Bonnie Waistcoat in Rowan Baby Cashsoft Merino (FR) - RB002-00007-FRP - Downloadable PDF

Bonnie Waistcoat by Erika Knight in Rowan Baby Cashsoft Merino – Pattern Summary

About This Pattern

The Bonnie Waistcoat is a charming knitted baby waistcoat designed by Erika Knight and published by Rowan. Released as a downloadable PDF (reference RB002-00007-FRP), this pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty and is worked in a classic ribbed construction. It is a wonderfully practical and stylish layering piece for babies, making it a popular choice for handmade gifts and wardrobe staples alike.

Sizes Available

The pattern is written to fit four baby sizes, making it versatile across the first year of life:

• 0–3 months – chest circumference approximately 38.5 cm
• 3–6 months – chest circumference approximately 40 cm
• 6–9 months – chest circumference approximately 41.5 cm
• 9–12 months – chest circumference approximately 43.5 cm

What Is Being Made

The Bonnie Waistcoat is a sleeveless baby vest or waistcoat, knitted flat and shaped with ribbing throughout the body. The finished garment features a neat neckline with separate shaping worked on each side, and a structured ribbed fabric that gives it both stretch and texture. It is a lightweight, cosy layer ideal for babies from newborn through to twelve months.

Techniques Used

This pattern uses a range of standard knitting techniques suited to an intermediate knitter:

• Ribbed fabric construction – the entire body is worked in rib stitch, creating a stretchy, textured fabric that sits neatly on a baby's frame
• Flat knitting – the pieces are worked back and forth in rows rather than in the round
• Neckline shaping – the back neckline is shaped by dividing stitches and working each side separately, with decreases worked over several rows to create a smooth curved edge
• Decreasing – the pattern uses k2tog (knit two together) and SSK / slip slip knit (surjet simple) decreases to shape the armholes and neckline cleanly
• Holding stitches – stitches are placed on hold while one section is worked, a classic technique for neckline and shoulder construction
• Turning rows – short rows or turning mid-row are used when dividing for the neckline

Stitches Used

• Rib stitch – the primary stitch pattern used throughout, alternating knit and purl stitches to create a stretchy, structured fabric
• Knit stitch (end / endroit) – standard knit rows form the right-side rows
• Purl stitch (env / envers) – purl rows form the wrong-side rows
• K2tog (2 m end ensemble) – a right-leaning decrease used for shaping
• Surjet simple (SSK or slip, slip, knit) – a left-leaning decrease used symmetrically alongside k2tog for neat, mirrored shaping at the neckline and armholes

Materials – Yarn and Alternatives

The pattern is written for two yarn options, both from the Rowan range:

• Rowan Baby Cashsoft Merino – a 4-ply weight yarn, requiring 1 x 50g ball for sizes 0–3, 3–6, and 6–9 months, and 2 x 50g balls for the 9–12 month size. The pattern was photographed in Puddle 126 and Duckling 124, two of the yarn's soft, baby-appropriate colourways. This yarn bl