I designed this simple baby sweater crochet pattern for my newest niece, Navy Jayne. The Plain Jayne sweater will be a wardrobe staple item. It’s gender-neutral and can be worn in so many ways. Making a tiny sweater is the perfect bite size project. Even with the lightweight yarn, it works up in a flash.
I always gravitated towards garments that were “simple”. That could be made in panels then sewn together. After working a few top down sweaters I’m hooked! I love that you don’t have to seam anything together.
If you’ve been hesitant to try an all in one sweater this pattern is a great starting point. They really are easy to understand once you’ve made the first one.
The sweater is a raglan style. That means it’s crocheted in one piece from the top down and has increases in specific places. This creates 4 distinct points that create the front, back, and 2 sleeves.
Another type of top-down sweater is a round yoke. That means that the increases are spaced evenly around to create a smooth curve. The Over The Top Crop Pattern has a round yoke.
I wanted to make one for my other sweet niece Emmy. She’s wearing the 24-month size made with the Hawthorne Yarn from WeCrochet. I love the subtle color variations. It’s a budget-friendly yarn and is machine washable (yay!)
Let’s get started on the crochet baby sweater pattern.
What You Need
- Weight #1 Sock Yarn 110(135, 150, 170, 190) grams needed.
- Autumn and Indigo Single Sock (100g/400 yds per skein)(100% superwash merino) Color: Old World
- Substitute: Knit Picks Hawthorne Fingering Weight (357yds/100g)(80% superwash highland wool 20% Polyamide) Color: Silverton Tonal Hand Paint
- 3.25 mm Crochet Hook
- 5 Stitch Markers
Crochet Gauge
20 sts x 20 rows = 4” square Tutorial all about gauge
Crochet Pattern Notes
Use a stitch marker to mark the first stitch of the round and move it up each round. You will need 5 stitch markers.
Special Stitches
The extended single crochet stitch is an easy stitch to get the hang of. It creates a flat texture that is perfect for garments.
Extended single crochet (esc): insert hook in st, YO pull through st, YO pull through 1 loop, YO pull through both loops on hook.
Extended single crochet 2 together (esc2tog): insert hook in st, YO pull through st, YO pull through 1 loop, insert hook into next st, YO pull through st, YO pull through 1 loop, YO pull through all 3 loops on the hook.
Sizing
The pattern is written for size 3 months with the larger sizes in parenthesis as follows 3 (6, 12, 18, 24) months. The sweater is designed to be worn with about 2” positive ease.
- Finished Chest Circumference: 19 (20, 21, 22, 23.5) inches
- Finished Length: 9.5 ( 10.25, 11, 12, 12.5) inches
- Sleeve Length To Underarm: 6 (6.5, 7.5, 8, 8.5) inches
- Upperarm Circumference: 7 (8, 8, 8.5, 9.5) inches
Abbreviations (US Crochet Terms)
- beg = beginning
- BLOsc = back loop only single crochet
- ch = chain
- esc = extended single crochet
- esc2tog = extended single crochet 2 together
- pm = place marker
- sc = single crochet
- sk = skip
- sl st = slip stitch
- st(s)s = stitch(es)
Plain Jayne Baby Sweater Crochet Pattern
Ribbed Neck Line
Ch 7 (7, 7, 8, 8)
Row 1: 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across, turn. 6 (6, 6, 7, 7) sts
Rows 2-60 (60, 68, 76, 76): ch 1, 1 BLOsc in each st across, turn. 6 (6, 6, 7, 7) sts
Fold in half so the first and last row are on top of each other. Sl st the first and last rows together to form a loop.
