Baby Sweater Loom Pattern - Easy - No Shaping

This is the easiest baby sweater pattern you will ever find for the loom.  This sweater was made on the KB All in One loom, which has a gauge of ⅜”.  The pattern assumes that you will be using #4 weight  yarn and e-wrap with a gauge of 4 stitches per inch.  There are no fancy stitches, just knit and purl, no shaping and straightforward seaming.

The sweater is made in 5 pieces - the back panel, two front panels and two sleeves.  The pattern is sized for newborn, but it’s easy to adjust for an older baby or toddler using a sizing chart and dividing the measurements by your stitch gauge.  Every panel and both sleeves will be edged in a garter stitch for 4 rows.

BACK PANEL

Cast on 32 pegs

K 1 row

P 1 row

K 1 row

P 1 row

Knit every row thereafter until piece measures 10 inches in length

FRONT PANELS (MAKE 2)

Cast on 16 pegs

K 1 row

P 1 row

K 1 row

P 1 row

Knit every row until piece measures 10 inches in length

SLEEVES (MAKE 2)

Cast on 26 pegs

K 1 row

P 1 row

K 1 row

P1 row

Knit every row until piece measures 6 inches in length

ASSEMBLE:

The front panels will be seamed to the back panel at the shoulder.  However, only half the width of each panel will be seamed, with the other half being turned down for lapels.  I find it is easiest to set the back and front panels on a table with the WS facing up, and seam from the middle of each front panel to the armhole edge.  You can either fold the front panels in half or simply count 8 stitches from center of the front panel to shoulder edge in order to make them even.

Seam the sleeves to the body of the sweater by placing them, WS facing up, with the center of the sleeve at the shoulder seam.  

Seam the sides of the sweater from bottom up and down the sleeves to the wrist edge.

You may need to block the panels before seaming if they are curling at the edges too much.  It will make setting the panels evenly much easier, but it’s not essential.  Finish the edges of the front panels and collar area with a row of single or half double crochet. You can crochet a chain to use as a tie, or add a ribbon.  Crochet a flower to attach to the collar lapels or embellish any way you like.  It’s a basic pattern that you can make your own by using multiple colors, striping, or adding unique finishing touches.

Review of the KB Sock Loom EFG

I recently purchased the EFG Sock Loom from Authentic Knitting Board.  This loom is specifically made to use sock yarn and is fully adjustable from baby socks through adult sized socks. 

Although I love my thick slipper socks and medium weight socks that I loom on other round and rectangular looms, I really wanted to try my hand at some lighter socks made from sock yarn.  So I started with two sock yarn weights.  I purchased one skein of #1 weight Red Heart - Heart and Sole and one skein of #2 weight Patons Kroy Sock Yarn. 

I didn't get on well with the #1 weight yarn, and I will return to it later once I have honed my skills on this loom.  So, I switched to the Patons #2 weight yarn and soon I was cooking with gas.

There are things I love about this loom and things I don't love.  But it's the right extra fine gauge to make socks you can actually wear with shoes, and after making one sock, I am not hiding the loom in the bottom of the closet.  I plan to make some socks for Christmas gifts.

I really liked the plastic construction and pegs.  I don't like the looms with metal pegs - all that clacking noise gets to me and it seems harder to catch the yarn and manipulate it. Besides, my Boye sock loom with metal pegs has several loose pegs and one bent peg.  Despite my fears of breaking a plastic peg, I had no problems with pegs bending or breaking, even after dropping the loom on the floor three times (not on purpose).

The yarn slides so smoothly over these pegs that it's a joy to work with.  The loom is lightweight and small enough to be held in one hand while you work, making it a great companion for watching TV or for traveling with.  Just pop it into your bag and take it along.  I think that I will have to be careful not to break a peg, because they are not replaceable.

Overall, I really enjoyed working with the KB Sock Loom EFG and it will be perfect for making those baby socks that I couldn't manage on my larger gauge looms. The loom is not expensive - $14.99 from KB directly plus shipping.  I purchased mine for a few dollars more and free shipping from Amazon so it came out to be a little less in the long run and I got it in two days.

If you want to loom real socks, and not just bulky slipper socks, this is a great loom to learn on and work on.

Lattice Lace Swirl Hat on Round Loom

It’s been a while since I used a round loom to make a hat, so I wanted to do something a little lacy and special.  I have been working this lattice lace stitch in cotton for other projects, but I wasn’t sure how to make it work in the round.  I am rather pleased with the results.  I call this my lattice lace swirl hat.

Lattice Lace Swirl Hat

Using my 34-peg round loom and my treasured assistant, Miranda the model head, I devised a pattern that uses only basic K2tog, purl and knit stitches to create the hat.  Because this is a large gauge round loom, you need bulky yarn or two strands of worsted weight yarn. I used two strands of Red Heart Super Saver Yarn in Buff.

Because I wanted the  swirl effect, there is a little hitch to row 3, but once you learn to do it, it’s very easy.  The key is to keep track of which row you are on, or your lattice could end up going the wrong way!

How to make the Lattice Lace Swirl Hat:

Cast on 34 pegs, we are knitting in the round.

Ribbing - K1, P1 for 4 rows

Pattern:

Row 1 - *yo, K2tog, repeat from * all the way around the loom, ending with K2tog

Row 2 - knit all 34 pegs

Row 3 - *k2tog, yo, repeat from * all the way around the loom, ending with yo (see more below)

Row 4 - knit all 34 pegs

Row 3 Instructions: In order to keep the swirl, the k2tog has to be done by moving the loop from peg 34 to peg 1.  Peg 34 will be the ending yarn over for that row.   Any stitch that was a yo the last time, will not ever be moved.  I like to think of the pattern like a tree, with one thick trunk-like swirl and lots of little branches. It is always the loop that is at the top of the trunk that gets moved over in the k2tog.  This way the lace is always moving right, and seems to swirl into the crown)

I moved all the loops for the K2togs, then e-wrapped the pegs with loops, and yarn over in front of the empty pegs, then knit off the pegs with loops.  My way of doing the rows quickly.

Row 3 moving loop from peg 34 to peg 1

Repeat pattern for desired length.  I use Miranda to help me figure that out, as she models the hat as I go.  My pattern length ended up being 4 inches. 

Crown

Knit 4 rows

Decrease by k2tog, with no yarn over.  Move loop from peg 1 to peg 2, move loop from peg 3 to peg 4, etc., all around the loom. You will have 17 pegs with two loops each.  Now wrap and knit only those pegs with loops.  Knit 1 more row on 17 pegs.

Cut yarn leaving a long tail.  Thread tail end through yarn needle and thread yarn through the loop on each peg all around the loom, lifting the loops off the pegs as you go.  Pull yarn tight, to form crown and close up the top of the hat.  Tie off and weave in ends.

Lattice Lace Swirl Hat in Navy