Kitting pattern - baby jumper

puzzledgiraffe

I have just bought some booklets of baby patterns in a charity shop this weekend, and I noticed that a lot of them had the doubled-over knecks.
The stitches were to be picked up and knitted around the neck, just as you would for most neckbands, then simply ribbed as per the pattern for 4cm (baby sizes) or 5cm (children's sizes).
At that length, cast off loosely, double the neckline over and sew in place.

Unfortunately, all the jumpers in the booklet are worked in DK, not 4 ply like you wanted, or I could have copied some for you!

GreenGran - www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/lindas-knitting-designs-on-ravelry/patterns?page=1
There are a lot of sweaters with various animal motifs on Linda’s page on Ravelry, though I couldn’t find kangaroo, koala or llama. There is a cost to download pattern as pdf. I made horse head and tractor for my grandchildren and was pleased with results.

When my children were young I used to buy old hand-knits from jumble sales. I unpicked them and washed the wool, then used it to make ‘new’ sweaters and cardigans. Many a much-admired outfit had cost me only coppers to make. Sadly, jumble sales are a thing of the past, and there are few hand-knits to be seen at carboot sales and charity shops.
I gave my collection of patterns away a few years ago, in a rash moment, and have regretted it since the new and unexpected arrival of another grandchild, nearly three years ago.
My little Aussie granddaughter loves the clothes that I knit for her. It can get quite chilly there, in the winter. It often costs more to post them than the amount I paid for the wool!
I have been trying to find a sweater or cardigan pattern with kangaroos or koalas, without success. I don’t suppose anyone has one, for age 3-4? Llamas would also be good, as Daddy is Peruvian!

Have a look here. She restores and updatrs a lot of vintage patterns.

www.purplekittyyarns.com/

Witzend I agree 're plain patterns. I have a batwing cardigan pattern (for babies) that has proved to be a smash hit - the batwing sleeves make it easy to put on little arms or over other clothes, and it can be made interesting by using variegated wool. It is knitted all-in-one. If anyone wants a copy of the pattern, drop me a PM with your email address.

My dd will never hand wash anything. I've made a few little cardies/jumpers for GDCs in mostly soft baby dk, and they've all washed fine, over and over.

My main quibble about baby patterns is the fussiness of so many - I'm just no good at complicated/lacy patterns. Plainer ones are harder to find, but quite apart from the difficulty factor, I much prefer the look of them.

Modern babies do wear/use knitted stuff. And there are some smashing, funky patterns nowadays from a new generation of knitters. I was sent a 'remember this?' photo recently of Baby No 2 wearing a cute hat I knitted for her brother; a young friend whose daughter is 4 wrote that the 'blankie' I knitted is destined to become a life-long treasure ; my grandson is the smartest boy in class with his handknitted pull over, beanie and gloves in school colours.

And there is a point in knitting and other crafts, it is mindfulness in action. A knitting group in a local drug and alcohol service is 'invaluable' according to the OT who started it. People relax when they are in a craft group, put the world to rights.

HannahapLousLuke You are very wrong. Hand knitting is big nowadays and much so amongst young mothers.
Knitting never went away.... internet shopping closed a lot of the yarn shops. Knitting nowadays is not the granny style knitting of old. Designers and makers of good yarns (Not plastic acrylics) are providing us knitters with the best and top materials to create with.

Have you tried charity shops? They can have loads of patterns from 50s, 60s a d cost a few pence by comparison to those in the stores. Love knitting also provides free knitting patterns that seem from a few decades ago.

DIL is sad that my older DGD doesn't want to wear hand-knits any more but said that the younger DGD is still keen so please keep on knitting.

Look on pinterest (but beware its addictive) I found some lovely patterns for my grandson

Regarding the washing of hand-knitted items - my DiL pointed out to me that most, if not all, modern washing machines have a programme that is perfectly ok for these things.
I have knitted loads of things for my baby dgd (at DiL's request). They are worn and machine washed regularly and all still look as good as new - so much so that I have just borrowed back one that i knitted a few months ago, to enter in our village show this weekend

Most of them have cost very little too, as I keep an eye out for yarn in the charity shops. I managed to knit both my dgds cardigans out of a cone of 2 or 3 ply yarn that cost me 90p, and found a cone of 4 ply in a lovely colour only yesterday at a similar price which i can't wait to use.

I wouldn't knit in wool for small babies, unless it is cashmere which would probably have to be hand washed.
Bamboo? I know acrylics are supposed to be bad for the environment but yarns such as Sirdar Snuggly are very soft for little ones.

I think the children tend to go off hand knits when they get to about 9 or 10.

Sadly, I agree with some other posters that most modern mums do not dress their babies in hand knitted items. I’m glad that the OP’s son appreciates the gifts, but wonder if DIL shares his enthusiasm.

Oh, but lots of them do!

Best ask Mum first though - some love modern, soft knits and others don't.

I'm with Granny Somerset.
Modern babies don't wear knitted stuff.

I collect loads of 1940s and 1950s womans magazines I will look and see if I can find a pattern like you describe in one of those.
I have quite often knitted the "vintage " ladies patterns and have quiet a collection of twin sets now and sad as it is I love them

Just do a Google search for: 'free baby knits'
then choose IMAGES at the top of the page and choose one that you like the look of.

This link should take you straight there:

www.google.co.uk/search?q=free+baby+knitting+patterns&safe=active&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiizLLZxrfkAhURVBUIHevBCJkQ_AUIEigB&biw=1425&bih=661#spf=1567613326467

** NOW working on autumn / winter (NOT working is a typo!)

What a lot of good ideas. Thank you all for your help.

And as for the people saying there is no point in knitting, that could apply to a lot of things and certainly most crafts. I haven't found wool to be very expensive for tiny baby garments. Most of the things I have knitted have been machine washable, although I did do a little pink cardigan in pure wool that will need hand washing. My son really seems to appreciate that they are an expression of love for my gorgeous granddaughter. I am also in the position of a lot of people on here that the baby is my son's and so the other grandmother spends more time with them, and showers her with gifts. I refuse to get in a bidding war, but other grandmother doesn't knit, so this is the one thing I can do that no one else does! I have been careful not to overdo it and have just done 4 little cardigans in the first sizes, and a blanket. I'm not working on a couple of items for autumn/ winter. When my children were babies my Mum knitted a coat, hat and gloves which all three of my children wore. I could guarantee that if I took them out in the pram in that outfit that old ladies would coo over the baby, so I am all in favour of hand knitted items.

I would knit up to the sleeves on a round needle, then knit the front and back up to neckline on straight needles. Knit the neckline from shoulder to shoulder in rib and make button holes on the front of the left shoulder. The shoulders should be six to eight rows higher than the neckline.

Hope you fathom what I mean.

You could try looking on eBay under vintage knitting patterns and might find some there. Some of the charity shops have these along with sewing patterns often it's worth asking as they often kept in big plastic folders. If you have a library near to you there could be a pattern you could adapt at the neckline. Otherwise some of the smaller independent knitting wool shops could have some you like and be able to alter the neckline. I always used to just knit the rib around the neck to the lenght I thought was suitable regardless of what the pattern said. Also not sure if people still do this so much now but some of the wanted and for sale ads you used to get in the newsagents or local groups online.

Try www.allfreeknitting.com - lots of patterns of all kinds, also www.lovecrafts.com - again lots of free patterns for babies, children and adults.

Pinterest have some lovely unusual designs ....

Linky to the Rav. page:
www.ravelry.com/patterns/search#craft=knitting&availability=free&photo=yes&pc=pullover&fit=baby&sort=best&view=captioned_thumbs

Some adult patterns have slipped in there too!