Top-Down Baby Sweater (Quick Yoke Pattern)
A top-down baby yoke sweater is one of the most rewarding small knitting projects: large enough to feel like a real sweater, small enough to finish in a week. The construction follows the same principles as adult yoke sweaters but at a smaller scale.
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Cast on
Cast on around 60–80 stitches at the neckline (varies by size). Join in the round and place markers for the four yoke increase points.
Yoke increases
Increase 8 stitches every other round (one at each marker) for the depth of the yoke. For a 0–3 month sweater, the yoke is typically 4–5 inches deep; for 6–12 months, 5–6 inches.
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Splitting body and sleeves
When the yoke reaches the underarm, set aside the sleeve stitches on holders and cast on a few stitches over the underarm gap. Continue the body in the round to the desired length.
Sleeves
Pick up the held sleeve stitches plus the bridging cast-on stitches. Knit each sleeve in the round on DPNs or magic loop down to the cuff. Bind off with a stretchy bind off.
Abbreviation reference
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| CO | cast on |
| BO | bind off |
| M1L | make 1 left |
| M1R | make 1 right |
Tips
- Use superwash merino for washability.
- Add a few inches of length to allow the baby to grow into the sweater.
- Use a stretchy bind off at the cuffs for a snug fit.
In depth
Baby yoke sweaters are the most popular gift project in modern hand-knitting. The combination of fast completion, a finished result that feels substantial, and the universal need for baby gifts has made the top-down yoke sweater the workhorse pattern of the baby-knitting genre.