Dolly Mixture baby set on Ravelry

I've decided to see if anyone's willing to pay for my patterns - I'll still be posting freebies too, but this baby set took a lot of working out to get right, so here goes! It's available as a Ravelry download for £2.50. It comes in one size only, hence the relatively low price - 18" chest, or approximate age 3 to 6 months, commonly known (at least in the UK) as "second size".

I made an alternative version suitable for a boy, minus the flower on the hat. The yarn I used is what inspired the name - the lavender colourway reminded me of those sweets we used to get as kids! The variegated yarns are Jarol New Arrival, which is available in lots of colour mixes, brights as well as pastels. The plain yarns are Woolcraft New Fashion, but any 100% DK yarn that knits to the required tension is fine - the most important thing is to match the plain yarn to one of the colours in the print yarn.

There are a couple of techniques used in this pattern that may be unfamiliar, but don't be put off - they are easy to learn.
The first is the I-cord, used for the hat ties - most US knitters will know this already, but UK knitters are more likely to know it as French Knitting or "corkwork". We used to make our own "Knitting Nancy" from a wooden cotton reel and four nails. The lucky ones among us had a manufactured version with staples, which was much easier to use. The I-cord is simply the same thing knitted on two double-pointed needles - see Knitting Daily blog here for instructions. You can use 3, 4 or 5 stitches depending on the thickness of cord required.
The second technique is the Cable cast on used in the hat - a good explanation of this technique can be found on the Knitting Daily blog here. This is a 2-needle cast-on which is more elastic than the normal method.
Happy knitting!

Outfits for 16 inch baby doll - part 2

Cardigan, trousers and hat

Materials:

4-ply yarn in white and kingfisher

Pair size 3.25 mm (UK 10) needles

Pair size 3 mm (UK 11) needles

4 buttons

Shirring elastic (to match trousers)

Tension:

7 sts to 1 inch over st st

Measurements:

To fit a 15 to 16 in baby doll: chest 11.5 in, waist 12 in, sleeve seam 3 in, leg seam 4 in, head circumference 12 in.

Trousers

(make 2 pieces)

Using kingfisher and 3.25 mm needles, cast on 40 sts. K 3 rows.

Change to st st, inc 1 st at each end of next and foll 6^th rows until there are 50 sts. Work straight until piece measures 4 in (another 7 rows) or inside leg length required.

Cast off 2 sts at start of next 2 rows. Dec 1 st at each end of next 3 rows (40 sts).

Work straight until piece measures 6½ in (another 19 rows) or length from ankle to waist.

Change to 3 mm needles and work 6 rows k1, P1 rib. Cast of loosely in rib.

Join front and back body seams. Join inside leg seams. Thread 3 double lengths of shirring elastic through the back of the ribbing and tie off to secure.

Cardigan

Back

Using white and 3.25 mm needles, cast on 43 sts. Work 5 rows in K1, P1 rib.

Join in Kingfisher and work 2 rows st st (do not cut white yarn, but carry yarn not in use up the side of the work, taking care not to pull it too tight.)

Work 2 rows st st in white. Continuing the stripe pattern,. Work until piece measures 3 in (22 rows st st).

Cast off 2 sts at start of next 2 rows. Dec 1 st at each end of next and following alt rows until 17 sts remain. Leave these sts on a stitch holder.

Left front

Using white and 3.25 mm needles, cast on 19 sts. Work 5 rows in K1, P1 rib.

Work 22 rows in st st stripe patt as for back.

Cast off 2 sts at start of next row. P 1 row.

Dec 1 st at start of next and following alt rows until 10 sts remain.

Continuing to dec on alt rows at armhole edge, cast off 2 sts at neck edge at start of next row, then dec 1 st at neck edge on next and every alt row until 2 sts remain. K2 tog and fasten off.

Right front

Work as for left front, reversing all shapings.

Sleeves (make 2)

Using white and 3.25 mm needles, cast on 33 sts. Work 5 rows in K1, P1 rib.

Continue in stripe patt as for back, work 22 rows straight.

Cast off 2 sts at start of next 2 rows. Dec 1 st at each end of next and following alt rows until 7 sts remain. Leave these sts on a stitch holder.

