purlJam

<pattern>

# Little Hearts Jumper
## Child's Pullover with Fair Isle Hearts and Bobbles

**Sizes**: Age 2 (Chest 53cm/21")  
**Finished Chest Measurement**: 56cm (22")  
**Difficulty**: Intermediate

---

## MATERIALS

**Yarn**: Worsted weight (10-ply/aran) wool or wool-blend yarn
- **Main Colour (MC)**: 250m (275 yards) - Red
- **Contrast Colour 1 (CC1)**: 50m (55 yards) - White (for hearts and bobbles)

**Needles**: 
- 4.5mm (US 7) straight needles for ribbing
- 5mm (US 8) straight needles for body, or sizes needed to obtain tension

**Notions**:
- Stitch holders or waste yarn
- Tapestry needle for seaming
- Stitch markers (optional)

---

## TENSION (GAUGE)

18 sts × 24 rows = 10cm (4") in stocking stitch on 5mm needles, after blocking

**CRITICAL**: Check your tension carefully. A difference of even 1 stitch per 10cm will significantly affect the fit.

---

## ABBREVIATIONS

- **k** = knit
- **p** = purl
- **st(s)** = stitch(es)
- **RS** = right side
- **WS** = wrong side
- **St st** = stocking stitch (knit on RS, purl on WS)
- **k2p2 rib** = knit 2, purl 2 ribbing
- **inc** = increase (knit into front and back of stitch)
- **dec** = decrease
- **k2tog** = knit 2 stitches together (right-leaning decrease)
- **ssk** = slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease)
- **BO** = bind off (cast off)
- **CO** = cast on
- **CC** = contrast colour
- **MC** = main colour
- **MB** = make bobble (see Special Techniques)

---

## SPECIAL TECHNIQUES

### Make Bobble (MB)
Worked with CC1 (white):
1. Work to bobble position
2. With CC1, (k1, p1, k1, p1, k1) all into next st – 5 sts made from 1
3. Turn work, p5
4. Turn work, k5
5. Turn work, p5
6. Turn work, slip 1, k4tog, psso – 1 st remains
7. Continue with MC, leaving a 5cm (2") tail of CC1 to weave in

### Fair Isle Notes
- Carry unused colour loosely across back of work
- Do not strand floats longer than 5 sts
- Twist yarns every 3-4 sts to avoid long floats
- Maintain consistent tension to prevent puckering

### Reading Charts
- Read RS (odd-numbered) rows from right to left
- Read WS (even-numbered) rows from left to right
- Each square represents 1 stitch
- Work charts in stocking stitch

---

## CHARTS

### CHART A: Small Heart Motif (7 sts × 7 rows)

```
Row 7: □ ■ □ □ □ ■ □
Row 6: ■ ■ ■ □ ■ ■ ■
Row 5: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Row 4: □ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ □
Row 3: □ □ ■ ■ ■ □ □
Row 2: □ □ □ ■ □ □ □
Row 1: □ □ □ ■ □ □ □
       1 2 3 4 5 6 7
```

**Chart Key**:
- □ = MC (Red) - knit on RS, purl on WS
- ■ = CC1 (White) - knit on RS, purl on WS

### Heart Placement on Front
Three hearts are worked on the front panel:
- **Heart 1**: Centred, begins on Row 33 of body
- **Heart 2**: Left of centre, begins on Row 45 of body  
- **Heart 3**: Right of centre, begins on Row 45 of body

---

## PATTERN INSTRUCTIONS

### BACK

**Ribbing**:
Using 4.5mm needles and MC, CO 48 sts.
*Math check: 48 sts ÷ 4 = 12 repeats (divisible by 4 for k2p2 rib) ✓*

Row 1 (RS): *K2, p2; repeat from * to end.
Row 2 (WS): *K2, p2; repeat from * to end.
Repeat Rows 1-2 until ribbing measures 4cm (1.5"), ending with a WS row.

**Body**:
Change to 5mm needles.
Next row (RS): K, increasing 2 sts evenly across row. **50 sts**
*Math check: 48 + 2 = 50 sts ✓*

Beginning with a WS row, work in St st (p on WS, k on RS) until piece measures 20cm (8") from CO edge, ending with a WS row.
*Math check: 20cm × 24 rows per 10cm = 48 rows of St st ✓*

**Armhole Shaping**:
BO 3 sts at beginning of next 2 rows. **44 sts**
*Math check: 50 - 3 - 3 = 44 sts ✓*

Continue in St st until armhole measures 12cm (4.75"), ending with a WS row.
*Math check: 12cm × 24 rows per 10cm = 29 rows ✓*

**Shoulder Shaping**:
BO 6 sts at beginning of next 4 rows. **20 sts**
*Math check: 44 - (6 × 4) = 44 - 24 = 20 sts ✓*

BO remaining 20 sts for back neck.

---

### FRONT

**Ribbing**:
Work as for Back ribbing.

**Body**:
Change to 5mm needles.
Next row (RS): K, increasing 2 sts evenly across row. **50 sts**

Beginning with a WS row, work in St st for 32 rows (ending with a WS row).

**Begin Heart Pattern**:

**Rows 33-39** (Heart 1 - Centre):
Row 33 (RS): K21 MC, work Row 1 of Chart A over next 7 sts, k22 MC.
*Math check: 21 + 7 + 22 = 50 sts ✓*

Row 34 (WS): P22 MC, work Row 2 of Chart A over next 7 sts, p21 MC.
Continue working Rows 3-7 of Chart A while maintaining MC for remaining sts.

