Baby Cardigan in Plymouth Yarn Dreamland and Dreamland Fancy - 1973 - Downloadable PDF

Baby Hooded Vest in Plymouth Yarn Dreamland and Dreamland Fancy – Pattern 1973

This free downloadable knitting pattern from Plymouth Yarn Design Studio produces an adorable Baby Hooded Vest, a cozy sleeveless cardigan-style garment designed specifically for infants and very young toddlers. The pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty and is worked in a clever two-yarn construction that combines a fine base yarn for structured ribbing with a plush, chunky fancy yarn for the main body, creating a garment with wonderful textural contrast and exceptional warmth.

Sizes and Finished Measurements

The pattern is written to fit four infant sizes, making it a versatile addition to any knitter's baby project repertoire:

• 0–3 months: Approx. finished chest 18 inches, length 10 inches
• 6–9 months: Approx. finished chest 19 inches, length 11 inches
• 12–18 months: Approx. finished chest 20 inches, length 12 inches
• 24 months: Approx. finished chest 22 inches, length 13 inches

Instructions are written for the smallest size, with larger sizes given in parentheses throughout — a standard knitting pattern convention that intermediate knitters will find straightforward to follow.

Materials Required

This pattern calls for two distinct Plymouth Yarn yarns used at different stages of construction:

• Plymouth Yarn Dreamland (color 5105) – a worsted weight yarn used for the ribbed edgings and structural elements. You will need 1 ball (sizes 0–3 months) or 2 balls (sizes 6–9, 12–18, and 24 months), each ball weighing 50g.
• Plymouth Yarn Dreamland Fancy (color 6105) – a super chunky fancy or novelty yarn used for the main body sections, giving the vest its plush, luxurious texture. You will need 2 balls (sizes 0–3 and 6–9 months) or 3 balls (sizes 12–18 and 24 months), each ball weighing 50g.
• Knitting needles: US size 5 (for ribbing with Dreamland) and US size 10 (for the main body with Dreamland Fancy)
• Notions: 1 stitch holder, 4 stitch markers, and 5 buttons — specifically Dill button style 26055

Gauge

• Dreamland on US size 7 needles: 20 stitches and 28 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
• Dreamland Fancy on US size 10 needles: 11 stitches = 4 inches

Checking gauge before beginning is especially important in this pattern because two very different yarn weights are used. The dramatic difference in stitch counts — from 20 stitches per 4 inches down to 11 stitches per 4 inches — means that stitches are decreased significantly when transitioning from the ribbing yarn to the body yarn, a technique built directly into the pattern instructions.

Techniques and Construction

The Baby Hooded Vest is constructed using a combination of knitting techniques that make it a rewarding project for an intermediate knitter. Key techniques include:

• 1x1 ribbing — worked on the smaller US size 5 needles with Plymouth Yarn Dreamland to create neat, elastic edgings at the cast-on edges. This ribbing is worked for 2 to 2½ inches depending on size, providing a snug, professional finish at the hem.
• Reverse stockinette stitch — the main body of the vest is worked in reverse stockinette (the purl side faces outward as the right side) using Plymouth Yarn Dreamland Fancy on the larger US size 10 needles. This stitch choice beautifully showcases the texture of the chunky fancy yarn.
• Yarn and needle transitions — a defining feature of this pattern is the deliberate switch