Boat Ride Sweater Knit
Free knitting pattern for the Boat Ride baby sweater and wide-brimmed hat set. Designed by Grace Alexander for Red Heart, this intermediate project uses eco-friendly cotton blend yarn and features a textured ridge stitch and functional buttoned shoulder for easy dressing.
Designs by GRACE ALEXANDER FOR RED HEART
Boat Ride
THE WIDE-BRIMMED HAT AND EASY-ON SWEATER WILL PROTECT BABY FROM THE SUN.
SWEATER
Skill Level: Easy
Sweater Sizes
Infant’s 6 months (12 months, 18 months, 24 months). Instructions are given for smallest size, with larger sizes in parentheses. When only 1 number is given, it applies to all sizes.
Finished Measurements
Chest: 19 (20, 21, 22) inches
Length: 9 1/2 (10, 10 1/2, 11) inches
Materials
• Worsted weight cotton-blend yarn* (145 yds/85g per ball): 2 (2, 2, 3) balls moss #1645
• Size 6 (4mm) needles or size needed to obtain gauge
• 3 (9/16-inch) buttons* #3161
*Sample project was completed with Red Heart Eco-Cotton Blend (75% recycled cotton/25% acrylic), and La Mode buttons from Blumenthal Lansing.
Gauge
20 sts and 27 rows = 4 inches/10cm in pat.
To save time, take time to check gauge.
Pattern Stitch
Ridge (odd number of sts)
Row 1 (RS): Knit across.
Row 2: Knit across.
Row 3: P1, *k1, p1; rep from * across.
Row 4: K1, *p1, k1; rep from * across.
Rep Rows 1–4 for pat.
Back
Cast on 49 (51, 55, 57) sts.
Rows 1–12 (12, 16, 16): [Work Rows 1–4 of Ridge pat] 3 (3, 4, 4) times.
Next row: K23 (24, 26, 27), k2tog, knit to end—48 (50, 54, 56) sts.
Next row (WS): Knit across.
Beg with a knit row, change to St st and work even until back measures approx 6 1/2 (7, 7 1/2, 8) inches, ending with a WS row.
Next row (counts as Row 1 of Ridge pat): K23 (24, 26, 27), inc 1 by knitting in front and back of next st, knit to end—49 (51, 55, 57) sts.
Continue in Ridge pat until back measures 9 1/2 (10, 10 1/2, 11) inches, ending with Row 4 of pat.
Bind off knitwise to last 14 (15, 16, 17) sts, knit to end.
Bind off rem sts purlwise.
Front
Work as for back until front measures 1 pat rep less than back, ending with Row 4.
Next row (RS): Knit across.
Next row: K14 (15, 16, 17), bind off 21 (21, 23, 23) sts knitwise, k14 (15, 16, 17).
Left shoulder
Note: Work dec by k2tog or p2tog as needed to maintain pat.
Next row (buttonhole row):
Working on left shoulder only and maintaining pat, work 3 sts in pat, yo, work 2 tog, work 2 (2, 3, 3) sts, yo, work 2 tog, work 2 (2, 3, 3) sts, yo, work 2 tog, work 1 (2, 2, 2) sts.
Work Row 4 of pat. Knit 1 row, then bind off all sts knitwise.
Right shoulder
Working on right shoulder sts only, join yarn at neck edge, work Rows 3 and 4 of Ridge pat.
Knit 1 row, then bind off all sts knitwise.
Sleeves
Cast on 23 (23, 25, 25) sts.
Rows 1–10: [Work Rows 1–4 of Ridge pat] twice, then rep Rows 1 and 2.
Change to St st, and beg on first row, inc 1 st at each edge every 5th row until there are 37 (39, 43, 45) sts.
Work even until sleeve measures approx 6 1/2 (7 1/2, 8, 8 1/2) inches. Bind off all sts.
Assembly
Sew right shoulder seam. Sew buttons on left back shoulder to correspond to buttonholes.
Place markers on each edge of front and back approx 3 3/4 (4, 4 1/4, 4 1/2) inches below shoulder. Sew sleeve top between markers, matching center of sleeve to shoulder. Sew sleeve and side seams.
HAT
Skill Level: Intermediate
Hat Sizes
Circumference: 16 (18) inches
Instructions are given for smaller size, with larger size in parentheses. When only 1 number is given, it applies to both sizes.
Gauge
20 sts and 27 rnds = 4 inches/10cm in St st with larger needles.
To save time, take time to check gauge.
Materials
• Worsted weight cotton-blend yarn* (145 yds/85g per ball): 1 ball moss #1645
• Size 4 (3.5mm) 16-inch circular needle
• Size 5 (3.75mm) 16-inch circular needle or size needed to obtain gauge
• Stitch marker
Special Technique
Wrap st: Take yarn to back as if to knit, slip next st, bring yarn to front as if to purl, slip st back to left needle.
Hat
With larger circular needle, cast on 80 (90) sts. Join without twisting, mark beg of rnd and work in St st until hat measures 2 3/4 (3) inches from beg.
Shape crown
Rnd 1: *K8, ssk; rep from * around.
Rnd 2 and all even-number rnds: Knit around.
Rnd 3: *K7, ssk; rep from * around.
Rnd 5: *K6, ssk; rep from * around.
Continue to dec in this manner, having 1 less st between dec until 16 (18) sts rem.
Next rnd: K2tog around—8 (9) sts.
Cut yarn and with yarn needle thread through rem sts, pull tight, and fasten off securely.
Brim
With smaller needle, cast on 12 sts.
Row 1 (RS): Knit across.
Row 2: Knit across.
Row 3: [P1, k1] 4 times, p1, wrap next st, turn.
Row 4: K1, *p1, k1; rep from * across.
Rows 5–12: [Rep Rows 1–4] twice.
Row 13: Knit across.
Row 14: Knit across.
Row 15: [P1, k1] 4 times, p1, k3.
Row 16: K4, *p1, k1; rep from * across.
Rep Rows 1–16 until shorter edge of brim fits around circumference of hat with no excess.
Bind off all sts and weave cast-on and bound-off ends tog on WS.
Assembly
Hold hat and brim with RS facing; sew side edge of brim to cast-on edge of hat.
--- GLOSSARY ---
RS: Right Side
WS: Wrong Side
St st: Stockinette Stitch (Knit on RS, purl on WS)
pat: Pattern
st(s): stitch(es)
k: knit
p: purl
yo: yarn over
k2tog: knit 2 stitches together
p2tog: purl 2 stitches together
ssk: slip, slip, knit (decrease)
rnd(s): round(s)
inc: increase
