This little gansey is designed to be easy and fun to knit, and easy for Mum and Dad to put on a wiggly baby. The gansey is knit in the round to the armholes, then worked flat. Sleeves are worked flat and from the cuff, then seamed. Unlike traditional gansey construction, which uses a gusset to enlarge the sleeve, this jumper uses simple drop sleeves. One shoulder is left open and ribbing added with a buttonhole band so that a baby’s large head can easily be maneuvered through the neck opening. Be sure to sew the buttons on securely!

If you want a copy of the chart for the yoke, please PM me and I will send you my snail mail address, to which you should send a SASE.

You can see in the photos that I knit the baby’s initials in reverse st st, but that certainly isn’t necessary!

Materials
3 skeins of Rowan Wool Cotton 4 ply, colourway Hedge
3.00mm 24” circular needles
2.75mm 24” and 16” circular needles for ribbing at cuffs and neck - substitute dpn for 16” if desired
darning needle to weave in ends
three 1/2” buttons for shoulder
thread in colour to match buttons and yarn

Gansey Body
Using 3.0mm needles, cast on 142sts. Join in the round, being careful not to twist.
K two rows.
P two rows.
K two rows.
P two rows.
Work in seed stitch for 1”.
K two rows.
P two rows.
K two rows.
P two rows.
PM at the halfway point of the row. Work in st st until piece measures 6” from the hem, except as follows. Work the first and last st of the row and the st before and after the halfway point in seed st, as false side seams. Also, if desired, work 1” tall initials of the baby, starting three sts after the false side seam at the beginning of the row.
P two rows.
K two rows.
P two rows.
K two rows, increasing four sts evenly around gansey body (146 sts). Gansey now measures 6.5” from the hem.

Work the first three rows of Chart on front. Repeat Chart for back for three rows. Divide gansey at sides for front and back. Continue to work the Chart through R28 for front and back.

Neck Shaping
Work Front and Back separately.
For the Front, begin neckline shaping (see “Front Neck Shaping” below).

Back
For the Back, repeat the Chart, beginning at Row 7.
Work until armhole measures 4.25” from beginning. Work 20 sts. Put the 33 center back sts on a holder. (Note: These sts will stay on the holder to form the neck, only later to be picked up and knit with a smaller needle in K1,P1 ribbing.)
Now work the Left and Right Back separately.

Right Back
Next row: Cast off 5 sts. Work in pattern to the last five sts of the row. Wrap and turn.
Following row: Work to the last 3 sts on the row, then S2KP. 13 sts remain.
Next row: Cast off all remaining sts of the Right Back.
Left Back and Buttonhole Band
First Row: Cast off 5 sts. Work in pattern to the last five sts of the row, then wrap and turn.
Second Row: Work to the last 3 sts on the row, then S2PP.
Third Row: K1, P1 the 13 sts that remain.
Switch to 2.75mm needle.
Rib in K1, P1 for three rows.
Row 4: Rib 3 sts, yo, ssk, rib 3 sts, repeat from * one time.
Work three more rows in K1, P1 ribbing, then cast off.

Front Neck Shaping
Work 27 sts in pattern. Slip the middle 19 Front sts to a holder. Work the remaining 27 sts. Working both sides at the same time:
R1: Work to the last four sts at RF neck edge, SP2P, then P2. two sts at RF neck edge. remain on RF. On LF, P1, then SP2P. 25 sts remain on each of RF and LF.
R2: Work to four sts before the neck edge, then K2tog on LF. Work two sts at RF neck edge, then ssk and work to the end of the row. 24 sts remain on each of RF and LF.
R3: Decrease one st each side of neck edge. Do not decrease sts at neck edge but instead work k2tog, k2 (LF) and ssk, k2 (RF) or p2tog, p2 and ssp, p2 before the neck. 24 sts remain on each shoulder.
R5: Repeat this decrease on this (23 sts remain) and the next three RS rows. 20 sts remain on each shoulder.
Work remaining sts in pattern until front measures almost 4.5” (ish) from armhole.
Next row: Work short rows as for Back.
Following row: For Right Front, K1,P1. For Left Front, work in pattern until 7 rows from shoulder edge, wrap and turn.
Next row: For Right Front, K1,P1. For Left Front, cast off.
Using 2.75mm needles, work K1,P1 on Right Front for four more rows, then cast off.

Sew right shoulder seam.
Left shoulder - Make button band. Using 2.75mm needles, work in K1,P1 ribbing for 8 rows, then cast off.

Neckband
With RS facing, using 2.75mm needles, pick up the 33 sts on back holder, 18 sts on right front neck edge, 19 sts on front neck edge, 18 sts on left front neck edge, and 8 sts on the side edge of the neckband (96 sts). Work in K1,P1 ribbing for 8 rows.

Sleeves
Both sleeves are worked at the same time to keep them equal in length. Sleeves are worked flat, and from the cuff to the sleeve cap.

Using 2.75mm needles, cast on 43 sts. Repeat, using another skein of yarn, for the second sleeve.
Work each sleeve in K1, P1 ribbing for 1”(10rows), ending after a RS row. Switch to 3.00 mm needles.
Row 11 - K1, P1
Now you will establish the same pattern of double ridges and seed stitch as at the bottom of the gansey; however, because the sleeves are knitted flat, these following instructions differ.
Rows 12 and 13 - Knit
Row 14 - Purl
Row 15 - Knit
Row 16 - Purl
Row 17 - Knit
Rows 18 and 19 - Purl
Row 20 - Knit. Make 1 st at each sleeve edge. Each sleeve is now 45 sts.
Row 21 - Knit
Row 22 - Purl
Rows 23 through 26 - Seed st
Row 27 - Seed st. Make 1 st at each sleeve edge. Each sleeve is now 47 sts.
Rows 28 through 30 - Seed st
Row 31 - Knit
Rows 32, 33 and 34 - Purl. Make 1 st each edge of Row 34 (49sts)
Rows 35- Knit.
Rows 36 and 37 - Purl
Row 38 and 39- Knit.
Rows 40 through 66 - st st.
Row 41 - Make 1 st each sleeve edge (51 sts)
Row 47 (53 sts)
Row 53 (55 sts),
Row 58 (57 sts)
Row 63 (59 sts)
Row 67 - Purl. Make 1 st each sleeve edge (61 sts)
Rows 68 and 69 - Knit
Row 70 - Purl
Row 71 - Purl. Make 1 st each sleeve edge (63sts)
Rows 72 and 73- Knit
Row 74 - Purl. Make 1 st each sleeve edge (65 sts)
Row 75 through 91 - seed stitch (until sleeve measures 8”). Then cast off.

Sew sleeve seams. Sew sleeves to gansey body. Sew buttons very securely onto the front right shoulder band, matching each button with the buttonholes on the left back shoulder band. Block. Give to baby’s Mum.