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Top Down Raglan Baby Sweater

Designed by Carole Barenys

Baby Raglan Sweater

This sweater is knit from the top down. The advantage of starting at the top is you can see how it is coming out and extrapolate the width and length accordingly. The size of the sweater is determined by the depth of the raglan "seam".

For the smaller sizes, 5 buttonholes are enough and the dividing occurs just about at the third buttonhole. If you measure the distance between the first and second buttonhole you will have an idea of how long the sweater will be.

Yarn such as Caron Cuddle Soft knits up small, so I use more rows between the buttonholes. Others, such as Lion Baby Soft, knit up larger.

Materials:
2 50-gram skeins sport weight yarn (Bernat Magic Sport is nice and soft)
#3 (US) needles
#5 (US) needles
#3 (US) d.p. needles (set of 4)
#5 (US) d.p. needles (set of 4)
crochet hook
2 stitch holders
5 or 6 ½ inch buttons
Gauge:
6 st=1 inch 9 rows=1 inch
Size:
newborn to 3 months
To make a 3-6 month size, start the same way, making the back about an inch wider. Sleeves will automatically be wider. Work in the same way, using 6 buttonholes in all.

Instructions:
Cast on 76 stitches on #3 needle.

Row 1 (right side): k 5 for border, k 2, p 2 ribbing to within 5 sts of end, k 5 for border
Row 2: k 5 for border, p 2, k 2 ribbing to within 5 sts of end, k 5 for border

Repeat these two rows once.

Row 5 (First Buttonhole):
Boy: k 2, yo, k 2 tog, inserting needle from left side, k 1, work to end.
Girl: Work row same as Row 1, to within 5 sts of end. k 2, yo, k 2 tog inserting needle from left side, k 1.
Buttonhole will be worked every 9 ridges (18 rows) for a total of five.

Work 2 more rows in ribbing.

Change to larger needles.

Divide work for body and sleeves:
Row 8: k 5 sts for border, p 10 for front, k 2 for "seam", p 6 for sleeve, k 2 for "seam", p 26 for back, k 2 for "seam", p 6 for sleeve, k 2 for "seam", p 10 for front, k 5 sts for border.

Raglan increase row:
Work 5 sts in garter stitch (all k) for border, knit to within 2 stitches of "seam". Increase by knitting 2 sts in next stitch (k into stitch, do not pull off needle, then k a second stitch into back of stitch--this does not leave a hole), k 1, p 2 for "seam", increase in next stitch, knit to within 2 sts of "seam" and increase in same manner-increasing before and after "seams" in the same manner (next-to-the last stitch before "seam" and first stitch after "seam") across row.

Next row: k 5 sts for border, p 11, k 2 for "seam", p 8 for sleeve, k 2, p 28, k 2, p 8, k 2, p 11, k 5.

Increase in next row in the same manner as above, adding 8 stitches to the row each time before and after each "seam", and working a buttonhole every 9 ridges on left or right border.

End of raglan increases:
When there are 56 stitches on the back and 36 on each sleeve, work one more row on reverse side. Then divide off work by working across, binding off the "seam" stitches and putting the sleeves on stitch holders. Continue to work the front pieces and back piece all in one, adding buttonholes at the same intervals. After buttonhole #4, work halfway to next buttonhole, then switch to ribbing on smaller needles (work to correspond to collar) and incorporate the fifth buttonhole in the ribbed cuff. Work a few more rows and bind off in ribbing.

Sleeves:
Pick up the stitches from one of the holders and divide between 3 d.p. needles (12 on each). Attach yarn at underarm and work rounds in all knit stitches to desired length. Change to smaller needles and work cuff in k 2, p 2 rib. Sleeves should be about the same length as the body of the sweater, or slightly longer. Work second sleeve the same way.

Finishing:
Stitch up the small holes under the arms and sew buttons on securely.

Variations:
Two-row stripes, 4-row stripes, occasional stripes in neckband and cuffs. Remember to twist the two colored yarns at the end of the row, to carry threads neatly.
Can be made with no buttons and holes, using a zipper instead.

See Abbreviations and the Glossary for help.