Neckband

With RS facing, using 3.25 mm needles and white yarn, pick up and knit 7 sts up right side of neck, K across 7 sts at top of first sleeve, then 17 sts from back and 7 sts from top of second sleeve, and finally pick up and K 7 sts down left side of neck (45 sts). 

Work 3 rows K1, P1 rib. Cast off loosely in rib.

Button band

With RS facing, using 3.25 mm needles and white yarn, pick up and knit 33 sts along left front edge.

Work 5 rows K1, P1 rib. Cast off loosely in rib.

Buttonhole band

With RS facing, using 3.25 mm needles and white yarn, pick up and knit 33 sts along right front edge.

Work 2 rows K1, P1 rib.

Buttonhole row: Rib 2, (yfwd, K2tog, rib 7) 3 times, yfwd, K2tog, rib 2.

Work 2 rows K1, P1 rib. Cast off loosely in rib.

To make up

Join raglan seams. Join side and sleeve seams. Darn all ends into seams. Neaten buttonholes and attach 4 buttons to correspond.

Hat

Using white and 3 mm needles, cast on 80 sts. Work 5 rows in K1, P1 rib.

Change to 3.25 mm needles and work 12 rows in stripe patt as for cardigan.

Next row: (K8, K2tog) to end

Next row: P

Next row: (K7, K2tog) to end

Next row: P

Continue to dec in this manner until there are 16 sts.

Next row: (K2tog) to end.

Cut yarn leaving a long tail, thread through remaining 8 sts and pull up. Sew to secure gathering, then join seam.

After making several items in mitred square knitting for the home, I finally took the plunge to produce an actual garment using this technique! I had some variegated yarn in my stash, and came up with this jacket for my granddaughter. It's quite simple to knit, the squares get smaller as you progress up the main part. The only tricky parts are the half diamonds at the front and top edges; hopefully my instructions will be clear enough.

You can use any yarn that knits to the correct tension: I prefer to use 100% acrylic for kids' clothes, as it washes easily, dries quickly and doesn't itch. Don't iron or tumble dry it though, and wash it at 30 degress C, or it will go out of shape very quickly.
You could ring the changes by making the diamonds in rows of different solid colours, with a plain or striped yoke and sleeves. Be creative!

Toddler’s Domino Hooded Jacket

Materials: 

3 x 100g balls variegated/self striping DK yarn

Pair UK 9/3.75mm needles

3.5mm crochet/afghan hook (with point at other end)

5 buttons

Tension:

24 sts to 4 in (10 cm) on 3.75 mm needles over stocking stitch

Measurements:

To fit approximately 2 to 4 years

Chest 22 in (actual measurement 25 in)

Sleeve seam 10 in

Abbreviations:

K      knit
P       purl
M1    make 1 st by picking up loop between 2 sts and knitting into the back of it
st st   stocking stitch 
g st    garter stitch (every row knit)
tbl      through back of loops
tog     together
st(s)   stitch(es)
S1     slip one without knitting
psso   pass slipped stitch over
RS     right side
WS   wrong side 

Main part

First diamond row

With 3.75mm needles, cast on 36 sts.

Foundation row: K2tog, K to last 2 sts, K2tog.

** Next row (RS): K to centre 4 sts, K2tog, S1, K1, psso, K to end.

Next row (WS): K

Repeat these two rows until 4 sts remain.

Next row (RS): K2tog, S1, K1, psso

Next row: K2tog, cut yarn and pull through to fasten off.

Make 7 more diamonds like this.

Second diamond row

Using 3.5mm Afghan hook, pick up 17 sts along the top left edge of one black diamond, then 17 sts along the top right edge of another.

Transfer the 34 sts to a 3.75mm knitting needle from the pointed end of the hook.

Foundation row: K2tog tbl, K tbl to last 2 sts, K2tog tbl.

Continue as for first diamond from ** above.

Work a further 6 diamonds like this between the ones made for the first row.

Half diamond – left hand edge

Using Afghan hook, pick up 17 sts along top right edge of the second row diamond at the left hand edge (right side facing you). Transfer sts to 3.75 mm needle.

