This simply adorable baby gown is modeled after one a friend used when her kids were infants. Worked from the top down, it features a long body that covers short little legs and tiny feet, a zipper for easy access, and cheerful rainbow stripes.

The piece begins with a provisional cast-on at the neck. The yoke is shaped with four increase rows distributed between the neck and underarms, then the sleeve stitches are placed on holders while the body is worked to the ribbed edging. The sleeves are worked downward to the cuff, and the rolled neckband and 7” (18 cm) zipper are added last.

Finished Size: About 22 1/2” (57 cm) chest circumference, zipped. To fit 0 - 6 months.

Yarn: Urth Yarns Uneek Fingering (100% Extrafine Superwash Merino; 435 yards 400 meters/100 grams): #3004, 2 skeins.

Needles: U.S. 3 (3.25 mm) circular or double-pointed needles.

Notions: E/4 (3.5 mm) crochet hook and smooth waste yarn for provisional cast-on; markers; two stitch holders; tapestry needle; 7” (18 cm) non-separating zipper; sharp-point sewing needle, straight pins, contrasting sewing thread, and matching sewing thread for inserting zipper.

Gauge: 25 1/4 stitches and 42 rows/rounds = 4” (10 cm) in stockinette stitch, after blocking.

Notes:
When joining a new ball of yarn, or when joining yarn to begin a sleeve or the neckband, pull out as much yarn as necessary from the new ball until get to the same point in the color sequence as the waiting stitcher in order to continue the flow of the self-striping pattern.
The gown shown used about 1.25 skeins of fingering weight yarn, but it is possible to make a shorter gown from only one skein. Work the lower body to the joining round at the base of the zipper opening, then place the lower body stitches on a holder. Work both sleeves and the neckband. Return the lower body stitches to the needle, rejoin the yarn, and continue in stockinette until about 12 rounds’ worth of yarn remains, then work the ribbed lower edge as for the full-length size. If you are using only a single skein, there may not be yarn to match the color sequence of the stripes on the sleeves.