Use code LODDON for 25% off all patterns until 5 October 2024. Happy knitting!

The Loddon Sweater Baby is a raglan sweater knitted in Stockinette stitch, worked top-down. The yoke is worked flat, but the body and sleeves are worked in the round. You will begin with some short-row shaping across the back and shoulders to shape the neckline. You will then work raglan shaping with compound increases. When the yoke shaping is done, you will leave the sleeve stitches to rest and work the body in the round. Next, you will apply the collar before finishing by working each sleeve with some light shaping.

This pattern has been tech edited and test knitted. If you notice any issues with the pattern, please let me know by email and I’ll be more than happy to help.

Materials & Fit

Notions: You will need 3.5 mm /US 4 (40- and 80-cm / 16- and 32-in cord) and 4.5 mm / US 7 (40- and 80-cm / 16- and 32-in cord circular needles. You will also need at least 8 stitch markers, one of which should be in a contrasting colour to indicate the beginning of the round, a darning needle, and either scrap yarn, spare circular needles, or stitch holders for the resting sleeve stitches.

Tension: 21 stitches x 28 rows/rounds in Stockinette stitch on 4.5 mm / US 7 = 10 x 10 cm / 4 x 4 in.

Yarn: Filcolana Arwetta (80% superwash merino wool, 20% nylon; 50 g = 210 m / 230 yds) held double, or your choice of either fingering-weight yarn held double or DK-weight yarn held single. If you want a non-superwash option, I really like Sandnes Garn Sunday (100% non-superwash merino wool; 50 g = 235 m / 258 yds).

I estimate that you will need approximately 2 (3, 3, 3) (4, 4, 4) balls of Filcolana Arwetta, or approximately 420 (480, 540, 600) (720, 770, 820) m / 460 (530, 590, 660) (790, 850, 900) yds if using a fingering-weight yarn held double. If you wanted to use a single strand of a DK-weight yarn, you can halve these figures.

The first sample (Size C) was knitted with Filcolana Arwetta in the shade Marzipan; the second sample (Size A) was knitted with Filcolana Arwetta in the shade Red Squirrel; and the third sample (Size B) with knitted with Sandnes Garn Sunday in the shades Whipped Cream (1012) and Baby Blue Eyes (6043), both from the PetiteKnit shade card.

Please note that the grading for sample 1 differs slightly through the yoke from the final pattern.

I have tried to be generous with these estimates, and have rounded the figures given in metres up to the nearest 10 m, and then converted these figures into yards, rounding up to the nearest 10 yds.

Sizing and ease

Size: A (B, C, D) (E, F, G)

To fit (approx. age): Newborn (3 months, 6 months, 9 months) (12 months, 18 months, 24 months)

To fit (chest measurement, cm): 39.25 (41.25, 45.75, 47) (48.25, 50.25, 52)
To fit (chest measurement, in): 15.5 (16.25, 18, 18.5) (19, 19.75, 20.5)

To fit (waist measurement, cm): 40.75 (44.5, 47, 48.25) (49.5, 51.5, 53.25)
To fit (waist measurement, in): 16 (17.5, 18.5, 19) (19.5, 20.25, 21)

Actual circumference of garment (cm): 47.5 (52.5, 53.5, 54.5) (56.5, 58, 60)
Actual circumference of garment (in): 18.75 (20.75, 21, 21.5) (22, 22.75, 23.5)

Yoke depth (cm): 11.5 (12, 13, 13) (13, 14, 14.5)
Yoke depth (in) 4.5 (4.75, 5.25, 5.25) (5.25, 5.5, 5.75)

Body length from collar to hem (cm): 23 (24, 26, 28) (30, 32, 34)
Body length from collar to hem (in): 9 (9.5, 10.25, 11) (12, 12.75, 13.5

Sleeve circumference (cm): 16 (18, 19, 19) (19, 20, 21)
Sleeve circumference (in): 6.25 (7, 7.5, 7.5) (7.5, 7.75, 8.25)

Sleeve length (cm): 13 (15, 16.5, 18) (18.5, 20, 24.5)
Sleeve length (in): 5.25 (6, 6.5, 7.25) (7.25, 8, 9.75)

All measurements have been rounded to the nearest 0.5 cm and 0.25 in.

Techniques include German short rows, leaning increases and decreases, picking up stitches along horizontal and vertical edges, working a tubular cast-off, and working both flat and in the round. It is a relatively beginner-friendly pattern and I am always happy to offer pattern support as needed.