The Esther Sweater Baby is worked from the top down in a texture pattern. First the back yoke is worked back and forth. Then stitches are picked up and knitted for the shoulders, which are joined to form the front yoke. The front and back yoke are joined at the underarms to form the body, which is worked straight down in the round continuing with the texture pattern. The sleeves are worked in the round on double-pointed needles or on a circular needle using the Magic Loop technique. A folded ribbed neck edge is worked from stitches that are picked up and knitted along the neckline.

Begin by knitting a swatch to determine which needle size will give you the correct gauge – note that the gauge needs to be correct for both stitches and rows before the measurements given above can be achieved. You can work a swatch using a chart in the pattern.

Sizes: 0-3 months (3-6 months) 6-9 months (9-12 months) 1-2 years (2-3 years) 3-4 years

Chest circumference: 51 (56) 62 (65) 68 (71) 74 cm [20 (22) 24½ (25½) 26¾ (28) 29¼ inches]

Length: 26 (28) 31 (34) 36 (38) 40 cm [10¼ (11) 12¼ (13½) 14¼ (15) 15¾ inches] measured mid back excl. neck edge

Gauge: 28 sts x 42 rows = 10 x 10 cm [4 x 4 inches] in texture pattern on a 3 mm [US2½] after wash and blocking

Needles: Circular needles: 3 mm [US2½] / 40 or 60 cm [16 or 24 inches] and 2.5 mm [US1½] / 40 or 60 cm [16 or 24 inches]; Double-pointed needles: 2.5 mm [US1½] and 3 mm [US2½]

Materials: 100 (100) 100-150 (150) 150 (150) 200 g Sunday by Sandnes Garn (50 g = 235 m [257 yds]) or Merino by Knitting for Olive (50 g = 250 m [273 yds]) or 100 (100) 150 (150) 150 (200) 200 g Tynn Peer Gynt by Sandnes Garn (50 g = 205 m [224 yds])

Difficulty: ★ ★ ★ (3 out of 5)