Preemie baby set
Create a mini layette for your nearest and dearest when you cast on this lacy cardigan and pretty matching hat. By Angela Turner
Note When casting on and casting off sts loosely use a knitting needle one size larger to help give a neat finish and leave a long tail to use for sewing seams. This will help keep your knits neater as well as making the seam more secure.
The Cardigan is worked in one piece to armholes.
Cast on 107 (125: 143: 155: 167: 179) sts using 3.75mm needles. Knit 2 rows.
BEGIN LACE PATTERN
Row 1 (RS) K3, (yrn, P1, p3tog, P1, yo, K1) 17 (20: 23: 25: 27: 29) times, K2.
Row 2 (WS) K3, purl to last 3 sts K3.
Row 3 Knit.
Row 4 K3, purl to last 3 sts, K3.
These 4 rows set pattern.
Work pattern another 8 (9: 10: 11: 12: 12) times, then work Rows 1 and 2 once more.
Change to 3.25mm needles.
Next row (RS dec) K1, yo, k2tog [buttonhole], (K6 (8: 9: 10: 7: 5), k2tog) to last 8 (2: 8: 8: 2: 8) sts, K8 (2: 8: 8: 2: 8).
[95 (113: 131: 143: 149: 155) sts]
Next row Knit.
SEPARATE BODY AT ARMHOLES
Next row (RS) K23 (27: 31: 34: 35: 36) and put these sts on a stitch holder for Right Front, cast off 3 (3: 5: 5: 5: 5) sts, knit until you have 43 (53: 59: 65: 69: 73) sts on right needle after cast offs, and put rem 26 (30: 36: 39: 40: 41) sts on a separate stitch holder for Left Front.
Turn and continue on last 43 (53: 59: 65: 69: 73) sts for Back.
BACK SHAPE ARMHOLES
Dec row (WS) P2tog, purl to last 2 sts, p2tog. [2 sts dec’d] Dec row (RS) K2tog, knit to last 2 sts, k2tog. [2 sts dec’d] Rep last 2 rows another 1 (1: 0: 0: 0: 0) time.
[35 (45: 55: 61: 65: 69) sts]
Purl 1 row.
Work RS dec row again. [2 sts dec’d]
Rep last 2 rows another 0 (0: 1: 2: 3: 3) time(s). [33 (43: 51: 55: 57: 61) sts]
Beg with a WS (purl) row, work in st st for 17 (21: 27: 31: 33: 35) rows, ending after a WS row.
Cast off.
RIGHT FRONT
With WS facing and 3.25mm needles, rejoin yarn to 23 (27: 31: 34: 35: 36) sts on st holder.
SHAPE ARMHOLE
Dec row (WS) P2tog, purl to last 3 sts, K3. [1 st dec’d] Dec row (RS) Knit to last 2 sts, k2tog. [1 st dec’d] Rep last 2 rows another 1 (1: 0: 0: 0: 0) time.
[19 (23: 29: 32: 33: 34) sts]
Next row (WS) Purl to last 3 sts, K3. Work RS dec row again. [1 st dec’d]
Rep last 2 rows another 0 (0: 1: 2: 3: 3) time(s). [18 (22: 27: 29: 29: 30) sts]
Beg with a WS (purl) row, work 1 (3: 9: 11: 13: 15) rows straight, keeping 3-st garter stitch border at front edge and rem sts in st st, and ending after a WS row.
Next row K1, yo, k2tog [buttonhole], knit to end. Next row Purl to last 3 sts, K3.
SHAPE NECK
Next row K3 and put these sts on a safety pin, cast off 2 (2: 2: 3: 3: 4) sts and knit to end. [13 (17: 22: 23: 23: 23) sts]
Dec row (WS) Purl to last 2 sts, p2tog. [1 st dec’d] Dec row (RS) K2tog, knit to end. [1 st dec’d] Rep last 2 rows another 1 (1: 2: 2: 2: 2) time(s). [9 (13: 16: 17: 17: 17) sts]
Purl 1 row.
Work RS dec row again. [1 sts dec’d]
Rep last 2 rows another 0 (1: 1: 1: 0: 0) time(s). [8 (11: 14: 15: 16: 16) sts]
Beg with a WS (purl) row, work in st st for 7 (7: 5: 7: 9: 9) rows, ending after a WS row.
Cast off.
LEFT FRONT
With RS facing and 3.25mm needles, rejoin yarn to 26 (30: 36: 39: 40: 41) sts on st holder.
SHAPE ARMHOLE
Next row (RS) Cast off 3 (3: 5: 5: 5: 5) sts, knit to end. [23 (27: 31: 34: 35: 36) sts]
Dec row (WS) K3, purl to last 2 sts, p2tog. [1 st dec’d] Dec row (RS) K2tog, knit to end. [1 st dec’d]
Rep last 2 rows another 1 (1: 0: 0: 0: 0) time.
[19 (23: 29: 32: 33: 34) sts]
Next row (WS) K3, purl to end.
Work RS dec row again. [1 st dec’d]
Rep last 2 rows another 0 (0: 1: 2: 3: 3) time(s). [18 (22: 27: 29: 29: 30) sts]
Beg with a WS (purl) row, work 2 (4: 10: 12: 14: 16) rows straight, keeping 3-st garter stitch border at front edge and rem sts in st st, and ending after a RS row.
