KNITTING PATTERN ONLY - NOT FINISHED GARMENT

PATTERN LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

Soft, chunky and oh so warm, what kid wouldn’t want to cuddle up in this hug of a sweater? Knit on 7mm needles in Stockinette Stitch, this makes for a quick and easy project that is suitable for knitters of all abilities. Carefully placed increases ensure a great fit and create the kind of subtle details that make this basic piece a staple to be used and treasured for years to come.

Sizes: 1 (2) 3 (4) 5 (6) 8 years

Bust Circumference: 62 (73) 75 (78.5) 81 (83.5) 87 cm

Back Waist Length: 31 (33) 35 (37) 39 (41) 43 cm

Gauge: 14 Stitches and 22 rows = 10 x 10 cm Stockinette Stitch on 7mm needles

Suggested Needles: 7mm and 6mm circular needles with a 60-80cm cord. 4.5mm circulars with a 40cm chord. 7mm and 6mm DPNs if you prefer not to use the magic loop method for the sleeves. Adjust needle size to obtain correct tension.
(Optional 3mm DPNs if you want to make the bow embellishments)

Materials: 4 (4) 5 (5) 6 (7) 8 skeins of Rowan Merino Aria
or 3 (3) 4 (4) 4 (5) 5 skeins of We Are Knitters The Petite Wool
or 5 (5) 6 (6) 7 (8) 9 skeins of Hobbii Divina or Drops Air held double

Stitch markers, thin elastic to be inserted into the neckband casing, safety pin, tapestry needle, measuring tape.

Note on Sizing
The fit of the jumper is oversized which means that all sizes, with the exception of 1 yr which has 14cm, have 20cm of positive ease incorporated into the fit. The Bust Circumference shown is for the finished garment. Measure your child’s bust and add 14/ 20 cm to this measurement to determine what size you should knit. If you prefer a less oversized look then consider going down a size, if you prefer a very oversized look then consider going up a size.

Notes on Construction
The Aria Sweater is knit seamlessly. First we knit the back panel- from the bottom of the neck to the bottom of the armhole. These stitches are left live and we turn the work to pick up stitches from the cast on edge to create the shoulders and the neck. The first four rows of the shoulders shape the back neckline so that the cast on edge sits just below the the shoulder, not on top. Once both the shoulders and the neck have been formed, we continue to knit the piece flat until we have achieved the same depth to the armhole on the front as we have on the back. We then join front and back to continue knitting the body in the round. The sleeves are picked up from the body and are knit in the round. Finally we pick up stitches from the neckline to knit the neckband. This is knit to the required length and then the live stitches are sewn down to the inside neckline. It is recommended that you insert an elastic band into the neckband casing to prevent the neck ribbing from losing its shape with wear.