Well, if it works for kids' sweaters ...

For the past year I've been fascinated with sweaters knit from the top down.  I purchased two books to get me started:  Knitting Sweaters from the Top Down by Cathy Carron and Top Down Sweaters by Doreen L. Marquart.  Cathy Carron's book was the most helpful because it covered more of the theory behind custom-knit sweaters.  After searching the internet for a pattern I came across the Ultimate Custom Knit Sweater. 

I read and re-read those instructions for the last 6 months, needing to fully understand it.  And ... in my usual fashion I tweaked it here and there, re-wrote it and plunged in.  The result was everything I'd hoped for.  I wanted a bulky, slightly over-sized sweater to toss on for those cool, crisp fall days outside.  I wanted it long enough to keep my bum warm so I made the body length 17" under the arm and I made the raglan about an inch longer than my actual measurement to accomodate wearing it over a turtleneck. 

For the collar, I began at the left shoulder and cast on stitches all around the neck, then I cast on another 10 stitches overlapping the first 10 stitches.  I knit the collar back and forth in a rib stitch with the first and last 10 stitches in garter stitch, incorporating button holes evenly spaced over the 7 inches of the collar.  In order to have a nice fold-over on the collar, I started with my smaller needles, then went up a size after 2 inches and up another size after another 2 inches.  I'm quite happy with the results.  If it's cold and blustery, I can button the collar up into a nice snug turtleneck.

The pattern is actually very simple.  Knitting without line-by-line instructions  ... not so simple!  But I just plunged in and forged ahead blindly!  I chose a very inexpensive yarn (in case it totally flopped!):  Red Heart Worsted Weight yarn.  The nice thing about the Red Heart yarn is that it actually washes and wears very well.  Well, the pattern really works and the sweater is cozy and comfy and fits fabulously.  The instructions are available in the pattern list on the right.


I'll definitely be knitting more sweaters using this method.  In fact, I can't wait to try it in a finer yarn and a more close-fitting sweater.

Is it possible to make a well-fitting child's sweater?

Little bodies need sweaters just like everyone else.  But little bodies have very different proportions from big bodies.  That was the next challenge from my daughter:  a simple, well-fitting pullover for her little boys.  She had mentioned that their raglan sleeve sweatshirts were the best-fitting things they had.  So I began the search for a basic raglan sleeve sweater pattern in toddler sizes.  Not as easy as you'd think.  I finally found a pattern that had nice styling and dimensions ... but it was a hooded cardigan.  Well, it was time to create my own pattern again.  The result was a simple, quick-knitting pull-over.  My daughter loves the sweaters and they fit so nicely.  Here's the pattern:

Toddler Neck Down Sweater

An easy pullover with raglan sleeves that knits fast and fits well. 

It is knit from the collar down to the hem in one piece.

Materials:
Worsted weight yarn
24” Circular Knitting Needles US size 5½ and 8
Straight Knitting Needles US sizes 5½ and 8
Sizes: 12 mos (18 mos, 2T, 3T)





Neckband:
With smaller needles cast on 64 sts (68, 72, 76). Knit 5, *K1, P1 ribbing to last 5 sts, K5.
Repeat this row for 1 inch. Change to larger needles.
Shape Raglan:
Maintain K5 at beginning and end of each row for button placket, working a buttonhole every 1” on one side.
Row 1: K5, K8, inc 1, PM, K1, inc 1, K4 (5,6,7), inc 1, PM K1, inc1 K18 (20,22,24), inc 1, PM K1, inc 1, K4 (5, 6, 7), inc 1 PM, K1, inc 1, K8, K5
Row 2: K5, purl to last 5 stitches, K5
Row 3: K5, *Knit to within 1 st of marker, inc1, slip marker, K1, inc 1. Repeat from * to last 5 stitches on needles, K5..
Repeat rows 2 and 3 - 10 (11, 12, 13) times.
Next row: K5, Purl 150 (162, 174, 186) sts, K5.
Divide work: K5, K21 (22, 23, 24) – place these sts on a holder (left front); K32 (35, 38, 41) (left sleeve); Place next 44(48, 52, 56) sts on a holder (back); place next 32 )35, 38, 41) sts on a 3rd holder (right sleeve); place remaining 21 (22, 23, 24) sts + 5 Knit stitches on a 4th holder.
Left Sleeve:
Cast on 2 stitches, p across, cast on 2 sts (36, 39, 42, 45 sts total).
Decrease 1 stitch each side every 8th row 5 times to 26 (29, 32, 35) sts.
Work even until sleeve measures 6” (6½, 7, 7½) from underarm, or to 1½“less than desired length. Decrease 0 (1, 2, 3) sts on last row to 26 (28, 30, 32) sts.
Change to smaller needles and work K1,P1 ribbing for 1½“. Bind of loosely.
Right Sleeve: Work same as left sleeve.
Body:
Slip sts of left front onto larger needle, cast on 4 sts, knit across back sts, cast on 4 sts, knit across right front. You should have 94, (100, 106, 112) sts.
Next row: Overlap and knit the 5 placket stitches together to join the round.
Work even in stockinette stitch until piece measures 5¾ (6 ¼, 6½ , 6¾) from underarm, or to 1½“less than desired length.
Change to smaller needles and work in K1,P1 ribbing for 1½“.
Bind off loosely in ribbing. Sew underarm seams and attach buttons. Weave in ends.