Pattern Description:
The NEO Crochet Baby Kimono is a crocheted baby jacket, serving as a crochet adaptation of the popular NUR Knitted Kimono. It features a V-shaped neckline, sleeves, and a bobble stitch front piece.
Designed to be worn with the NEO Crochet Leggings, this garment is noted for retaining its delicacy despite being crocheted.
Materials Needed & Measurements:
- Yarn: 3 skeins of 50 gr. from Katia Alabama in color 48-Pink.
- Yarn Weight: Worsted/Aran weight, about 100 meters per 50g skein.
- Hook: A 5mm crochet hook is used. For the Center Single Crochet (CSC) stitch, crocheting very loosely or using a larger-sized crochet hook may be helpful.
- Notions: A tapestry needle and 30 cm. of matching cord or ribbon are required.
- Measurements: The tension sample should be 14 stitches x 16 rows (single crochet), measuring 10×10 cm. Final height and width measurements for each size are available in the PDF pattern.
Stitches & Abbreviations Used:
Stitches:
- Chain Stitch
- Single Crochet (sc)
- Single crochet working through Back Loops only (scTBL)
- Decreases (dec)
- Center Single Crochet (CSC)
- Bobble Stitch (MB – Make Bobble)
- Slip Stitch
Abbreviations:
- st / sts – stitch/stitches
- sc – single crochet
- scTBL – single crochet through back loops only
- dec – decrease
- CSC – center single crochet
- MB – make bobble (bobble stitch)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
Instructions for Making the Baby Kimono Pattern:
Crochet the Left Front Side
- Begin by making a ch of 33 sts. Turn your work.
- From the second ch from the hook, sc 32 sts.
- Continue crocheting through the Back Loops only (scTBL) for 14 rows. At the end of each row, turn your work and ch 1. (This means you will have 1 row of sc + 14 rows of scTBL, totaling 15 rows).
- Decrease to form the left neckline: You will now begin to shape the V-shaped neckline. dec 1 st on each row in this area until you have 21 sts remaining.
- Increase for the first sleeve: Once you have 21 sts on the front piece, ch 28 sts. Turn your work. Work 27 sc into the chain, then 19 scTBL, followed by 1 dec.
- Work 9 more rows, ensuring you make a dec in the neckline area on each row until you reach 38 sts.
- Work these 38 sts for 5 additional rows. Cut the yarn strand, leaving it long enough to secure. Reserve this piece for later.
Crochet the Right Front Piece with Bobbles
- Start this front piece in the same manner as the left: ch 33 sts.
- Work 32 scTBL for 3 rows.
- Transition row between stitches: It is VERY IMPORTANT to decrease some stitches here because the CSC stitch behaves differently and tends to be more stretched out.
- Ch 1, 5 scTBL, dec, 5 scTBL, dec, 5 scTBL, dec, 5 scTBL, dec, 4 scTBL.
- This row will reduce your stitch count from 32 initial sts to 28 sts, which you will work with from this point onward.
- After the transition row, crochet a CSC row. This stitch is made like a regular sc, but you insert the hook into the inverted “V” of the stitch from the previous row, looking for its center. (To successfully work CSC, crochet very loosely or use a larger hook).
- Crochet Bobbles: On the next row, you will crochet the Bobble stitches:
- Ch 1, 1 CSC, MB, 5 CSC, MB, 5 CSC, MB, 5 CSC, MB, 5 CSC, MB, 2 CSC.
- Crochet 13 more rows, alternating one row of Bobble stitches every 3 normal rows of CSC and placing 1 Bobble every 5 stitches. (For precise Bobble placement, the PDF pattern includes a detailed diagram).
- Decrease to shape the right neckline: Similar to the left front, dec 1 st on each row in this neckline area until you end up with 20 sts.
- Increase for the second sleeve: After reaching 20 sts, ch 28 sts. Turn your work. Work 27 sc into the chain, then 18 sc, followed by 1 dec.
- Crochet 8 more rows, making a dec on each row when you reach the neckline area, until you get 38 sts. Remember to alternate scTBL in the sleeve area with CSC and Bobbles where applicable.
- Crochet these 38 sts for 5 more rows.
Join the Two Fronts by the Neck
- Once the 5 rows without decreases are completed on the right front piece, ch 10 sts. This chain will serve as the union between your two front pieces, in the neck area.
- Pick up the reserved left front piece and place it underneath the bobble stitch front piece.
- After making the chain, continue crocheting 38 sts that belong to the sleeve of the first (left) front piece.
Crochet the Back of the Sleeves
- From this point, you will crochet the Baby Crochet Kimono as one continuous piece.
- Crochet 86 sts for 13 rows.
Crochet Kimono’s Back
- To finish the main crocheted part of the baby jacket, you will now crochet the back.
- Crochet 59 scTBL. Turn your work.
- Crochet 32 scTBL. This will focus the work on the 32 central stitches.
- Crochet 24 more rows. Cut the yarn strand, ensuring it is long enough to sew one of the sides and one sleeve.
Last Details
- Using the remaining yarn strand, sew the side of the baby crochet jacket and the bottom of the right sleeve.
- Take a new strand of yarn and repeat the same operation for the other side and under the left sleeve.
- Work a sl st ending by starting at the left corner, going through the neck area, and continuing along the bobble stitch front. This will create a more polished and uniform edge.
- Finally, sew the inner and outer cords or ribbons that will allow you to close the baby crochet kimono.
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