Sunday, July 15, 2007

Baby Jiffy Knit Sweater

It is with great pleasure that I am very pleased that NMCRS HQ is allowing me to share this pattern with all of you. Please respect the spirit that they have graciously given allowing me to pass this along and understand that they will retain all rights to this pattern and the copyright for it. No money whatsoever shall be made from the sale of these sweaters, nor from the pattern. Cheryl from NMCRS HQ has given permission for you to use this pattern for your charity/personal knitting needs with this disclaimer attached. You may print a copy of this pattern for your own use, but may not sell it. With that all being said, I'm excited to finally have this up and running! At the end of this post, are the separate sets of information that I've been able to put together for your benefit for several different sizes. Enjoy! And, again, Thank you Cheryl! So many more babies will now be wrapped in these sweaters thanks to you!





Baby Jiffy Knit Sweater


Materials:
3 ozs. Baby yarn (2- 1.5-1.75 oz/50g skeins) (to knit double stranded throughout)
1 pair (US)10 ½ (6.5mm) needles
4 stitch markers
4 stitch holders
Crochet hook G for crocheted tie
Note: Always begin and end rows with at least 3 knit stitches for borders. Make any increases or decreases between the borders.

Starting at neck edge: C/O 48 sts.
Rows 1 and 2: Knit
Row 3: (Beading Row) K3 * P2tog, YO, Repeat from * across ending P2tog, K3 (47 Sts) Note: This will make 20 holes to thread chain (tie) through.
Row 4: Knit
Row 5: K3, P across to last 3 sts, K3
Row 6: K3, * inc in next st (K in front and back of st), K1, repeat from * across ending inc in next st, K3 (68 sts)
Row 7: K3, P across to last 3 sts, K3
Row 8: K3, * K2tog, repeat from * across to last 4 sts, K4 (37 sts)
Row 9: K3, * K1, Bar 1 (insert needle under next horizontal loop of row below (between sts) and knit this as a st), repeat from * across ending K4 (67 sts)
Row 10: K3, *inc in next st, K2, repeat from * across ending inc 1, K3 (88 sts)
Row 11: Same as Row 7
Row 12: Same as Row 8 (47 sts)
Row 13: Same as Row 9 (87 sts)
Row 14: K5, * inc in next st, K4 repeat from * across ending inc 1, K6 (103 sts)
Row 15: Same as Row 7
Row 16: Same as Row 8 (55 sts)
Row 17: Same as Row 9 (103 sts)
Row 18: K3, * inc in next st, K5, repeat from * across ending inc in next st, K3 (120 sts)
Row 19: Same as Row 7
Row 20: Same as Row 8 (63 sts)
Row 21: Same as Row 9 (119 sts)
Row 22: K7, * inc in next st, K6, repeat from * across ending inc 1, K6 (135 sts)
Row 23: Same as Row 7
Row 24: K21 (front), inc in next st, place marker, inc in next st, K22 (sleeve), inc in next st, place marker, inc in next st, K41 (back), inc in next st, place marker, inc in next st, K22 (sleeve), inc in next st, place marker, inc in next st, K21 (front)(143 sts)
Row 25: K3, P across row, K3
Row 26: K across, inc in each st each side of markers (151 sts)
Row 27: K3, P across, K3
Row 28: K across, inc in each st each side of markers (159 sts)
Row 29: K3, P across, K3


Next Row: K25, put these sts on stitch holder for front, K30 (sleeve; divide remaining sts onto 3 stitch holders – 49 for back, next 30 sts for other sleeve, and remaining 25 sts for other front.



Sleeves: Work in Stockinette st for 4 inches, after last P row, decrease 6 sts evenly across row (every 5th st). Work remaining 24 sts in K1, P1 ribbing for 1 ½ inches. Bind off loosely.
Pick up stitches for other sleeve from holder and knit same as first sleeve.



Body of Garment: Put stitches from holders on needles in correct sequence, with the first 25 sts that you knitted before you started the sleeves on one needle and the rest on the other. Join yarn and knit the back 49 sts and the front 25 sts so that you have the garment altogether on one needle in correct sequence. (99 sts)
Knit in Stockinette st for 4 inches ending with P row.

