Time to pass it on

All four of my children had something hand made by me to be dressed in to come home from the hospital.  This little set belonged to my 2nd son  Thinking back to when my son was born I thought they may like to have the little set that he came home from the hospital nearly 28 years ago. Now he is a parent himself it feels like the right time to pass them on, not to necessarily use unless of course they would like to, its all as pristine and white as it was the day we bought him home and has been wrapped in acid free tissue paper waiting patiently in a drawer for this time to come.    

This set is almost identical to the crew neck cardigan and bootees,mitterns & hat that I posted about recently, they are all a variation on a theme with one more stitch here one less stitch there but if nothing else it makes it easier to remember. This set was made up with 1 x 1 rib rather than 2 x 2 so there is a little adjustment in the amount of stitches.

My mother died whilst I was pregnant with my 2nd son so they never got to meet, but she had started to make his crochet blanket which was then completed by a great aunt.  I can remember the day after he was born  looking at him full of joy at having another healthy son but tinged with a little sadness. She would be very proud of the man he has become just as I am. 

I couldn't tell you what make of yarn I used all those years ago possibly Sirdar, but when I make them again now I use Stylecraft Special DK in whatever colour of my choosing.

The needle size required are 2.75mm and 3.25mm (newborn size)  needles or 3.75mm and 4mm (0-3 months). You will also need a darning needle (wool needle) and five buttons.


Back

Using the smaller needles cast on 53 stitches and working in 1 x 1 rib work 10 rows

Change to larger needles and work 30 rows or until piece measures 12 cm in stocking stitch (one row knit one row purl)

Shape armholes

Continuing in stocking stitch  cast off 3 stitches at the beginning of next two rows.

Decrease 1 stitch at each end of the next and every alternate row until 43 stitches remain.

Continuing in stocking stitch, without any further decreasing, work a further 27 rows.

Shape shoulders

Cast off 6 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows, then 5 stitches at the beginning of the next two rows. Now leave the remaining 21 stitches on a stitch holder or spare needle.

Left Front

Using smaller needles cast on 32 stitches and work 9 rows in 1 x 1 rib as for the back.

10th row - Rib 7 and leave these 7 stitches on a safety pin for the border and rib to the end.

Change to larger needles and work 30 rows or the same number of rows worked for the back in stocking stitch up to the armhole shaping. With the right side facing cast off 3 stitches at the beginning of the next row and then work 1 row.

Decrease 1 stitch at the armhole edge (knit two together) on the next and every alternate row until 21 stitches remain. Work a further 16 rows in stocking stitch so that you have the wrong side facing for your next row.

Shape Neck

Cast off 6 stitches at the beginning of the next row.

Decrease 1 stitch at the neck edge on the next and every alternate row until 11 stitches remain. Work 3 rows so that you have the right side facing for your next row.

Shape shoulder

Cast off 6 stitches at he beginning of the next row. Work 1 row. Cast off the remaining 5 stitches.

Right Front

Using smaller needles cast on 32 stitches and work 4 rows in 1 x 1 rib as for the back.

Next row (buttonhole row) rib 4 yon (yarn over the needle) and knit 2 together and rib to the end.

Work another 5 rows of rib.

Next row Rib the first 7 stitches and leave these stitches on a safety pin for the border.

Continue working as for the left front reversing the shaping and working an extra row at the armhole and shoulder shaping.

Sleeves x 2

With smaller needles cast on 29 stitches and work 9 rows of 1 x 1 rib.

Increase row - rib 4 M1 (by picking up the horizontal loop lying before the next stitch and working into the back of it) rib 7 M1 till the last 4 stitches M1 and rib to the end (33 stitches).

Change to larger needles work in stocking stitch increasing 1 stitch at each end of the 3rd and every following 6th row until you have 43 stitches. Now work a further 7 rows or until your sleeve measures 11cm.

Shape the armhole

With the right side facing cast off 3 stitches at the beginning of the next two rows.  Now continue decreasing 1 stitch at each of end of the next and every alternate row until you have 21 stitches, then on every row until 7 stitches remain. Cast off the remaining 7 stitches.


Button Border

With smaller needles rejoin yarn to the 7 stitches and work 46 rows of 1 x 1 rib so that when slightly stretched fits along the front of your cardigan. Leave the 7 stitches on a safety pin ready for the neck and break the yarn.

Buttonhole Border

With smaller needles rejoin yarn to the 7 stitches and work 8 rows of 1 x 1 rib.

Next row (buttonhole row) rib 4 yon (yarn over the needle) and knit 2 together and rib to the end.

Work 13 rows of 1 x 1 rib

repeat the last 14 rows twice more then repeat the buttonhole row again. You will now have 4 buttonholes in total.

work a further 9 rows of rib and leave stitches on a safety pin but do not break the yarn.

