Dear Sun Spots: I am looking for instructions for a knitted easy baby sweater and hood using worsted weight yarn. – No Name, Lewiston.

Answer: In addition to responses from readers, Sun Spots hopes you may be willing to try the following pattern, including bonnet located online at http://rubeka.homestead.com/5hrjiffy.html:

Jiffy baby sweater

Materials: 1- 4 ounce skein of 4 ply worsted weight yarn. size 10 1/2 needles.

Starting at the neck edge, cast on 34 sts. (always knit the first and last 3 stitches for the border) Row 1 & 2: knit, row 3: (beading row)- k3, *p2tog yo, repeat from * across, ending k3, row 4: k, row 5: k3, p across to last 3 stitches, k3, row 6: k3, * k in front and back of next st(inc),k1,repeat from * across ending increasing 1 st,k3, row 7: k3, p across to last 3 sts, k3, row 8: k3, * k2 tog, repeat from * to last 4 st, k4 (27 sts), row 9: k3, *k1, insert needle under next horizontal loop of row below(between sts) and knit this st., repeat from * across ending k4(47 sts), row10: k3, *increase st in next st,k2,repeat from * across, ending inc 1 st , k4 (61 sts), row 11: k3, p across to last 3 sts, k3, row 12: k3, * k2 tog, repeat from * to last 4 st, k4 (34 sts), row 13: k3, *k1, insert needle under next horizontal loop of row below(between sts) and knit this st., repeat from * across ending k4 (61 sts), row 14: k4, * inc 1, k3, repeat from * across ending inc , k4, row 15: k3, p across to last 3 sts, k3, row 16: k3, * k2 tog, repeat from * to last 4 st, k4 (41 sts), row 17: k3, *k1, insert needle under next horizontal loop of row below(between sts) and knit this st., repeat from * across ending k4 (75 sts), row 18: k4, * inc in next st,k4, repeat from * across, ending inc 1,k5 (89 sts), row 19: k3, p across to last 3 sts, k3, row 20: k3, * k2 tog, repeat from * to last 4 st, k4 (48 sts), row 21: k3, *k1, insert needle under next horizontal loop of row below(between sts) and knit this st., repeat from * across ending k4 (89 sts).

Row 22: k5, * inc 1 st, k5, repeat from * across, row 23: k3, p across to last 3 sts, k3, row 24: k3, * k2 tog, repeat from * to last 4 st, k4 (55sts), row 25: k3, *k1, insert needle under next horizontal loop of row below(between sts) and knit this st., repeat from * across ending k4 (103 sts).

Row 26: k 18 (front) inc 1 st in next st , place marker on needle, inc 1 st in next st, k 14 (sleeve) ,inc 1 in next st, place marker, inc 1 st in next st, k31 (back), increase 1 st in next st, place marker, inc 1 st in next st, knit 14 (sleeve), inc 1 st in next st, place marker, increase 1 st in next st, k 18 (front) (111 sts), row 27: k3, p across to last 3 sts, k3, row 28: k, increasing 1 st each side of markers (119 sts).

Row 29: k3, p across to last 3 sts, k3, row 30: k, increasing 1 st each side of markers (127 sts), row 31: k3, p across to last 3 sts, k3, next row: k22, place sts on holder, k22 sleeve sts, leave on needles, put remaining sts on st holder.

Sleeve: work in stockinette for 4 inches. ending on wrong side of work . work ribbing , k1p1 for 1 1/2 inches. bind off. work the other sleeve the same way. Attach yarn at underarm on right side of work and knit across back and right front. turn and work in stockinette for 4 1/2 inches (always knit first 3 and last 3 stitches) ending on wrong side.

Next row: work rows 8 and 9 in pattern st, work 4 more rows in stockinette, then work eyelet row for turn of hem as follows: k3, *k2 tog, yo, repeat from * across ending yo, k4, work 4 more rows in stockinette st. bind off.

Turn up hem and sew into place. sew sleeve seams. crochet a chain about 30 inches long and draw through beading at neck or use a ribbon.

Jiffy bonnet

Cast on 14 stitches, work stockinette for 3 1/2/inches ending with a purl row. Cast on 12 stitches at the end of the next 2 rows (38 sts), work pattern as follows: row 1: k, row 2: p, row 3: k, row 4: p, row 5: k1, * k2 tog , repeat from * across ending k1, row 6: * k1, insert needle under next horizontal loop of row below ( between sts) and knit this st, repeat from *, end k1.

Repeat these 6 rows 2 more times. Work 4 more rows of stockinette sts., then bind off. Sew side edge of cap to the 12 cast on sts of the front. Work 1 row of single crochet around the cap working in the back of loop of sts at front edge to form a ridge. Work a beading edge at the neck edge as follows: on right side fasten yarn in the right corner of lower edge. Chain 4, *skip 1 st, 1 double crochet in next st, chain 1 , repeat in next st row ending 1 double crochet in last st., crochet a chain 30 ” long for ties.

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