Kitting pattern - baby jumper

Hi Giraffe I also took up knitting again when my grandson came along.

I think the neckline finish you describe is only achievable on a knitting machine, or a machine knitted jumper (but I could be wrong).

Have you looked for patterns on Ravelry?

If you knit the neckline twice as long as required then cast off very loosely you can catch it down when sewing up.

Sometimes I have knitted cardigans (for girls) with a picot edge along the bottom and up the front edges and neck instead of just rib.

www.instructables.com/id/How-to-knit-a-quotPicotquot-Edge/

I haven't tried following these particular instructions so not sure of their success, but Ravelry or others sites could have some patterns.

I have a pattern like this but not for baby size. For babies it’s hard to get over head unless there’s an opening. The jumper patterns I have for babies have buttons on shoulder which makes them easier to put on. Not sure how that would work with double thick neckband.

I’ve made a few jumpers from pattern I have with multicolored wool and they came out well and were worn a lot. I can send you if you like.

It has to be very loose but may not be warm.

The envelope necks are quite popular for small babies, but mine wore cardigans rather than jumpers when they were tiny.

Have a look on Ravelry (www.ravelry.com).

They have countless patterns of all sorts, and you can search for yarn weight, age of wearer, number of colours, construction and all sorts of things.

A lot are free - particularly if you are looking for a traditional pattern, rather than one that has just been designed.

Some of the plainer, older patterns eg Sirdar, Patons, etc are free online too.

The best baby knitting patterns I've found have been in charity shops. They're the old fashioned patterns, sometimes using 4 ply instead of double knit, which is better for babies because its not as bulky, and they cost pennies. Worth a look.

Thank you for the replies.

Callistemon, I did wonder if I was thinking of a picot edge, but that tends to give a corrugated effect along the edge, which the neckline I'm thinking of didn't have. I don't want to do a cardigan because the wool changes colour and so the stripes will be wider on the back than on the front pieces. I can't see that it would look right at all.

Farmor15. I have always done buttons on the shoulder for under 2's. Their heads are too big in proportion to their bodies not to! And yes please to the pattern offer.

Doodledog. I had a look on ravellry, but didn't find a way to search as you describe so will try again. I also looked on Ebay for vintage knitting patterns.

Chewbacca. It is 4 ply wool I am using. I don't like DK on babies as it is too chunky when they are tiny, so I have mainly been using 3ply and 4ply. I never find what I am looking for in charity shops. I think other areas must have better ones! My sister gets some lovely bargains, but I struggle!

Correction: the stripes would be wider on the fronts than the backs as they are narrower
.

Doodledog. I had a look on ravellry, but didn't find a way to search as you describe so will try again. I also looked on Ebay for vintage knitting patterns.

If you click on 'patterns' at the top of the screen, then click 'advanced search', you will see a range of options on the left hand side. Just keep clicking the boxes until you have narrowed your search as much as possible, then click 'search.

Stylecraft 4273 has a sweater with a neckband folded to the inside. If you Google Stylecraft 4273 you will see the pattern.
1.50p The sweater is pictured bottom right. There are 7 sizes from 12" chest (premature baby) up to chest 24"t It is knitted in double knitting wool.

I have the pattern and will send it to you if you pm me with your address. It will take approx 10 -14 days to arrive because I am across the pond.

Try charity shops sometimes they have old ones. Otherwise eBay!

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Baby-Girls-boys-CARDIGAN-JUMPER-KNITTING-PATTERN-DK-14-22in-Premature-2-7137/113715313075?hash=item1a79f5f9b3:g:gloAAOSwxDBdEf~S
Might this do?

If you are knitting in St.St, I have found when doing the necklines, that if you knit to half the length you need, then knit 3 rows in succession, then continue in St.St., you should end up with a row along which to fold the neck in half.
You end up having one row of Knit sts, on the outside!
Finish by slip stitching the inside down. IYSWIM.
Sorry can't explain it better.

Thank you all again.

Auntie flo that sounds exactly the sort of thing I was thinking of, I knew something was different at the fold point.

Cocopops that is the sort of pattern that I am thinking of, but is DK, so I will try some of the other suggestion, but thank you. Does the pattern say to do an extra knit row at the fold?

Midgeley thank you for looking, but that pattern has the unfinished edge that I am trying to avoid. Otherwise it's quite a nice jumper.

I’m a knitter and have knitted for many years the neck edging you explained is call picot where indeed there are holes and when you fold over to the inside it gives a pretty bump edging. I recommend the online Ravelry to find patterns, you may have to join first but there are loads of patterns on there. I’m Dico60 on there.

I have always found that some magazines that publish knitting patterns can sometimes help - Woman's Weekly springs to mind - they still have knitting patterns included in each issue to this day ! Maybe an email to their craft editor ?
Do you have a local Knit and Natter group?Perhaps someone form there would help, or even a post on one of the Facebook groups would give you the reply.

I’ve seen lots of knitting patterns from the 60’s and 70’s on eBay and possibly Amazon. My elderly mother probably has thrown all of hers away, she was always knitting but used fine wool for babies and toddlers. People don’t tend to put babies and toddlers in hand knitted clothing any longer, I adore them though even though I’m not a very skilled knitter. My mother was an expert and could tackle a really complicated pattern whilst watching the television too. Hope you find what you are looking for.

puzzledgiraffe - I've PMd you about pattern I have.

About the stripes - I've done a lot of jumpers and cardigans using the stripy wool and understand what you say about the width. However, it's actually not noticeable - sleeve stripes are also different width. However, I'm fussy about matching stripes. I've found that the wools all have a repeating pattern of colour, and once I've established the pattern, I unwind it till I get to the same place so that both fronts are the same for cardigan, both sleeves etc. It sounds wasteful of wool, but actually find you can use the wool in other part of the garment. The photos in the pattern book (Sirdar Baby Crofter) actually show the stripes not matching, (photo) but I'm a bit picky about it and prefer the matching!

If you do rib in plain colour, I think it gives a good result.

Cheaper and easier to buy a jumper as you'll spend longer knitting it than the wear the child will get out of it.
Home knits take longer to air dry and usually have to be hand washed making more work. ?

GG54, we know that it is probably cheaper to buy a small garment, but don't forget the pleasure that we get from the actual knitting, and the giving, with love, to a little person.
Also, you can buy machine washable yarn these days ?

Agree, Gabriella. Stopped knitting for GCs when I realised that everything was hot washed and tumble dried. Why make work for busy parents? Did make an oversized sweater for DGD when she asked for one aged 13 but the wool cost £70 so never again!

Puzzledgiraffe, have you tried knitting the body all in one piece? I loathe sewing up, and can get rid of a couple of side seams by doing that. You need to get the maths right to begin with, but I find it much easier to do that way, and the stripes would all be even.