Plymouth Yarn Top Down Baby Pullover Jumper Knitting Pattern

Plymouth Yarn Top Down Baby Pullover

Project Overview

This is a top-down seamless baby pullover knitted in the round using Plymouth Yarn's Dreambaby DK Paintpot yarn. The pattern, designated Pattern No. 2833, is designed to fit three size ranges: 3-6 months (19.75" chest), 9-12 months (21" chest), and 18-24 months (22.5" chest). The finished garment lengths range from 11" to 13.5" depending on size selected.

What Is Being Made

A classic baby pullover sweater worked seamlessly from the top down in one piece. The garment features a neckband, shaped yoke with raglan increases, and a body worked downward after sleeves are completed. The pattern offers both boy/unisex and girl versions with different neckband treatments. The boy version features a ribbed neckband, while the girl version includes a decorative eyelet detail created with yarn overs and knit-two-together decreases.

Techniques Used

• Top-down construction: The sweater is entirely worked from the top down, beginning at the neckline and progressing downward through the yoke, sleeves, and body in one continuous piece
• Seamless, worked in the round: The garment is knitted circularly using circular needles, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a smooth, professional finish
• Raglan shaping: The yoke features raglan-style increases that create diagonal shaping lines from the neckline to the underarms
• Sleeve division: Sleeves are worked in the round as part of the yoke, then divided from the body to allow independent completion of each section
• Eyelet detail (girl version): A decorative yarn over and knit-two-together pattern creates a delicate openwork effect in the neckband

Stitches Used

• Stockinette stitch: The primary stitch throughout the garment, created by alternating knit and purl rows (or knit rounds and purl rounds when working circularly)
• Garter stitch: Used in the boy/unisex neckband, created by alternating purl and knit rounds for a textured, reversible fabric
• Yarn overs and knit-two-together decreases: Combined to create the eyelet pattern in the girl version neckband
• Knit-through-back-loop decreases: Used to shape the raglan yoke

Materials and Tools

The pullover is knitted using Plymouth Yarn Dreambaby DK Paintpot, a DK-weight yarn requiring 2 to 3 fifty-gram balls depending on size. The pattern shows finished examples in two colorways: Boy version in 1402 Denim and Girl version in 1401 Pink Lavender.

Needles required: US Size 4 (3.5mm) and US Size 6 (4.0mm) circular needles. Specifically, you will need a 16" circular needle in both sizes for the neckband and initial yoke work, plus a 24" circular needle in size US 6 (4.0mm) for the body (optional but recommended for comfort). Four stitch markers are essential for tracking the raglan increases and dividing sleeves from body.

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern is worked at a gauge of 22 stitches and 26 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch on US Size 6 (4.0mm) needles. Achieving this gauge is critical for proper fit across the three baby sizes offered. The pattern is written for the smallest size with larger sizes indicated in parentheses throughout, allowing knitters to easily scale the project to their chosen finished measurements.