Free Pattern: Sweet Tee

It’s really fun to knit for little kids, but they grow so fast that you don’t really want to spend too much time on a project for a little one because they might only get to wear it a few times before it’s too small (or, let’s face it, stained).

That’s why this cute little Sweet Tee pattern from Down Cloverlaine is so great. It’s a pretty straightforward top-down raglan with a placket in the back to make putting on and taking off a little easier. It’s mostly worked in the round in stockinette stitch, with little textured heart embellishments at the center front and above the hem. You could of course leave those out and it would be a great project for a boy, too.

Worked in cotton on size 4 and 6 US needles (3.5 and 4 mm) it will go pretty quickly. This pattern is one-size only, which she says is for a 6 to 9 month old (18 inch chest measurement). The good news is it’s relatively easy to adjust a raglan to another size, just keep increasing until you have the chest measurement you need (and remember to make it longer, too!).

[Photo by Elaine Fitzpatrick/Down Cloverlaine.]

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Not too long ago my daughter and I had a discussion about what a chestnut really looks like. The nut itself is small and brown, of course, but on the tree they’re covered with this weird kind of spiky, kind of fuzzy shell. It’s a wonder anyone ever figured out they were edible.

If you didn’t know that, you might wonder why this project is call Chestnut balaclava, but now you know.

This fun design from Yevheniia Pyroh is covered with spikes just like a chestnut shell, and is even the same color, though of course you can make yours whatever color you like. It uses two strands of fingering weight yarn held together (which it says is fingering weight but you could try a light/DK yarn and see if you get gauge with it if you’d rather).

There are two different design options in the pattern. One is a more fitted balaclava style hat (it doesn’t cover the face but does go around the neck) and a looser fit hood.

It’s worked primarily in garter stitch, with shaping done by knitting and purling in the same stitch and through various decreases (including a knit 3 together).

The pattern is charted but also explained in words. It’s worked flat to the size you want, and then joined into a hood shape with ribbing at the neck. The opening for the face is finished with I-cord.

This hood/balaclava would definitely be a conversation starter and in different colors it might read more dinosaur than chestnut, which could also be fun. The sizing is totally custom so you can make it fit whatever head you’re stitching for.

If you want to try it for yourself (and I’d love to hear about it if you do!) you can download the free pattern from Ravelry.

[Photo: Yevheniia Pyroh]

Balaclava Knitting Patterns

Colorwork Balaclava Knitting Pattern [Knitting]

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