Debbie Bliss Rae Knitting Pattern

Debbie Bliss Rae Knitted Sweater

What is Being Made

The Debbie Bliss Rae is a children's knitted sweater designed to fit ages 3–4 through 11–12 years. This pullover features a classic striped design with a crew neckline and raglan sleeves. The finished chest measurements range from 75 cm (29½ inches) for the smallest size to 93 cm (36½ inches) for the largest size, with corresponding length and sleeve adjustments across all five size options.

Techniques Used

This sweater is constructed using a bottom-up seamed approach, meaning the knitter works from the lower edge upward and joins pieces together at the seams. The garment is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, requiring assembly of separate front, back, and sleeve pieces. The design incorporates horizontal stripes throughout, created by working rows in alternating colors. Raglan armhole shaping is used to create the sleeve cap, achieved through strategic decreases that taper the upper body and sleeve head for a fitted silhouette.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch structure is stocking stitch (stockinette stitch), which creates a smooth, classic knit fabric with a V-pattern texture on the right side. The ribbing at the lower edge and cuffs is worked in 1×1 rib, alternating knit and purl stitches to create an elastic, fitted edge. Shaping is accomplished using standard decreases: skpo (slip, knit, pass slipped stitch over) and k2tog (knit two together) are used for the raglan decreases, while m1 (make one) increases are worked to adjust stitch counts where needed.

Materials and Specifications

The sweater is knitted in Debbie Bliss Rialto DK, a double-knitting weight yarn. The main color is Navy (shade 17), requiring 5 to 7 balls of 50g depending on the child's size. Five contrasting colors are used for the striping: Scarlet (12), Burnt Orange (43), Mustard (99), Apple (09), Ocean (72), and Plum (61), with one 50g ball of each accent color. Three pairs of knitting needles in different sizes are required: 3.25mm (US 3), 3.75mm (US 5), and 4mm (US 6). The pattern specifies a gauge of 22 stitches and 30 rows over a 10 cm (4 inch) square in stocking stitch using 4mm needles, which is essential for achieving the correct finished measurements.

Construction Details

The back and front pieces are cast on using the smallest needle size (3.25mm) with the first contrast color, then worked in 1×1 rib to create a stretchy lower edge. After ribbing, the work transitions to the medium needle size (3.75mm) and continues with horizontal stripes in the specified colors. The main body is then worked on the largest needles (4mm) in stocking stitch, maintaining the stripe pattern throughout. Raglan armhole shaping begins by casting off a set number of stitches at the armhole edge, followed by paired decreases worked every few rows to create the tapered raglan line. The sleeves are similarly constructed and shaped to match the armhole depth. All pieces are seamed together using mattress stitch or a similar method suitable for knitted fabrics, creating a finished garment with minimal visible seaming.