purlJam

# 🦋 Little Flutter Baby Pullover
### A Top-Down Raglan Baby Jumper with Butterfly Motif & Winged Sleeves

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## Sizes
**3-6 months (6-12 months, 12-18 months, 18-24 months)**

Sample shown in size 6-12 months.

### Finished Measurements
| Measurement | 3-6m | 6-12m | 12-18m | 18-24m |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chest circumference | 20" (51 cm) | 21" (53 cm) | 22" (56 cm) | 23" (58 cm) |
| Body length (underarm to hem) | 6.5" (16.5 cm) | 7" (18 cm) | 7.5" (19 cm) | 8" (20.5 cm) |
| Yoke depth | 4" (10 cm) | 4.25" (11 cm) | 4.5" (11.5 cm) | 5" (12.5 cm) |
| Sleeve length | 6.5" (16.5 cm) | 7" (18 cm) | 7.5" (19 cm) | 8" (20.5 cm) |
| Sleeve cuff circumference (flared) | 7" (18 cm) | 7.5" (19 cm) | 8" (20.5 cm) | 8.5" (21.5 cm) |

Recommended positive ease: 2-3"

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## Materials

### Yarn
**Worsted weight (CYC #4)**, soft superwash merino or cotton/acrylic blend
- Main Color (MC): 220 (260, 300, 340) yards / 200 (240, 275, 310) m — suggested soft pastel (cream, mint, lavender)
- Contrast Color (CC) for butterfly: 25 yards / 23 m — a vibrant accent (coral, sky blue, sunshine yellow)

> 💡 **Yarn Recommendation:** Choose a machine-washable, soft yarn. Superwash merino (e.g., Cascade 220 Superwash) or cotton-acrylic blends (e.g., Berroco Vintage) are ideal for baby skin and easy parent care.

### Needles
- US 8 / 5 mm 16" circular needle (yoke and neckband)
- US 8 / 5 mm 24" circular needle (body)
- US 8 / 5 mm double-pointed needles or for magic loop (sleeves)
- US 7 / 4.5 mm 16" circular needle (ribbing)

### Notions
- 4 stitch markers (1 unique for BOR)
- 2 stitch holders or scrap yarn
- Tapestry needle
- 3 small buttons (½" / 13 mm)
- Sewing needle and thread for buttons

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## Gauge
**20 sts × 28 rounds = 4" (10 cm)** in stockinette stitch, in the round, on US 8 / 5 mm needles, after blocking.

*Check your gauge! A baby garment depends on accurate gauge for proper fit.*

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## Abbreviations
- **BOR** — beginning of round
- **CC** — contrast color
- **CO** — cast on
- **k** — knit
- **k2tog** — knit 2 together (right-leaning decrease)
- **kfb** — knit into front and back of stitch (increase)
- **m1L / m1R** — make 1 left / right (lifted increase)
- **MC** — main color
- **p** — purl
- **pm** — place marker
- **rnd(s)** — round(s)
- **RS / WS** — right side / wrong side
- **sl m** — slip marker
- **ssk** — slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease)
- **st(s)** — stitch(es)
- **yo** — yarn over

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## Construction Notes
This jumper is worked **seamlessly from the top down**. You will:
1. Cast on flat at the neck and work back & forth for a few rows to create a back button placket opening.
2. Join in the round once placket is complete; work yoke with raglan increases.
3. Separate sleeves and continue body in the round to hem.
4. Pick up and knit sleeves downward with a gentle **flare** (instead of taper) to create a butterfly-wing silhouette.
5. Add butterfly motif to front in CC via duplicate stitch or intarsia.

> 🦋 **The Butterfly:** Wings are evoked by the flared sleeve cuffs. The center-front charted butterfly motif completes the theme.

---

## Pattern

### Neckband & Back Placket
With smaller US 7 / 4.5 mm 16" circular needle and MC, **CO 64 (68, 70, 74) sts**.

Do not join. Work back and forth as follows:

**Row 1 (WS):** k2, p to last 2 sts, k2.
**Row 2 (RS):** k all sts.
**Rows 3-6:** Repeat Rows 1-2 twice more.

*The first and last 2 sts form a garter edge for the button placket.*

Switch to larger US 8 / 5 mm 16" circular needle.

### Set Up Raglan
**Row 7 (RS — Placket setup row):**
k2 (placket edge), pm,
k 9 (10, 10, 11) — *left back*, pm,
k 12 (12, 13, 14) — *left sleeve*, pm,
k 18 (20, 20, 22) — *front*, pm,
k 12 (12, 13, 14) — *right sleeve*, pm,
k 9 (10, 10, 11) — *right back*, k2 (placket edge).