To make up

Block so that your pieces are flat when joining.

Join the shoulder seams and sew in the sleeves.

Join side and sleeve seams.

Sew borders in position.

Neck Border

With right side facing and smaller needle and contrast, rib across the 7 stitches from right border, pick up and knit 20 stitches from right side of neck, 21 stitches from the back (left on stitch holder), pick up and knit 20 stitches from left side of neck and 7 stitches from left border. (75 stitches)

starting on row 2 with purl work in 1 x 1 rib for 7 rows adding a buttonhole as before in the 4th row.  Now cast off loosely in rib.

To finish off sew in any loose ends and add your five buttons.

Bootees 

With the smaller needle cast on 31 stitches and starting with purl work in 1 x 1 rib for 30 rows.

Change to your larger needle and working in stocking stitch (one row knit one row purl) starting with knit work two rows.

Shaping the instep 

1st row - knit

2nd row - purl 21 and  turn

3rd row - knit 11 and turn

working on these 11 stitches only work 7 rows in stocking stitch

Decrease rows

11th row - k2togtbl (knit 2 together through back of loop) knit to the last 2 stitches K2tog (knit 2 together) 

12th row - purl

13th row - K2togtbl, knit to the last 2 stitches K2tog 

14th row  - purl

you now have 7 stitches.

Break off the yarn

With the wrong side facing rejoin to the 10 stitches on the left hand needle and purl to the end.

Next row - K10 and now pick up  and knit 10 stitches along the right side of the instep, knit across the 7 stitches and then pick up and knit 10 stitches along the left side of the instep and then across the remaining 10 stitches (47 stitches in total).

Starting with a purl row work 5 rows more.

Shape foot

1st row - K1, S1 (slip 1), K1,  PSSO (pass the slip stitch over), K16, K2tog, K5, K2tog, K16, K2tog, K1

(43 stitches)

2nd row knit

3rd row - K1, S1,  K1, PSSO, K15, K2tog, K3, K2tog, K15, K2tog, K1 (39)

4th row knit

5th row - K1, S1. K1, PSSO. K14, K2tog, K1, K2tog, K14, K2tog, K1 (35)

6th row knit

7th row - K1, S1, K1, PSSO, K13, S1, K2tog, PSSO, K13, K2tog, K1 (31 stitches)

8th row - Knit

Cast off

To make up join the foot and back seam reversing when you get to the rib and join on the right side so that you can't see the seam once you have turned the top down. Now you just have to make a second to make a pair.

Mittens

Using your smaller needles and contrast colour cast on 27 stitches and starting with a purl stitch work 1 x 1 rib for 30 rows.

Change to your larger needles continue in stocking stitch (one row knit one row purl) and work 12 rows.

Shape the top

1st row - K2togtbl (K2 together through back of loop), K9, K2tog (knit 2 together), K1, K2togtbl, K9, K2tog (23 stitches)

2nd row - purl

3rd row - K2togtbl, K7, K2tog, K1, K2togtbl, K7, K2tog (19  stitches)

4th row - purl

5th row - K2togtbl, K5, K2tog, K1, K2togtbl, K5, K2tog (15 stitches)

6th row - purl

cast off .

To make up join your rib on the right side for turn down and on the reverse for you top and side seam of your mitten and now  make your second to complete your pair.

Hat

For your hat you can if you have a 40cm circular needle in the required sizes or on 4 dpns make your hat without a back seam if you choose to use a circular needle you may need to swap to dpns when shaping the crown if it becomes too tight to carryout the decrease rows.

With your smaller needle and contrast colour cast on 85 stitches and starting with a purl work 1 x 1 rib for 30 rows .

Now change to larger needles and continue in stocking stitch (one row knit one row purl unless using circular needle or dpn where you will knit only) until your work measures 17cms.

Shape the crown

1st row - K4, k2tog (knit 2 together) 14 times, K1 (71 stitches)

2nd row - purl (or work another round without decreasing)

3rd row - K3, K2tog, 14 times, K1 (57 stitches)

4th row - purl (or work another round without decreasing)

5th row - K2, K2tog, 14 times, K1 (43 stitches)

6th row - purl (or work another round without decreasing)

7th row - K1, K2tog, 14 times, K1 (29 stitches)

8th row - purl (or work another round without decreasing)

9th row - K2tog, 14 times, K1 (15 stitches)

Break off the yarn and run through the remaining stitches and draw up and fasten off. If not using a circular needle or dpns sew up the back seam making sure to sew on the right side for the rib at the bottom.

His Daddy was only 6lb 7oz when he was born and I  think it will be a while before our little man will fit into these but everyday is a bonus and everyday he grows stronger.

Happy Days

Mx