Striped Pants in Schachenmayr Bravo Baby - S8655A

Striped Baby Pants Knitting Pattern – Schachenmayr Bravo Baby Design S8655A

This free downloadable PDF pattern from Schachenmayr provides instructions for knitting a pair of adorable striped trousers for babies and toddlers. The design is worked in Schachenmayr Bravo Baby yarn and features a classic two-colour stripe motif in Hellblau (light blue) and Weiß (white), making it a timeless wardrobe staple for little ones. The pattern covers three sizes: 62/68, 74/80, and 86, accommodating babies and toddlers from newborn through to approximately 18 months and beyond.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a pair of knitted baby pants with a comfortable ribbed waistband, a neat gusset for ease of movement, and shaped side seams that give the trousers a well-fitted silhouette. Each leg is knitted separately before being joined to work the body of the trousers in the round, a construction method that minimises seaming and creates a smooth, comfortable finish against a baby's delicate skin.

Construction and Techniques

• Two-piece leg construction: Each trouser leg is knitted individually, beginning at the cuff and working upward. Once both legs are complete, all stitches are combined onto a circular needle to work the body of the trousers seamlessly in the round.
• Gusset shaping: At a height of 13–16–19 cm (depending on size), stitches are increased on both sides of each leg to form a gusset. This involves a single increase of 1 stitch on each side, followed by increases of 2 stitches every 2nd row, twice. This classic gusset technique adds width at the crotch for comfortable fit and freedom of movement — an essential feature in well-constructed children's knitwear.
• Joining in the round: After both legs are placed on hold, all stitches are joined to work in the round. The pattern specifies 120–140–160 stitches across the three sizes at this stage.
• Side shaping with decreases: The centre 2 stitches of each former leg are marked as reference points for side shaping. After 16 rounds, a set of 4 decreases is worked — using slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over (a left-leaning decrease) and knit 2 together (a right-leaning decrease) — flanking the marked stitches on both sides. This shaping is repeated every 12th round a further 3–4 times depending on size, tapering the trousers neatly from hip to waist.
• Stripe pattern: After the initial 2 rows in Hellblau following the ribbed cuff, the stripe sequence alternates 4 rows of Weiß and 4 rows of Hellblau throughout the leg and body sections, creating a bold, even horizontal stripe.

Stitches Used

• Bündchenmuster (ribbing): Used for the cuff at the lower edge of each leg, worked over approximately 2 cm. Ribbing creates a stretchy, self-finishing edge that sits neatly against the ankle.
• Glatt rechts (stocking stitch / stockinette): The main fabric of the trousers is worked in stocking stitch, which produces a smooth, flat surface — ideal for showcasing the two-colour stripe pattern and comfortable to wear next to a baby's skin.
• Decrease stitches: Slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over and knit 2 together are used for the side shaping decreases, creating symmetrical, mirrored shaping on either side of the marked centre stitches.
• Increase stitches: New stitches are cast on or increased at the gusset section to add the necessary width at the crotch.

Gauge and Needle Sizes

The pattern specifies a gauge of 24 stitches and 34 rows/rounds to 10 cm × 10 cm in stocking stitch using needles size 3.5–4 mm. The rib