Body
Round 1: pm in first st, work 1 esc along the edge of each row, do not join. 60 (60, 68, 76, 76)sts
Round 2: 1 esc in each of the next 11 (11, 12, 13, 13) sts, pm in last st, 1 esc in each of the next 8(8, 10, 12, 12) sts, pm in last st, 1 esc in each of the next 22 (22, 24, 26, 26) sts, pm in last st, 1 esc in each of the next 8 (8, 10, 12, 12) sts, pm in last st, 1 esc in each of the last 11 (11, 12, 13, 13) sts. 60 (60, 68, 76, 76)sts
Rounds 3-14 (16, 16, 16, 18): *1 esc in each st until 1 st before marker, 2 esc in st before marked st, 1 esc in marked st (move marker up), 2 esc in st after marker; repeat from *. 156 (172, 180, 188, 204)sts
Round 15 (17, 17, 17, 19): 1 esc in each st around, move up markers as you work. 156 (172, 180, 188, 204) sts
Repeat this round 1 (0, 2, 3, 4) more times.
Separate Sleeves from Body
Next Round: *1 esc in each st to marker, 1 esc in marked st, remove marker, sk all sts until next marker st, 1 esc in marker st, remove marker; repeat from * 1 more time, 1 esc in each st until back to beg marker. 94 (102, 106, 110, 118) sts
Next Round: 1 esc in each st around. 94 (102, 106, 110, 118) sts
Repeat this round until measures 4 (4.5, 4.75, 5.5, 6) inches from the underarm. Do not cut the yarn.
Ribbed Band
Continuing where you are. Ch 7 (7, 7, 8, 8)
Row 1: 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across, 1 sl st in each of the next 2 sts of the body, turn. 6 (6, 6, 7, 7) sts
Row 2: sk the 2 sl sts, 1 BLOsc in each st across, turn. 6 (6, 6, 7, 7) sts
Row 3: ch 1, 1 BLOsc in each st across, sl st in each of the next 2 sts of the body, turn. 6 (6, 6, 7, 7) sts
Repeat rows 2 and 3 all around the body of the sweater. Sl st the first and last rows together. Cut the yarn.
Sleeves
Attach the yarn at the bottom center of the underarm.
Round 1: pm in first st, work 2 esc in the opposite side of the marker st that was used for joining the body, evenly esc around, work 2 esc in the opposite side of the marker st that was used for joining the body . 35 (40, 41, 43, 47) sts
Rounds 2-4: 1 esc in each st around. 35 (40, 41, 43, 47) sts
Round 5: esc2tog, 1 esc in each st around until final 2 sts, esc2tog. 33 (38, 39, 41, 45) sts
Rounds 6-7: 1 esc in each st around. 33 (38, 39, 41, 45) sts
Repeat rounds 5-7 until work measures 5 (5.5, 6.5, 7, 7.5) inches from the underarm. Don’t cut the yarn.
Ribbed Cuff
Continuing where you are. Ch 7 (7, 7, 8, 8)
Row 1: 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across, 1 sl st in each of the next 2 sts of the sleeve, turn. 6 (6, 6, 7, 7) sts
Row 2: sk the 2 sl sts, 1 BLOsc in each st across, turn. 6 (6, 6, 7, 7) sts
Row 3: ch 1, 1 BLOsc in each st across, sl st in each of the next 2 sts of the sleeve, turn. 6 (6, 6, 7, 7) sts
Repeat rows 2 and 3 all around the sleeve. Sl st the first and final rows together. Cut the yarn.
Repeat for the 2nd sleeve.
Weave in ends and you’re done. (yay!)
Crochet designer//Wanna be knitter// heart of an 80 year old//
When I'm not crocheting you can find me in the kitchen baking with my little ones, drinking iced coffee or watching Gilmore Girls.
This sweater is adorable! Please consider an adult sized one in the future. Thanks for sharing♥
Thank you! And I totally agree. I’m planning to slowly add more sizes for this sweater.
I’ve been looking for a nice simple baby jumper pattern and thought this might just be the one! However I can remember how tricky it can be to get clothes on small babies and worry the fact this has no neck opening might make it difficult to pull down over a baby’s head…..and then there is the problem of getting it off again. I appreciate the yarn is lightweight but sock yarn can be quite firm also. Do you have any suggestions for making this with a neck opening please.
Hi Maura,
I totally understand your concern. If you want to add a button at the center back of the sweater, you could skip seaming the ribbed neckline together. After you work round 1 of the body you could join with a slip stitch. I hope this helps!