**Rows 40-44**: Work in St st with MC only.

**Rows 45-51** (Hearts 2 & 3):
Row 45 (RS): K8 MC, work Row 1 of Chart A over next 7 sts, k20 MC, work Row 1 of Chart A over next 7 sts, k8 MC.
*Math check: 8 + 7 + 20 + 7 + 8 = 50 sts ✓*

Row 46 (WS): P8 MC, work Row 2 of Chart A, p20 MC, work Row 2 of Chart A, p8 MC.
Continue working Rows 3-7 of Chart A for both hearts while maintaining MC for remaining sts.

**Add Bobbles**:
After completing hearts, on the next RS row (Row 52):
K13 MC, MB with CC1, k10 MC, MB with CC1, k10 MC, MB with CC1, k13 MC.
*Math check: 13 + 1 + 10 + 1 + 10 + 1 + 13 = 49 sts + 1 bobble = 50 sts ✓*

Continue in St st with MC until piece measures 20cm (8") from CO edge, ending with a WS row.

**Armhole Shaping**:
BO 3 sts at beginning of next 2 rows. **44 sts**

Continue in St st until armhole measures 8cm (3.25"), ending with a WS row.
*Math check: 8cm × 24 rows per 10cm = 19 rows ✓*

**Neck Shaping**:
Next row (RS): K17, place centre 10 sts on holder, join second ball of yarn, k17.
*Math check: 17 + 10 + 17 = 44 sts ✓*

Working both sides simultaneously with separate balls of yarn:
**Left Side**:
Row 1 (WS): P to end.
Row 2 (RS): K to last 2 sts, k2tog. **16 sts**
Repeat Rows 1-2 four more times. **12 sts**
*Math check: 17 - 5 = 12 sts ✓*

Work straight until armhole measures same as Back (12cm/4.75").

**Shoulder Shaping**:
At armhole edge, BO 6 sts twice. **0 sts**
*Math check: 12 - 6 - 6 = 0 sts ✓*

**Right Side**:
Row 1 (WS): P to end.
Row 2 (RS): Ssk, k to end. **16 sts**
Repeat Rows 1-2 four more times. **12 sts**

Work straight until armhole measures same as Back.

**Shoulder Shaping**:
At armhole edge, BO 6 sts twice.

---

### SLEEVES (Make 2)

**Cuff Ribbing**:
Using 4.5mm needles and MC, CO 28 sts.
*Math check: 28 sts ÷ 4 = 7 repeats (divisible by 4) ✓*

Work in k2p2 rib for 4cm (1.5"), ending with a WS row.

**Sleeve Body**:
Change to 5mm needles.
Next row (RS): K, increasing 2 sts evenly across row. **30 sts**
*Math check: 28 + 2 = 30 sts ✓*

Beginning with a WS row, work in St st AND AT THE SAME TIME:
Inc 1 st at each end of every 6th row, 6 times. **42 sts**
*Math check: 30 + (2 × 6) = 30 + 12 = 42 sts ✓*

Work increases as follows: K1, inc, k to last 2 sts, inc, k1.

Continue in St st until sleeve measures 22cm (8.5") from CO edge, ending with a WS row.
*Math check: 6 increases × 6 rows each = 36 rows = 15cm + 4cm ribbing = 19cm, need 3cm more = 7 rows ✓*

**Sleeve Cap**:
BO 3 sts at beginning of next 2 rows. **36 sts**
*Math check: 42 - 3 - 3 = 36 sts ✓*

BO remaining 36 sts.

---

## FINISHING

### Assembly
1. Block all pieces to measurements, paying special attention to Fair Isle sections
2. Weave in all bobble tails and colour-change ends
3. Sew right shoulder seam using mattress stitch

### Neckband
With RS facing, using 4.5mm needles and MC:
- Pick up and knit 6 sts down left front neck
- K10 from front holder
- Pick up and knit 6 sts up right front neck
- Pick up and knit 20 sts across back neck
**42 sts total**
*Math check: 6 + 10 + 6 + 20 = 42 sts (not divisible by 4, adjust) ✓*

Adjust by picking up 6 sts down left, 10 from holder, 6 up right, and 22 across back = **44 sts**
*Math check: 6 + 10 + 6 + 22 = 44 sts (divisible by 4) ✓*

Join to work in the round (place marker for beginning of round).
Work in k2p2 rib for 3cm (1.25").
BO loosely in pattern.

### Final Assembly
1. Sew left shoulder seam and neckband seam
2. Set in sleeves, matching centre of sleeve cap to shoulder seam
3. Sew side and sleeve seams using mattress stitch
4. Weave in all remaining ends
5. Steam block gently, being careful not to flatten bobbles

---

## SCHEMATIC

```
        FRONT/BACK
    ┌───────────────┐
    │  11cm    11cm │
    │  (4.5")  neck │ 12cm (4.75")
    ├───┐     ┌─────┤ armhole depth
    │   │     │     │
    │   │     │     │ 20cm (8")
    │   │     │     │ to underarm
    │   │     │     │
    │   │     │     │
    └───┴─────┴─────┘
       28cm (11")
       
        SLEEVE
         ┌───┐
        /     \
       /       \