Row A: K3, K2 tog across row to last 4 sts, K4 (53 sts)
Row B: K4, Bar 1, K1, to last 4 sts, K4 (99 sts)
Row C: Knit
Row D: K3, P across, K3
Repeat these 4 rows until you have made 3 patterns
Row E: K3, K2 tog across row to last 4 sts, K4 (53 sts)
Row F: K4, Bar 1, K1 to last 4 sts, K4 (99 sts)
Row G, H, I: Knit next 3 rows. Bind off loosely. Sew up sleeve. Make crocheted tie using No. 2 crochet hook and chain 30 inches with tassel ends. Then thread through beading at neck edge.

Pattern from Camp Pendleton Mainside NMCRS, Baby Layette Program, 1985. All Rights Reserved. No money is to be made from this pattern, nor from the knitting of this garment. Neither pattern nor garment is to be sold. This has been presented for your charity knitting purposes only. This disclaimer must remain attached to this pattern, and may not be reproduced without permission from NMCRS HQ.




My suggestions when making this sweater.

First of all, the original size is large enough to fit a 6-9 month old baby. I would suggest that you make that size first, and figure out how many rows you use for the length in the sleeves and the body of your sweater. Write that number down. Then you can use the same number of rows as you downsize your yarn and your needles.





I cannot emphasis enough the need to COUNT, COUNT, COUNT your stitches at the end of each row, especially in the yoke section. If you're going to make a mistake, chances are that's the section where you will goof up. The number of stitches at the end of each row is key to making sure you're right on target.



Here, in pictures, is how to make the Bar 1. After you have completed row 8 with the k2 tog across which reduces the number of stitches, the Bar 1 row will increase your stitch count once again. To do that, starting with row 9,(on the wrong side of your sweater) Knit your 3 stitches for your edge stitches. Then knit 1. (you now have 4 stitches on your right hand needle)






Lift the horizontal loop from the row below between your stitches on the separate needles. Knit into that loop. Put that stitch on your right hand needle. You now have 5 stitches on your needle. Knit one more from your left needle, giving you a total of 6 stitches on your needle.




Repeat that sequence across the row of Bar 1, Knit 1.



The original pattern calls for using a chain stitch for the neck tie and tassels. I prefer using a 3 stitch I-chord instead. Before I discovered the I-chord, I used to use a ribbon tie, as well. It's up to you how you wish to complete your sweater. You could even follow the other 5 hour sweaters that you can find online and add buttons if you wish. I happen to like the finished look of the I-chord. Now, to make them, I use double point needles one or two sizes LESS than the size I knit the sweater in. (Meaning, if I knit it with size 10.5mm[6.5mm], then I'll use a 9 [5.5mm] for the I-chord.) I also don't necessarily stick to the 30" either. After making my I-chord somewhat longish, I'll thread it through the eyelet neck holes and tie it to see if it's long enough for my fancy, mood, or what I have left in my yarn. I also finish off the ends with little love knots. I really like the way they look.
I also use a K2, P2 ribbing on the cuffs, just a personal preference. Since I use a cable cast on, I add one additional row of knitting in the beginning of this sweater, and did NOT include that in the directions.

Original size
(US)10.5 (6.5mm) needles for sweater
(US)9 (5.5 mm) double point needles for I-chord
double stranded DK/Sport weight yarn
(Lion Brand Baby Soft used-double stranded)
25" (63.5cm) chest finished size
Gauge: 15sts/20 rows= 4"/10 cm

(US) 9 (5.5mm) needles for sweater
(US) 8 (5.0mm) double point needles for I-chord
single strand Worsted weight yarn
(Caron Simply Soft)
21"(53.3cm) chest finished size
Gauge: 17 sts/21.5 rows

(US) 8 (5.0mm) needles for sweater
(US) 7 (4.5mm) double point needles for I-chord
single strand Worsted weight yarn
(Caron Simply Soft)
20 .5"(52cm) chest finished size
Gauge: 17.5 sts/22.5 rows
(US) 7 (4.5mm) needles for sweater
(US) 6 (4.0mm) double point needles for I-chord
single strand DK/Sport weight yarn
(Hobby Lobby Sweet Delight Baby)
18" (40.6cm) chest finished size
Gauge: 21 sts/28 rows

(US) 6 (4.0mm) needles for sweater
(US) 5 (3.75mm) double point needles for I-chord
single strand DK/Sport Weight yarn
(Hobby Lobby Sweet Delights Baby)
16.5" (41.8cm) chest finished size
Gauge: 22.5 sts/31.3 rows
(US) 5 (3.75mm) needles for sweater
(US) 4 (3.5mm) double point needles for I-chord
single strand DK/Sport weight yarn
(Bernat Softee Baby)
15.5"(39.3cm) chest finished size
Gauge: 22.5 sts/32 rows
(US) 4 (3.5mm) needles for sweater
(US) 3 (3.25mm) double point needles for I-chord
single strand DK/Sport weight yarn
(Bernat Softee Baby)
13.5"(34
.2cm) chest finished size
Gauge: 25.5 sts/33.25 rows
153.8 yards (140.6m)
47 g/1,64 oz.

