Free Knitting Pattern for a Child’s Classic Sweater
This basic children’s sweater is a wardrobe staple, worked in a smooth Stockinette stitch with ribbed edges. The sweater is knit flat in pieces (back, front, and two sleeves) from the bottom up and then seamed. The neckband is picked up and knit in the round.
This pattern is rated as Easy. It primarily uses Stockinette stitch and a simple k1, p1 rib. The shaping involves decreases (k2tog, ssk) and picking up stitches for the neckband and sleeves.
Skill Level: Easy (Stockinette stitch, ribbing, decreases, picking up stitches, seaming)
Sizes: Child’s sizes: 2 (4, 6, 8, 10) Shown in size 6
Finished Measurements:
- Chest: 25 (27, 29, 31, 33)”
- Length: 13½ (16, 18, 19½, 21)”
Materials Used:
- 1 stitch holder
- BERROCO NEBULA (100 grs): 2 (2, 2, 2, 3) cakes #7511 Pisces
- Needles and Notions:
- Knitting needles, sizes 2 (2.00 mm) and 3 (3.25 mm) or size to obtain gauge
- 1 set (4) double-pointed needles, size 3 (3.25 mm)
- 1 stitch marker
Pattern Considerations:
- Gauge: 26 sts and 36 rows = 4″ in St st on larger needles. Checking your gauge is essential for achieving the correct finished size.
- Yarn Substitution: A DK weight yarn is suitable.
- Construction: The sweater is worked in pieces from the bottom up (not top-down as I incorrectly stated before):
- Back: Knit flat, starting with ribbing, then Stockinette stitch. Armholes are shaped with bind-offs, and the neck and shoulders are shaped simultaneously.
- Front: Worked similarly to the back, but with neck shaping starting earlier. The neck shaping involves binding off center stitches and then decreasing on each side.
- Sleeves: Stitches are picked up around the armhole edges and then worked down towards the cuff in Stockinette stitch. Decreases shape the sleeve.
- Decreases: The pattern uses k2tog and ssk decreases.
- Neckband: Stitches are picked up around the entire neckline and worked in a k1, p1 rib in the round.
- Seaming: The pattern involves seaming the shoulders, sides, and sleeves.
