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How to knit a sweater for a child

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knit-boys-sweater
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Yarn - Bernat Handicrafter (color: olive) / medium 4 / 5 oz (142 g) / 236 yards (215 m) / about 1.5 balls needed
Knitting Needles - Circular 29", 16", & dpn, Size 5 (3.75 mm) or other size needles needed for the gauge
Gauge - About 15 stitches go into 4 inches
Sweater Size - 3T
Complexity - Easy

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raglan-sleeve-sweater-knitting-pattern
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Knit a raglan sleeve sweater for a toddler boy - rhombus pattern
Step-by-step knitting instructions
Step 1
Cast on 60 stitches on two knitting needles to make the very first loops bigger.
Step 2
Neck ribbing
1st round – [p2, k2] to end
2 – 8 rounds = 1st round
9th round and all odd rounds (unless stated otherwise) – k to end
Step 3
Increase 8 sts every other round
10th round – [inc1, k15, inc1] to end
12th round – [inc1, k17, inc1] to end
14th round – [inc1, k19, inc1] to end
16th round – [inc1, k21, inc1] to end
18th round – [inc1, k23, inc1] to end
Step 4
Rhombus pattern
19th round – [k1, p23, k1] to end
Use longer circular needles for more comfortable knitting.
20th round – [inc1, k25, inc1] to end
21st round – [k1, (p1, k5) x 4, p1, k1] to end
22nd round – [inc1, k27, inc1] to end
23rd round – [k1, p1, (k1, p1, k3, p1) x 4, k1, p1, k1] to end
24th round – [inc1, k29, inc1] to end
25th round – [k1, (p1, k3, p1, k1) x 5] to end
26th round – [inc1, k31, inc1] to end
27th round – [k1, (p1, k5) x 5, p1, k1] to end
28th round – [inc1, k33, inc1] to end
29th round – [k1, p1, (k1, p1, k3, p1) x 5, k1, p1, k1] to end
30th round – [inc1, k35, inc1] to end
31st round – [k1, (p1, k3, p1, k1) x 6] to end
32nd round – [inc1, k37, inc1] to end
33rd round – [k1, (p1, k5) x 6, p1, k1] to end
34th round – [inc1, k39, inc1] to end
35th round – [k1, p39, k1] to end
36th round – [inc1, k41, inc1] to end
Step 5
Join the back and front parts together.
Use again shorter circular knitting needles, slide the last st. of the 2nd shoulder part on shorter circular needles and knit all the stitches of the back part (or the first part from the starting point) plus one additional stitch of the 1st shoulder part. Slide 41 sts of the 1st shoulder part on a safety pin to work with them later. Continue knitting the last st. of the first shoulder part, all the sts of the front part, and the 1st st of the second shoulder part. Slide 41 sts of the 2nd shoulder part on a safety pin as well.
Knit the 90 sts of the back and front parts for about 50 rounds or until you reach the desired length of the sweater.
37 – 86 rounds – k to end
Step 6
Decrease 2 sts
87th round – [k2tog, k43] to end
You should have 88 sts left.
Step 7
Bottom ribbing
88th round – [k2, p2] to end
89 – 95 rounds = 88th round
Cast off all the stitches. Cut the yarn and secure it.
Step 8
Sleeves
Slide the shoulder stitches from the safety pin on double pointed needles. Attach the yarn underarm and pick up 2 stitches to avoid developing a hole.
Knit in the round decreasing one stitch every 4 rounds for about 55 rounds or until you knit the desired length of the sleeves. Work the sleeve ribbing (k2, p2). Cast off all the stitches. Cut the yarn and secure it.

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Abbreviations
dpn – double pointed needles
inc – increase or pick up one stitch
k – knit
k2tog – knit 2 stitches together
p – purl
st – stitch

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Knit a raglan sleeve sweater for a toddler boy - rhombus pattern

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Arabic translation of the pattern by Fatima Alzahra Alhamed - How to knit a sweater for a child/تريكو كنزة طفل صغير

Comments

To Ana Costa-Rosa,

To Ana Costa-Rosa,
If I would cast on 76 stitches, I would work the rhombus pattern as follows:
Step 4
Rhombus pattern
R19 – k to end
R20 - [inc1, k29, inc1] to end
R21 - [k1, p29, k1] to end
R22 - [inc1, k31, inc1] to end
R23 - [k1, (p1, k5) x 5, p1, k1] to end
R24 - [inc1, k33, inc1] to end
R25 - [k1, p1, (k1, p1, k3, p1) x 5, k1, p1, k1] to end
R26 - [inc1, k35, inc1] to end
R27 - [k1, (p1, k3, p1, k1) x 6] to end
R28 - [inc1, k37, inc1] to end
R29 - [k1, (p1, k5) x 6, p1, k1] to end
R30 - [inc1, k39, inc1] to end
R31 - [k1, p1, (k1, p1, k3, p1) x 6, k1, p1, k1] to end
R32 - [inc1, k41, inc1] to end
R33 - [k1, (p1, k3, p1, k1) x 7] to end
R34 - [inc1, k43, inc1] to end
R35 - [k1, (p1, k5) x 7, p1, k1] to end
R36 - [inc1, k45, inc1] to end
R37 - [k1, p45, k1] to end
R38 - [inc1, k47, inc1] to end
R39 = R19
Alternate an increase round like R38 and just knit to end round like R39 until your front and back parts will make the needed chest circumference. Note: it is necessary to leave some room for growth. The sweater should fit a little bit loosely.

Hi Fatima Alzahra,

Hi Fatima Alzahra,
I've just seen your work, it is very accurate and beautiful. Thank you for the pictures and translation. I've published it and made a link to your page.

To knit wit,

To knit wit,
Since it is a top-down knitting technique, the number of sts to start with will depend on the child's head circumference and your gauge/tension. I would advise you to knit a small sample (k2, p2) to know your gauge first, and then estimate how many sts you need to work to the head circumference.
It is necessary to increase sts until your front and back parts will be wide enough to the child's chest circumference. Leave some space for growth. The sweater shouldn't fit snugly.
If you have questions, please ask on this page. I answer questions on the site first. Happy knitting!

Hi Tanya,

Hi Tanya,
The info about the size and more you may find right below the very first picture. To adjust the pattern to a different size, it is necessary to cast on multiples of 4 to make the neck ribbing pattern work to a head circumference accordingly. Then divide the total number of sts to 4 parts (front, 2 shoulder, and back part) and work the increase (step 3) with some adjustments to your number of sts accordingly. If you write me your gauge and the size you want to make, I'll be able to help you with the rhombus pattern (step 4). Happy knitting!

Hi Sana. Everything to me is

Hi Sana. Everything to me is very much clear until the 19th round. I don't understand the 19th round because if I k1,p 23 and k1 all the way until the end of the round, the end and begging of the parts seem to shift. So the line that determines each part doesn't seem to match where I knit that one stich. Not sure if I'm doing wrong.

Hi Daphne,

Hi Daphne,
You need to look at your 18th round [inc1, k23, inc1] if you did that correctly. For the 19th round, you do not increase sts. The number of sts should remain the same as for the 18th round. You just knit each inc. and purl 23 instead of k23 (18th round). Happy knitting!

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