Playground Shirt (unisex)

~ Playground Shirt ~

By Elena Nodel

Until recently I created most of my designs for girls only.  It just happened that all my friends had girls one after another. In my circle of friends we had 8 girls and only 2 boys, who were older at the time and usually at school when we met up.  Also seeing as how I have a girl myself, it felt easier to make things girly.

What happened one evening though made me feel terrible.  I went over to my friend's place and took yet another dress for her 3 year old daughter.  Gabi wanted it on her right away, and was dancing the evening away with my daughter in their matching brand new twirly summer dresses.  Sometime later her 5 year old brother asked how come I don't knit anything for boys. Gabi was quick to answer that Auntie Elena only makes things for kids she loves very much. Nathaniel was about to start crying, and kept saying that I didn't love him anymore, so I had to give him lots of hugs and kisses and promise to bring him something special next time I visited.

This shirt is for Nathaniel.

Age	Chest Size		Yarn Required
	cm	inches	meters	yards
6-12 m	40.5-45	16-18	229	250
1-2T	51-56	20-22	297	325
3-4T	56-61	22-24	357	390
5-6T	61-66	24-26	439	480

Suggested Yarns

Dia Merino DK by Colour Adventures (100% merino; 211 m/231 yds in 100 g/3.53 oz)

Sweet Merino DK by Colour Adventures (100% merino; 229 m/250 yds in 115 g/4.06 oz)

Cloud DK by Colour Adventures

(80% merino, 10% cashmere, 10% nylon; 211 m/231yds in 100 g/3.53 oz)

Gauge: 23 sts and 30 rows in 10 cm/4 inches over stockinette stitch in the round

Notions:

3.5 mm/US #4 circular needles (60, 80 cm/24", 32")

3.5 mm/US #4 DPN's or 30 cm/12" circulars

4 stitch markers

3 mm/US #2.5 crochet hook

2 - 4 novelty buttons (eg, ball, flowers, animal, etc.)

Abbreviations:

k = knit

p = purl

st(s) = stitch(es)

kfb = increase by knitting into the front and back of the stitch

m1 = make one, increase by knitting into the stitch below of the following stitch

pm = place marker

slipm= slip the stitch marker from the left needle to the right needle

yo= yarn over the needle

k2tog=knit 2 stitches together

skp= slip one stitch, knit the following stitch, pass the slipped stitch over the knitted one

~ Pattern Instructions ~

Cast on 43 (53, 65, 75) stitches, I suggest using the long tail cast on method.

Row 1 (RS): In this row, you will be adding stitch markers to show you where to increase.

6-12 m: k4, pm, k7, pm, k21, pm, k7, pm, k4.

1-2T: k6, pm, k8, pm, k25, pm, k8, pm, k6.

3-4T: k7, pm, k11, pm, k29, pm, k11, pm, k7.

5-6T: k9, pm, k13, pm, k31, pm, k13, pm, k9.

Row 2 (WS): knit

Next you will start shaping the raglan as well as the front neck:

Row 3 (RS): kfb, (knit to one stitch before the marker, yo, k1, slipm, k1, yo) 4 times, knit to the last stitch, kfb.

E.g. for size 1-2T: kfb, k4, yo, k1, slipm, k1, yo, k6, yo, k1, slipm, k1, yo, k23, yo, k1, slipm, k1, yo, k6, yo, k1, slipm, k1, yo, k4, kfb. (63 sts).

Essentially, you increase in the first stitch of each row, before and after each stitch marker and in the last stitch of the row.

Row 4: kfb, purl to last stitch, kfb.
Repeat rows 3-4 till your stitches are arranged as:

6-12 months: 12/13/27/13/12

1-2T: 14/14/31/14/14

3-4T: 18/19/37/19/18

5-6T: 19/21/39/21/19

Sizes 6-12 months and 1-2T only: Repeat Row 3 only. Purl one row.

You should have:

6-12 months: 14/15/29/15/14

1-2T: 16/16/33/16/16

All sizes: Next row continue with raglan shaping only. You won't be knitting into the front and back of the first and last stitch on the needles anymore. However, you will be increasing before and after each stitch marker as before.

