The Bailey Easy Top Down Free Crochet Pattern

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I’m extremely excited to announce the birth of my third baby, Bailey!! Days before her birth I made this easy little sweater for her. To celebrate her birth I’m offering this pattern for FREE! I love this little sweater because it works up so quickly. Perfect for a last minute baby shower gift or to make when your bored waiting for baby like I was.

This pattern is in newborn size only but I am currently working on sizes infant to adult (they will be paid patterns). They should be available soon but please be patient since I just had a baby 😉

Edit: This pattern is now available in larger sizes for purchase. For more info click HERE.

The Bailey Easy Top Down Sweater free crochet pattern

Now to the pattern…

The Bailey Easy Top Down Sweater

This pattern is copyrighted by KT and the Squid. You may NOT copy, share, change or sell the pattern itself.

If you’d like to sell finished items from this pattern please do! Finished items belong to you and you may do what you wish with them. If you choose to sell them online I’d love credit for the design!

All KT and the Squid patterns are tested by wonderful volunteers. If you have any questions feel free to ask and I’ll try to help!

Materials

Worsted weight yarn
*Sample is done in Red Heart With Love
Red Heart With Love 1303 Aran
Red Heart With Love 1701 Hot Pink
Vannas Choice

I/5.5mm hook
9/16” (13mm) button
Yarn needle
Scissors

Abbreviations

Ch = chain
St = stitch
Ss = slip stitch
Sc = single crochet
Herr dc = herringbone double crochet
WS = wrong side
RS = right side
MC = main color
CC = contrasting color

Size

Newborn
Final measurements: 14” chest by 7.5” long.
Sweater should stretch to fit up to about a 16” chest.

Gauge

11 sts by 10 rows = 4” square
Gauge is worked in alternating rows of sc and Herr dc.
Save time and check your gauge! If you’re unsure how to do this please read this blog post.
Click here

Notes

  • Please read all instructions before beginning.
  • Sweater is worked from the top down in one piece. The first 6 rows are worked flat for the button opening. The rest of the sweater is worked in joined rounds.
  • At the end of every round join with a ss to the first st of the round. You will turn every round. Be careful not to work into the ss join unless instructed to do so.

Special Stitches

Herringbone double crochet (Herr dc): Yo, insert hook into st indicated, yo, pull through st AND 1st loop on hook, yo, pull through 1 loop, yo pull through last 2 loops.

Newborn Bailey Sweater

 

Stripe Pattern

  • Work 2 rows/rounds in the MC, then 2 rows/rounds in the CC throughout the sweater.
  • To change color, work to the last step of the last st before the color change. Draw up a loop of the new color to complete the st and continue with pattern.
  • Drop the unused color at the end of each stripe and carry it up through the inside of the sweater. Do not fasten off unless instructed.

Craftsy

Instructions

Button Opening

With MC ch 37.

Row 1 (WS) – Sc in the 2nd ch from hook and every ch across. (36)

Row 2 (RS) – Ch 2 (does NOT count as a st from here on), turn, Herr dc in each st across. (36)

Row 3 – Ch 1, turn, sc in the 1st 2, 2 sc in the next, *sc in the next 2, 2 sc in the next; repeat from * across. (48)

Row 4 – Repeat row 2. (48)

Row 5 – Ch 1, turn, 2 sc in the 1st, sc in the next 3, * 2 sc in the next, sc in the next 3; repeat from * across. (60)

Yoke

Round 1 – Ch 2, turn, Herr dc in each st across, join to the first st. (60)

Round 2 – Ch 1, turn, sc in the 1st 4, 2 sc in the next, *sc in the next 4, 2 sc in the next; repeat from * around, join. (72)

Round 3 – Repeat round 1. (72)

Divide for Sleeves and Body

Right-Handed Round 1 (WS) – Ch 1, turn, skip 16 sts, sc in the next 20, skip 16, sc in the last 20, join. (40)

Left-Handed Round 1 (WS) – Ch 1, turn, sc in the 1st 20, skip 16 sts, sc in the next 20, skip 16, join. (40)

Round 2 (RS) – Ch 2, turn, Herr dc in each st around, join to the first st. (40)

Round 3 – Ch 1, turn, sc in every st around. (40)

Round 4 – Ch 2, turn, Herr dc in the ss join, Herr dc until 1 st remains, skip last st, join. (40)

Round 5 – Repeat round 3. (40)

Round 6 – Repeat round 2. (40)

Repeat rounds 3-6 one more time.

