Baby's First Ensemble

Wrap your favorite baby in this easy-to-knit (honest!) ensemble. In May we featured the all-in-one piece sweater embellished with french knots, and this month we complete the outfit with matching cap, booties and blanket for a look that every fashionable baby will want to show off this spring!

Size:

• 6 months - 1 year
• Chest size: 21 1/2"
• Finished size: 22"

Materials:

• 4-ply worsted weight yarn (see note below)
• Knitting needles size 8, or size necessary to obtain gauge
• 1 stitch holder
• 1 1/4" yards 3/8" satin ribbon

Note: To complete the entire ensemble (sweater, blanket, cap and booties), you will need 15 ozs. of 4-ply worsted weight acrylic. Baby's First Sweater was featured separately as the knit project in May.

Gauge:

• Stockinette stitch on size 8 needles--
  9 stitches = 2"
  6 rows = 1"

Cap

• Cast on 50 stitches (sts).
• Row 1: Work in Garter stitch (knit every row) all stitches for 18 rows.
• Row 19: Work in Stockinette stitch {(St st) knit one row, purl one row} for 16 rows.
• Row 34: Bind off 19 sts at beginning of row, knit to end. There are now 31 sts.
• Row 35: Bind off 19 sts at beginning of row, purl (p) to end. There are now 12 sts.
• Row 36: Work in St st for 24 rows. Bind off. Sew the 19 bound-off sts to each side of narrow strip on wrong side of work.

Neckband

With right side facing, at left front, pick up and k 60 sts. Knit 4 rows. Bind off. Trim with ribbon ties.

Booties

• Cast on 40 sts.
• Rows 1-4: Work in Stockinette stitch {(St st) knit one row, purl one row}.
• Row 5: Knit (k) 16, k 2 together (tog) k 4, place marker on needle, k 2 tog, k 16.
• Note: Be sure to slip markers every row.
• Row 6: Purl (p) to 2 stitches (sts) before marker, p 2 tog, p 4, p 2 tog, p to end of row.
• Row 7: K to 2 sts before marker, k 2 tog, k 4, k 2 tog, knit to end of row.
• Rows 8-13: Repeat Rows 6 and 7, 3 more times. There are now 22 sts.
• Rows 14-18: Work in St st for 5 rows.
• Row 19: K for 6 rows. Bind off. Make other bootie the same way.

Finishing: Sew seam at back and sole.

Blanket

Approximate Measurements: 24" by 29"

• Cast on 110 stitches (sts).
• Rows 1-6: Knit (k) all sts.
• Row 7: K 5, purl (p) 100, k 5.
• Row 8: K across row.
• Repeat rows 7 and 8 until piece measures 27" or desired length.
• Next Row: K 6 rows. Bind off.

Note: To personalize your knitted baby ensemble, decorate with French knots, cross stitch or duplicate stitches.