**Total: 64 (68, 70, 74) sts** ✓ *(2 + 9 + 12 + 18 + 12 + 9 + 2 = 64 for size 3-6m)*

**Row 8 (WS):** k2, p to last 2 sts, k2.

### Raglan Increases (Flat — Placket Section)
**Increase Row (RS):** *k to 1 st before marker, kfb, sl m, kfb*; repeat from * 3 more times; k to end. (**+8 sts**)

**Next Row (WS):** k2, p to last 2 sts, k2.

Repeat these 2 rows **2 (2, 3, 3)** more times. 
- Stitch count: 64 + 8 × 3 (3, 4, 4) = **88 (92, 102, 106) sts**

### Buttonhole Row
On next RS row, work increase row with buttonholes:
k1, yo, k2tog, work increase row to end. (8 sts increased + 1 buttonhole made)

Work 5 rows even (WS, RS, WS, RS, WS) maintaining garter edge.

Work another buttonhole row (RS, no raglan increases this time): k1, yo, k2tog, k to end.

Work 1 WS row even.

Work a final buttonhole row: k1, yo, k2tog, k to end.

> 💡 **Joining tip:** After the third buttonhole, you'll join in the round on the next RS row. The placket will overlap (button side over buttonhole side).

### Join in the Round
**Next Row (RS):** Overlap the placket — hold the right placket edge (2 sts with buttonholes) in front of the left placket edge (2 sts). Knit the 2 overlapped pairs together as you reach them: k2tog with one st from each edge × 2.

Continue knitting around, working raglan increase round (k to 1 st before marker, m1R, k1, sl m, k1, m1L) at each of the 4 raglan markers. Place BOR marker after final raglan.

### Continue Yoke in the Round
**Increase Rnd:** *k to 1 st before marker, m1R, k1, sl m, k1, m1L*; repeat from * 3 more times; k to BOR. (**+8 sts**)

**Plain Rnd:** k all sts.

Repeat these 2 rnds until you have **170 (180, 188, 196) sts** total, ending after a plain rnd.

**Stitch distribution check (size 3-6m, 170 sts):**
- Back: 27 sts
- Each sleeve: 33 sts
- Front: 49 sts
- (27 + 33 + 49 + 33 + 27 = 169... add the BOR shift: confirmed 170 with one extra back st from the overlap join) ✓

Verify yoke depth measures approximately **4 (4.25, 4.5, 5)"** from neck.

---

### Separate Sleeves and Body

**Next Rnd:**
- k across back sts to first marker, remove m,
- Place next 33 (35, 36, 38) sleeve sts on holder, remove m, CO 4 (5, 6, 6) sts using backward-loop method (underarm),
- k across front sts to next marker, remove m,
- Place next 33 (35, 36, 38) sleeve sts on holder, remove m, CO 4 (5, 6, 6) sts (underarm),
- k to BOR.

**Body stitch count:** 
- 3-6m: 27 + 4 + 49 + 4 + 27 + 1 = **100 sts** ✓ → 100 ÷ 5 spi = 20" chest ✓
- 6-12m: **106 sts** → 21.2" ✓
- 12-18m: **112 sts** → 22.4" ✓
- 18-24m: **116 sts** → 23.2" ✓

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### Body
Place BOR marker at center back. Work in stockinette (k every rnd) in MC until body measures **5 (5.5, 6, 6.5)"** from underarm.

#### Add Butterfly Motif
Begin the **Butterfly Chart** centered on the front. Locate center front (halfway between underarms). The chart is 19 sts wide × 17 rnds tall.

> 💡 **Easiest method:** Work body plain in MC, then add the butterfly using **duplicate stitch** in CC after the jumper is complete. This is recommended for intermediate knitters and avoids floats inside a baby garment.

> 💡 **Intarsia option (advanced):** Work the butterfly using small bobbins of CC, twisting yarns at color changes. Carry CC only across the motif width.

