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Baby Ribbed Shoulder Sweater – Free Crochet Pattern

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By amanda

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Have you ever known someone who waited to find out the gender of their baby?  I’m working on a project for a friend at work who just had a baby last week.  She and her husband waited to find out the gender and I didn’t really want to make anything until I knew if it was a boy or girl.  I was always way too impatient to wait until the birth to find out what I was having!!  My friend had a girl, all of mine are little guys (four of them!)    Next time I’ll whip up a little sweater like this one in a neutral color!

Baby Ribbed Shoulder Sweater

Buy the ad-free PDF of this pattern in my shop here!

My “baby” is quickly growing up on me and isn’t really a baby anymore, but I still had him model this sweater for me.  Although next time I will make it a size bigger!  My boys are all big for their ages and they grow out of clothes and shoes quickly.  Good thing we have plenty to hand down!!  Only the oldest really “needs” new things since he has no one to hand them down to him, but the other boys get new things sometimes, too.  Okay, well, new to them!  We don’t buy too many brand new clothes because kids just wear them out too fast!  Right now we are going through a pants destruction stage with our oldest two.

I love making baby things.  If you’ve been around the blog for a while, you know that baby makes are my favorite.  They work up so quickly and are simply adorable!  Plus, they make great gifts and babies just look so darn cute in them.  I just had to make this mini version of the popular Varsity Sweater – the Baby Ribbed Shoulder Sweater!

This winter I designed a sweater for all of my boys (you can check out all of those designs here) and the oldest three all received sweaters made with this technique.  I really love it.  The only seaming is at the ribbed edges, and some testers have said they just slip stitch that part together for NO seaming!  It is worked top-down from the ribbed little panels (called Saddles) at the shoulders, then joined at the underarms to be worked in the round to the hem.  Then, you crochet the sleeves in.  Super simple and this worked up so amazingly fast!

Baby Ribbed Shoulder Sweater

I hope you enjoy this little pattern – check out my little guy modeling it for me. 😀  I’ll definitely make him the 24 months next time.
Want to keep in touch?  Sign up for my email newsletter and receive a FREE eBook with the Unforgettable Collection – three amazing patterns as a Thank you!

Baby Ribbed Shoulder Sweater

What You’ll Need

Yarn: Red Heart Baby Hugs Medium: 1 (1, 2, 2, 3) skeins Sky (MC) and 1 skein Frosting (CC)

Hook: US size L/11 (8.0 mm); US size I/9 (5.5mm)

Notions: Yarn needle

Skill Level: Easy

Size: Finished Chest Size 18.5 (20, 21, 22.5, 25)” to fit baby size 3 (6, 12, 18, 24) months.  

Gauge: 12 sts and 16 rows = 4” [10 cm] in sc with larger hook

PATTERN NOTES

Sweater is crocheted from the top down, starting with the ribbed saddles at the shoulders.  The back is worked across the saddles to the armholes, then the front is worked to the armholes and the pieces are joined.  Sleeves are crocheted around armhole edges, leaving only the ribbing to be seamed.

Special Stitches:

Blo: Work into the back loop only of the indicated stitch.

Find this pattern on Ravelry here!

Pattern

Saddle (make 2)

With MC and smaller hook, ch 7.

Row 1 (RS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across; turn – 6 sc.

Row 2: Ch 1, sc blo in each sc across; turn.

Rep Row 2 until Saddle measures 2 (2, 2.5, 2.5, 3)” from beginning. Do not turn at end of last row. Fasten off at end of first saddle.  At end of second saddle, change to larger hook.

Back

Turn second saddle and continue across long side as follows:

Row 1: Ch 1, sc 6 (6, 8, 8, 10) sts evenly across second saddle, ch 10 (12, 10, 12, 10) for back neck, sc 6 (6, 8, 8, 10) sts evenly across long side of first saddle, turn – 22 (24, 26, 28, 30) total sts.

Work even in sc until piece measures 3.5 (4, 4.5, 4.5, 5)” from center of saddle – NOT center back.

Shape Armholes

Row 1: Ch 3, sc in 2nd ch from hook and next ch, sc to end, turn – 24 (26, 28, 30, 32) sts.

Row 2: Repeat row 1 – 26 (28, 30, 32, 34) sts.

Fasten off.

Baby Ribbed Shoulder Sweater Back

Buy the ad-free PDF of this pattern in my shop here!

Front – For sizes 3 (12) months work right front first

For sizes 6 (18, 24) months work left front first

Right Front

Row 1: With RS facing, MC and larger hook, sc 6 (6, 8, 8, 10) sts across right saddle edge opposite back, beginning at armhole edge, turn – 6 (6, 8, 8, 10) sts.

