These patterns are intended for your personal use for charity giving to Hospital Special Care Baby Units, Children’s Homes, Children’s Hospitals etc. I am pleased to donate them to 'Ray of Hope' and hope you enjoy knitting and GIVING them. You may NOT make use of them for commercial gain by selling them at Craft Fairs etc. There are details of all my books of patterns for ladies fashion garments, children’s fun sweaters and a book of babies’ clothes, including two sets for tiny babies. Abbreviations adj adjacent
alt alternate
carr carriage
cont continue
dec decrease
ev every
foll following
hp holding position
inc increasing
k knit
kwy knit waste yarn
mb main bed
mt main tension
mt-1 etc main tension minus I whole number etc.
mt+1 etc. main tension plus one whole number etc.
n/ns needle/s
nwp non working position
opp opposite
r/rs row/s
rb ribber bed
st/s stitch/s
st/st stocking stitch
trans transfer
uwp upper working position
wp working position Sizes Low weight babies approx. 2 to 3 lb knit with 2 ply yarn
Low weight babies approx 4 to 5 lb knit with 3 ply yarn
Normal size babies 0 to 5 months knit witH 4 ply yarn
Can be knitted even smaller using 2/30s used singly. Knit at a tension dial number suitable for stocking stitch with the yarn you are using = main tension
Choose from double or single thickness bootee tops, then continue with foot First bootee start with carriage at the right Second bootee start with carriage at the left Bootee Top Double Thickness ( hems) Cast on with waste yarn 36 stitches in centre of the bed and knit a few rows.
Knit 1 row with nylon cord. Changes to main yarn. Choose your bootee top from the list numbers 1 to 8 which follows. 1. Plain hem. Mt-2, knit 15 rows, mt +3, knit 1 row, mt –1 knit 15 rows. Pick up stitches on nylon cord, mt +3, knit 1 row.
2. Fair Isle hem Use a small Fair Isle pattern, insert card in the machine upside down and lock on first row, main tension ,knit 1 row. Select needles on this row if necessary. Release card, knit 24 rows Fair Isle. Change to stocking stitch, main yarn, knit 1 row. Pick up stitches on nylon cord, main tension +3, knit 1 row
3. Lace hem. Use a small lace pattern, insert card in machine and lock on first row, main tension knit 1 row. Select needles on this row if necessary. Release card, knit 28 rows lace. Change to stocking stitch, knit 1 row. Pick up stitches on nylon cord ,main tension + 3, knit 1 row.
4. Picot hem. Main tension –2 , knit 15 rows, transfer every alternate stitch to adjacent needles. Leave empty needles in working position, main tension + 3, knit 1 row. Main tension-1, knit 15 rows. Pick up stitches on nylon cord, main tension +3, knit 1 row
5. Turret hem. Insert card 1 locked on any row, stocking stitch, main tension –2, knit 14 rows selecting needles if necessary on these rows. Set for tuck, leave card locked, main tension, knit 3 rows continue in stocking stitch, main tension –1 knit 14 rows. Pick up stitches on nylon cord, main tension +3, knit 1 row.
6. Scalloped hem. Main Tension –2, knit 1 row * set machine to hold. Bring 1st and every following 5th needle to holding position. Taking the yarn under the end holding position needle on every row, knit 4 rows, cancel hold, knit 1 row slowly * Repeat * to * 2 more times, knitting the last row at main tension +3. At mt-1 repeat * to * 3 times. Pick up stitches on nylon cord, mt+3, knit 1 row.
7. Mock rib. Decrease 1 stitch. Transfer 3rd and every following 3rd stitch to adjacent needle. Push empty needles to non working position, mt-4 knit 15 rows, mt+3, knit 1 row mt-3 knit 15 rows, increase 1 stitch. Pick up stitches on nylon cord, filling empty needles, mt +3, knit 1 row
8. Tubular hem. Cast on 36 stitches in full needle rib in centre of bed. Leave machine set for tubular / circular. Pitch lever to P, mt-2/mt-2. knit 16 rows on each bed. Transfer ribber stitches to main bed,mt, knit 1 row. Bootee Top Single thickness 9. Roll over top. Cast on 36 stitches by hand in centre of bed, mt, knit 22 rows 10. Full needle rib Cast on 36 stitches in full needle rib, in centre of bed,
mt-1/mt-1, knit 16 rows. Transfer ribber stitches to main bed, mt,knit 1 row 11. Frilly Edge, full needle rib. Bring to working position 36 needles arranged for full needle rib, in centre of bed.mt-1/mt-1, knit the zig zag row and insert the comb. Do NOT knit any circular / tubular rows, knit 16 rows. Transfer ribber stitches to main bed, main tension knit 1 row. If required you can frill this top even more by working a row of crochet around it, before or after making up. 12. Punch tuck rib. Cast on 36 stitches in full needle rib in centre of bed. Insert a punch card suitable for tuck stitch and lock on first row. Knit 1 row full needle rib selecting needles if necessary on this row. Set main bed to tuck, release card, mt-1/mt-1, knit 24 rows. Transfer rib stitches to main bed. Main tension knit 1 row. Turn work with garter bar or waste yarn. Bootee Foot After working the top of your choice, decrease 1 stitch at each side. 34 needles in working position. Make eyelets Transfer the 2nd stitch from the carriage side and every following alternate stitch to adjacent needle, leave empty needles in working position, mt, knit 5 rows.
Shape heel. Follow method exactly and there will not be any of the usual small holes at the sides of the shaping. You only have to wrap yarn round hp needles where stated. The rest of the shaping is by the self wrap method.
Set machine to hold . Push all needles beyond ‘0’ on opposite side to carriage to holding position, knit 1 row. Wrap yarn round inside needle in hp. Push first wp needle at carriage side to hp.every row 9 times.
Push first wp needle at carriage side to hp and return first hp needle opposite carriage to uwp, knit row.
Return first hp needle opposite carriage to uwp every row 8 times. Return last hp needle to uwp, wrap yarn round first needle in hp, knit 1 row. Foot Cancel hold, knit 15 rows. Shape toe Repeat Shape heel Cancel hold, knit 1 row knit waste yarn. Making Up Hang toe stitches on waste yarn back on the machine with right sides together. Pull second set of stitches through the 1st set of stitches and cast off. You can graft this seam if you prefer. Put straight edge into hems and pull firmly to close up stitches. Pull up individual scallops of scalloped hem with a transfer tool put through the fold line. Sew side seam and single thickness tops with a flat seam. Mattress stitch double thickness tops up one side and down the other. Thread ribbon or knitted cord through eyelets.
For a cord Cast on 3 stitches, mt-1, knit 100 rows. Put all 3 stitches on one needle, knit 2 rows, cut yarn. Pull cord downward from machine so that you pull end through. Darn in ends. Variations Although this is such a simple pattern, there are infinite variations.
For the bootee top you can use any other fancy hem, or any attractive double bed fabric that you know.
Any knitted-on edging that you know can be added to any of the bootee tops before or after making up.
The yarn colour can be changed after the bootee top, or for the heel or toe shaping, or for all of these.
Try knitting the roll over top in white and then change to red for a mini Christmas stocking. Most Special Care Baby Units like to hang on the babies’ cots on Christmas Eve. Key to Illustration
Top row (left to right) - Mock rib, scalloped hem, plain hem, picot hem.
Bottom row (left to right) - Fair Isle hem, turret hem, lace hem, roll over top. |
