Romper for Baby Pattern

Directions are for 1-year size. Changes for 2 and 3 years are in parentheses.

MATERIALS:
NOMOTTA Mothproof Orion or Sports Yarn (matched dye lots)
3 1-oz balls
1 pair needles each of size 1 and 2
5 small and 4 medium size buttons

GAUGE: 7½ sts = 1 inch; 10 rows = 1 inch

SEED-ST: ROW 1: K 1, P 1 across.
ROW 2: Knit over a Purl st and Purl over a Knit st.
Repeat Row 2 for pattern.

BACK: Legs: With size 1 needles, cast on 37 (41-43) sts. Work firmly in ribbing of K 1, P 1 for 8 rows. Change to size 2 needles and purl next row increasing 5 sts evenly spaced, cast on 18 (18-20) sts at end of row for crotch; 60 (64-68) sts. Break yarn and leave sts at end of needle. Work 8 rows of ribbing for other leg then knit 1 row increasing 5 sts evenly spaced; 42 (46-48) sts. With same needle, knit across the 18 (18-20) sts of crotch. Shape Legs and Crotch as follows: Knit 5 more sts of first leg leaving remaining 37 (41-43) sts at end of left-hand needle. Turn and work Short Rows as follows: Row 1: Slip 1, P 27, turn. Row 2: Slip 1, K 32, turn. Row 3: Slip 1, P 37, turn. Continue to work in this manner, always working 5 sts more on each row until 7 (6-6) sts remain unworked at each end. Slip 1, work to end of needle, turn and work across all 102 (110-116) sts. Work straight in Stockinette-st (knit 1 row, purl 1 row) until Back measures 7½ (8-8½) ins straight up from center of crotch, ending with a knit row. Next row, decrease 24 (28-30) sts evenly spaced; 78 (82-86) sts remain.

Waistband: Change to size 1 needles and work firmly in rib­bing of K 1, P 1 for 10 rows.

Waist: Change to size 2 needles and work in Stockinette-st for 2½ (3-3) ins. Mark each end of row to indicate start of sleeves.

Sleeves: Cast on 10 (10-12) sts at end of next 2 rows; 98 (102-110) sts. Keeping 5 sts at each end in Seed-st, work straight until sleeve edge measures 3 (3¼-3½) ins straight up from last cast-on sts, end on wrong side. Next Row: K 34 (35-38) sts, slip a marker on needle, work in Seed-st across center 30 (32-34) sts, slip another marker on needle, K re­maining 34 (35-38) sts. Keeping center 30 (32-34) sts and 5 sts at each end in Seed-st work 8 rows, end on wrong side. Work across 39 (40-43) sts, bind off next 20 (22-24) sts for neck, work to end of row.

Upper Part of Front: Starting with right side, keep 5 sts at each end in Seed-st, and work straight until front sleeve measures same as back. Bind off 10 (10-12) sts at sleeve edge; 29 (30-31) sts remain. Break yarn and slip these sts on a holder. Work other side to correspond.

Front Flap: With size 2 needles, cast on 30 (32-34) sts. Work in Seed-st for 3 rows. Next row, work 3 sts, bind off next 2 sts (buttonhole), work next 20 (22-24) sts, bind off next 2 sts, work last 3 sts. On next row, cast on 2 sts over the bound-off sts (2 buttonholes in row). Work 4 more rows. Keeping 5 sts at each end in Seed-st, work center 20 (22-24) sts in Stockinette-st until flap measures 2½ (2¾-3) ins, end on wrong side; at the same time, work another set of button­holes 1½ (1¾-2) ins above last set. Leave all sts on needle.

Lower Front: Slip sts from upper part of front onto size 2 needles. With right side toward you and starting at right underarm side, knit across 24 (25-26) sts. Hold right side of flap toward you and place first 5 sts over remaining 5 sts of right front thus having 2 needles parallel, knit tightly across the 5 Seed-sts taking 2 sts at a time (one from each needle), knit across center 20 (22-24) sts, hold last 5 sts of flap over first 5 sts of left front thus holding 2 needles parallel and work off these 5 sts same as right front; 78 (82-86) sts. Work straight until front measures same as back to beginning of waistband.

Waistband: Work same as back, then knit, increasing 24 (28-30) sts evenly spaced; 102 (110-116) sts. Work same as back to crotch. Bind off 18 (18-20) sts for crotch. Both legs may be worked at same time using 2 balls of yarn. Knit, de­creasing 5 sts evenly spaced across row; 37 (41-43) sts. Change to size 1 needles and work ribbing same as back. Bind off loosely in ribbing.

FINISHING: Press lightly and sew seams. With size 1 needle and right side toward you, pick up and knit 22 (22-24) sts along crotch. Work in Seed-st for 4 rows. Next Row, work 5 Buttonholes as follows: Work 2 (3-3) sts, *YO, K 2 together, work 2 sts, repeat from * 4 times more, ending last repeat with K 2 (2-3) sts. Work across row, working YO as one stitch. Work 1 more row, bind off firmly on next row. Work along Back crotch in same way, omitting buttonholes. Following chart, embroider design in duplicate stitch.