Wednesday, September 30, 2009

baby t-shirt vest



After a few adjustments I think the pattern is ready! Milo wore the vest all day after our wee photo shoot and it was perfect for this weather plus it really stayed in place. Vests are great over onesies and add that extra bit of warmth without bulk. I don't think the pattern is hard but you do need to be familiar with working in the round and raglan increases. I'm a lazy knitter and don't like seaming. Also working in the round allows you to size as you go - for instance, you can make the body as long as you want here (we all know some babies have long torsos, or tire-sized bellies like my guy). The pattern would be a lot easier if there wasn't a buttoned shoulder, but at this age I like the extra space for getting clothes over a tender noggin'. I've tried to be as clear as possible, but if anyone has questions or suggestions or finds a mistake, please let me know!


Baby T-Shirt Vest

You will need:
DK wool, approx 130yds (I used 1 skein of Elsebeth Lavold’s Silky Tweed)
4.5mm needles (16” circ and DPNs)
8 stitch markers ("pm" in pattern stands for place marker)
3 lengths of scrap yarn (for holding stitches)
2 buttons

Gauge 20 stitches over 32 rows = 4” square
Size is roughly 6-9 months, finished dimensions are: 9″ wide, 10” long (or longer – the body is up to you!)

YOKE
CO 68
R1: K8, pm, K1, pm, K18, pm, K1, pm, K12, pm, K1, pm, K18, pm, K1, pm, K8
R2: (increase row) *K to 1 stitch before marker, KFB into this stitch, slip marker, K1, slip marker, KFB into next stitch* repeat until last marker, slip marker, KFB into next stitch, K to end
R3: K all stitches
R4: (increase row) *K to 1 stitch before marker, KFB into this stitch, slip marker, K1, slip marker, KFB into next stitch* repeat until last marker, slip marker, KFB into next stitch, K to end
R5: K all stitches
R6: K4, P until 4 stitches remain, K4
R7: (increase row with buttonhole) K1, K2tog, yo *K to 1 stitch before marker, KFB into this stitch, slip marker, K1, slip marker, KFB into next stitch* repeat until last marker, slip marker, KFB into next stitch, K to end
R8, R10, R12: K4, P until 4 stitches remain, K4
R9, R11, R13: (increase row) *K to 1 stitch before marker, KFB into this stitch, slip marker, K1, slip marker, KFB into next stitch* repeat until last marker, slip marker, KFB into next stitch, K to end
R14: (buttonhole row) K4, P until 4 stitches remain, K1, yo, K2tog, K1
R15: (increase row) *K to 1 stitch before marker, KFB into this stitch, slip marker, K1, slip marker, KFB into next stitch* repeat until last marker, slip marker, KFB into next stitch, K to end
R16: K4, P until 4 stitches remain, K4
Break yarn (you have ended on WS). 124 st.

Next step, joining in the round. This looks tricky, but essentially the stitches on scrap yarn are the tops of the armholes and the CO stitches are the bottoms, which along with the regular stitches create the body of the vest. Once you join, you get to do some mindless knitting in the round – perfect for watching a movie with!

BODY
Here’s the set-up:
Place the first 16 stitches on scrap yarn. Start with vest yarn again and K32, turn work and continue in st st for 6 more rows (ending on the right side). Break yarn. Place the next 28 stitches on scrap yarn. Start with vest yarn again and K32, turn work and continue in st st for 6 more rows. DO NOT break yarn, but place the remaining 16 stitches on scrap yarn. With your vest yarn (that you have not broken!) CO15 stitches and continue knitting across the next 32, CO 15, and knit across the next 32. You have now joined the body and can keep knitting. For this size, I knit about 6” of st st before I started the bottom band.

If you haven’t CO stitches in the middle of a project before, there is a good tutorial here.

BOTTOM BAND
When you are ready to start the band, remember that you are knitting in the round and will need to alternate purl and knit rows. You may want to place a marker to remind you where to switch. Do at least 8 rows of purl and knit and bind off purlwise.

LEFT ARMHOLE (the buttoned/open side)
Transfer first 16 stitches on scrap yarn onto your needle, using vest yarn pick up 12 stitiches to get you to the middle of the armhole, pm, pick up another 12 stitches (24 stitches in total) and break yarn. Transfer the remaining 16 stitches from scrap yarn onto your needle – you now have 56 stitches on your needle.

With the wrong side facing you, join yarn.
R1: knit.
R2: knit to 3 stitches before marker, K2tog, KI, slip marker, K1, K2tog, knit to end.
R3: knit.
R4: knit to 4 stitches before marker, K2tog, K2, slip marker, K2, K2tog, knit to end.
R5: BO all stitches.

