HEARTWARMER baby vest knitting pattern: Newborn to 2 years
My HEARTWARMER baby vest is worked flat, from bottom up, in 2 separate pieces. It features a cabled panel both in the front and in the back. It has only 2 seams, one at each side. Each shoulder is closed by a button strap facilitating the process of putting on and taking of the vest 🙂
Why “Heartwarmer”? Well, here in Argentina we call (rather poetically, I think) “calienta corazones” (“heart warmers”) to this kind of little vest that keep the baby torso warm 😊
The pattern comes in 4 sizes:
- 0 to 6 months
- 6 to 12 months
- 12 to 18 months
- 2 years.
If you’re a beginner knitter and don’t know how to make cables yet, you can try my YOU ARE LOVED baby vest.
–> If you want to see this pattern in Ravelry to add it to your favorites or to your projects, click here.
You can also purchase the PDF file for this pattern in my website HERE , in my Ravelry store HERE or in my Etsy Shop HERE (50 % OFF from today until August 12th, discount already applied).
PATTERN DETAILS
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Color codes are the same as in the written pattern.
0 to 6 months:
Length 9.75’’ (25 cm). Width: 8.25’’ (21 cm)
6 to 12 months:
Length 11’’ (28 cm). Width: 9.5’’ (24 cm)
12 to 18 months:
Length 12.5’’ (32 cm). Width: 10.5’’ (27 cm)
2 years:
Length 13.75’’ (35 cm). Width: 11.75’’ (30 cm)
GAUGE
21 sts x 28 rows in stocking stitch with US 6 (4 mm) needles = 4” x 4” (10 cm x 10 cm)
MATERIALS
- 1 straight needle US 7 (4.5 mm) for Casting on and Binding Off sts.
- 1 pair of straight needles US 6 (4 mm).
- DK yarn (8 ply): approx. 153 yd (140 m) / 180 yd (165 m) / 210 yd (192 m) / 237 yd (218 m). Or light fingering yarn (approx 3 ply) USED DOUBLE (double the yardage)
- 4 buttons
- Tapestry needle to weave in yarn ends and scissors.
- cable needle
- OPTIONAL: stitch markers.
ABBREVIATIONS
- CO: cast on
- BO: bind off
- RS: right side
- WS: wrong side
- st: stitch
- k: knit
- p: purl
- g st: garter stitch
- st sts: stocking stitches
- skp: slip 1 stitch as if to knit, knit 1 st, pass the slipped st over.
- k2tog: knit 2 stitches together
- 2B, k2, k2B: slip 2 sts to cable needle and hold in back, k next 2 sts, k 2 sts from cable needle.
- 2F, k2, k2F: slip 2 sts to cable needle and hold in front, k next 2 sts, k 2 sts from cable needle.
INSTRUCTIONS
A) FRONT
1) CO 48 (56, 64, 74) sts with US 7 (4.5 mm) needles, leaving a long tail of yarn to use it for sewing the sides later.
I always cast on and bind off stitches with larger needles than I use for the main work. This prevent my cast on and bind off rows from being too tight.
2) With US 6 (4 mm) work 4 rows in garter stitch.
Slip first stitch on every row as if you were to knit it, but without knitting it (except on the first row). It will form a nicer border and will allow you to make a quick and neat seam when you need to.
3) Now work as follows until your piece has a total length of 5.75’’ (6.5’’, 6.75’’, 7.75’’) [14.5 cm (16.5 cm, 17 cm, 20 cm)]:
(RS) 1 g st, 10 (14, 19, 24) st sts, 2 reverse st sts, CABLED PANEL, 2 reverse st sts, 10 (14, 19, 24) st sts, 1 g st
PLEASE follow the right CABLED PANEL according to the size you’re working. You can find them charted and written row-by-row in the STITCH GLOSSARY at the end of this file.
4) In the next WS row and the following 3 rows (so, 4 rows in total, starting in a WS row), work in garter the 7 (8, 8, 9) sts at the beginning and the 7 (8, 8, 9) sts at the end of the row. Keep working any other sts as before.
Next, you will cast off some stitches at each end, and shape the armholes.
5) (WS) Cast off 4 (5, 5, 6) stitches at the beginning of the row, and 4 (5, 5, 6) sts at the end, while working all other sts as before. Cut yarn. 40 (46, 54, 62) stitches remain in your needle.
6) Next row (RS) (decrease row). Join new yarn and work: 3 g sts, skp, keep working normally until 5 sts remain in your left needle, k2tog, 3 g sts. (38, 44, 52, 60) sts.
7) Repeat the decrease row in the next 2 (2, 3, 3) RS rows. (34, 40, 46, 54) sts.
AT THE SAME TIME, when you reach a total length of 7.75’’ (8.75’’, 9’’, 9.75’’) [20 cm (22 cm, 23 cm, 25 cm)] and starting with a WS row, work the central 18 (18, 24, 26) sts in garter st for the next 4 rows.
