I have become a complete convert to knitting from the top down, after reading Barbara Walker's book and then knitting a baby bunting for my best friend. I had always intended to post the pattern to the list, but after I was midway through knitting it, I realized that it was actually three patterns in one! A hood, a cardigan and a baby bunting, all starting from the same place.
The inspiration for this project was a hood that my husband's aunt, the Master Knitter of Stade, made for Jed when he was born. The shaping was so clever that I wanted to copy it. I'm told by a German member of our Cupertino knitters' group that it's quite a common article in Germany, but I hope it will be as new to North American and other knitters as it was to me.
Baby Hood
I used Cynthia Helene's Superwash Merino DK on size 6 needles and got 5.05 sts/in knitting flat in pattern. I used size 5 needles for the ribbing, knit in Bouton D'Or superwash angora, and size 7 dpns when knitting the sleeves in the round.
The pattern is the King Charles Brocade, from Walker's First Treasury.
Row 1 (RS) k1, *p1, k9, p1, k1, repeat from *
Row 2 k1, *p1, k1, p7, k1, p1, k1, repeat from *
Row 3 k1, *p1, k1, p1, k5, (p1, k1) twice, repeat from *
Row 4 p1, *(p1, k1) twice), p3, k1, p1, k1, p2, repeat from *
Row 5 k1, *k2, (p1, k1) three times, p1, k3, repeat from *
Row 6 p1, *p3, (k1, p1) twice, k1, p4, repeat from *
Row 7 k1, *k4, p1, k1, p1, k5, repeat from *
Row 8 Repeat row 6
Row 9 Repeat row 5
Row 10 Repeat row 4
Row 11 Repeat row 3
Row 12 Repeat row 2
Or, for those who prefer charts:
| = knit on RS, purl on WS
- = purl on RS, knit on WS
- |-|||||||-|- 12
| -|-|||||-|-| 11
| |-|-|||-|-|| 10
| ||-|-|-|-||| 9
| |||-|-|-|||| 8
| ||||-|-||||| 7
| |||-|-|-|||| 6
| ||-|-|-|-||| 5
| |-|-|||-|-|| 4
| -|-|||||-|-| 3
- |-|||||||-|- 2
| -|||||||||-| 1
The pattern repeat is the last 12 sts; I've set the first (non-repeat) st on each row off to the left by one space to make it easier to follow.
So, using the angora (or whatever trim yarn you like) and the appropriate needles, cast on 62 sts.
Work 5 rows in k2, p2 ribbing, keeping the first and last stitches as edge stitches. (i.e. slip the last st of every row and knit the first st.)
Switch to the main yarn and needles and purl one row.
Commence pattern and work for 36 rows (three repeats of the pattern) again keeping the first and last sts as edge sts.
On row 38, knit in pattern for 25 sts, (k1, p1) 5 times, SSK.
Turn the work, (k1, p1) 5 times, SSK
Repeat the last row (like turning a heel, with the "heel flap" in seed stitch) 40 times, until there are 20 sts on the needle. Then
Turn the work, work in seed stitch until 3 sts before the gap, p2tog, SSK Repeat this row 7 more times. You should have 4 sts left on the needle.
This is where you have to decide what you're making. If you are leaving it as a hood, use your trim yarn to pick up 60 stitches around the bottom of the hood, knitting the 4 you have left on the needle. Cast on an additional 12 sts on the right side of the hood. Join and knit for 1 round, then 9 rounds in k2, p2 ribbing. Bind off loosely.
Hooded Cardigan
If you've decided to go on, use your main yarn and pick up 61 stitches around the base of the hood, including the 4 you have left on the needle, and then cast on an additional 10 sts on the right side of the hood for a tab. Starting on a WS row and keeping your edge sts, work 4 rows in seed stitch. On the third row, make a yo, k2tog buttonhole 3 sts from the end of the tab. Purl one row, casting off the 10 tab stitches and placing markers as follows: after the 12th, 19th, 42nd, 49th stitches of the 61 you have remaining on the needle. (Don't count the tab stitches when you're placing the markers!)
Now commence the pattern again, keeping the first and last sts on the needle as edge sts, and knitting in pattern only up to the last 2 sts before the marker. When you get to the last 2 sts before the marker, m1, k1, then k1, m1 in the two sts just after the marker. (I knit into the front and back of a st for my m1, but you can use whatever increase you like.)
On each RS row, you'll increase one stitch on each side of each marker, 8 sts every row.
On the WS rows, you'll include the "just made" stitches in the pattern, keeping just the two sts on either side of the marker in plain stocking st.