RIGHT ARMHOLE (knit in the round)
Place all 28 stitches from scrap yarn onto 2 DPNs. Determine the bottom center of the armhole and start picking up 12 stitches from this point until you reach the first DPN. Knit across all 28 stitches and then pick up another 12 until you meet up with where you started. PM.
R1: purl.
R2: K1, K2tog and knit to 3 stitches before marker, K2tog, KI.
R3: purl.
R4: K2, K2tog and knit to 4 stitches before marker, K2tog, K2.
R5: BO all stitches purlwise.

Weave in the loose ends and you’re done. No seams to finish, hooray!


43 comments :

Michele Lenfestey Johnson said... [Reply to comment]

Thank you so much for such a great pattern.
I do a lot of charity knitting and this is definitely a pattern I can take with me to football practice and work on while I wait!!

Rima said... [Reply to comment]

Totally cute! I am so going to make it. Just queued it on Rav.

Pandora31 said... [Reply to comment]

I am almost done with this pattern, and it was my first project and it almost looks good! Thanks for the free pattern!

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

Hi, Can you tell me what 'KFB' is?

sam lamb said... [Reply to comment]

@AnonymousKFB means knit into the front and then into the back of one stitch. It's a simple way to make a stitch and it doesn't leave a hole in your knitting. Here's a demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILcTB5hc0XM

Emily said... [Reply to comment]

Sweet! I found one lone skein of a beautiful blue at our local craft shop and have four vintage blue buttons with anchors on them that I've been dying to use and this pattern is perfect (with two buttons to spare)! Thanks!

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

I have a question on dividing the body for the toddler t-shirt vest...I cannot find how to e-mail you. Thanks.

sam lamb said... [Reply to comment]

@Anonymous
Hi Anonymous - I'm not positive this "reply to" function works, but hopefully it does! I can be reached at samanthamaylamb@gmail.com

~vicki said... [Reply to comment]

Adorable! Thank you for the sweet pattern.

funny t-shirts said... [Reply to comment]

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Julianna said... [Reply to comment]

Hi, lovely pattern, though as I ama new knitter, would there be a place where to find your abbreviations? Thanks a bunch, lovely site!

sophie the giraffe said... [Reply to comment]

A very important consideration in choosing baby clothes is their ease of care. Always look at the care labels while you are still in the store, and ensure that the item is machine washable, without any special restrictions regarding detergents, bleaches, or fabric softeners. It is unlikely you will come across any baby clothes which require dry cleaning, but you always want to be sure.

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

My left armhole (buttoned side) has not turned out.

Did you knit it in the round, or on straight needles? You wrote R1 etc so I knitted in the round but I suspect that was a mistake.

independent midwives said... [Reply to comment]

Depending on the season, you can find long- or short-sleeved garments,
and you may want to supplement these first outfits with a cardigan, gloves, socks and a hat.

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

Good job

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

fabric softeners. It is unlikely you will come across any baby clothes which require dry cleaning, but you always want to be sure

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

My left armhole (buttoned side) has not turned out

A Little Bit of Cheek said... [Reply to comment]

What an adorable jumper. I love the colour.

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

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costlules said... [Reply to comment]

the pattern would be so much simpler if there wasn't a buttoned shoulder, but at this age I like the extra area for getting garments over a young noggin'

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Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

Lovely, simple pattern. Thanks for sharing it. I have one question. In the set-up of the body you say, "Start with vest yarn again and K32, turn work and continue in st st for 6 more rows ..." Does this mean work back and forth just on these 32 stitches for 6 rows?

Thanks!

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Sandra said... [Reply to comment]

amazing outfit i like it so much really

Aliza Sartor said... [Reply to comment]

I LOVE this bunny and would love to make some for Christmas presents, but I cannot get the link to work. I have tried from a couple of different computers too. Is it possible for you to email me a copy of the pattern, or another link?

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

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Robert said... [Reply to comment]

Wow ! Awesome post ! I've been working on saving up some outfits so I can do this .Maybe I'll have to go thru them to see if I have enough already! Great thanks !
Happy good day!

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Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

how do i down load pattern , yes i am over 60 and having a senior moment

sam lamb said... [Reply to comment]

@Anonymous actually, there's no way to download the pattern, so you're not having a senior moment at all! you can either print this post (if you have a printer), or copy all the text and paste into a text program like Word. this is one of my older patterns and i haven't updated it to make a downloadable PDF :)

Ellisen said... [Reply to comment]

Adorable Vest. Thank you for sharing.

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Nicole said... [Reply to comment]

This is an awesome and easy pattern. At first glance I felt insecure if I really understand it, but then - step by step - everything turned out fine. Thank you so much for creating and sharing it!

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