A new boy sweater knitting pattern, the Paint Colorblock Sweater, is now a free knitting pattern here on the blog. Read all about this striped children’s sweater pattern, scroll down to view the full free pattern or purchase an ad free PDF from my shop, Etsy shop or Ravelry shop.
No time right now? Pin this easy top-down free raglan baby sweater knitting pattern for later!
*This post contains affiliate links (only for products I love, use and spend my own money on obviously). This means I earn some yarn money if you make a purchase through one of these links (of course at no extra cost for you!), which I promise to use to create more awesome patterns like this one. All opinions are my own. See my full disclosure here.
The Paint boys sweater knitting pattern is an easy striped raglan sweater knitting pattern with button shoulder fastening to easily pull on & off.
Great for beginners, the sweater is worked top down in the round. Practice your basic increases with this simple sweater.
Available in sizes 3 months to 14 years, make matching sweaters for all your kiddos!
Baby & Child Knit Sweater Construction
The Paint striped boy sweater knitting pattern is a top-down raglan baby sweater knitting pattern. Stitches for the neck are cast on and a first section is worked in rows back and forth to create the opening for the buttoned section.
The yoke is then joined in the round and worked down in the round increasing until you reach the point to separate for the sleeves. Leaving the sleeve stitches on the side, you’ll work down the body before going back to finish off the sleeves.
Stitches for the button band are then picked up and worked in ribbing while creating the buttonholes. You’ll finish off the sweater by seaming on the buttons and weaving in all your ends.
Downloadable Paint Striped Boy Sweater Knitting Pattern
Grab the printable PDF of the paint striped boy sweater knitting pattern now in my shop, Etsy shop or on Ravelry.
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Before You Start Your Top Down Baby Sweater Knitting Pattern
Materials
- 5 mm/ US 8 circular knitting needles*
- Hobbii Amigo XL (Worsted weight 4, 100% acrylic, 100m/109yd, 50g/1.75oz):
- 1 (1, 1, 1, 1) (1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2) skeins in Dark Blue (A15) (color A)
- 1 (1, 1, 1, 1) (1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2) skeins in Titanium (A07) (color B)
- 1 (1, 1, 1, 1) (1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2) skeins in Dusty green (A27) (color C)
- 1 (1, 1, 1, 1) (1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2) skeins in Walnut (A07) (color D)
- 1 (1, 1, 1, 1) (1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2) skeins in Rust (A40) (color E)
- Tapestry needle to weave in the ends
- 4 stitch markers
- 2 stitch holders (you can use interchangeable needle cables or pieces of scrap yarn to hold the sleeve stitches while you work on the body)
- 2 (2, 2, 2, 3) (3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6) x 15 mm buttons
*You can choose to either work the magic loop method or use DPN.
Sizes
The baby/kid sweater knitting pattern is available in the following sizes: 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, 4 years, 6 years, 8 years, 10 years, 12 years and 14 years.
Sizes are noted throughout the pattern in the following way: 3 (6, 12, 18, 24) months (4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14) years.
The pictures illustrate the 6-months and 4-year sizes.
Final garment measurements are:
- Bust circumference: 46.5 (49, 51.5, 54, 56.5) (70, 75, 79, 82.5, 87.5, 92.5) cm / 18.25 (19.25, 20.25, 21.25, 22.25) (27.5, 29.5, 31, 34.5, 36.5)”.
- Upper arm circumference: 19 (19, 22.5, 22.5, 22.5) (26.5, 26.5, 26.5, 30, 30, 30) cm / 7.5 (7.5, 9, 9, 9) (10.25, 10.25, 10.25, 11.75, 11.75, 11.75)”.
- Length: 28.5 (30, 34, 35.5, 36.5) (41, 50, 52, 55.5, 61, 65.5) cm / 11.25 (11.75, 13.5, 14, 14.25) (16, 20, 20.5, 22.25, 24, 25.75)”.
Gauge
The gauge for this child sweater knit pattern, in stockinette stitch, is 16 st by 22 rows for a 10 cm by 10 cm square (4” by 4”).
Abbreviations & Instructions
- st = stitch
- k = knit
- p = purl
- M1R = make one right; single right-leaning knit increase
- M1L = make one left; single left-leaning knit increase
- K2tog = knit 2 stitches together; single right-leaning decrease
Repeat instructions between [] the indicated number of times or until the end of the round/row.
The final number of stitches is indicated at the end of the round/row between < >.
Special Stitches and Techniques
- M1R: Insert your left needle from back to front, under the bar between the stitches (thus lifting it onto the left needle). Knit this bar through the front loop (this twists it into a nice little tight loop).
- M1L: Insert the left needle from front to back, under the bar between the stitches (thus lifting it onto the left needle). Knit this bar through the back loop (this twists it into a nice little tight loop).
If you are not familiar with this increase technique, I find this video tutorial very helpful.
- Magic loop. If you’re not familiar with this technique, this tutorial will help you. Alternatively, you can choose to work with double pointed needles instead.
- Stockinette stitch: knit all rounds.
Sweater Construction
The Paint Colorblock sweater is a top-down raglan sweater. Stitches for the neck are cast on and a first section is worked in rows back and forth to create the opening for the buttonholes.
The yoke is then joined in the round and worked down in the round increasing until you reach the point to separate for the sleeves. Leaving the sleeve stitches on the side, you’ll work down the body before going back to finish off the sleeves.
Stitches for the button band are then picked up and worked in ribbing while creating the buttonholes.