Since I found it very difficult to get the pattern right at the beginning by eyeballing it, here are charts for the first 17 increase rows:
| = knit on RS, purl on WS
- = purl on RS, knit on WS
E = edge stitch (slip last stitch and knit first st)
M = make 1
Left front:
E|-|||||||M| 1
E-|-||||||||| 2
E|-|-|||||-M| 3
E||-|-|||-|-|| 4
E|||-|-|-|-|M| 5
E||||-|-|-||||| 6
E|||||-|-||||M| 7
E||||-|-|-|||||| 8
E|||-|-|-|-|||M| 9
E||-|-|||-|-||||| 10
E|-|-|||||-|-|-M| 11
E-|-|||||||-|-|-|| 12
E|-|||||||||-|-|M| 13
E-|-|||||||-|-|-||| 14
E|-|-|||||-|-|-||M| 15
E||-|-|||-|-|||-|-|| 16
E|||-|-|-|-|||||-|M| 17
E||||-|-|-|||||||-||| 18
E|||||-|-|||||||||-M| 19
Sleeves:
|
||||||||||| 2 |M-|||||-M| 3 ||-|-|||-|-|| 4 |M|-|-|-|-|M| 5 |||||-|-|-||||| 6 |M||||-|-||||M| 7 ||||||-|-|-|||||| 8 |M|||-|-|-|-|||M| 9 |||||-|-|||-|-||||| 10 |M-|-|-|||||-|-|-M| 11 ||-|-|-|||||||-|-|-|| 12 |M|-|-|||||||||-|-|M| 13 |||-|-|-|||||||-|-|-||| 14 |M-|-|-|-|||||-|-|-|-M| 15 ||-|-|||-|-|||-|-|||-|-|| 16 |
Back:
|
||-|||||||-|-|-|||||||-|| 2 |M|-|||||-|-|-|-|||||-|M| 3 |||-|-|||-|-|||-|-|||-|-||| 4 |M||-|-|-|-|||||-|-|-|-||M| 5 ||||||-|-|-|||||||-|-|-|||||| 6 |M|||||-|-|||||||||-|-|||||M| 7 |||||||-|-|-|||||||-|-|-||||||| 8 |M||||-|-|-|-|||||-|-|-|-||||M| 9 ||-|||-|-|||-|-|||-|-|||-|-|||-|| 10 |M|-|-|-|||||-|-|-|-|||||-|-|-|M| 11 |||-|-|-|||||||-|-|-|||||||-|-|-||| 12 |M||-|-|||||||||-|-|||||||||-|-||M| 13 ||||-|-|-|||||||-|-|-|||||||-|-|-|||| 14 |M|-|-|-|-|||||-|-|-|-|||||-|-|-|-|M| 15 |||-|-|||-|-|||-|-|||-|-|||-|-|||-|-||| 16 |
Right Front:
|M|||||||-|E 1
|||||||||-|-E 2
|M-|||||-|-|E 3
||-|-|||-|-||E 4
|M|-|-|-|-|||E 5
|||||-|-|-||||E 6
|M||||-|-|||||E 7
||||||-|-|-||||E 8
|M|||-|-|-|-|||E 9
|||||-|-|||-|-||E 10
|M||-|-|||||-|-|E 11
||-|-|-|||||||-|-E 12
|M|-|-|||||||||-|E 13
|||-|-|-|||||||-|-E 14
|M-|-|-|-|||||-|-|E 15
||-|-|||-|-|||-|-||E 16
|M|-|||||-|-|-|-|||E 17
Continue in this way for a total of 32 rows.
Then knit the first 31 sts (left front) in pattern, knit the next 33 sts onto dpns, cast on 3 sts and join.
Knit the left sleeve in the round, continuing in pattern, for 5 inches. Then (k1, k2tog) 12 times and break the yarn.
Switch to the trim yarn and appropriate needles, knit one round, and then knit 4 rounds of k2, p2 ribbing.
Cast off loosely.
Go back to the beginning of the back section and, making sure that the pattern continues unbroken from both the previous row and the left front, knit in pattern for 61 sts. Again knit the next 33 sts onto dpns, cast on 3 sts, join and complete the right sleeve as for the left sleeve.
Finally, join the yarn for the right front and knit 30 sts in pattern (the 31st st is the edge stitch), making sure the pattern is unbroken from both the previous row and the back section. Continue knitting across the front and back sections, pulling the yarn tightly at the joins to minimize the hole at the underarm (which you're going to sew up afterward, anyway.)
If it's going to be a cardigan, continue in pattern for as long as you like, 6 - 8 inches. Switch to the trim yarn and appropriate needles, knit one row, then 4 rows in k2, p2 ribbing and cast off.
Pick up sts along the front edges and knit 5 rows, putting in yo, k2tog buttonholes on the third row on the appropriate side of the sweater.
Sew buttons to match on the other side, and one on the neckband for the tab.
Sew up the underarm holes, weave in the ends, etc, etc.
Bunting
Knit in pattern for 16 inches *measured from the neckband.* Then break the yarn and join again at the 32nd st. Join and knit in rounds, decreasing away the 2 edge sts in the second round. Knit for 1 inch, then switch to the trim yarn and appropriate needles and knit one round, then k2, p2 ribbing for 4 rounds. Slip the back sts onto a different needle and bind off loosely using a 3-needle cast off, with the right sides together.
Sew a 17-inch zipper into the opening, making sure the edges but up nicely. (I sewed it by hand, and it was easier than I had feared.) Sew a button on the neckband for the tab. Sew up the underarm holes, weave in the ends, etc, etc.