"Daddy Loves Me" Sweater

"Daddy Loves Me" Sweater by Jennifer Lee

What is Being Made

The "Daddy Loves Me" Sweater is a children's raglan sleeve sweater designed by Jennifer Lee for sizes 1 through 4 years old. This garment features a round neckline with 1x1 rib bands and three buttons positioned at the back neck for easy dressing and undressing. The sweater can be customized with the text "DADDY LOVES ME" either knitted directly into the front of the garment during construction or embroidered onto the finished piece, offering flexibility in the final design presentation.

Garment Specifications

• Sizes Available: 1, 2, 3, and 4 years
• Chest Fit Range: 50–60 cm (19¾–23½ inches)
• Garment Width: 58–69 cm (23–27¼ inches)
• Length: 33–44 cm (13–17¼ inches) depending on size
• Sleeve Length: 19–28 cm (7½–11 inches) depending on size

Knitting Techniques and Stitches

This intermediate-level knitting project uses several fundamental techniques to create a well-fitted children's garment. The raglan sleeve construction is a classic shaping method that creates diagonal seams running from the underarm to the neckline, allowing for comfortable arm movement and a flattering fit. The round neckline is finished with 1x1 ribbing, a textured stitch pattern that alternates single knit and purl stitches to create an elastic, fitted edge that sits neatly against the neck.

The primary stitch used throughout the body and sleeves is stocking stitch (also called stockinette stitch), which creates a smooth, flat fabric with a characteristic V-pattern on the right side. This stitch is achieved by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side, producing the classic appearance of most everyday knitwear.

If choosing to knit "DADDY LOVES ME" into the front, the pattern uses intarsia or stranded colorwork techniques to incorporate the contrast color lettering. The pattern notes specify not weaving colors during this process, which affects how the colorwork is executed. The alternative method of embroidering the text onto the finished sweater allows knitters to complete the main garment first and add the personalized message afterward using a wool needle.

Materials Required

The "Daddy Loves Me" Sweater is designed to be knitted with DK weight yarn (8-ply), specifically Lincraft DK yarn, which is a medium-weight yarn ideal for children's garments. The yardage requirement is 320 meters per 100-gram ball. Depending on the size being knitted, 2 to 3 balls of main color yarn are needed, with a small quantity of contrast color yarn for either the embroidered or knitted text.

Needles: The pattern calls for a pair of 4.00mm knitting needles (UK size 8, US size 6), which are sized to achieve the correct tension with DK weight yarn. A wool needle is required for sewing the pieces together after knitting is complete.

Additional Supplies: Five stitch holders are needed to hold stitches while working different sections of the garment, and three buttons are required for the back neck closure.

Tension and Gauge

Achieving the correct tension is essential for this project to fit properly. The pattern specifies a tension of 22 stitches and 30 rows to 10 centimeters (4 inches) measured over stocking stitch using 4.00mm needles. Knitters should always swatch before beginning the full garment to ensure their personal knitting tension matches this specification, as variations in tension can significantly affect the final garment size.

Difficulty Level

Although listed as intermediate difficulty, the pattern is rated as easy in execution. This makes it an accessible project for knitters with some experience who are comfortable with basic shaping techniques, reading pattern instructions, and assembling multiple pieces. The raglan construction and ribbed details provide good skill-building opportunities without overwhelming complexity.