Repeat rounds 3-4 one more time.

Fasten off.

Sleeves

With WS facing join MC to any st of the arm opening.

Round 1 (WS) – Ch 1, sc in every st around, join. (16)

Round 2 (RS)Ch 2, turn, Herr dc in each st around, join to the first st. (16)

Round 3 – Ch 1, turn, sc in every st around, join. (16)

Round 4 – Ch 2, turn, Herr dc in the ss join, Herr dc until 1 st remains, skip last st, join. (16)

Round 5 – Repeat round 3. (16)

Round 6 – Repeat round 2. (16)

Fasten off, repeat on other arm.

*For full length sleeves complete repeat rounds 1-6 one more time for 6 total stripes.

Button Opening Trim

With RS facing join MC to the first ch of the foundation ch.

Row 1 – Ch 4, ss in the same st, sc evenly (about 2 sc per stripe) around the opening, fasten off.

Finishing

Weave in all ends, block if necessary, sew on button.

21 Comments

  • Charlotte

    Congratulations on the birth of Bailey! Thank you for the sweater pattern. This will be a lovely gift for baby showers. Love, love, love your designs.

  • Gillian McAughey

    Thank you and congrats on the birth of your daughter. Looking forward to the other sizes but take your time we all know how special and how fast these first few months are.

  • atcv49

    Congratulations for your new baby! Wish you both are perfectly well and happy 🙂 And many thanks for the pretty present, love it… I’ll make it a little bigger for the three months old daughter of a friend, she’d love it, I’m sure. Hugs

  • Shawna

    Love this pattern! Perhaps I am just not seeing it for some reason (so sorry if it’s clearly there but I’ve overlooked it), but where do we change to the CC? =)

    • acelady02

      I’m sorry I don’t see the CC either but do you mean you change with every other round to CC…Thank you and congrats on the birth of your baby, I have never made clothes before but my youngest is expecting his first baby and I would love to try and make this for him….I hope you won’t mind if I come back if I need help? Thanks again for the free pattern.

  • acelady02

    I’m sorry I left a post but don’t see it and I didn’t click the box to get notified so I am leaving this one…to be able to get email…anyway, I also don’t see where you change to CC so is it you change with every other row? Thank you and congrats on your new baby…they are such a blessing

  • Sandra Farrer

    Thank you for the pattern. I belong to a craft group that make items for all sorts of different charities. We DLA lot for premature babies but I have difficulty in finding patterns this is ideal and will credit your design.

  • Cheyanne

    This is ADORABLE and I plan to make it for my friends who are expecting their first baby soon. I would like to add a third color around the neck (chocolate brown), end of the sleeves and along the bottom of the sweater. So if I do Rnd1 in chocolate brown can I fasten off and switch to MC in Rnd2?

  • Theresa

    I absolutely adore this sweater! I am making one for my niece or maybe two. Thank you so much for this great pattern. It’s gorgeous.

  • Judy

    Thank you so much for this pattern. I’m using a chunky yarn with a hook that is a little smaller than the yarn calls for. It will make a nice pullover with a pair of pants for a snowsuit for a baby who will be born in Dec., 2015 in South Carolina. We don’t get overly cold down here so a regular snowsuit can be to warm. I noticed when I went to do the sleeves that it would make a cute dress/tunic without the sleeves for the summer. Just make it another couple of rows longer

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