Pattern Description:
This pattern details how to knit a Garter Stitch Baby Kimono by Joji Locatelli, designed for sizes Newborn (1-3 months / 3-6 months).
It involves knitting the back and fronts together, creating buttonholes, then decreasing for the neck and armhole openings, and finally adding sleeves, a neckband, and ties.
Materials Needed & Measurements:
- Yarn:
- Type: Acrylic yarn (NUBE Dralón) was used for the sample, but any fingering weight yarn can be used.
- Quantity: Approximately 100 (150) g.
- Yarn Weight: Fingering weight.
- Needles: A pair of US 2½ / 3.0 mm. needles (or any size needed to get correct gauge), or a circular needle.
- Notions:
- 2 buttons, approximately 15 mm wide.
- Markers.
- New balls (for joining).
- 2 cords of about 15 cms each (to tie).
- Measurements (Finished):
- Sizes: Newborn (1-3 months / 3-6 months).
- Chest: 40 (45/50) cms or 16 (18 / 20) inches round.
- Total Length: 20 (24/26) cms or 8 (9.5/11) inches.
- Sleeve Length: 12 (15/17) cms or 4 ¾ (6/6 ¾) inches.
Stitches & Abbreviations Used:
- Garter stitch.
- pm (place marker).
- sts (stitches).
Instructions for Making the Garter Stitch Baby Cardigan Pattern:
Back and Fronts
The back and both front sections of the kimono are knit together in one piece, working back and forth on two needles or a circular needle if preferred.
- Casting On: Cast on 162 (180 / 198) sts.
- Initial Setup Row: Knit 53 (58 / 64) sts for the Right front, then place marker (pm). Next, k56 (64 / 70) sts for the back, pm. Finally, k53 (58 / 64) sts for the Left front.
- Garter Stitch: Begin knitting in garter stitch.
- Buttonholes: You will need to decide which side you want the buttonholes on, typically on the left for boys and on the right for girls. You will work two buttonholes:
- The first buttonhole should be made when the work measures 7 (8 / 9) cms from the beginning (beg).
- The second buttonhole should be made when the work measures 9 (11 / 12) cms from the beg.
- Neck Opening Decreases: Continue knitting until the work measures 10 (12 / 13) cms from beg. At this point, begin decreasing for the neck opening by casting off 2 sts at the beginning of every row. This effectively casts off 2 sts from each side every other row.
- Armhole Opening Decreases: At the same time as you are working the neck decreases, when the work measures 11 (13 / 14) cms from beg, cast off 2 sts for the armhole openings. This is done by casting off 1 stitch on each side of the markers, which will leave 54 (62 / 68) sts for the back.
- Separating and Continuing: Once the armhole decreases are made, you will join in new balls of yarn and continue working each side separately. Continue decreasing for the neck opening until there are 11 (11 / 11) sts left on each front piece.
- Casting Off Main Body: Cast off all remaining sts when the work measures 20 (23 / 26) cms from beg.
Sleeves
- Picking Up Stitches: Pick up approximately 50 (58 / 66) sts along the side of the armhole. An alternative estimate is to pick up 1 stitch for every ridge of garter stitch.
- Knitting Sleeves: Begin knitting in garter stitch.
- Sleeve Length and Decreases: Knit for about 12 (15 / 17) cms. During this process, you will need to perform 5 (6 / 7) decreases on each side, evenly distributed along the sleeve.
Finishing
- Sewing: Sew the sleeves seams and the shoulders.
- Neckband: Pick up approximately 125 (150 / 180) sts for the neckband. Knit 5 rows in garter stitch, then cast off all stitches knitwise.
- Ties: Knit 2 cords, each about 15 cms long, and attach them to the inner flap of the kimono to serve as ties.
- Buttons: Sew on the two buttons you chose, which should be about 15 mm wide.
- Blocking: Block the finished garment as desired.
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