Charlie's Jumper

I've taken the sizing and stitch numbers from an old garter stitch pattern I bought second-hand from the library so this jumper pattern looks nothing like that one. The basic knitting is very easy, picking up the stitches around the neck and decreasing to form the V may require some help if you haven't done it before.

The two I have made so far are to fit am 18 month old toddler and as I have used 2 different colours. They would take about 100gms for the main colour and 30-40 of a contrast colour, less for the smaller sizes. I've used a nice, soft hand-wash acrylic yarn from Spotlight for around $2-3 a 100gm ball so they have been very inexpensive too...should be hardy for a busy little boy next Winter. The yarn is by 4Seasons and is called Stallion Acrylic...

You'll need your trusty UK size 10 and 8 knitting needles(3.25mm and 4 mm), a stitch marker or a small loop of brightly coloured yarn and 2 stitch holders or spare needles. Around about 150 gms of yarn, all one colour or some contrast yarn too
Sizes 6mos(12mos and 18mos)

Back

Using smaller needles cast on 58(62, 66) sts and work 12 rows in single rib.

Change to larger needles and work in stocking stitch until your work measures 16(18, 20) cms from the beginning, ending with a wrong side row.

Cast off 4 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows and then continue without shaping until your work measures 26(29, 31.5) cms
Cast off 11(12, 13) sts at the beg. of next 2 rows and slip remaining sts onto a stitch holder or spare needle.

Front

Work as for back until your work measures 18.5(21, 22)cms then we divide to form the V-neck ...

Shape Neck

Knit 25(27, 29) sts and slip these onto a spare needle/stitch holder, knit to end.
Purl 1 row, turn
Decrease 1 st at beginning of next and every alt row 14(15,16) times and then continue until it measures the same as the back, cast off the remaining 11(12,13) sts.

Join the yarn to the sts on the other side/holder and complete that, decreasing at the neck edge as before.

Sleeves

Cast on 36(40,44) sts on the smaller needles and work 12 rows of single rib, switch to larger needles and work until it measures 19(21,23)sts....increase at each end of every 10th row and add stripes if desired...actually the stripes really help with the counting of every 10th row ;)
Cast off.
Make two.

Neckband

Join right shoulder seam and then with right side facing you and smaller needles pick up 34(36,38) sts down to the middle, place marker, pick up one more st and place another marker then pick up the same number of stitches up the other side of the front. Knit across stitches on the holder for the back.

Work 6 rows of single rib, working two sts together at each side of the marker then cast off loosely.
If this is a new technique to you then have a look at this link which explains it much better than I can
Knitting and More

Now you can join the left shoulder seam, attach your sleeves and then sew up the sides and down the sleeve edges, fitting around the 4 cast off sts that are to set in the sleeves.

Happy knitting...Charlie is due today but appears to be digging his heels about this!
Hope you have a relaxing weekend
xxx