Since winter is around the corner, we have thought of making the celebrations even more joyous. Decorative Christmas trees, hanging jingle bells all over the house, and inviting all the near and dear ones are great ways of celebrating the festive season and the onset of a happy new year, but do you know what would add flavor to the celebration? Toddlers and children dressed in baby Christmas sweaters.
Happy kids playing around in a baby Christmas sweater that keeps them warm and cozy is all you need to glitter the celebrations. And the best part? These sweaters are unisex; thus, each kid can wear them easily.
We are sure you love knitting, and thus, you are here. So, we will take this love of yours forward and tell you how to make a fancy baby Christmas sweater easily. First of all, grab the materials.
Materials Required for Baby Christmas Sweater
It would be preferable to collect all the materials first so that you do not have to run here and there searching for things after you have started making the baby’s Christmas sweater.
| Yarn | Tape Measure |
| Hook(s) | Tapestry Needles |
| Scissors | Blocking Kit |
Yarn
Choosing the best quality yarn and the perfect size for the baby Christmas sweater is important. The quality should suit the skin of the child, and the weight of the yarn signifies the gauge and hook size.
Here, we have used the Lions Brand Yarn due to its porosity and texture that is smooth on the skin of kids; you can use any other yarn of your choice. For the size, we prefer and suggest using the weight 5 yarn since it is bulky and makes soft, squishy sweaters. Also, it is easier to insert the hook and work with 5-weight yarn. In case you are using yarn of different weights, choose your hooks and gauge accordingly.
For a baby Christmas sweater, we suggest you use the yarns of the following colors-
- Red- 9 to 10 skeins
- White- 2 skeins
- Black- 1 skein
- Clay- 1 skein
Gauge
- Body: 13 Half Double Crochet stitches X 13 rows= 4 X 4”/ 10 X 10 cm
- Sleeves: 13 Half Double Crochet stitches X 10 rows= 4 X 4’/ 10 X 10 cm
Sweater Size
There are various sizes of sweaters available for men, women, and kids. The kids grow at a rate faster than anyone else, and thus, you should always try to go for a size up when knitting a baby Christmas sweater.
For specific measurements, the chest size for a newborn 1-3 months child is 18 inches; for 3-6 months, it is 20 inches; for 6-9 months, it is 21 inches; and for 9-12 months kids, it is 22 inches.
If the kid is around you, you may want to take the appropriate measures to knit the sweater. But if you are crocheting for gifting purposes, knit a baby Christmas sweater in a size up.
Stitch Skills
The crochet stitching skills differ from the general stitching skills and require using yarn and crochet needles. Crochet stitching requires you to form loops directly on the fabric with bigger stitches than knitting. The resultant fabric is dense and textured, and the pattern requires basic knowledge and some practice. Each crochet stitching technique differs from the others in terms of texture and ways of placing the needle to tie the knot.
The six basic crochet stitching techniques are- chain stitch, single crochet stitch, double crochet stitch, half double crochet stitch, treble crochet stitch, and slip stitch.
The skills you need to practice for crocheting a baby Christmas sweater are:
1. Chain Stitch
It is the base of any intricate design. For this, you need to start with a single small stitch and then come back through a spot in line with the stitch. For the grip, loop the thread through the first stitch and put the needle back through the hole it came from.
2. Single Crochet Stitch
For this stitch, you need to crochet the hook into a chain and yarn over it. Then, pull up a loop, yarn over, and pull through two loops. Every time there is a mention of a single crochet in the instructions, this is the method you need to follow.
3. Double Crochet Stitch
To make a double crochet yarn over the hook, insert the hook in the stitch from where you yarn over the hook again. Then draw the yarn through the stitch, so you have 3 loops on the hook. Then, repeat the process with 2 loops and draw the yarn through 2 final loops.
4. Half Double Crochet Stitch
The half double slip stitch is done in the following pattern- Yarn over, insert hook, yarn over, and pull through all the loops on the hook. One stitch gets completed after one such round. This pattern will be used all over the sweater weaving.
5. Slip Stitch
The stitch closes the seam with an invisible and strong stitch. It makes an invisible strong ‘horizontal bar’ when stitched from the left needle to the right needle without being knitted. Keep making slip stitches through the hem knot the end of the thread, and finish by trimming the excess thread. Make sure to use the same color thread as used in knitting. You might also be required to practice the front post and back post double crochet stitches if you are out of practice.
Let’s start making the sweater now.
Tutorial Guide to Baby Christmas Sweater
As exciting as the celebrations are, making a fun baby sweater will be an equally exciting and creative project. We have tried hands on the Reindeer pattern on the front of the sweater for this Christmas season. Below mentioned are the steps for you to try it.
The sweater will comprise 5 rectangular portions: 2 sleeves, 2 front, and a back.
Let’s make them one by one.
1. Back Side
- Begin with the 5.5 mm hook and make 63 chains using the white yarn.
