This is a crochet pattern for my beginner-friendly baby sweater – Into The Woods. Find out what inspired me to design this pattern and what yarn I chose, and learn how to create the perfect baby sweater.
FREE PATTERN: Keep scrolling for the FREE version of the Orange Pumpkin Shoes.
PRINTABLE PDF: Get a beautifully designed, print-friendly PDF version of the Orange Pumpkin Booties from Ravelry or Etsy.
Designing
This pattern was in the making for a very long time. I shared a little bit of behind-the-scenes and the process of designing itself with my Patrons.
Ever since I saw beautiful knitted sweaters for all ages embroidered with flowers all over Pinterest and Instagram, I could not stop thinking about designing a crochet sweater similar to the ones I fell in love with.
I started with the main piece. The sweater. My favorite yarn, and the yarn I use the most, is cotton. Usually, Aran weight, but also DK weight, is something I use A LOT in my patterns. However, cotton yarn is not a stretchy fiber. You can create a semi-stretchy fabric by using a sc BLO stitch pattern. But that is not the look I wanted.
So, I dug deeper into my yarn stash and found a beautiful wool yarn called Drops Flora. I also tested Drops Nord, and I found out that you can use them both. The finished result is almost identical.
The yarn made the sweater super stretchy and warm. Crocheting with a small crochet hook and wool yarn, which can be very slippery to work with, needed a little bit of practice. But after a couple of rows and rounds, that wasn’t an issue anymore.
For me, a bigger challenge than designing a sweater was picking the motive I wanted to embroider around the yoke. I went through a couple of different designs and ended up with a beautiful spruce tree. The color choice, which was light brown for the sweater and dark brown and green for the trees, is beautiful. Nature inspired.
Don’t worry; for those who want flowers around the yoke instead of the spruce trees, I created a simple tutorial that will teach you both tees and flowers.
VIDEO TUTORIAL
Follow the video tutorial for more into detail instructions. I also share a bunch of tips and tricks which would be hard to share in a simple blog post. And don’t forget. You can find the written instructions below. I wish you a happy crocheting!
MATERIALS
- Drops Flora is a fingering weight (14 wpi or number 1 – super fine) yarn. You will need approximately two skeins of yarn to finish the crochet baby sweater for 0 – 6 months. There are two types of Drops Flora yarn uni color and mix. I personally prefer a mix, because of how rich the colors are. But the color choice is 100% up to you.
- The yarn I choose for my sweater is Drops Flora brown mix 08 and Drops Nord Lemongrass mix 10 for the treas.
- 3.0 mm crochet hook for the ribbing around the neck and around the waist.
- 3.5 mm crochet hook for the body and the sleeves.
- stitch markers (optional)
- scissors
- yarn needle (thick needle with a large eye).
GAUGE
Work 20 stitches and 18 rows in HDC using a 3.5 mm crochet hook and a Fingering weight yarn to measure 10 x 10 cm (5 x 5 inches).
Please check the gauge before you start crocheting the sweater. I know how tempting it is to start right away, but not checking that gauge might affect the size of the finished object.
STITCHES AND ABBREVIATIONS
- ch – chain
- st/sts – stitch/stitches
- sc – single crochet
- ss – slip stitch
- BLO – work into back loops only
- hdc – half double crochet
There are no special crochet stitches or stitch patterns that you need to learn additionally to basic crochet stitches to finish this project.
PATTERN NOTES
- For this crochet baby sweater pattern, you will need to know basic crochet stitches (sc, ss, and hdc).
- The chain at the beginning of the round also called the turning chain, does not count as a stitch unless otherwise stated.
- Work everything in ( ) as a group and repeat it as many times as written in the pattern.
- All rows/rounds start in the first stitch of the row/round unless otherwise stated.
- This crochet pattern is written mostly in rounds. The exceptions are the ribbings around the yoke, waist, and wrists. Join each round with a slip stitch (ss) made into the first stitch of the round.
- Slip stitch does not count as a stitch in the pattern unless otherwise stated.
- The pattern for larger sizes is written in the [ ].
- If the number is written before the stitch: 3 hdc = work 3 hdc sts into the same stitch.
- If the number is written after the stitch: hdc 3 = work 1 hdc into each of the next 3 sts.
- The number at the end of each row/round is the total amount of sts in that row/round.
- The pattern is written in US crochet terms.
- The sweater is meant to have a comfortable fit.
- The finished measurements for the baby sweater in size 0 – 6 months: chest 40 cm or 15.75 inches and length 22.5 cm or 8.85 cm.
- Please note that the yarn used in the video tutorial is 100% cotton yarn and not the yarn I used for the original design. I used cotton yarn in the pattern because it shows the stitches more clearly.
PIN IT now, crochet it later!
Pin the project to your favorite Pinterest board and save it for later when you have the right yarn, more time, or simply because your crochet hooks are way too busy right now.
PDF Crochet Pattern
The PDF crochet pattern is a great solution for those who prefer to work offline, need additional sizes, or just want to support my work. This beautifully designed PDF pattern can be found in shops on Etsy and Ravelry.
