23: K all sts.
Row 24: P all sts.
Row 25: Change to yarn A & K all sts.
Row 26: *P2tog, P6, rep from * to end. (56 sts)
Row 27: & all remaining odd numbered rows: K all sts.
Row 28: *P2tog, P5, rep from * to end. (48 sts)
Row 30: *P2tog, P4, rep from * to end. (40 sts)
Row 32: *P2tog, P3, rep from * to end. (32 sts)
Row 34: *P2tog, P2, rep from * to end. (24 sts)
Row 36: *P2tog, P1, rep from * to end. (16 sts)
Row 38: *P2tog, rep from * to end. (8 sts)
Break yarn leaving a long tail and thread through all 8 sts.

Making up:

Darn in any loose ends.  With wrong sides facing thread a wool needle onto the tail end and starting at Row 38 sew up the side seam until a 5cm gap remains.  Turn the ball the right side out.  Stuff the ball tightly with toy stuffing, adding a jingle ball to the centre, if desired.  Sew up the remainder of the side seam and sew a row of gathering stitches round the 8 st cast on edge.  Pull tight and fasten off.  Finished and ready to give to baby!

You can also find a PDF version of this pattern here,