54 comments:

  1. thank you for all the time you took to do this. this pattern is just in time for a neice coming in February! Beautiful work, great directions, thans for the pictures!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I liked them all and will start immediately
    love you mummy

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks so much for this pattern, and for your work in demonstrating all the different possibilities in size. That sort of thing always drives me nuts when I'm knitting a last minute baby gift.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow, thanks so much for sharing this pattern and all of your wonderful notes!

    ReplyDelete
  5. My goodness, thank you all for your notes. It's my pleasure. Guess it's the teacher in me to add the pictures. For me, it's always good to have pictures to help explain the process. Having a camera to use, has been a gift, and it's fun to play with as well. I'm having a blast with this and hope you will, too, now that I can share this pattern. Enjoy it!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wowser Cathy:

    This is very exciting to see in print.

    I cannot wait to get my yarn and get knitting one of these little beauties.
    Thnk you seems not enought to say how much I appreciate you posting the pattern.
    Thank you for taking the time out of your busy life to get permission and to post these wonderful instructions.
    chloe

    ReplyDelete
  7. Awesome, awesome, awesome!!!! I have been doing a sweater similar to this for years and years. I am so glad that you got permission to share the pattern with other knitters to make them for charity!!! Thank you for all the extras too! Nice handy reference guide for sweater sizing!

    Linda in Fl (aka crackers)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh Goddess! You rock!

    I can't wait to knit this.

    One question -- do you think the smallest size (US 4, 3.5mm needles) will fit an infant / newborn? Or is the sweater smaller than that (i.e., for a preemie)? I want to knit this sweater for a newborn, but I don't want it to be too small.

    Love love love the pattern. Thank you so much for your details!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I am working on one right now and found that if I just lifted the bar on to the right needle and knit the next stitch that it makes a little bit lacier pattern. When you do the next row (right side) just knit those lifted stitches as they sit on the needle, placing the right hand needle from right to left through the back of the stitch and knit. It almost looks like the design in the Little Lamb sweater but with a hole underneath the little swoop of yarn on the right side. Try it!

    ReplyDelete
  10. This is absolutely beautiful and posted just in time for me to whip up a small one for the impending arrival of a co-worker's baby. Thank you so very much for putting this up here. I've been in decision flux for a while trying to decide what to make, and this just shot straight to top of the options list :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Great pattern!! I've knit one of these (6-9 mon.) already for my daughter and would now like to knit one for a friend of mine's daughter who is 14 months. How do I go about increasing the size?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Great pattern. I have made about a dozen boy and girl versions already to give to our "sister" church in NM. It looks difficult, but it is easy once you've made a few. I use different needles and different yarns to make other sizes. Love it!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thank you very much for this pattern. I have a granddaughter who is now getting another sweater! I have knitted five so far, but this pattern will allow me to use the new baby jacquard yarn by Bernat.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love this pattern. I make it with a picot edge at the bottom of the sweater. I also do it in two colors, which makes it very pretty for either girl or boy babies. I have been making this sweater in one form or another for many years. Thank you so much for this pattern.

    Anne M.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I haven't knitted nor crocheted in years due to neck injury then bilateral mastectomy but did make this sweater about 8 yrs ago and loved it.. I am looking for the pattern that comes up on the baby sweaters yahoo group that now seems out of commission with the white yoke and rosebuds, two buttons and the bottom in pink stockinette stitch. Want to make it before my first grandchild arrives, a girl... do you have it and would you be kind enough to email it to me at lscurt@hotmail.com??? Your work is beautiful... God Bless

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thanks!