Work 2 (2, 3, 3, 4) rows even in sc.

Size 3 months only

Row 4: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc to end; turn – 7 sts.

Row 5: Ch 1, sc to last st, 2 sc in last st; turn – 8 sts.

Fasten off.  Work left front.  

Size 6 months only (work Left front first)

Row 4: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc to end; turn – 7 sts.

Row 5: Ch 1, sc to last st, 2 sc in last st; turn – 8 sts.

Row 6: Repeat row 4 – 9 sts.

Do not fasten off.  Continue to front joining row.

Size 12 months only

Row 5: Ch 1, sc to last st, 2 sc in last st; turn – 9 sts.

Row 6: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc to end; turn – 10 sts.

Row 7: Repeat row 5 – 11 sts.

Fasten off.  Work left front.

Size 18 months only (work Left front first)

Row 5: Ch 1, sc to last st, 2 sc in last st; turn – 9 sts.

Row 6: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc to end; turn – 10 sts.

Row 7: Repeat row 5 – 11 sts.

Row 8: Repeat row 6 – 12 sts.

Do not fasten off.  Continue to front joining row.

Size 24 months only (work Left front first)

Row 6: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc to end; turn – 11 sts.

Row 7: Ch 1, sc to last st, 2 sc in last st; turn – 12 sts.

Row 8: Repeat row 6 – 13 sts.

Do not fasten off.  Continue to front joining row.

Left Front

Row 1: With RS facing, MC and larger hook, sc 6 (6, 8, 8, 10) sts across left saddle edge opposite back, beginning at neck edge, turn – 6 (6, 8, 8, 10) sts.

Work 2 (2, 3, 3, 4) rows even in sc.

Size 3 months only

Row 4: Ch 1, sc to last st, 2 sc in last st; turn – 7 sts.

Row 5: Ch 1,2 sc in first st, sc to end; turn – 8 sts.

Do not fasten off.  Continue to front joining row.

Size 6 months only

Row 4: Ch 1, sc to last st, 2 sc in last st; turn – 7 sts.

Row 5: Ch 1,2 sc in first st, sc to end; turn – 8 sts.

Row 6: Repeat row 4 – 9 sts.

Fasten off.  Work right front.

Size 12 months only

Row 5: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc to end; turn – 9 sts.

Row 6: Ch 1, sc to last st, 2 sc in last st; turn – 10 sts.

Row 7: Repeat row 5 – 11 sts.

Do not fasten off.  Continue to front joining row.

Size 18 months only

Row 5: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc to end; turn – 9 sts.

Row 6: Ch 1, sc to last st, 2 sc in last st; turn – 10 sts.

Row 7: Repeat row 5 – 11 sts.

Row 8: Repeat row 6 – 12 sts.

Fasten off.  Work right front.

Size 24 months only

Row 6: Ch 1, sc to last st, 2 sc in last st; turn – 11 sts.

Row 7: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc to end; turn – 12 sts.

Row 8: Repeat row 6 – 13 sts.

Fasten off.  Work right front.

All Sizes

Front Joining Row: Ch 1, sc 8 (9, 11, 12, 13), ch 6 (6, 4, 4, 4) for front neck, sc 8 (9, 11, 12, 13) sts of other front, turn – 22 (24, 26, 28, 30) sts.

Work even in sc until same length as back before armhole shaping.

Work armhole shaping same as back.  Do NOT fasten off front.

Lower Body:

Round 1: Ch 1, sc across front, ch 2, sc across back, ch 2, join to first sc with slip st, turn – 56 (60, 64, 68, 72) sts.

Round 2: Ch 1, work even in sc, join to first sc with slip st, turn.

Repeat round 2 until lower body measures 3.5 (4, 4, 5, 5.5)” from joining round. Work 1 round in CC. Change to smaller hook and MC.

Ribbing:

Ch 7.

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and next 4 sts, sc2tog next ch and next sc of body, slip st in next st of body; turn – 6 sts.

Row 2: Ch 1, sc blo in each st; turn.

Row 3: Ch 1, sc blo to last st, sc2tog blo of next sc and body, slip st in next st of body, turn.

Repeat rows 2-3, working row 3 into every other sc of body (the sts that you do not slip st into).  If ribbing seems to flare out, you have made your rows too close together.

Fasten off.

Sleeve

With RS facing and larger hook, join yarn at center underarm stitch.

Round 1: Ch 1, sc 22 (24, 28, 28, 30) sts evenly around armhole edge, turn – 22 (24, 28, 28, 30) sts.

