Toddler's rainbow striped hoodie pattern

 This is a pattern for the rainbow-striped hoodie I knitted for my granddaughter Elanor. The pattern is sized for a toddler aged 18 to 24 months, to fit a 22 inch chest. It's really easy to make, using DK yarn - you don't have to use the rainbow colours, it's a great way of using up those leftover yarns stashed in your cupboard.

 

Rainbow Striped Toddler Hoodie

 

Materials: Acrylic DK 100g balls – one each of red, orange, yellow, green , kingfisher , royal blue and purple.

One pair each UK10/3.25 mm and UK8/4 mm knitting needles.

14” open-ended zip in main colour.

Tension: 22 sts and 30 rows to 10 cm.

Measurements: To fit 22” chest (actual measurement 25”)

Back:

Using smaller needles and main colour (red), cast on 71 sts.  Work 15 rows in K1, P1 rib.

Change to larger needles, and working in st st, work 4 rows of each colour in order: purple, royal, kingfisher, green, yellow, orange, red (ie reverse rainbow).  Repeat until work measures 9.5 in (approx 56 rows).

Raglan shaping:  Continuing in pattern, cast off 2 sts at beg of next 2 rows.  Dec 1 st at both ends of next 5 rows, then dec 1 st at both ends of each K row until 21 sts remain.  Cast off.

Left front:

Using smaller needles and main colour, cast on 33 sts.  Work 15 rows in K1, P1 rib.

Change to larger needles, and work 56 rows in pattern as for Back.

Continuing in pattern, cast off 2 sts at beg of next row (armhole edge), P 1 row.

Dec 1 st at armhole edge of next 4 rows.

Dec 1 st at beg of K rows only until work measures 14”, finishing at neck edge.

Cast off 4 sts at beg of next row. Continuing to dec 1 st at armhole edge on K rows, also dec 1 st at neck edge on next 3 rows.

Continue to dec at armhole edge until 2 sts remain. K2 tog and finish off.

Right front:

Work to correspond with left front, but note that you need to work 1 row extra in the first st st stripe, so that the ends of the joined-in yarns will be in the side seam rather than the front edge. 

Sleeves (make 2):

Using smaller needles and main colour, cast on 39 sts and work 14 rows K1 P1 rib.

Inc row: Rib 4, (inc in next st, rib 5) 5 times, inc in next st, rib 4 (45 sts)

Change to larger needles and starting with 5^th row of pattern (omitting first stripe) st st 4 rows.  Continuing in stripe pattern, inc 1 st at each end of next and following 6^th row until you have 57 sts.  Continue straight until sleeve stripes match those on the back and fronts.

Raglan shaping: as for back until 7 sts remain.  Cast off.

Hood:

Using smaller needles and main colour, cast on 113 sts and work 7 rows in K1 P1 rib. 

Change to larger needles and starting with first colour as on the back, work 4 rows st st.

Continuing in stripe pattern, dec 1 st at each end of next row.  P 1 row.  Repeat these 2 rows twice more (107 sts).

Work straight for 22 rows.

Dec 1 st at both ends of each row until 3 sts remain.  K 3 tog and finish off.

Front bands:

Using smaller needles and main colour, pick up and knit 83 sts evenly along left front edge.  Work 2 rows k1 p1 rib.  Cast off loosely in rib (it may help to cast off using the larger needles).

Repeat for right front.

Making up:  Pin out and press pieces lightly under a dry cloth.

Sew raglan seams, then join hood seam and attach hood.  Sew side and sleeve seams, attach zip.  Make tassel in main colour and attach to point of hood,

Pattern and photos © Sixties Spirit 2011