Babies Vest and Hat in Bergere de France Merinos 2,5 - 60376-02 - Downloadable PDF

Babies Vest and Hat Knitting Pattern in Bergère de France Mérinos 2,5 – Pattern 60376-02

This downloadable PDF knitting pattern from Bergère de France provides instructions for a classic baby vest (brassière) and matching hat (bonnet), worked in the brand's own Mérinos 2,5 yarn. The pattern covers four sizes — 0 months, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months — making it a versatile choice for newborns and young babies. Rated as a beginner-level project, it is an ideal introduction to baby garment knitting, combining simple shaping with a charming textured stitch detail.

About the Designs

The Baby Vest (Brassière)

The vest is a traditional French-style baby brassière — a neat, close-fitting infant top that fastens at the front or shoulder with small press studs. It features a raglan sleeve shaping, which creates smooth, angled seam lines running from the underarm to the neckline, giving a comfortable and flexible fit well-suited to a baby's rounded shoulders. The front and back pieces are worked separately and then joined.

The garment is constructed in distinct sections:

• Right back (dos droit) and left back (dos gauche) are worked as separate panels, reflecting the split-back construction typical of traditional baby brassières, which makes dressing easier.
• The front (devant) is worked as a single piece.
• Raglan decreases begin at approximately 13–17 cm of total height depending on size, with stitches cast off at the underarm and then decreased at 3 stitches from the edge on every right-side row.
• Neckline shaping is completed after the raglan decreases, with remaining stitches cast off to form a neat round neck.

A key decorative feature is the wheat stitch (point de blé) border, worked for approximately 2.5 cm (10 rows) at the cast-on edge of each piece. This textured stitch adds a subtle woven appearance and a neat, stable lower edge. The body of the vest is then worked in stocking stitch (jersey endroit), creating a smooth, classic fabric. Stitches are redistributed at the transition between the wheat stitch border and the stocking stitch body to maintain an even tension across the width.

Decreases for the raglan shaping are worked using specific techniques to keep the fabric tidy:

• A simple slip-stitch decrease (surjet simple) is used on the left-leaning edge, worked by slipping a stitch, knitting the next, and passing the slipped stitch over.
• Right-leaning decreases are worked as standard knit-two-together reductions, always positioned 3 stitches from the edge for a neat, fully-fashioned appearance.

The fastening is achieved with 4 transparent press studs, 10 mm in diameter, referenced as accessory réf. 60467 (sold as a mixed set of 59). These give the garment a clean, professional finish without adding bulk.

The Baby Hat (Bonnet)

The matching bonnet is included in the same pattern, designed to coordinate with the vest. While the PDF excerpt focuses primarily on the vest construction, the hat is worked using the same Mérinos 2,5 yarn and the same needle sizes, ensuring a consistent look and feel across both pieces.

Stitches Used

• Point de blé (wheat stitch / seed stitch variant) — a textured stitch used for the borders and cuffs, creating a firm, decorative edge
• Jersey endroit (stocking stitch) — the main body fabric, smooth on the right side and worked on both needle sizes as specified
• Côtes 1/1 (single rib / 1×1 rib) — used for ribbed sections, providing elasticity and a neat finish
• Surjet simple (slip, knit, pass slipped stitch over) — a left-leaning decrease used in raglan shaping
• Standard knit-two-together decreases for right-leaning rag