ONE-BALL ASTRA BABY SWEATER PATTERN
by Arlene Williams
I am passing this pattern to you as a favour. I do not expect anything in return except for you to remember me when someday, someone else may need something from you, and you can pass on the favour to them. --Arlene Williams
Supplies:
- 1 ball (50 gm/178yds) Patons Astra or sports weight yarn
- 4.5 mm (US #7) needles
- 3.25 mm (US #3) needles
- 5 buttons
- stitch holders or length of waste yarn
Gauge: 5 sts and 7 rows = 1 inch on size 4.5 mm needles in st st.
Finished size fits a newborn. This is a perfect sweater for preemies or as a first sweater. It knits up in about 5 hours. Measures 7 1/4" from top of shoulder to the bottom, and 19" from cuff to cuff.
You knit the two front pieces with dolmen sleeves, then you join the fronts across the back of the neck, and work down the back (no shoulder seams!). Front bands are part of the fronts, and only the neck band and cuffs are added on at the end. You then finish by sewing the side seams and adding buttons.
I give directions for the button holes to be worked into the left front, but you can switch.
RIGHT FRONT
With 3.25 mm needles, cast on 30 sts.
Rib: K2, *P1, K1. Repeat from * to the end.
Work in ribbing for a total of 12 rows.
Change to 4.5 mm needles.
Row 1: K2, (P1, K1) x 2, P1. These 7 sts make the front band. Knit to the end of the row.
Row 2: Purl to the last 7 sts. K1, (P1, K1) x 3.
Row 3: Repeat row 1.
Row 4: Repeat row 2.
Rows 5, 7, 9: Repeat row 1, increasing 1 st at the side edge to 33 sts on the needle.
Rows 6, 8, 10: Repeat row 2.
Row 11: Repeat row 1, increasing 1 st at the side edge. (34 sts)
Row 12: Cast on 14 sts, purl to the last 7 sts. K1, (P1, K1) x 3. (48sts)
Row 13: Repeat row 1.
Row 14: Repeat row 2, ending at the front edge.
** To Shape Sleeves (you will be using short rows):
Row 1: Work to last 12 sts. Turn.
Rows 2, 4, 6, 8: Slip first stitch purlwise, work across row.
Row 3: Work to last 9 sts. Turn.
Row 5: Work to last 6 sts. Turn.
Row 7: Work to last 3 sts. Turn.
Row 9: Work across entire row, ending at the cuff edge.
Rows 10-16: Work even, ending at front edge.
To Shape Neck:
Row 1: Work across the next row, placing the first 9 sts on a stitch holder. (39 sts)
Rows 2-5: Work even, decreasing 1 st at neck edge every row. (35 sts)
Rows 6-10: Work even, ending at neck edge. **
Break yarn and leave the 35 sts on a second stitch holder.
LEFT FRONT
With 3.25 mm needles, cast on 30 sts.
Work 2 rows ribbing as given for Right Front.
Row 3: Rib to last 4 sts, (YO, K2 tog) for button hole, P1, K1.
Continue 9 more rows of ribbing for a total of 12 rows.
Make 3 more button holes in rows 3, 13, and 23 of the body.
Change to 4.5 needles.
Row 1: Knit to last 8 sts. (P1, K1) x 4.
Row 2: K2, (P1, K1) x 3, purl to the end of the row.
Row 3: Knit to last 8 sts, (P1, K1) x 2, (YO, K2 tog) for button hole, P1, K1.
Row 4: Repeat row 2.
Rows 5, 7, 9, 11: Repeat row 1, increasing 1 st at the side edge to 34 sts on the needle.
Rows 6, 8, 10, 12: Repeat row 2.
Row 13: Cast on 14 sts, knit to the last 8 sts. (P1, K1) x 2, (YO, K2 tog) for button hole, P1, K1. (48sts)
Work from ** to ** as given for the Right Front, ending at neck edge. Cast on 15 sts for back of the neck, and with right sides facing, knit across the sts of the Right Front from the stitch holder. (85 sts)
Work even for 18 rows.
To Shape Sleeves:
Row 1: Purl to last 3 sts. Turn.
Row 2: Slip first st, knit to last 3 sts. Turn.
Row 3: Slip first st, purl to last 6 sts. Turn.
Row 4: Slip first st, knit to last 6 sts. Turn.
Row 5: Slip first st, purl to last 9 sts. Turn.
Row 6: Slip first st, knit to last 9 sts. Turn.
Row 7: Slip first st, purl to last 12 sts. Turn.
Row 8: Slip first st, knit to last 12 sts. Turn.
Row 9: Slip first st, purl to end of the row.
Continue in st st, casting off 14 sts the beginning of the next 2 rows.
(57 st)
Work 2 rows even.
Decrease 1 st each end on the next row, and the following knit rows to 49 sts, ending on knit row. Work 3 rows even.
Change to 3.25 mm needles, work 12 rows ribbing. Cast off loosely in ribbing.
NECKBAND
With right side of work facing, and 3.25 mm needles, pick-up and knit 50 sts around the neck, including the 9 sts on each of the stitch holders. Rib for 5 rows matching the ribbing already in place from the front bands. Make the last button hole on row 4. Cast off loosely in ribbing.
CUFFS
With right side facing, and 3.25 needles, pick-up and knit 28 sts along the edge of the sleeve. Work 9 rows in K1, P1 ribbing. Cast off loosely in ribbing. If you cannot cast off loose enough, use one size larger needles. Do not want to have trouble getting the sweater on the baby.
TO MAKE UP
Sew side seams. Sew on buttons.
This is a rough drawing of what the sweater looks like before sewing the side seams.
You knit the two front pieces, join across the shoulders, and then down the back.
No shoulder seams.
Two samples of the sweater.
The coral one on the left was made by Arlene, and the variegated one on the right was made by Cathy in Maple Grove, MN
Copyright Arlene Williams
This pattern was developed by Arlene Williams (quanah@look.ca). You may print out a copy for yourself, and make copies for your friends as long as no money is charged INCLUDING for the cost of reproduction or materials, and as long as this copyright notice is included. You may not reproduce this pattern for sale or put it on any internet site without my express permission.
E-MAIL quanah@look.ca
Last updated November 22, 2005
Contents & Copy: Copyright © Arlene Williams
Web Site Design & Copy: Copyright © Quanah Web Design
