| Size: | newborn |
| Gauge: | 17 sts x 26 rows = 10 x 10 cm in a honeycomb lace on 4.5 mm needles after blocking |
| Needles: | Circular needles 4.5 mm / 40,60 cm or double pointed needles or the required needle size to obtain gauge, needle, markers |
| Materials: | 25 g Drops Brushed Alpaca Silk (25 g = 140 m) or another yarn with the correct gauge |
This delicate bodysuit is worked from the top down in a honeycomb lace pattern. The yoke is worked flat with raglan increases, then the work is joined in the round for the body. The front and back are finished separately and seamed together, and the sleeves are worked in the round.
Cast on 38 sts on 4.5 mm straight needles (long enough to hold all stitches comfortably) or on circular needles with a long cable for flat knitting, using your preferred cast-on method (I use the long-tail cast-on).
| Row 1 (WS): | edge stitch, knit all stitches |
| Row 2 (RS): | edge stitch, knit all stitches to 3 stitches before the end of the row, YO, SSK, knit 1 |
| Row 3 (WS): | edge stitch, knit all stitches |
| Row 4 (RS): | edge stitch, knit 5 (right back), M1R, place marker, knit 1 (raglan), place marker, M1L, knit 6 (right sleeve), M1R, place marker, knit 1 (raglan), place marker, M1L, knit 10 (front), M1R, place marker, knit 1 (raglan), place marker, M1L, knit 6 (left sleeve), M1R, place marker, knit 1 (raglan), place marker, M1L, knit 6 (left back). |
| Row 5 (WS): | edge stitch, purl all stitches to 1 stitch before the end of the row, knit 1 |
Starting from Row 6, begin working the lace pattern, and in every right-side row make increases along the raglan lines before and after the marker.
| Row 6 (RS): | edge stitch, [knit 1, K2TOG, YO twice, SSK, knit 1], M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, knit 1, [knit 1, K2TOG, YO twice, SSK, knit 1], knit 1, M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, [knit 1, K2TOG, YO twice, SSK, knit 1]x2, M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, knit 1, [knit 1, K2TOG, YO twice, SSK, knit 1], knit 1, M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, [knit 1, K2TOG, YO twice, SSK, knit 1], knit 1. |
| Row 7 (WS): | edge stitch, [purl 3, purl through the back loop, purl 2], purl 1, slip marker, purl 1, slip marker, purl 2, [purl 3, purl through the back loop, purl 2], purl 2, slip marker, purl 1, slip marker, purl 1, [purl 3, purl through the back loop, purl 2]x2, purl 1, slip marker, purl 1, slip marker, purl 2, [purl 3, purl through the back loop, purl 2], purl 2, slip marker, purl 1, slip marker, purl 1, [purl 3, purl through the back loop, purl 2], knit 1. |
| Row 8 (RS): | edge stitch, [K2TOG, YO, knit 2, YO, SSK], knit 1, M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, knit 2, [K2TOG, YO, knit 2, YO, SSK], knit 2, M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, knit 1, [K2TOG, YO, knit 2, YO, SSK]x2, knit 1, M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, knit 2, [K2TOG, YO, knit 2, YO, SSK], knit 2, M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, knit 1, [K2TOG, YO, knit 2, YO, SSK], knit 1. |
| Row 9 (WS): | edge stitch, purl all stitches, knit 1. |
| Row 10 (RS): | edge stitch, *knit to marker, M1R, slip marker, knit 1 (raglan), slip marker, M1L*, work from * to * a total of 4 times, knit 1. |
| Row 11 (WS): | edge stitch, purl all stitches to 1 stitch before the end of the row, knit 1. |
| Row 12 (RS): | edge stitch, [YO, SSK, knit 2, K2TOG, YO], knit 3, M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, knit 4, [YO, SSK, knit 2, K2TOG, YO], knit 4, M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, knit 3, [YO, SSK, knit 2, K2TOG, YO]x2, knit 3, M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, knit 4, [YO, SSK, knit 2, K2TOG, YO], knit 4, M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, knit 3, [YO, SSK, knit 2, K2TOG, YO], knit 1. |