You can also join me on Patreon. The creative bug membership offers a new pattern every month and a peak behind the scenes at how the pattern was made and what materials did I use, and why.
INSTRUCTIONS
Crochet Baby Sweater Pattern – Into The Woods
Please, read the instructions carefully. Don’t skip any parts of the pattern, and make sure you do not accidentally lose or add additional stitches to the pattern. That might affect the final look of your design.
RIBBING
Take a 3.5 mm crochet hook and the yarn in color brown.
Create a foundation chain made of 7 [8] chains.
Start in the 2nd ch from the hook.
Work in back bumps.
Row 1: Sc 6. = 7 sts.
Join both ends of the ribbing together with a row of slip stitches made into BLO.
Don’t cut the yarn. Continue with the yoke.
YOKE
Ch 1. Work your first round of the yoke around the ribbing.
Don’t skip any rows on the ribbing.
Start each round with ch 1 (to lift the round to a proper height).
After each round, join the round with a ss.
Use 3.5 mm crochet hook.
Round 1: Repeat (Work 1 hdc into each of the next 5. Work 2 hdc into the same.) 10 times. = 70 sts.
Round 2: Hdc 70. = 70 sts.
Round 3: Rep (Work 1 hdc into each of the next 6. Work 2 hdc into the same.) 10 times. = 80 sts.
Round 4: Hdc 80. = 80 sts.
Round 5: Rep (Work 1 hdc into each of the next 7. Work 2 hdc into the same.) 10 times. = 90 sts.
Round 6: Hdc 90. = 90 sts.
Round 7: Rep (Work 1 hdc into each of the next 8. Work 2 hdc into the same.) 10 times. = 100 sts.
Round 8: Hdc 100. = 100 sts.
Round 9: Rep (Work 1 hdc into each of the next 9. 2 hdc into the same.) 10 times. = 110 sts.
Round 10: Hdc 110. = 110 sts.
Round 11: Rep (Work 1 hdc into each of the next 10. 2 hdc into the same.) 10 times. = 120 sts.
Round 12: Hdc 120. = 120 sts.
Round 13: Rep (Work 1 hdc into each of the next 11. 2 hdc into the same.) 10 times. = 130 sts.
Round 14: Hdc 130. = 130 sts.
Round 15: Hdc 130. = 130 sts.
Don’t cut the yarn. Continue with the body.
BODY
Continue working in rounds. Use 3.5 mm crochet hook.
Start each round with ch 1 (to lift the round to a proper height).
After eachround, join the round with a ss.
Round 1: Hdc 19. Place the marker into the last. Skip 28. Place the marker into the next st. Hdc 37. Place the marker into the last. Skip 28. Place the marker into the first. Hdc 18. = 130 sts.
Round 2 – 14: Hdc 74. = 74 sts.
RIBBING – BODY
Use 3.0 mm crochet hook. Ch 6. Start in the 2nd ch from the hook.
Work into back bumps.
Row 1 (down): Sc 5. Ss 1 (attaching stitch).
Row 2 (up) : Skip the ss. Work into BLO. Sc 5.
Row 3 (down): Ch 1. Turn. BLO. Sc 5. Ss 1.
Row 4 (up): Skip the ss. Work into BLO. Sc 5.
Continue repeating rows of SC sts all the way to the end of the ribbing.
Once you meet the first end of the ribbing, join the ribbing with a few slip stitches or simply use a yarn needle and a yarn tail to close the seam.
Note: If your rows on the ribbing are too close together, making the ribbing too loose, use ss 2, instead of ss 1, for the attaching stitch.
Make sure you skip the attaching slip stitches in your next row. Otherwise, you will accidentally add one/ two additional stitch/es to the ribbing.
SLEEVES
Use 3.5 mm crochet hook.
Start in one of the stitch markers and work your sts towards the next stitch marker. Work in rounds.
After each round, join the round with a slip stitch.
Round 1 – 11: Ch 1. Hdc 30. Ss. Turn. = 30 sts.
Join both ends of the ribbing with a row of slip stitches made into the BLO of both ends of the ribbing at the same time.
You can also use a yarn tail and a tapestry needle and join the ends of the ribbing together that way.
Don’t cut the yarn.
Continue with the ribbing. Then repeat the steps for the second sleeve.
SLEEVE – RIBBING
Use the 3.0 mm crochet hook.
Ch 6. Start in the 2nd ch from the hook. Work into back bumps.
Row 1 (down): Sc 5. Ss 1 (attaching stitch).
Row 2 (up) : Skip the ss. Work into BLO. Sc 5.
Row 3 (down): Ch 1. Turn. BLO. Sc 5. Ss 1.
Row 4 (up): Skip the ss. Work into BLO. Sc 5.
Continue repeating rows of SC sts to the end of the ribbing. Join the ribbing with a row of ss or a tapestry needle and the remaining yarn tail. Cut the yarn and fasten off.
DID YOU TRY OUT THIS PATTERN?
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