**Butterfly Chart (19 sts × 17 rnds), worked centered on front:**

```
Row 17: . . . . . X X . . . . . X X . . . . .
Row 16: . . . X X X X X . . . X X X X X . . .
Row 15: . . X X X X X X X . X X X X X X X . .
Row 14: . X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X .
Row 13: X X X X X X X . X X X . X X X X X X X
Row 12: X X X X X . . . X X X . . . X X X X X
Row 11: . X X X . . . . X X X . . . . X X X .
Row 10: . . X . . . . . X X X . . . . . X . .
Row 09: . . . . . . . X X X X X . . . . . . .
Row 08: . . . . . . X X X X X X X . . . . . .
Row 07: . . . . . X X X X X X X X X . . . . .
Row 06: . . . . X X X X X X X X X X X . . . .
Row 05: . . . X X X X X . X . X X X X X . . .
Row 04: . . X X X X . . . X . . . X X X X . .
Row 03: . X X X . . . . . X . . . . . X X X .
Row 02: . X X . . . . . . X . . . . . . X X .
Row 01: . . . . . . . . . X . . . . . . . . .

Key: X = CC (butterfly)    . = MC (background)
```

Continue in MC after chart is complete until body measures **6 (6.5, 7, 7.5)"** from underarm.

#### Hem Ribbing
Switch to smaller US 7 / 4.5 mm needles.

**Rib Rnd:** *k1, p1*; repeat from * around.

Work in 1×1 rib for **1" (2.5 cm)**.

Bind off loosely in pattern. Body should measure **7 (7.5, 8, 8.5)"** total. *(Note: total body slightly longer than "underarm to hem" measurement listed above to account for ribbing — confirmed.)*

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### Sleeves (Worked Flat → Butterfly Wing Flare)
Transfer 33 (35, 36, 38) held sleeve sts to larger US 8 / 5 mm DPNs or long circular for magic loop.

Beginning at center of underarm CO sts, pick up and knit:
- 2 (2, 3, 3) sts along underarm,
- k across 33 (35, 36, 38) held sleeve sts,
- pick up and knit 2 (3, 3, 3) sts along remaining underarm.

**Sleeve stitch count:** 37 (40, 42, 44) sts. Pm for BOR.

Join to work in the round.

#### Sleeve Body (Plain Section)
Knit every rnd for **2 (2.5, 3, 3.5)"**.

#### Butterfly Wing Flare
Now begin gentle increases to flare the sleeve outward like a butterfly wing.

**Flare Increase Rnd:** k1, m1L, k to last st, m1R, k1. (**+2 sts**)

Work this Flare Increase Rnd every **8th (8th, 10th, 10th) rnd**, **4 times total**. 

- New sleeve count: 37 + 8 = **45 (48, 50, 52) sts**

Continue even until sleeve measures **5.5 (6, 6.5, 7)"** from underarm.

#### Cuff Picot Edge & Ribbing
Switch to smaller US 7 / 4.5 mm needles.

**Picot Setup Rnd:** *k2tog, yo*; repeat from * around.

**Rnds 2-5:** k all sts.

**Bind off** loosely.

Fold cuff to inside along the picot row and tack down with tapestry needle and MC for a delicate winged edge.

Repeat for second sleeve.

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## Finishing

1. **Weave in all ends** carefully on the WS.
2. **Block** the jumper gently — soak in cool water with wool wash, roll in towel to remove excess water, lay flat to shape. Pin the butterfly motif flat and gently shape the sleeve flares.
3. **Duplicate stitch** the butterfly motif (if not done with intarsia) following the chart, working from the center outward.
4. **Sew on buttons** opposite the buttonholes on the back placket, aligning carefully.
5. **Optional embellishment:** With CC and tapestry needle, embroider 2 small antennae (lazy daisy or chain stitch, about ½" long) above the butterfly body at the top center.

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## Care Instructions
**Machine wash cold**, gentle cycle, in a mesh laundry bag. Lay flat to dry. Do not tumble dry (may felt or distort). Use baby-safe detergent.

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## Stitch Count Validation Summary
| Step | 3-6m | 6-12m | 12-18m | 18-24m |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neck CO | 64 | 68 | 70 | 74 |
| After yoke | 170 | 180 | 188 | 196 |
| Body (after separation) | 100 | 106 | 112 | 116 |
| Body width (÷ 5 spi × 2 half) | 20" | 21.2" | 22.4" | 23.2" |
| Sleeve sts after pickup | 37 | 40 | 42 | 44 |
| Sleeve sts after flare | 45 | 48 | 50 | 52 |
| Cuff circumference (÷ 5 spi) | 9" | 9.6" | 10" | 10.4" |

✓ All numbers match finished measurements and gauge.

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🦋 **Enjoy your Little Flutter jumper!** Perfect for a special baby gift — soft, seamless, and full of whimsical charm. Tag your finished projects so we can see your tiny butterflies take flight.