    The one you're asking about is published by Leisure Arts, I think and it's called Precious Layettes. I see the booklet at Joann's all the time. Being copyrighted, you have to buy it. It would be illegal to email it to you.

    happy knitting!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I am a beginner knitter. I am attempting to knit this sweater just wondering how to have 68 stitches on rows 6 & 7 then get to row 8 and how do yuou end up knitting 4 stitches at the end. i end up with 3. what am I doing wrong?????Thanks,Bonnie

    ReplyDelete
  18. Bonnie, I did not write this pattern, I have posted a pattern with permission from the NMCRS. What's important here, is to count, count, and count, making sure your stitch count matches the numbers on each row. The last four stitches of that row are knit, not purl. It will set you up for the next row.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi Cathy,

    Thank you so much for this pattern!I love it and have made it up twice so far. I am making alot of them up for the local hospital here. I am knitting the smallest size on small needles. Do you have a bonnet(hat) & booties pattern that you could recommend that would look nice/match up nicely with the sweater? Thanks again.
    Lynda

    ReplyDelete
  20. I really appreciate yor pattern but why, oh why does 16 pages print what would fit on 1 or 2 pages??????

    ReplyDelete
  21. Because as a trained elementary school teacher, I like to show a lot of step by step pictures to help new knitters know exactly how to knit stitches that may be new to them. And, with more information, ieg..the sizes, you can then pick out the right size you're wanting to make. enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hello all,

    We are Giulietta Lorenzini and Marina Simone, moderators of the Knitting World for the World Blue Forum .(http://www.megghy.com/forum/).
    Some time ago another moderator of our forum, Mrs. Barbara Ajroldi, asked your permission to translate one of your models and to make the translation available to the users of the forum.
    But since Mrs. Ajroldi has recently left our community, we would still like to keep the translation available for our users.
    Would you be so kind to let us know if we could keep the translation available on the forum for our members? If it is not possible, we’ll remove the translation from the forum.
    Thank you in advance,
    Best regards.
    Giulietta Lorenzini and Marina Simone
    mondoblu@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  23. So long as the disclaimer is still attached, yes. It MUCH remain a Not for sale, not for profit pattern and the items made from the pattern. Per my agreement with NMCRS. Enjoy for your personal use only. Thanks for asking.

    ReplyDelete
  24. The pattern will be used only for benefits.
    thank you

    ReplyDelete
  25. Thank you so much for this beautiful pattern. However, I have a problem on Row 9 with the Bar 1 instruction. For some reason, after knitting a few rows of this pattern it did not look like the pattern on your picture. Could you again explain it again step by step? Thank you so much
    Brigitte

    ReplyDelete
  26. I'm not sure how much more to say about the Bar 1 increase. Have you looked at the pictures before and after the written directions? Possibly click on the pictures to enlarge them? Maybe that would help to explain them. Sorry, I don't know how else to explain the process other than the step by step directions with pictures I have already posted.

    ReplyDelete
  27. I too have a problem with row 9. I know how to do the increase but I don't come out with 88 stitches total. I come out with 98 stitches. I also end up with a M1, K4 at the end of the row. I do have a total of 67 stitches at the end of row 8. When I figured it out mathematically it still does not come out to 88 stitches using M1, K2 between the *'s. Please advise me as to what I may be doing wrong. Thank you so much and I do love the pattern. Bevy

    ReplyDelete
  28. Do you have a copy of the Jiffy Baby Bonnet pattern? My mom literally knitted 1,000's of these from the 70's. She liked to knit them for friends, family and charity. I'd like to continue her tradition and have her photocopy of the Baby Jiffy Knit Set. Her original pattern deteriorated. Unfortunately, there are a few lines missing. Your pattern here fills in the gaps for the sweater, but I am unable to find one for the Jiffy Baby Bonnet. I hope you can help me out.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Dear Cathy,
    Your work is so inspiring to me. I started a blog (www.undermyskein.blogspot.com) on May 1st this year and many of my posts are bilingual. There I write about my memoirs as they conjure my knitting and crocheting and literature. I've knitted since I was 6 and now looking forward to retirement. Then I may become a fulltime knitter. Please come visit me. I will start knitting the baby jacket now.
    Be happy.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Hi Cathy, the gal who had problems with the stitch count at the end of row 8 .. not her fault. I've done this pattern 3 times now and have found the following errors:

    Row 8, should be, "to last 3 sts, k3"
    Row 12, should be, "to last 3 st, k3"
    Row 20, should be, "to last 3 st, k3"

    You can count until you're blue in the face but unless you change those 3 rows, the st count will not work out. It's not the counting ... the pattern is wrong. :)

    ReplyDelete
  31. this is so cute. I hope to try it myself. Wish me luck.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Thank you for this wonderful pattern. I can only imagine all the time and work that went into making it available to share with us.
    I also find row 8 should end with knit 3. That then corrects the other rows. I would not mention it but I know I spent an hour trying to figure it out and I hope to spare someone else that frustration.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Great looking sweater and it looks like its easy to adjust the size, just by changing needle size. Great idea!