Rounds 2-4: Ch 1, work even in sc, join with slip st to first sc, turn.

Round 5 (Dec round): Ch 1, sc2tog, sc to last 2 sts, sc2tog – 20 (22, 26, 26, 28) sts.

Size 3 months only

Rows 6-8: Ch 1, work even in sc, join with slip st to first sc, turn.

Round 9 (Dec round): Repeat round 5 – 18 sts.

Rounds 10-17: Repeat rounds 6-9 – 16 sts.

Rounds 18-19: Ch 1, work even in sc, join with slip st to first sc, turn.

Sizes – (6, 12, 18, 24) months only

Rows 6-9: Ch 1, work even in sc, join with slip st to first sc, turn.

Round 10 (Dec round): Repeat round 5 – (20, 24, 24, 26) sts.

Rounds 11-20: Repeat rounds 6-10 – (16, 20, 20, 22) sts.

Size 12 months only

Round 21: Ch 1, work even in sc, join with slip st to first sc, turn.

Round 22: Repeat round 5 – 18 sts.

Size 18 months only

Rounds 21-24: Ch 1, work even in sc, join with slip st to first sc, turn.

Round 25: Repeat round 5 – 18 sts.

Size 24 months only

Rounds 21-24: Ch 1, work even in sc, join with slip st to first sc, turn.

Round 25: Repeat round 5 – 20 sts.

Rounds 26-27: Ch 1, work even in sc, join with slip st to first sc, turn.

All Sizes

Work one round in CC.  Change to smaller hook and MC.

Sleeve Ribbing:

Ch 5.

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and next 2 sts, sc2tog next ch and next sc of body, slip st in next st of body; turn – 4 sts.

Row 2: Ch 1, sc blo in each st; turn.

Row 3: Ch 1, sc blo to last st, sc2tog blo of next sc and body, slip st in next st of body, turn.

Repeat rows 2-3, working row 3 into every other sc of body (the sts that you do not slip st into).  If ribbing seems to flare out, you have made your rows too close together.

Fasten off.

Collar

With RS facing and larger hook, join CC with sl st at right back, directly behind saddle.  

Work 1 round even in sc.  Change to MC and smaller hook.

Ch 4.

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and next st, sc2tog next ch and next sc of body, slip st in next st of body; turn – 3 sts.

Row 2: Ch 1, sc blo in each st; turn.

Row 3: Ch 1, sc blo to last st, sc2tog blo of next sc and body, slip st in next st of body, turn.

Repeat rows 2-3, working row 3 into every other sc of body (the sts that you do not slip st into).  If ribbing seems to flare out, you have made your rows too close together.

Fasten off.

Finishing

Sew ribbing seams at sleeves, collar and hem.

Weave in ends.

© Amanda Saladin. For personal use only, not to be copied, distributed, altered or sold. 
lovelifeyarn.com

Free Crochet Pattern -  Baby Ribbed Shoulder Sweater

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Silvana

    April 9, 2019 at 9:20 pm

    What kind of yarn and hook are needed?

    • amanda

      April 10, 2019 at 12:46 am

      Wow, that part totally disappeared from this pattern! Technical error. I have gone back and added it back in. Thanks for bringing it to my attention! 🙂

      • Silvana

        April 10, 2019 at 8:54 am

        Oh Ok! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thank you for the pattern 🙂 🙂

  2. Diane Lucas

    April 9, 2019 at 10:08 pm

    Thank you very much for this pattern. It is classic.

  3. ELENA

    February 8, 2020 at 1:39 pm

    Hi Amanda, we added a page with your adorable pattern info to our collection of free patterns (thanks for the permission!). Here is a link: https://redbasketcrafts.com/products/crochet-patterns/free-crochet-patterns/baby-ribbed-shoulder-sweater.

  4. Therezze

    July 25, 2021 at 11:43 am

    Hi,

    I’ve started your Ribbed shoulder sweater.

    Could you please help. I don’t understand how to attach the left front. I’m really stuck, any chance a pic with arrows to match the pattern PLEASE.
    Any clues please x
    Thank you in anticipation
    Therezze

    • amanda

      July 26, 2021 at 1:19 am

      Hi! The construction of this pattern is really similar to the Varsity Sweater, which I made a video for. You can find that pattern and video here. Hopefully it will help. 🙂

Bloggers: Seeking designs for your upcoming roundup? I’d love for you to feature my work! You have my permission to use one photo in your roundup post as long as a link is provided back to the associated pattern page. Please let me know when your post is published so I can share it on my social media, too. Thank you!

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