The Coloring Book Tee Mini is a raglan pullover for kids aged NB-14Y. An everyday staple, this can be worked up as a tee or as a long sleeve pullover. Either way, this is one to let your creativity run wild with.

Little ones will love how comfortable they are and they’ll love choosing colors for this pattern. Be creative together to work up the sweater of your dreams. With Coloring Book Tee, the adult version of this pattern, you’ll have matching family sweaters for days.
This pattern comes in 2 sizes ranges for NB-18M and 2Y-14Y; both come in their own files for ease of use.

We know from experience how hard it is to get crew neck clothing off of tiny babies, so the NB-18M sizes feature a single button back neck closure to ensure those crew necks fit over their heads easily.

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Download full schematics and pattern preview for both size ranges.

Size Selection

INFANTS

Newborn, 3M, 6M (9M, 12M, 18M), to fit actual chest measurements of 15, 16.5, 17.75 (18.75, 19.5, 20.25)” / 37.5, 41, 44.5 (47, 49, 50.5) cm.

Finished garment measures 17.25, 18.75, 20 (21, 21.75, 22.25)” / 43, 47, 50 (52.5, 54.5, 55.5) cm.

This garment was graded for 2” / 5 cm positive ease at the chest. I recommend that you choose a size based on the positive ease at the chest.

KIDS

Sizes 2Y (3Y, 4Y, 5Y) (6Y, 7Y, 8Y) (10Y, 12Y, 14Y) to fit actual chest measurements of 20.5 (21, 22, 23) (24.5, 26, 27) (28.5, 30, 31.5)” / 52 (53.5, 56, 58.5) (62, 66, 68.5) (72.5, 76, 80) cm.

Finished garment circumference measures 23 (23.75, 24.75, 26) (27.75, 29, 30) (31.75, 33, 34.75)” / 57.5 (59.5, 62, 65) (69.5, 72.5, 75) (79.5, 82.5, 87) cm.

This garment was graded for 2.5-3.5” / 6.5-9cm positive ease at the chest. I recommend that you choose a size based on the positive ease at the chest.

Shown in size 8Y. Baby size range includes a back neck closure to ensure the baby’s head can pass through.

Gauge

24 sts x 34 rnds = 4 x 4” / 10 x 10 cm knit in stockinette stitch with Needle A and 1x1 rib in the round knit with Needle B.

Needles

A - Main Fabric: US 6 / 4.0 mm circular needles in in 24” / 60 cm, and DPN’s (oruse magic loop).

B - Ribbing: US 5 / 3.75 mm circular needles in 24” / 60 cm, and DPN’s (or usemagic loop).

Some testers had to go down 2 sizes from the main fabric to match the gauge and not have a flared neckline and hem.

Yarn Selection

Choose a springy yarn with plenty of recovery. We used a fingering weight, non-superwash yarn here, but this is a flexible pattern, and sport weight could be used.

For an easy-care option, use up leftover sock yarn or single skeins of superwash fingering yarn.

For the tee, consider a summer yarn, such as a cotton/wool blend.

The sample is shown in Knitting For Olive’s Merino in the colorways ‘Plum Rose’ and ‘Snowflake’, in the long sleeve version.

The short sleeve version is shown in Coast to Coast Yarn Natural Sock in Potato and Velvet Foot, a non-superwash, hand dyed yarn.

Yardage

INFANTS - LONG SLEEVED VERSION

Main Color: 1, 1, 1 (2, 2, 2) ball(s) of Knitting For Olive Merino OR 190, 210, 250 (280, 290, 330) yards / 170, 190, 230 (250, 260, 300) meters of fingering weight yarn.

Contrast Color: 1 ball of Knitting For Olive Merino OR 30, 40, 40 (50, 60, 70) yards / meters of fingering weight yarn.

INFANTS - SHORT SLEEVED VERSION

Main Color: 1 ball of Knitting For Olive Merino OR 160, 180, 220 (240, 250, 270) yards / 150, 160, 200 (220, 230, 250) meters of fingering weight yarn.

Contrast Color: 1 ball of Knitting For Olive Merino OR 15, 15, 15 (15, 20, 20) yards / meters of fingering weight yarn.

KIDS: LONG SLEEVED VERSION

Main Color: 2 (2, 2, 3) (3, 3, 3) (3, 4, 4) balls of Knitting For Olive Merino OR 400 (460, 500, 560) (630, 680, 720) (810, 890, 950) yards / 360 (420, 460, 510) (580, 620, 650) (740, 810, 870) meters.

Contrast Color: 1 ball of Knitting For Olive Merino OR 95 (105, 125, 140) (165, 180, 185) (210, 230, 275) yards / 85 (100, 115, 125) (150, 165, 165) (195, 210, 250) meters.

KIDS - SHORT SLEEVED VERSION

Main Color: 2 (2, 2, 2) (2, 3, 3) (3, 3, 4) balls of Knitting For Olive Merino OR 330 (390, 420, 480) (530, 580, 620) (680, 770, 830) yards / 300 (350, 390, 440) (480, 530, 560) (620, 700, 760) meters.

Contrast Color:1 ball of Knitting For Olive Merino OR 50 (50, 65, 70) (90, 90, 95) (115, 120, 145) yards / 45 (45, 60, 65) (80, 85, 85) (105, 110, 135) meters.

Notions

Unique marker for beginning of round, stitch markers, smooth waste yarn or spare needles in a smaller size for putting stitches on hold

Infants only: one button 1/2-5/8” / 13-15 mm diameter.

Credits

Tech Edit: Heather Storta
Sample Knitting: Mia Rosa-Fischer
Sites Support: Symphony Chau
Sites Support: Teresa Runnett
Photos: Lindsey Tyler

Formats and Accessibility

• Large format pattern file included, with 22 pt sans serif font (Avenir Next), black text on white background, and no italic formatting text. All directions are fully written out.

• All images have alt text. Header structure tagged on the large format pattern file and tested using Adobe Acrobat. No abbreviations are used in this version of the pattern.