Foundation row: K2tog tbl, K to end.

Next row: K to last 2 sts, K2tog

Next row: K

Repeat last 2 rows till 2 sts remain. K2tog and fasten off.

Half diamond – right hand edge

Using Afghan hook, pick up 17 sts along top left edge of the second row diamond at the right hand edge (right side facing you). Transfer sts to 3.75 mm needle.

Foundation row: K tbl to last 2 sts, K2tog tbl

Next row: S1, K1, psso, K to end

Next row: K

Repeat last 2 rows till 2 sts remain. K2tog and fasten off.

Third and remaining diamond rows 

As for second row, but picking up 16 sts per side.

Continue in this manner, picking up one stitch fewer on each side for each row of diamonds until ypu have worked a row with 11 sts each side (7 rows of diamonds in all).

Top edge half diamonds

Work horizontal half diamonds between the last row as follows:

Pick up 10 sts each side as above. Work foundation row.

Next row: K to centre 4 sts, K2tog, S1, K1, psso, K to last st, turn (leaving 1 sts on other needle.)

Next row: K to last st, turn.

Continue in this manner, decreasing twice at the centre and leaving one more st on the needle at the end of each row until you have 12 sts left. Cut yarn and place these 12 sts on a large safety pin.

Repeat for the other 7 horizontal half diamonds.

The main part complete - note the half diamonds, and the safety pins holding the stitches!

Yoke

With RS facing, pick up and knit 1 st at start of row. Work across 12 sts on first safety pin as follows: **K5, M1, K2, M1, K5. Pick up and knit 4 sts from gap between diamonds. 

Repeat from **6 times more, then K5, M1, K2, M1, K5, and finally pick up and K 1 st at end of row (142 sts)

Work 9 rows garter st, then 2 rows st st, ending with a purl row.

Divide for front and back sections: K 31, cast off 6, K 68, cast off 6, K 31.

Left front

Next row (WS): P31, dec 1 sts at armhole edge of this and next 4 rows (26 sts)

Decrease on K rows only until 14 sts remain.

Cast off 4 sts at start of next neck edge row.

Dec 1 st at neck edge on next 3 rows, at the same time continue to dec 1 st at armhole edge on alternate rows, until 2 sts remain.

K2tog and fasten off.

Back

Rejoin yarn to next block of sts, P 68.

Dec 1 st at each end of next and following 4 rows (58 sts).

Dec 1 st at each end of knit rows only until24 sts remain. Cast off.

Right front

Rejoin yarn and P 38. Work right front to correspond with left front, reversing all shaping.

Sleeves (make 2)

Cast on 39 sts and work 1 inch in g st.

Inc row: K4, (inc in next st, K5) 5 times, inc in next st, K4 (45 sts). Working in st st, inc 1 st at each end of next and following 6^th row until you have 59 sts. Continue straight until sleeve measures 10 in.

Raglan shaping: Continuing in st st, 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 RS row until 7 sts remain. Cast off.

Hood

Cast on 113 sts, K 8 rows.

Inc row (WS): K7, (M1, K11) 9 times, M1, K7 (123 sts).

St st 8 rows.

Dec 1 st at each end of next and every alternate row (RS rows) until 101 sts remain.

Work straight in st st until work measures 7 inches in all.

Cast off. Join back seam.

Button band

With RS facing, pick up and knit 85 sts evenly along left front edge. Work 9 rows garter st. Cast off loosely (note: it may help to use a size larger needle).

Buttonhole band

Pick up and knit 85 sts along right front edge as for button band. Work 4 rows garter st.

Next row (WS): K3, (cast off 3, K8) 4 times, cast off 3, K to end.

Next row (RS): K to first buttonhole, (turn, cast on 3, turn, K8) 4 times, turn, cast on 3, turn, K3.

Work 3 more rows garter st. Cast off loosely (see note above).

To make up

Weave in all ends. Join sleeve seams and underarm seams. Attach hood, matching shaped edges to front neck shaping and easing in fullness to neck. Neaten buttonholes by oversewing around them. Attach buttons. Press seams lightly under a dry cloth.