Newborn Shorties

Newborn Shorties by Mary Gonzales

Project Overview

Newborn Shorties is a knitted baby garment designed by Mary Gonzales, offering a simple yet practical pattern for creating comfortable shorts or leggings for newborns. This downloadable knitting pattern produces a finished piece sized to fit newborn infants, making it an ideal project for new parents or gift-givers looking to create handmade baby clothing.

What is Being Made

The Newborn Shorties pattern creates a pair of short pants or leggings for newborns. The garment features two separate legs joined at a common waistband, constructed using a top-down approach. The finished shorts are designed with a simple, classic silhouette suitable for everyday wear on newborn babies.

Knitting Techniques Used

This pattern employs several fundamental knitting techniques appropriate for beginners and intermediate knitters:

• Circular knitting: The waistband and upper body are worked in the round using a circular needle, eliminating the need for seaming in this section
• Ribbed knitting: A knit 2, purl 2 ribbed pattern creates an elastic, fitted waistband that helps the shorts stay in place on a newborn
• Increases: A Make 1 stitch increase is used to shape the garment and create the proper fit for the body
• Double-pointed needle work: The pattern transitions to double-pointed needles for knitting each leg separately, allowing for customized fit and finish
• Binding off: Standard bind-off technique secures the leg openings
• Finishing: Weaving in ends and closing the gap between legs completes the garment

Stitches Used

The Newborn Shorties pattern uses basic knitting stitches that are foundational to most knitting projects:

• Knit stitch: The primary stitch used throughout most of the pattern, creating a smooth stockinette texture on the legs and body
• Purl stitch: Combined with knit stitches to create the ribbed waistband pattern
• Make 1 stitch (M1): An increase technique used to add stitches for shaping the garment
• Bind-off stitch: Used to finish and secure the leg openings

Materials and Yarn

The pattern calls for 1 skein of Red Heart Soft in Light Grey Heather or any worsted weight yarn as a suitable substitute. Worsted weight yarn, also known as aran weight, is a medium-weight yarn that works up quickly and provides excellent stitch definition, making it ideal for baby garments where clarity of stitch pattern is important. The suggested Red Heart Soft yarn offers softness and durability appropriate for delicate newborn skin.

Needles and Tools

The pattern requires Size 8 needles in two configurations: a 16-inch circular needle for working the waistband and body in the round, and Size 8 double-pointed needles for constructing each leg individually. Additional supplies include a yarn needle for weaving in ends, scissors for cutting yarn, and a tape measure for checking measurements throughout the project. An optional stitch marker helps track the beginning of each round during circular knitting.

Pattern Construction and Sizing

The Newborn Shorties are designed specifically for newborn sizing. The pattern begins with casting on 52 stitches on the circular needle, which is then increased to 60 stitches to accommodate the body. The waistband features 6 rounds of knit 2, purl 2 ribbing, providing stretch and comfort. The body section measures approximately 6 inches in length before the legs are divided. Each leg is worked separately for approximately 1 inch in length, creating a finished garment proportioned appropriately for a newborn infant.