Delicate Beginnings

Designed by Margaret Testa

www.afewsheepshyofafarm.

Description
Originally designed as a special baby shower gift for a
family member expecting a preemie, this deceptively
simple sweater is as delicate as the new arrival it is
intended for. The raglan shaping makes it an easy fit
for dressing squirmy little bundles of joy.

This sweater can be knit from either a solid colored,

fingering weight baby yarn or it can be worked in your
choice of hand-painted or self-striping sock yarns. It
is worked flat, from the top down and in one piece for
minimal finishing.

Sizes
Preemie [Newborn, 3-6 mo., 6-12 mo.] (shown in 3-6
mo.)

Finished Measurements
Chest: 16 [18, 20, 22] inches
Length: 10 [11, 12.5, 13] inches

Yarn
1 [1, 2, 2] skeins (100g) Fingering weight baby yarn
or sock yarn.

Needles
1 set(s) US #1/2.5 mm straight needles or
1 24-inch US #1/2.5 mm circular needle or size to
obtain gauge

Accessories
4 stitch markers, waste yarn to hold stitches not being
worked, darning needle, 6 [6, 7, 7] Buttons

Gauge
32 sts/40 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch

Stitches and Abbreviations

K – Knit.
P – Purl.
CO – Cast on
PM – Place marker
Kfb – Knit front & back – Knit into the front of the
stitch but do not remove it from the left needle, knit
into the back of the same stitch then remove it from into front of loop.
left needle. Increases count by 1 stitch. Sl M – Slip marker.
M1L – Left slanting increase - Make 1 Left - From the SSK- Left slanting decrease - Slip, slip, knit – slip 1
front, lift loop between stitches with left needle, knit stitch from left to right needles as if to knit, slip 2
nd

into back of loop. stitch as if to knit, slide both as is back to the left
M1R – Right slanting increase - Make 1 Right - From the needle and knit the two stitches together.
back, lift loop between stitches with left needle, knit K2tog – Right slanting decrease – Knit 2 together – Knit
the next 2 stitches together.

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 Delicate Beginnings
Designed by Margaret Testa
www.afewsheepshyofafarm.

Pattern Notes
1. Instructions are written for Preemie size with other sizes shown in [ ]. If only one number is given it
applies to all sizes.
2. Stitch gauge is more important than row gauge. If your row gauge is off slightly, work to the inches
listed in each section rather than the number of rows. You may need to adjust the number of sleeve
decreases to obtain the correct sizing. The simplest way to do so would be to work a few rows more or
less in the top sleeve section depending on whether you need more or less decrease to reach the
desired wrist stitch number.
3. To simplify the seed stitch edgings each section should have an odd number of stitches once you reach
the edging. In general, put the “seam” stitches of the raglan increases (the k1 between the increase
stitches) with your sleeve stitches when dividing up to work sleeves; however, leave them with the front
or back section as necessary to keep each section at an odd number.
4. The Button band Includes short row shaping which allows the back of the neck section of the band to
be slimmer fitting on a small babies neck while still allowing enough band space for buttons.

PATTERN

Cast on as follows
CO 1 st, pm, CO 8[8, 9 , 10) sts, pm, CO 22[25, 25, 28] sts, pm, CO 8[8, 9, 10] sts, pm, CO 2 sts. [41, 44, 46,
51 sts]
Next row: purl all stitches.

Begin Raglan and V-neck increases

Row 1: Kfb, knit to marker, work M1L, sl m., k1, work M1R, knit to marker, work M1L, sl m., k1, work M1R,
knit to marker, work M1L, sl m., k1, work M1R, knit to marker, work M1L, sl m., k1, work M1R, work to last
stitch, kfb.
Row 2: purl all stitches.
Work these two rows until piece measures 1.5[1.75, 1.75, 2 inches] from cast on edge. [111, 124, 126, 141
sts.]

Raglan Yoke
Row 1: knit to marker, work M1L, sl m., k1, work M1R, knit to marker, work M1L, sl m., k1, work M1R, knit to
marker, work M1L, sl m., k1, work M1R, knit to marker, work M1L, sl m., k1, work M1R, knit to end.
Row 2: purl all stitches.

Work these two rows until piece measures 4[4.5, 5, 5.5 inches], measuring along raglan seam. Stitch counts
for each section are as follows: Left Front: 28 {31, 33, 37] sts; Sleeves (each side): 48 [52, 57, 64] sts; Back:
62 [69, 73, 82] sts; Right Front: 29 [32, 34, 38] sts. End this section having worked Row 2. [215, 236, 254,
285 sts.]

With waste yarns and darning needles, slip left front section to yarn to hold. Slip left sleeve stitches to spare
needle or other end of circular, these are the next stitches you will work. Resuming with darning needle, slip
back stitches to waste yarn with front stitches. With a second piece of waste yarn, slip right sleeve stitches to
hold, these will be worked after left sleeve. Slip right front to waste yarn to hold. Tie the two ends of the
waste yarn together to hold stitches securely while you work left sleeve.