| Row 13 (WS): | edge stitch, [purl through the back loop, purl 5], purl 4, slip marker, purl 1, slip marker, purl 5, [purl through the back loop, purl 5], purl 5, slip marker, purl 1, slip marker, purl 4, [purl through the back loop, purl 5]x2, purl 4, slip marker, purl 1, slip marker, purl 5, [purl through the back loop, purl 5], purl 5, slip marker, purl 1, slip marker, purl 4, [purl through the back loop, purl 5], knit 1. |
| Row 14 (RS): | edge stitch, [knit 1, YO, SSK, K2TOG, YO, knit 1], knit 4, M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, knit 5, [knit 1, YO, SSK, K2TOG, YO, knit 1], knit 5, M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, knit 4, [knit 1, YO, SSK, K2TOG, YO, knit 1]x2, knit 4, M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, knit 5, [knit 1, YO, SSK, K2TOG, YO, knit 1], knit 5, M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, knit 4, [knit 1, YO, SSK, K2TOG, YO, knit 1], knit 1. |
| Row 15 (WS): | edge stitch, purl all stitches, knit 1. |
| Row 16 (RS): | edge stitch, *knit to marker, M1R, slip marker, knit 1 (raglan), slip marker, M1L *, work from * to * a total of 4 times, knit 1. |
| Row 17 (WS): | Row 17 (WS): edge stitch, purl all stitches to 1 stitch before the end of the row, knit 1. |
| Row 18 (RS): | edge stitch, [knit 1, K2TOG, YO twice, SSK, knit 1]x2, M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, knit 1, [knit 1, K2TOG, YO twice, SSK, knit 1]x3, knit 1, M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, [knit 1, K2TOG, YO twice, SSK, knit 1]x4, M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, knit 1, [knit 1, K2TOG, YO twice, SSK, knit 1]x3, knit 1, M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, [knit 1, K2TOG, YO twice, SSK, knit 1]x2, knit 1. |
| Row 19 (WS): | edge stitch, [purl 3, purl through the back loop, purl 2]x2, purl 1, slip marker, purl 1, slip marker, purl 2, [purl 3, purl through the back loop, purl 2]x3, purl 2, slip marker, purl 1, slip marker, purl 1, [purl 3, purl through the back loop, purl 2]x4, purl 1, slip marker, purl 1, slip marker, purl 2, [purl 3, purl through the back loop, purl 2]x3, purl 2, slip marker, purl 1, slip marker, purl 1, [purl 3, purl through the back loop, purl 2]x2, knit 1. |
| Row 20 (RS): | edge stitch, [K2TOG, YO, knit 2, YO, SSK]x2, knit 1, M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, knit 2, [K2TOG, YO, knit 2, YO, SSK]x3, knit 2, M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, knit 1, [K2TOG, YO, knit 2, YO, SSK]x4, knit 1, M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, knit 2, [K2TOG, YO, knit 2, YO, SSK]x3, knit 2, M1R, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, M1L, knit 1, [K2TOG, YO, knit 2, YO, SSK], [K2TOG, YO, knit 2, YO], leave the last 3 stitches unworked. |
Join the work for working in the round as follows: work 4 stitches together with a left-leaning decrease (3 unworked stitches from the right needle together with 1 stitch from the left needle). Place a marker for the beginning of the round.
| Round 21: | knit 14 (right back), k 1 (raglan), knit 24 (right sleeve), k 1 (raglan), knit 28 (front), k 1 (raglan), knit 24 (left sleeve), k 1 (raglan), knit 14 (left back) |
| Round 22: | knit 14 (right back), k 1 (raglan), place the next 24 sts on a stitch holder or a length of waste yarn (right sleeve), k 1 (raglan), knit 28 (front), k 1 (raglan), place the next 24 sts on a stitch holder or a length of waste yarn (left sleeve), k 1 (raglan), knit 14 (left back) |
There are now 60 stitches on the needles for the body.
From this point, the lace pattern is worked in the round across all 60 stitches. All wrong-side rows of the lace pattern become knit rounds.
| Rounds 23-24: | knit to end of round |
| Round 25: | [YO, SSK, knit 2, K2TOG, YO]x10 |
| Round 26: | [knit through the back loop, knit 5]x10 |
| Round 27: | [knit 1, YO, SSK, K2TOG, YO, knit 1]x10 |
| Rounds 28-30: | knit to end of round |
Work in the round 2 more repeats of the lace pattern (12 rounds each). After completing the lace pattern, divide the work into front and back and work the front and back separately in rows.