In the next WS row, you will cast off sts for the neck opening.
8) Work 10 (13, 14, 17) sts as presented, bind off 14 (14, 18, 20) sts, knit 10 (13, 14, 17) sts as presented.
Continue knitting separately the left and right shoulder strap, starting with the one to which your yarn is attached 🙂
9) Shoulder 1: continue (I recommend you count the rows) working all sts as presented (garter sts, stocking sts, reverse st sts… everyone as before) until this section measures 1.25’’ (1.5’’, 1.75’’, 2’’) [3 cm (4 cm, 4.5 cm, 5 cm)] FROM THE NECKLINE, ending with a RS row.
10) Work all sts in garter st for 3 rows.
11) Next row (RS) (buttonholes): k2, yo, k2tog, k to last 4 sts, k2tog, yo, k2
12) Work all sts in garter st for 2 more rows.
13) Bind off with US 7 (4.5 mm) needle. Cut yarn and weave in yarn end.
Join new yarn and knit the second shoulder strap exactly as you did the first. If you counted your rows, you’ll find it easier. Bind off all stitches as in step 13.
B) BACK
Follow the instructions for the FRONT until you finish decreasing sts for the armholes (steps 1 to 7) but work normally the center sts until you reach the length stated below in step 8.
8) Continue knitting normally with 3 garter sts at each side until you reach a total length of 9.25’’ (10.5’’, 11.25’’, 12.5’’) [23.5 cm (26.5 cm, 28.5 cm, 31.5 cm)].
9) For the next 4 rows (starting with a WS row) work the central 18 (18, 24, 26) sts in garter st.
In the next WS row, you will cast off sts for the back neck opening.
10) Work 10 (13, 14, 17) sts as presented, bind off 14 (14, 18, 20) sts, knit 10 (13, 14, 17) sts as presented.
Continue knitting separately the left and right shoulder strap, starting with the one to which your yarn is attached 🙂
11) Shoulder 1: continue (I recommend you count the rows) working all sts as presented (garter sts, stocking sts, reverse st sts… everyone as before) until this section measures 1.25’’ (1.5’’, 2’’, 2.25’’) [3 cm (4 cm, 5 cm, 6 cm)] FROM THE BACK NECKLINE, ending with a RS row.
12) Work all sts in garter st for 4 rows .
13) Bind off with US 7 (4.5 mm) needle. Cut yarn and weave in yarn end.
Join new yarn and knit the second shoulder strap exactly as you did the first. If you counted your rows, you’ll find it easier. Bind off all stitches as in step 13.
C) FINISHING
– Join the front and back pieces by sewing the sides. That’s why you left a long tail of yarn when casting on your stitches.
- TIP for sewing sides: use the knots left by the side k stitches to produce a neat seam.
– Weave in all yarn ends.
– Sew on 2 buttons in each shoulder strap of the back piece.
Enjoy your work!!
STITCH GLOSSARY
Garter Stitch
k all sts, all rows.
Stocking Stitch (or Stockinette Stitch)
Row 1) (RS) k all row
Row 2) (WS) p all row
Repeat these two rows.
Reverse Stocking Stitch (or Reverse Stockinette Stitch)
Row 1) (RS) p all row
Row 2) (WS) k all row
Repeat these two rows.
CABLED PANEL – 0 to 6 months and 6 to 12 months sizes
Over 22 sts and 6 rows.
Row 1) (RS) k4, p3, k8, p3, k4
Row 2) p4, k3, p8, k3, p4
Row 3) (2B, k2, k2B), p3, (2B, k2, k2B), (2F, k2, k2F), p3, (2F, k2, k2F)
Row 4) p4, k3, p8, k3, p4
Row 5) k4, p3, k8, p3, k4
Row 6) p4, k3, p8, k3, p4
CABLED PANEL – 12 to 18 months and 2 years sizes
Over 20 sts and 6 rows.
Row 1) (RS) k4, p2, k8, p2, k4
Row 2) p4, k2, p8, k2, p4
Row 3) (2B, k2, k2B), p2, (2B, k2, k2B), (2F, k2, k2F), p2, (2F, k2, k2F)
Row 4) p4, k2, p8, k2, p4
Row 5) k4, p2, k8, p2, k4
Row 6) p4, k2, p8, k2, p4
You can also purchase the PDF file for this pattern in my website HERE , in my Ravelry store HERE or in my Etsy Shop HERE (50 % OFF from today until August 12th, discount already applied).
© Cecilia Fameli, 2021.
You’re welcome to sell your items produced from Oh La Lana! patterns! But you may not re-sale or re-distribute commercially my patterns in any manner. Thank you in advance for being respectful with my work!
HAPPY KNITTING!!
Ceci