Designer’s email: kidknits@flory.com

Designer's website: http://www.kidknits.biz

Design Tested By: Gloria Hammer

Kimono-style sweaters are an easy fit for babies: just wrap them in and tie it up! The classic kimono sweater is updated here with a sophisticated color combination, and the design detail of leaving slits at the side. The sweater is also designed to maximize "finish-as-you-go" techniques: the eyelet-garter band worked on the fronts eliminates the need to pick up ribbing; a three-needle bind-off finished the shoulder seams at the same time that the back neck is bound off; and the sleeves are picked up and worked from the top down, leaving only a short sleeve/side seam to sew.

Sachiko Kimono Sweater Kit $25.00 The kit includes a pattern for the sweater printed on card stock with a color photo of the finished sweater and enough yarn to complete the largest size. The yarn for the sweater is Peaches & Creme 100% worsted cotton by Elmore-Pisgah in Celery, and the yarn for the ties is Lion Brand in Poppy Red. Shipping is included in the price.

This pattern is a: Knit Pattern

Skill Level: Easy

Credits: Photos taken by Erika Flory

Materials:

Yarn:

Color #1: Peaches & Creme by Elmore-Pisgah, 2.5 oz balls, 100% cotton
3(3, 4) balls color #56 Celery

Color #2: Kitchen Cotton by Lion Brand, 5.0 oz balls, 100% cotton
14 yards color #112 Poppy Red

Knitting Needles:

Straight US# 7 / 4.5 mm, Length in inches 13"
Double-Pointed US #7/4.5mm

Notions and Accessories:

Stitch holders
Stitch markers
Tapestry needle

Size:

Baby Sizes: 6 mo ( 12 mo, 18 mo)

Finished Product Measurements:

Chest (closed): 19(22, 24) inches
Center Back of Next to Cuff: 10 3/4(12 1/4, 13 1/2) inches
Length from Back Neck: 9(10, 11) inches
Cross Back: 9 1/2(11, 12) inches
Sleeve Length: 6(6 3/4, 7 1/2) inches

Pattern Stitch:

Stockinette Stitch
I-Cord

Gauge:

16 sts and 24 rows =4"/10 cm over st st using size 7(4.5mm) needles. Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain correct gauge.

Design Notes:

Garter Stitch is knit every row.
Stockinette Stitch is knit one row (right side), purl one row (wrong side).

Sleeves are picked up and worked from the shoulder down.

I-Cord: worked on 2 double-pointed needles. Cast on 2 stitches. Knit. Do not turn work. Slide stitches to opposite end of needle. Repeat until the I-cord is desired length. Bind off.

3-needle Bind-off: Used instead of binding off shoulder stitches and sewing the shoulder seam, this technique reduces bulk at the shoulders. With stitches on 2 needles and right sides facing, *Knit 2 stitches together (one from the front needle and one from the back needle); repeat from *once. 1. With left needle, pass first stitch on right needle over second stitch and off right needle. 2. Knit next 2 stitches together. Repeat 1 & 2 until 1 stitch remains; draw yarn through this last stitch.

You can download a copy of the pattern measurements by clicking here.

Pattern:

LEFT FRONT: Cast on 38(44, 48) sts. Work 6 rows garter stitch. Change to stockinette stitch. Work to 3 1/2(4, 4 1/2)" above garter band. Next row: work the Decrease eyelet-garter band: Row 1: Work to last 5 sts. K2tog, yo, K2tog, K1. Row 2: K2 sts, P1, P2tog, purl to end of row. Repeat these two rows until 12(14, 16) sts remain. Length is 9(10, 11)" from cast on. Put 12(14, 16) sts on holder, leaving a long tail (about 24") to work 3-needle bind-off.

RIGHT FRONT: Cast on 38(44,48) sts. Work 6 rows garter st. Change to st st. Work to 3 1/2(4, 4 1/2)" above garter band. Next row, work the Decrease eyelet garter-band: Row 1: K1, SSK, yo, SSK, K to end. Row 2: Purl to last 5 sts. SSP, P1 K2. repeat these two rows until 12(14,16) sts. remain. Length is 9(10,11)" from cast on. Put 12(14,16) sts on holder, leaving a long tail (about 24") to work 3-needle bind-off.

BACK: Cast on 38(44,48) sts. Work 6 rows garter st. Change to st st and work to 9(10,11)" from beg. End on with a purl row (WS).
Next row: with right side of right front facing right side of back, work 3-needle bind off on 12(14,16) sts from back shoulder and 12(14,16) sts from holder. Bind off center 14(16,16) sts for neck. With right side of left front facing right side of back, work 3-needle bind off on remaining sts from back shoulder and 12(14,16) sts from holder.

SLEEVES: With right side facing, measure 5(5 1/2, 6)" down from shoulder on each side of seam, and place markers. Pick up and knit 42(48,52) sts evenly between markers. Working in st st, dec 1 st each end of every 5th row 6(7,8) times: 30(34,36) sts remain. Work 6 rows in garter st. Bind off.

TIES:(make 4)
Working on 2 dp needles, cast on 2 sts. Work 9" I-cord.

Finishing:

Lightly block sweater. Sew side/sleeve seam from cuff to 3 1/2"(4, 4 1/2)" above cast on. Firmly sew one tie to each front edge were garter-eyelet band begins, and to side where seam ends.

Meet the Designer:

Erika Flory is a life-long knitter whose passion for creating with yarn has taken her through different interesting career moves. Knitting for pleasure evolved into a fifteen-year business of creating, producing and selling knitwear for babies at juried regional craft shows, which then evolved into her current web-based business selling patterns and kits for many of these same items as well as new designs.

Erika has been published in the June 2006 issue of KnitNet.com, writing an article on "My Career in Knitting" and having her Corkscrew Tassel Hat Pattern featured in that same issue.

In October 2006, Erika was accepted as an Associate Member in the Association of Knitwear Designers.

Erika lives in Philadelphia, PA with her architect husband; her two children, who inspired the creation of her kidknits craft business, are grown and pursuing creative endeavors of their own. She is also a member of a volunteer group who teaches knitting and crocheting to the blind and visually impaired at the Associated Services for the Blind in downtown Philadelphia.

"It's fascinating for me to look back over the last 20 years and to see how my knitting life has evolved. I can't wait to see where I go next!"