Smocked Baby Sweater
by Lara Neel
426 yards or 213 grams total, which means two
skeins plus a small amount of a third skein. The
pattern is written to be used as a stash-buster.
1 set(s) US #7/4.5 mm double-point needles
Any length US #7/4.5mm circular needle
extra lengths of yarn or stitch holders
blunt tapestry needle
small sewing needle for buttons
sewing thread for buttons
larger front-facing button
smaller backing button
Note: if you want your entire project to be
machine-washable, make sure that the buttons
you choose are machine-washable.
SIZE
Fits a baby around 12 to 15 months, but your
baby may vary.
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 22 inches around
Length: 15 inches
Sleeve Length: 7.5 inches to underarm
Sleeve Cuff: 6 inches around
MATERIALS
Plymouth Yarn Company, Encore Worsted [75%
acrylic, 25% wool; 200 yd/ 100 g skein]
GAUGE
25 sts and 30 rows = 4" in in unstretched,
unsmocked beaded purl rib.
Body and sleeves are knit from the bottom up and
joined. The yoke is worked straight up without
decreases. Smocking is sewn on the yoke after
the knitting is finished to add shaping.
Beaded Purl Rib, flat (multiple of 4 stitches + 3)
Row 1 (right side): (p3, k1) until the last three,
then p3.
Row 2: (k3, p1) until the last three, then k3.
Row 3: (p3, k1) until the last three, then p3.
Row 4: (k3, p1) until the last three, then k3.
Row 5: Purl all stitches.
Row 6: (k3, p1) until the last three, then k3.
Row 7: (p3, k1) until the last three, then p3.
Row 8: (k3, p1) until the last three, then k3.
Row 9: (p3, k1) until the last three, then p3.
Row 10: Knit all stitches.
STITCHES AND TECHNIQUES
m1: increase 1 stitch by picking up the running
thread in-between the stitch just worked and the
next stitch on the needle. Knit into the back of
this stitch, to twist it.
DDC: Slip two stitches as if to knit them together.
Knit the next stitch. Pass the slipped stitches over
the knit stitch.
There is some grafting in stockinette stitch,
although only for 12 stitches total. A slideshow
about how to do this is here. If the link doesn’t
work, please do a web search for Math4Knitters,
Crafty Living: Show 29. The link is within the text.
Beaded Purl Rib, in the round (multiple of 4
stitches)
Rounds 1 through 4: (p3, k1) around.
Round 5: Purl all stitches.
Seed Stitch, flat (odd number of stitches)
All rows the same: Repeat k1, p1 until the last
stitch, then k1.
Seed Stitch, flat (even number of stitches)
Row 1: (k1, p1) across
Row 2: (p1, k1) across
Seed Stitch, in the round (even number of
stitches)
Round 1: (k1, p1) around.
Round 2: (p1, k1) around.
Sleeves (make 2)
Colors are changed after seed stitch border and
after ten rounds of beaded purl rib, in the round.
You will be doing three things at once - shaping
the sleeve, working Beaded Purl Rib, and
changing colors. I’ve written a road map of Very
Important Rounds in the sleeve below. Feel free
to follow along.
Cast on 32 stitches and join to work in the round,
placing a marker at the beginning of the round.
Work seed stitch, in the round, for 8 rounds.
Change color and work in Beaded Purl Rib, in the
round. AT THE SAME TIME, increase by 2 stitches
every 6 rounds for 42 rounds (there will be 46
stitches at the end of this). Continue in Beaded
Purl Rib for 7 more rounds (49 rounds of Beaded
Purl Rib). When this is all finished, slip the first
three and last three stitches of the round onto a
stitch holder, then the rest of the stitches in the
sleeve onto another stitch holder.
Sleeve Increase Rounds
Work 1 stitch, m1, work to within 1 stitch of the
end of the round, m1, work last stitch in round.
Very Important Rounds for Sleeves
The rest of the rounds are (p3, k1) around.
Round 5: Purl all stitches.