More Baby Makes you'll Love
The Actual Free Raglan Baby Sweater Knitting Pattern
The Sweater Yoke
With your 5 mm / US 8 circular needles, cast on 38 (42, 42, 46, 50) (52, 52, 58, 58, 60, 60) st (don’t join in the round).
[k1, p1] across for 4 rows.
From now on you will start making increases to shape the shoulders of your knit baby/child sweater.
Tip: Place stitch markers in the next round to help you know where to increase on the following rounds without counting.
Add markers:
- 3 months: k6, add marker, k13, add marker, k6, add marker, k13.
- 6 months: k6, add marker, k15, add marker, k6, add marker, k15.
- 12 months: k8, add marker, k13, add marker, k8, add marker, k13.
- 18 months: k8, add marker, k15, add marker, k8, add marker, k15.
- 24 months: k8, add marker, k17, add marker, k8, add marker, k17.
- 4 years: k6, add marker, k20, add marker, k6, add marker, k20. • 6 years: k4, add marker, k22, add marker, k4, add marker, k22.
- 8 years: k4, add marker, k25, add marker, k4, add marker, k25.
- 10 years: k6, add marker, k23, add marker, k6, add marker, k23. • 12 years: k4, add marker, k26, add marker, k4, add marker, k26. • 14 years: k2, add marker, k28, add marker, k2, add marker, k28.
You now have 3 st markers.
Purl 1 row,
Increase row: k1, M1L, [knit until last st before marker, M1R, k1, slip marker, k1, M1L] three times, knit until last st, M1R, k1.
Purl 1 row.
Work [1 increase Row, 1 by purl row] 3 (3, 4, 4, 5) (6, 8, 8, 9, 10, 11) times. <70 (74, 82, 88, 98) (108, 124, 130, 138, 148, 156) st>
Join in the round and switch to color B.
Tip: Use a stitch marker to mark the beginning of the round.
Using the magic loop knit in the round from here onwards.
Increase round: [k1, M1L, knit until last st before marker, M1R, k1] around.
Knit one round.
Work [1 increase round, 1 knit round] 6 (6, 7, 7, 7) (8, 9, 9, 10, 10, 10) times.
Note: after approximately 5 increases you can switch to a shorter cord and simply knit in the round.
For Sizes 3 months to 4 years
Switch to color C.
Work [1 increase round, 1 knit round] 1 (1, 1, 1, 0) (2, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0) times.
For Sizes 6 years to 14 years
Continue to sweater body section.
Sweater Body
Split for sleeves: Keep working with your current yarn color and place stitches on holder until first st marker, knit until next marker, place st on holder until next marker, knit until end of round.
You should have 30 (30, 36, 36, 36) (42, 42, 42, 48, 48) st for each sleeve and 74 (78, 82, 86, 90) (112, 120, 126, 132, 140) st for the body.
Knit the body stitches remaining on your needles in stockinette until color C (C, C, C, C) (C, B, B, B, B, B) section is 13 (13, 15, 16, 16) (19, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29) rounds.
For Sizes 6 years to 14 years only
Switch to color C.
Knit in the round until color C section is X (X, X, X, X) (X, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29) rounds.
For all Sizes
Switch to color D.
Knit in the round until color D section is 13 (13, 15, 16, 16) (19, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29) rounds.
Switch to color E.
Knit in the round until color D section is 9 (9, 11, 12, 12) (15, 18, 19, 21, 23, 25) rounds.
[k1, p1] around for 4 rounds.
Cast off and weave in the end.
Sleeves
Go back to the stitches for one sleeve. With your 5 mm / US 8 needles join color C (C, C, C, C) (C, B, B, B, B, B) yarn and knit in the round.
Tip: Leave a tail when joining that you can use to sew up the small gap that always forms at the armpit.
Knit in stockinette until stockinette until color C (C, C, C, C) (C, B, B, B, B, B) section (including the yoke part) is 13 (13, 15, 16, 16) (18, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29) rounds.
For Sizes 6 years to 14 years only
Switch to color C.
Knit in the round until color C section is X (X, X, X, X) (X, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29) rounds.
For all Sizes
Switch to color D.
Knit in the round until color D section is 13 (13, 15, 16, 16) (18, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29) rounds.
Switch to color E.
Knit in the round until color E section is 7 (7, 9, 10, 10) (12, 16, 17, 19, 21, 23) rounds.
Decrease: [k4, k2tog] around. <25 (25, 30, 30, 30) (35, 35, 35, 40, 40, 40) st> Knit one round.
[k1, p1] around for 4 rounds.
Cast off and weave in the end.
Repeat for the 2nd sleeve.
Buttonband
To make the neck button band you are going to pick up stitches along the color A opening on the shoulder side of the raglan seam.
Pick up 10 (10, 10, 10, 14) (14, 18, 18, 22, 22, 26) stitches.
[k1, p1] across for 2 rows.
Make the buttonholes: [k1, p1, yo, k2tog] 2 (2, 2, 2, 3) (3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6) times, k1, p1.
[k1, p1] across for 2 rows.
Cast off and weave in the ends.
Finishing Touches and Blocking
You are done with the knitting part. Make sure to weave in all the ends.
Sew the buttons at the shoulder seam in front of the buttonholes.
To make your sweater even prettier and help even your stitches carefully block your project.
Don’t skip this step as it can make a huge difference. Read my detailed tutorial on why block, how-to, and all my tips and tricks if you need help.
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