Sleeves (work 2 times)

Count your sleeve stitches. If you have less than the number listed above, determine how many are missing
and divide by 2; you are going to cast on half of them before picking up the sleeve stitches and the other half
after. If you have a few more than the number above, don’t worry, babies can always use a little extra wiggle
room. If you have the number listed above or a few more, cast on 1[2, 2, 2] stitches before picking up and
knitting your sleeve stitches and 2 more after. Be sure there are an odd number of stitches, it will make the
seed stitch cuff easier. (51[56, 61, 68] stitches)

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 Delicate Beginnings
Designed by Margaret Testa
www.afewsheepshyofafarm.

Knit on right side and purl on wrong side for 14 rows.

On next Right side row begin decreases as follows:

K2, ssk, knit to last 4 stitches, k2tog, k2. Work this decrease row every 5th row 8[9, 10, 11] times until 40[45,
50, 55] rows have been worked. Continue knitting on right side and purling on wrong side on non-decrease
rows. In final row before cuff, count the number of stitches you have, if you have an even number work one
decrease by k2tog in the middle of the row before beginning seed stitch. [35, 38, 41, 46 sts].

Cuff
Work seed stitch for 7 rows, all sizes as follows: *k1, p1* repeat to end always beginning and ending with a
k1. Work all 7 rows the same as above. Bind off all stitches loosely, in pattern. Pick up sleeve stitches from
waste yarn and repeat as above for second sleeve.

Body
Transfer all remaining stitches from waste yarn to needle. Beginning on a right side, knit across all 28[31, 33,
37] left front stitches, co 1[1, 1, 1] stitches by backward loop, knit across all back stitches, co 1[2, 2, 1]
stitches by backward loop, knit remaining 29[32, 34, 38] front stitches. [121, 135, 143, 159] sts.

Working in Stockinette stitch, knitting all stitches on the right side, purling all stitches on the wrong side,
continue until piece measures 9[10, 11.5, 12] inches from cast on edge. Pause after a purl row to count your
stitches. If you find you have an even number, work one k2tog decrease somewhere during this last row so
that you have an odd number.

Begin bottom edging

*k1, p1* repeat, ending with a k1. Repeat this row 10 times for bottom cuff. Cast off loosely, in pattern.

Button Bands and Neck Edging

Draw out a length of yarn from the ball equal to slightly more than 3x the length of the entire opening to be
edged, or approximately 2-3 yds. Hold the yarn so that you begin working with the section near the ball of
yarn and work in the direction of the tail end of the yarn as you pick up stitches. With the right side of sweater
facing, start at the lower right front corner of the button band pick up stitches as follows: 49[55, 63, 65]
stitches, place marker, continuing onto neck pick up 67[73, 75, 83] stitches, place marker, pick up 49[55, 63,
65] stitches down left front.

Begin seed stitch edging

Work the Right front button band for two rows as follows. Starting with a *k1, p1* repeat to marker ending
with a k1. Holding marker out of the way, wrap the next stitch which is the first neck edge stitch then turn
work and replace marker. Work back to bottom edge in *k1, p1* seed stitch, always beginning and ending
with a knit stitch.
Row 3: *K1, p1* to marker, ending k1 just before marker. Pick up wrap and work with the stitch it wraps.
Begin neck edge section with *p1, k1* and continue to next marker (stitch before 2nd marker should be a purl
stitch). Continue in pattern for seed stitch down the left front button band, beginning and ending with k1.
Row 4: *K1, p1* repeat to second marker. If working sweater with boys button band, continue working in
pattern to end of row. For Girls sweater, work 6[6, 7, 7} evenly placed button holes by working yo, k2tog (or
p2tog) to maintain seed stitch pattern.
Row 5: *k1, p1* ending with a k1.
Row 6: If working sweater with a Girls button band, work *k1, p1*, seed stitch for entire row.
For Boys sweater, work 6[6, 7, 7] evenly placed button holes by working yo, k2tog (or p2tog) to maintain
seed stitch pattern.
Row 7: work same as row 5.
Row 8: work same as row 5.
Row 9: Beginning at lower right front edge, bind off in pattern up front button band and around neck edge to
2nd stitch marker. Work left front button band in seed stitch *k1, p1* ending with k1.

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 Delicate Beginnings
Designed by Margaret Testa
www.afewsheepshyofafarm.

Row 10: Work same as row 5 on remaining stitches.

Row 11: bind off remaining stitches in pattern.

Finishing:
Using Mattress stitch, sew sleeve seams and underarm seams.
Weave in all remaining ends.
Sew buttons on button band.

All images and Pattern © Margaret Testa 2010.

This patterns is for personal use only. You may not sell items made from this pattern. Merchants may not download or print this pattern
for sale, free distribution, or class use. Downloading the pattern constitutes agreement with these terms. To obtain additional copies or
usage permissions please contact the designer.

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