Leftover Child by Kate Harvie

Leftover Child

Knitting
August 2024
yarn held together
DK
+ DK
= Bulky (7 wpi) ?
14 stitches and 22 rows = 4 inches
in stockinette stitch
US 10 - 6.0 mm
US 8 - 5.0 mm
ages 2 to 12
English
This pattern is available as a free Ravelry download

The adults have had an Original Harvie Leftovers jumper for several years now, and are still queueing up for them.
The babies got their jacket pattern in January 2024, and now the older children are asking for one (yes, honestly!) So this is the version for children aged 2-12. As with the adult size jumper, it’s a simple drop shoulder knitted from the bottom up using two strands of DK yarn held together, without body shaping and with classic tapered sleeves picked up around the armholes and knitted downwards.
Of course, children vary a lot in size, so the ages given here are only a suggestion. This jumper should be worn fairly loosely. If in doubt, go up a size. Pick a size based on the chest measurement, and you can adjust the length by working a longer or shorter body up to the armholes. You should pick a size 10-15cm (4-6 inches) above the actual body measurement.
The pictures show M wearing size 3 and C wearing size 5.
Yarn
It is difficult to be definite about the quantity of yarn needed for this jumper. Essentially, you need a bag of DK yarn. It should all be relatively similar in type, but as the idea is to use up leftovers, then it does not need to be identical; this is part of the charm. Don’t use chenille yarn as it has no stretch at all and will look terrible. Apart from this it’s up to you. If you have a lot of 4ply (fingering or sock) yarn to use up, you can substitute 1 strand of DK with 2 strands of 4ply. You will need to allow more yarn than the bare minimum to get a nice balance of colours.