Round 6: Increase.
Round 10: Change colors, if desired. Purl all
stitches.
Round 12: Increase.
Round 15: Purl all stitches.
Round 18: Increase.
Round 20: Change colors, if desired. Purl all
stitches. (I only used three colors, so I stopped
changing colors after round 20.)
Round 24: Increase.
Round 25: Purl all stitches.
Round 30: Change colors, if desired. Purl all
stitches. Increase.
Round 35: Purl all stitches.
Round 36: Increase.
Round 40: Change colors, if desired. Purl all
stitches.
Round 42: Increase.
Round 45: Purl all stitches.
Keep the stitches before the first marker and after
the second marker in seed stitch and begin
working the center stitches in beaded purl rib,
flat. Change colors every 10 rows or when you
run out of yarn. Continue until the piece is 9
inches long, stopping after finishing either a row 5
or 10 in Beaded Purl Rib.
Body
Colors are changed when the yarn runs out, which
is why it’s important to knit the sleeves first.
Cast on 135 stitches. Work back and forth in seed
stitch for 9 rows.
Increase Row
Work 6 stitches in seed stitch, place marker, m1,
knit 3 stitches, m1, (knit 9 stitches, m1) across
until 9 stitches from edge, knit 3 stitches, m1,
place marker, work the last 6 stitches in seed
stitch (151 stitches).
Join Body and Sleeves
Six stitches from each sleeve are on their own
holders. The other 40 stitches on each sleeve are
to be used to join the sleeves and the body
together. On the next row, work 37 stitches from
the body, place 6 stitches onto a holder, work 38
stitches from one sleeve, purl 2 sleeve stitches
together, purl 1 stitch from the body, purl the
next 2 stitches together, work 62 stitches from
the body, place 6 stitches onto a holder, m1, work
40 stitches from the other sleeve, m1, work the
last 37 stitches from the body (219 stitches). The
two increases and two decreases are to make the
yoke stitches and the sleeve stitches line up with
each other.
The four sets of six stitches left on holders form
the underarms. Leave them alone for now.
Continue working, keeping the edge stitches in
seed stitch and everything else in beaded purl rib,
until the work is 3.5 inches deep from the join.
Stop after working a wrong-side row.
Pick up the sets of six stitches under the arms and
graft them together.
Begin Decrease Rows
Keep the six stitches before the first marker and
after the second marker in seed stitch throughout
the decrease rows.
Row 1: p2, DDC, (p1, DDC) across until 2 stitches
before the second marker, p2 (117 stitches).
Row 2: k2, (p1, k1) across until 3 stitches before
the second marker, p1, k2.
Row 3: p1, (DDC, p1) across until 8 stitches
before the second marker, p2, DDC, purl 3
together (65 stitches).
Row 4: (k1, p1) across until 1 stitch from the
second marker, k1.
Row 5: (p1, k1, p1, ssk, purl 2 together, k1, p1,
k1) until 3 stitches from the second marker, p1,
k1, p1 (55 stitches).
Row 6: (p1, k1) until 1 stitch from the second
marker. Remove marker, purl 2 together, k1, p1,
k1, p1, k1 (54 stitches).
Remove the first marker. Work in seed stitch for 8
rows. Cast off.
FINISHING
Apply smocking in horizontal bands from the point
where the sleeves and body are joined up to the
top of the sweater. For details on working sewn
smocking on beaded purl rib, please see my
Smocked Wash/Dish/Anycloth pattern:
http://www.journalgazette.com/article/20110529/
BLOGS2601/110529650/-1/blogs2601
Darn in all ends. If you are neat enough, the
sweater will be reversible. The photo on this page
shows the sweater inside-out.
Add Button and Loop
Decide where button should fasten. Using a
crochet hook, make a loop slightly smaller than
the circumference of the larger button you will
use.
Attach the loop to the side of the sweater across
from the button position. Darn in ends. Sew the
large button to the small button, through the
fabric of the sweater. Fasten and enjoy.
Want More?
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