Row 1 (RS): (knit to one stitch before the marker, yo, k1, slipm, k1, yo) 4 times, knit to the end.

E.g. for size 1-2T: k15, yo, k1, slipm, k1, yo, k14, yo, k1, slipm, k1, yo, k31, yo, k1, slipm, k1, yo, k14, yo, k1, slipm, k1, yo, k15.

Row 2 (WS): Purl.

Repeat last 2 rows 5 (7, 8, 9) more times ending with Row 1.  You should have:

6-12 months: 19/25/39/25/19 (127 sts)

1-2T : 23/30/47/30/23 (153 sts)

3-4T: 26/35/53/35/26 (177 sts)

5-6T: 28/39/57/39/28 (191 sts)

With RS facing, cast on 1 st, join in the round and k19 (23, 26, 28) sts. This is now the beginning of the round.

Knit 1 round.

Rnd 1: (k1, yo, knit to one stitch before the marker, yo, k1, slipm) 4 times.

Rnd 2: Knit.

Repeat last two rounds 3 (5, 5, 5) times. Each section is increased by 6 (10, 10, 10) sts.

 Next Rnd: place 31 (40, 45, 49) sts on stitch holders/waste yarn, cast on 3 (4, 4, 5) sts, knit 45 (57, 63, 67) sts, put next 31 (40, 45, 49) sts on stitch holders/waste yarn, cast on 3 (4, 4, 5) sts, knit next 45 (57, 63, 67) sts, place marker for beginning of round.  Remove other markers.

Knit till work measures 20.5 (23, 28, 30.5) cm/8 (9, 11, 12) inches from the underarm.

Bind off loosely.

Sleeves:

Place 31 (40, 45, 49) sts from hold onto DPN's or 30 cm/12" circular needles. Then pick up and knit 5 (6, 6, 9) sts from the underarm area. Place a marker in the middle of the underarm to mark the beginning of the round.

Total of 36 (46, 51, 58) sts.

You will be knitting a total of 10 (15, 15, 15) rounds at the same time decreases will be done as follows:

k1, k2tog, knit to last 3 sts, skp, k1.

Do decreases on the

6-12 months: 5th round

1-6T: 3rd, 7th, 11th round

Bind off loosely.
Go to either Neckline Edging or Collar.
Neckline Edging

(RS facing) Start with where the right sleeve joins with the back and work a single crochet stitch all the way around twice (collar and the shirt opening). Then you can either choose to leave it as is or make the lapels by folding the front halves outwards. If you are making lapels, sew a button on each side (sew through the lapel and the shirt front).
Collar:

With RS facing and starting from the top of the straight section of the left front opening work a single crochet stitch to the top of the right front opening. Don't break the yarn. Work one more single crochet stitch on to the sloped section, then transfer the stitch to the needles and pick up 52 (64, 78, 90) sts. You will be picking up stitches across the sloped section of the right front, then all the way around to the left front slope and on the left front slope. If you have a few sts more or less that is fine too.

Work 12 (14, 14, 16) rows in garter stitch.

Bind off loosely. Do not cut yarn, but switch back to a crochet hook and work single crochet stitch across the collar side, front opening and all the way up the other collar side.

Copyright

Please respect my designer rights, and as such the copyright of this pattern will always remain with me. I am providing this pattern for personal home use only. You may make garments from it as gifts or donate to charities and fundraisers. Commercial use of this pattern is a violation of the copyright.  Selling products made from this pattern or distributing this pattern in any manner is prohibited under the copyright unless I, Elena Nodel, have granted express written permission.

Contact Information:

Email: ElenaNodel@gmail.com

Website: www.AnadiomenaDesigns.com

Pattern Designs: www.ravelry.com/designers/Elena-Nodel

Colour Adventures Yarns on Etsy: www.Anadiomena.Etsy.com

Blog: www.AnadiomenaDesigns.blogspot.com

Ravelry Username: Anadiomena

Ravelry Group: Anadiomena's Adventures

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/AnadiomenasDesigns

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/AnadiomenasDesi

This shirt is for Nathaniel.

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