TOP DOWN SEAMLESS BABY JERKIN

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Thank you Virginia for testing this pattern.

1/25/2013 Row 17 edited to make a neater increase.

TOP DOWN SEAMLESS BABY JERKIN

Jer·kin  [jur-kin]

–noun

a close-fitting jacket or short coat, usually sleeveless

This close fitting garment is super stretchy, worked in rib and broken rib stitches.  It will fit the average child from about 3 to 12 months.  First as a long garment, a jerkin, and as the child grows taller the garment will fit as a sweater. 

Sweaters above are knit of Caron One Pound and Paton’s Decor.  The difference in size is due to yarn weight and needle size.

MATERIALS:

About 3-4 ounces of worsted weight (4) yarn

16 inch circular knitting needle see notes for information on sizes

US F (4.0mm) crochet hook

Marker

Tapestry needle

5/8 -3/4 inch button

SIZE: 3 month to 1 year

ABBREVIATIONS:

K = Knit

P = Purl
PM = Pace marker

PU = pick up and knit

YO = yarn over

K2tog = Knit two stitches together

Kfb = Increase by knitting in front and back of the same stitch

K1 tbl = Knit 1 through the back loop

SPECIAL STITCHES:

K1 tbl = knit 1 through the back loop.  Here’s a video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkgTWTnQqaQ

GAUGE:

16 yoke rows = about 2.75 inches

NOTES:

1. Read instructions all the way through before beginning.
2. Garment is knit from the top down with opening in the back, or the front if that is your pleasure.
3. Measurements above are for the garment knit with a light worsted weight yarn and US 8 (5.0 mm) needle.  Although those yarns (Simply Soft and Paton’s Decor) are classified as 4 they are more like a DK.   

Knit on a US 9 (5.5 mm) needle with a heavier worsted weight like Red Heart Super Saver the measurements are 17-23 inches and 11 3/4 inches. 

Knit on US 10 (6.0 mm) needle and an even heavier worsted weight like Caron One Pound the measurements are 18-24 inches and 12 ½ inches.  With the heavier yarns and larger needles it may fit up to about two years old.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Cast on 59 sts, leaving about an 10 inch tail.  More about the tail later.

Row 1 (right side):  *K1, P1.  Repeat from *across.  K1.  (59 sts)

Row 2:  *P1, K1. Repeat from * across.  P1. (59 sts)

Rows 3-4:  Repeat rows 1 and 2. (59 sts)

Row 5:  *K1, YO.  Repeat from * across. K1.  (117 sts)

Row 6:  *P1, K1 tbl. Repeat from * across. P1.  (117 sts)

Row 7:  *K1, P1.  Repeat from * across. K1.   (117 sts)

Row 8:  *P1, K1. Repeat from * across. (117 sts)

Rows 9-16:  Repeat rows 7 and 8. (117 sts) Should measure about 2.75 inches

Row 17:  K1, Kfb once, P1.  *K2, P2.  Repeat from * across.  K2.  (118 sts)

Row 18:  *P2, K2.  Repeat from * across.  P2.  (118 sts)

Row 19:  K. (118 sts)

DO NOT TURN

Place marker.

Switch to working in the round.  We will keep the same numbering sequence.

Round 20:  P. (118 sts)

Round 21:  K2tog, *P2, K2.  4 times.  Bind off 24 sts, *P2 (the st on the right needle counts as the first P), K2.  8 times.  P2.  Bind off 24 sts.  *K2 (the st on the right needle counts as the first K), P2.  4 times.  K2tog.  (68 sts)

Picking up one stitch in the first bound off sleeve stitch makes a smoother transition.

 

Round 22:  K1, *P2, K2. 4 times.  PU 1 st (pick up and knit) in the first bound of st, cast on 5 sts. *P2, K2.  8 times.  P2.  PU 1 st in the first bound of st, cast on 5 sts. *K2, P2.  4 times.  K1. (80 sts)

Round 23:  K16, K2tog, K4, K2tog, K32, K2tog, K4, K2tog, K16.  (76 sts)

Round 24:  P.  (76 sts) 

Round 25-26:  K1, *P2, K2.  Repeat from * around.  P2, K1. (76 sts)

Round 27:  K.  (76 sts)

Round 28:  P.  (76 sts)

Repeat rounds 25-28 until jerkin is about 1 inch shorter than you desire.  I knit mine with 9 pattern repeats at the underarm.

Next 6 rounds:  K1, *P2, K2.  Repeat from * around.  K1. (76 sts)

Bind off in rib.

Fasten off and weave in end.

BUTTON LOOP:

With your crochet hook, put hook through cast on row and pull up a loop using the beginning tail.  Chain 6.  Test to be sure your button will fit through loop.  Fasten off and weave end into row 1 or 2.

Sew on button.