SHAPE NECK
Next row (WS) K3 and put these on a safety pin, cast off 2 (2: 2: 3: 3: 4) sts, purl to end. [13 (17: 22: 23: 23: 23) sts]
Dec row (RS) Knit to last 2 sts, k2tog. [1 st dec’d] Dec row (WS) P2tog, purl to end. [1 st dec’d] Rep last 2 rows another 1 (1: 2: 2: 2: 2) time(s). [9 (13: 16: 17: 17: 17) sts]
Knit 1 row.
Work WS dec row again. [1 sts dec’d]
Rep last 2 rows another 0 (1: 1: 1: 0: 0) time(s).
[8 (11: 14: 15: 16: 16) sts]
Beg with a RS (knit) row, work in st st for 8 (10: 12: 12: 10: 10) rows, ending after a WS row.
Cast off.
SLEEVES
Cast on 31 (33: 35: 39: 41: 45) sts using 3.25mm needles.
Knit 2 rows.
Next row (RS) K1 (2: 3: 2: 3: 2), (yrn, P1, p3tog, P1, yo, K1) to last 0 (1: 2: 1: 2: 1) sts, K0 (1: 2: 1: 2: 1).
Next row (WS) K1, purl to last st, K1.
Beg with a RS (knit) row, work in st st for 6 rows, ending after a WS row.
Inc row (RS) Kfb, knit to last 2 sts, kfb, K1. [2 sts inc’d]
Beg with a WS (purl) row, work in st st for 9 (9: 9: 11: 9: 11) rows, ending after a WS row.
Work RS inc row again. [2 sts inc’d]
Rep last 10 (10: 10: 12: 10: 12) rows another 1 (2: 3: 3: 4: 4) time(s). [37 (41: 45: 49: 53: 57) sts]
Beg with a WS (purl) row, work in st st for 5 (1: 1: 1: 5: 1) row(s), ending after a WS row.
SHAPE SLEEVE TOP
Cast off 2 (2: 3: 3: 3: 3) sts at beg of next 2 rows.
[33 (37: 39: 43: 47: 51) sts]
Dec row (RS) K2tog, knit to last 2 sts, k2tog. [2 sts dec’d]
SIZES NEWBORN, 3M, 6M, 12M AND 18M ONLY
Beg with a WS (purl) row, work in st st for 3 rows, ending after a WS row.
Rep dec row. [2 sts dec’d]
Rep last 4 rows another - (2: 3: 4: 6: 7) times.
[- (29: 29: 31: 31: 33) sts]
ALL SIZES
Purl 1 row.
Rep dec row. [2 sts dec’d]
Rep last 2 rows another 1 (0: 0: 0: 0: 1) time. [27 (27: 27: 29: 29: 29) sts]
Cast off.
NECK EDGING
Join both shoulders.
With RS facing, and 3.25mm needles, rejoin yarn and knit across 3 held sts of Right Front neck, pick up and knit 2 (2: 2: 3: 3: 4) sts across Right Front neck cast offs, pick up and knit 14 (16: 16: 18: 18: 18) sts up Right Front neck, pick up and knit 17 (21: 23: 25: 25: 29) sts across Back neck, pick up and knit 14 (16: 16: 18: 18: 18) sts down Left Front neck, pick up and knit 2 (2: 2: 3: 3: 4) sts across Left Front neck cast offs, knit across 3 held sts of Left Front neck. [55 (63: 65: 73: 73: 79) sts]
Knit 1 row.
Cast off loosely.
MAKING UP
Ease Sleeve tops into armholes and sew in place.
Seam Sleeves and side seams.
Sew buttons to button band opposite buttonholes, taking care to ensure they are secure.
Weave in ends. HAT
Cast on 67 (73: 79: 85: 91: 97) sts using 3.75mm needles. Knit 2 rows.
BEGIN LACE PATTERN
Row 1 K1, (yrn, P1, p3tog, P1, yo, K1) 11 (12: 13: 14: 15: 16) times. Row 2 Purl to end.
Row 3 Knit.
Row 4 Purl.
These 4 rows set pattern.
Work pattern twice more, inc 5 sts evenly across last row. [72 (78: 84: 90: 96: 102) sts]
Change to 3.25mm needles. Work 8 row sin K 1, P 1 rib.
Beg with a WS (purl) row, work 17 (25: 27: 29: 33: 37) rows in st st, ending after a WS row.
SHAPE CROWN
Set-up row (RS) (K6 (4: 4: 4: 6: 4), k2tog, PM) 8 (12: 13: 14: 11: 16) times, K6 (4: 4: 4: 6: 4), k2tog. [63 (65: 70: 75: 84: 85) sts]
Next row (WS) Purl.
Dec row (RS) (Knit to 2 sts before marker, k2tog) to end. [9 (13: 14: 15: 12: 17) sts dec’d]
Rep last 2 rows until 18 (26: 28: 30: 24: 34) sts rem, ending after a purl row.
Next row (RS) (K2tog) 9 (13: 14: 15: 12: 17) times. [9 (13: 14: 15: 12: 17) sts]
Break yarn and thread through rem sts. Join Hat seam, taking care to match pattern, and tie in all loose ends securely. Turn right side out, press lightly and fold ribbed edge upwards.