- Row 1: Skip the first 3 chains, then double crochet in each stitch across the row and turn your work.
- Row 2-4: Stitch 3 chains. Then make 1 front post double crochet in the next stitch and then 1 back post double crochet in the stitch after. Repeat the step to end the 3 rows(2 to 4) and turn the work.
- After making these rows, work with the half-double crochet stitch. Start every row with 2 turning chains and insert the hook through all three loops between the stitches. You can also do this process with 2 loops if you want a ribbed normal half-double crochet effect.
- Rows 5- 70: Stitch 2 chains and make 1 half double crochet in each stitch across the rows and then turn the work.
Remember to change the yarn to the color Red after the 8th row. Finish off the backside.
2. Front Side
Again, start with the 5.5 mm hook and 63 chains using the white-colored yarn.
- Rows 1-4: Repeat the steps as stated in the rows 1-4 of the backside.
- To make the reindeer, we will now work on the graph(you can draw a reindeer or better, print a reindeer on graph paper for a better understanding of the color that goes in each square box). Each graph square will be stitched 1 half double crochet with that specific color. Start each row with 2 turning chains and insert the hook through all 3 loops(again, you can work with 2 loops also).
- Rows 5- 31: Stitch 2 chains and make 1 half-double crochet in each stitch across the rows with the required colors in the graph. After that, turn the work.
- Rows 32- 38: Stitch 2 chains and make 1 half double crochet across each stitch of the rows and turn your work.
- Row 39: Stitch 2 chains and make 1 half-double crochet in the next 26 stitches. Then stitch 8 chains and 1 half double crochet in the next 26 stitches. Turn the work.
- Rows 40- 70: Make 2 chains and 1 half double crochet in each stitch across. Turn the work and finish off the front side of the sweater.
You can customize the length of the sweater by increasing or decreasing the number of rows of the red color. Make the same number of chains on the back and front sides.
3. Sleeves
Start with the 5.5 mm hook and work in continuous rounds with the color red. Work and join with a slip stitch at the base of the armhole opening and make normal half-double crochet stitches(2 loops instead of 3).
- Row 1: In each stitch, make 1 half double crochet.
- Rows 2-11: Half double crochet 2 together and make 1 half double crochet in each stitch around.
- Row 12: In each stitch around, make 1 half double crochet.
- Rows 13- 44: Repeat row 12.
- Now, start working with the white yarn with the 4.5 hook.
- Row 45: In each stitch around, stitch 1 double crochet.
- Row 46: Stitch 1 front post double crochet in the next stitch and 1 back post double crochet in the next stitch. Repeat this step in each stitch around.
- Rows 47-48: Repeat rows 45 and 46.
Repeat the same process for the other sleeve. In case you want to change the length of the sleeves according to your need, make more or fewer rows with red and then start working with white yarn.
4. Assemble Altogether
Now that the various portions of the sweater are ready, it’s time to sew them all together. Place the backside on the ground; its correct side should face the ground. Place the front side over it with the reindeer on the top. Sew them together either with your hands or through a machine stitch. Then, attach the sleeves to the armhole made after stitching the front and back pieces.
After this, work on the shoulder seam. Sew up 18 stitches on both sides across the body of the baby Christmas sweater. This will leave 24 stitches for the neckline opening.
5. Neck Line
Use the 4.5 mm hook to work with the white yarn around the neckline of the sweater. Attach the white yarn to one corner and work 1 half double crochet in each stitch around the neckline. This completes your baby’s Christmas sweater!
Important Notes:
Since this is the first time you are making a baby Christmas sweater with a reindeer pattern on the front, there are certain things you must note and take care of while crocheting the sweater.
- Do not try to work on both sides together. Make different sections and then sew them together. This will make your work easier.
- The starting 2(or 3) chains are not considered as stitches unless stated otherwise.
- I prefer to work with 3 loops over the body and 2 loops over the sleeves for a better texture.
- The sweater chains and measurements are made according to size S. In case you want to modify the size, you can make changes in the number of rows and chains. The pattern will be the same for all.
We were fascinated with trying the reindeer pattern for the baby Christmas sweater this celebration season. However, there are a few more baby Christmas sweaters that you can try your hands on. Each of them is suitable to keep the kid warm and attractive all through the winter season. You can be sure of them not catching a cold with these sweaters.
Conclusion
Kids are the cutest creatures, and they deserve the cutest things. During the winter season, the kids demand special care and attention to keep them covered with sweaters, mufflers, socks, gloves, and blankets. And we all lovingly take care of the babies.
This time, make a crochet baby Christmas sweater for the kids of your own or your friends or family members. A handmade gift is precious for everyone, and this special gift will protect their kid from the cold weather. This will amplify the joy of celebrations, and the kids will all look cool.
Try crocheting the reindeer baby Christmas sweater with the above-given instructions, and let us know what the final results will be. We are waiting for your views.