    ReplyDelete
  34. question: my mum is trying this pattern and doesn't do the internet so asked me. She asks: the pattern says to cast on 48, but the number doesn't seem to change between the smallest size and the largest. Are they all supposed to start with a cast of 48? How can that work?
    If you could please let me know and I will pass it along to her.

    ReplyDelete
  35. If you read all the information that I posted with the pattern, you'll see that gauge changes the size of the finished sweater. The change in different thicknesses of the yarn combined with the different size of needles affects the gauge and finished size of the sweater. So yes, all sizes are knit with the same numbers.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Every time I open your site, I smile. The water has always been my favorite place to be. Knitting has been a part of my life for over 50 yrs--now it is my passion. Putting the lake and knitting together is perfect. Am I in heaven? My Granddaughter is just 1 yr. old, but I have given her 3 balls of bright colored yarn to play with & they r 3 of her favorite "toys". She, too, loves the water.

    ReplyDelete
  37. There is no better place to be! Yea on the granddaughter and her choice of 'toys'!

    ReplyDelete
  38. I just knit one of these adorable sweaters and wrote a review of the pattern, check it out!
    http://knittingpatternreview.blogspot.com.tr/2014/10/cathys-baby-jiffy-knit-sweater.html

    ReplyDelete
  39. I love knitting this sweater. Thank you for the pattern. So happy to see your site up again. I have also made the matching hat...figured it out when your site was down and came pretty close! Surprised myself :)
    Again ...Thank you so much!!!

    ReplyDelete
  40. I am so thankful for everyone who emailed me that there was a problem. And yeah! That they are back!

    ReplyDelete
  41. Believe it or not, I have been looking for this pattern for at least fifteen years! I had the original pattern but got married and somehow in the shuffle of moving house, lost a lot of my knitting patterns and this was one of them. I have searched for years to try and find the exact pattern that uses the larger needles but until today, to no avail. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! I have a neighbor that has a baby due this spring and I know how beautiful these are when completed and really wanted to make it for the upcoming event. Thanks again for finding this vintage pattern, it really is old, but makes a stunning gift. Every one I've made has had the baby brought home from the hospital in theirs... :o)

    ReplyDelete
  42. I love it when people are happy! Happy knitting!
    Cathy

    ReplyDelete
  43. Looking for crochet diaper covers for baby boys with matching booties and hat free patterns just like the one here you sent where the sweaters so I can read the pattern on my phone

    ReplyDelete
  44. Can you put on my Facebook page the pattern for making crochet baby boy diaper covers with matching booties and hat. I noticed the sweaters in his pattern on my page but my Son just had a baby boy 9 pounds 1 ounce and would like to see the patterns for baby boy diaper covers booties and hat right on my Facebook page so I can read the pattern and make them thank you Carol stempky

    ReplyDelete
  45. Carol Stempky, I'm sorry but I really don't crochet.

    ReplyDelete
  46. so just to confirm you use the same amount of sts etc for each different ply yarn that you knit in all that changes is the yarn and the needle size?

    ReplyDelete
  47. Yes. Changing the needle and the weight of the yarn changes the gauge and gives you the different sizes.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Thank you for posting. I'll use the pattern for charity.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Quick question and this may sound dumb....when you do the sleeves, they are being knit flat and then sewn up? I am doing the original sized pattern...my boyfriends sister just had twin girls and this is so perfect for christmas gifts...it did say 6-9 months for the original size but it seems larger than that but I don't know how to judge baby clothes and I'd rather them have sweaters to grow into rather than too small lol thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  50. Hi i am having a problem with row 9. It says k3,*k1,bar1. Repeat from * across ending with k4. 67 sts. Well i did it the way your photo s show but i only end up with 66 sts. Please help me!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I cannot see what you have done. But I suggest you count, count, and count. Double check to see if the row before has the correct numbers as well. If you were sitting side by side I could tell. But since I can't it's
      Just a guessing game for me. I know I have to constantly count when I make them.

      Delete