9.25.2008

Baby Sweater on Two Needles (February) by Elizabeth Zimmermann

The other day someone asked me about baby sweaters and it made me realize that I hadn't blogged about my favorite sweater pattern I knitted the heck out of this spring.

It's the Baby Sweater on Two Needles (February) by Elizabeth Zimmermann.
This pattern is so easy but it doesn't look it.
You gotta love patterns like that.
Someday I'll make her BSJ. But I'm guessing it wouldn't be just one.lol Anyway, here is one I made just as the pattern was written up except that I knitted the sleeves in the round. I made it out of easy washable worsted acrylic yarn and pearl like buttons so Norah could do her worst and still look like an angel.

Then I made one for Norah's sister, Sarah, with the same yarn and buttons.

You know how it can be with siblings.

Luckily, I have a good young man who is willing to model it here for you.

Now for this one...

I went up 2 needle sizes. Made the yoke longer by knitting 4 ridges after the last increase row. Knitted the body until I had 12 patterned repeat rows. 9”(Measuring from the armpit down) Then I knitted the sleeves in the round and with 13 patterned repeat rows. 9”(Measuring from the armpit down) and it fits a 3/4 toddler very well.

Of course, I just had to make one for my good little model only without the lace. You can only push a young man only so far.


I used the same mods I had for Sarah's sweater but with different yarn and buttons and it worked out great.



Then I decided to make one for Emily in an adult size.


For this one I held the worsted acrylic yarn double and knitted with a size 13 needle. The yoke I knitted as written. For the body I knitted only 10 pattern repeats for two reasons. First, I was running out of yarn that I was using for the body and second, I would have had to add enough pattern repeats so the next button hole looked right. I have 5 button holes. The last row of the lace pattern I decreased 10% then I knitted 4 ridges for a garter cuff in the yoke colored yarn and BO. Then for the sleeves I knitted in the round with 14 pattern repeats. The last row of the lace pattern I decreased 10% then I knitted 4 ridges for a garter cuff and BO.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful sweaters. You finished all those and I can't get one finished. Your model is so-o-o-o cute. I know he is fun to have around!

wendy said...

Thank you...Don't be hard on yourself. They are really easy sweaters to knit.

Harpa Jónsdóttir said...

They are all so beautiful! The kids most of all - but the sweaters are lovely too :-)

Courtney said...

Love the February Baby Sweater, I just ordered the book for this pattern tonight. Can't want to get it, glad to hear it's easy. Yours looks great, I love it in white.

Nili said...

can anyone help me please.
i bought elizabeth zimmermann's book and am trying to make the baby sweater with the yolk on two needles which is on this page.
i'm trying to convert it to fit my 3 years old granddaughter and i'm getting into a mess :)
will appreciate if anyone can email me the correct pattern for that size.
thanks so much, nili

wendy said...

Nili I hope you come back here because I can't find your email...Anyway, you have the right pattern. Use the same numbers but up your needle size, yarn size, and length. If you need more help just let me know...Thanks and good luck!

Nili said...

thanks wendy, i got your reply.
i'm from australia and visiting my daughter in NY which is where i bought elizabeth book and wool. my daughter chose a very expensive wool and it's the same yarn size as the book shows which is for a baby.
so i increased the number of stitches and got to 175 plus 5 on each side for the band.
175 also divides to 7 i thought. but i can't tell if it will be ok as i never knitted a sweater starting at the neck :) maybe i should just make something else out of this wool.....
how thick a yarn should i use and what size needles in order to get the correct size for a 3 year old? my email is niliross@gmail.com
thanks again

wendy said...

I just wrote an email to ya, Nili. I hope it helps you.
In case, you don't get the message...I found on Ravelry whitehologram who wrote the following notes for her toddler sweater that she changed the numbers on...
Notes:

I have again sized this up from the pattern.

CO 74 stiches + border

increase over the yoke to 147 stiches + border.

I have found that the EPS doesnt really work, when you size up this jacket, to the exact stich. I rounded up to the pattern repeat. to make it easier to split off for the arms.

This is my third FBS and this time I didnt need to use a life line :)

wendy said...

Courtney...I like it in white best too.lol.I hope you have fun with the book.

wendy said...

Harpa...Thank you for the kind words!

fibercontent said...

Just lovely.
Wendy, if you have a moment, would you mind helping me understand the sleeves. I don't understand what EZ means when she says to add 7 sts to the 28 for the sleeves. I usually do not have any trouble reading her "patterns," but this time I am struggling.

Thanks.
Robin

wendy said...

Robin...Ahhhh, I didn't see your message until 2 minutes ago. The 7 stitches are for the arm pit. I knitted the sleeves in the round becuase sewing is not my strong point and the whole adding stitches then made a lot more sense to me too. If it's still not making sense or dollars to you just let me know...Good Luck!

fibercontent said...

Thanks, Wendy. I figured it out. My brain froze up on me, I guess! I do a lot of top down sweaters and I don't know why that was such a challenge.

Thanks again.