Knit 15 stitches of the back, then continue working the 30 front stitches in rows. Place the remaining 30 back stitches on a holder or waste yarn.
| Row 1 (RS): | knit 1, SSK, [knit 1, K2TOG, YO twice, SSK, knit 1]x4, K2TOG, knit 1 – 28 stitches |
| Row 2 (WS): | edge stitch, purl 1, [purl 3, purl through the back loop, purl 2]x4, purl 2 – 28 stitches |
| Row 3 (RS): | edge stitch, SSK, knit 1, YO, knit 2, YO, SSK, [K2TOG, YO, knit 2, YO, SSK]x2, K2TOG, YO, knit 2, YO, knit 1, K2TOG, purl 1 – 26 stitches |
| Row 4 (WS): | edge stitch, purl to end of round – 26 stitches |
| Row 5 (RS): | edge stitch, SSK, knit all stitches to 3 stitches before the end of the row, K2TOG, purl 1 – 24 stitches |
| Row 6 (WS): | edge stitch, purl to end of round – 24 stitches |
| Row 7 (RS): | edge stitch, SSK, knit 4, [K2TOG, YO, knit 2, YO, SSK]x2, knit 4, K2TOG, purl 1 – 22 stitches |
| Row 8 (WS): | edge stitch, purl 5, [purl through the back loop, purl 5]x4, purl 6 – 22 stitches |
| Row 9 (RS): | edge stitch, SSK, knit 3, [knit 1, YO, SSK, K2TOG, YO, knit 1]x2, knit 3, K2TOG, purl 1 – 20 stitches |
| Row 10 (WS): | edge stitch, purl to end of round – 20 stitches |
| Row 11 (RS): | edge stitch, SSK, knit all stitches to 3 stitches before the end of the row, K2TOG, purl 1 – 18 stitches |
| Row 12 (WS): | edge stitch, purl to end of round – 18 stitches |
| Row 13 (RS): | edge stitch, SSK, knit 1, [knit 1, K2TOG, YO twice, SSK, knit 1]x2, knit 1, K2TOG, purl 1 – 16 stitches |
| Row 14 (WS): | edge stitch, purl 1, [purl 3, purl through the back loop, purl 2]x2, purl 2 – 16 stitches |
| Row 15 (RS): | edge stitch, SSK, [K2TOG, YO, knit 2, YO, SSK]x2, K2TOG, purl 1 – 14 stitches |
| Row 16 (WS): | edge stitch, purl to end of round – 14 stitches |
| Row 17 (RS): | edge stitch, SSK, knit all stitches to 3 stitches before the end of the row, K2TOG, purl 1 – 12 stitches |
| Row 18 (WS): | edge stitch, purl to end of round – 12 stitches |
| Row 19 (RS): | edge stitch, knit to end of round – 12 stitches |
Break the yarn, leaving a 25–30 cm tail for seaming. Join new yarn and knit the back piece identically, starting from Row 1 (leave a 10–15 cm tail on the back side).
Sew the front and back using Kitchener stitch.
Sleeves
| Rounds 1-2: | knit to end of round |
| Round 3: | knit 1, K2TOG, YO, [YO, SSK, knit 2, K2TOG, YO]x3, YO, SSK, knit 1 |
| Round 4: | knit 3, [knit through the back loop, knit 5]x3, knit through the back loop, knit 2 |
| Round 5: | K2TOG, YO, knit 1, [knit 1, YO, SSK, K2TOG, YO, knit 1]x3, knit 1, YO, SSK |
| Round 6-8: | knit to end of round |
Place 24 sts for one sleeve on 4.5 mm needles.
Join yarn leaving a 15 cm tail and work the lace pattern in the round across all 24 stitches.
Work in the round 1 repeat of the lace pattern (12 rounds) and 1 repeat of the lace pattern (10 rounds). The next round is round 31.
| Round 31: | purl to end of round |
Bind off using your preferred bind-off method. Close the underarm opening. Work the other sleeve in the same way.
Fasten off and weave in all ends. Wash the garment and sew on the button.
Abbreviations
| k | knit |
| yo | make yarn over |
| K2tog | right-leaning decrease stitch; knit two stitches together |
| SSK | left-leaning decrease stitch; knit two stitches together |
| RS | right side of your work |
| WS | wrong side of your work |
| st(s) | stitch(es) |
| edge st | edge stitch; slip the first stitch of a row |
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