purlJam

# PROJECT: Baby's First Raglan Crew Neck
**Machine:** Silver Reed LK150
**Size:** 6-12 Months
**Difficulty:** Beginner

## YARN WEIGHT: DK
**SPECIFICATIONS:**
- **Yarn:** Standard DK weight acrylic or superwash wool.
- **Yardage:** Approximately 350-400 meters.
- **Tension Dial:** 4.5 (Main), 3.0 (Hems).
- **Gauge:** 22 stitches x 30 rows = 10 cm x 10 cm.
  *CRITICAL: Swatch first. If you do not get 22 sts/10cm, your sweater size will change.*

## TERMINOLOGY & ABBREVIATION PROFILE
- **RC:** Row Counter
- **COL / COR:** Carriage on Left / Carriage on Right
- **MY:** Main Yarn
- **WY:** Waste Yarn (contrast yarn used for casting on/off temporarily)
- **Sts:** Stitches
- **HP:** Holding Position (Needles pulled all the way back to position D/E so they don't knit)
- **Dec:** Decrease (Transfer 2nd stitch onto 3rd stitch, move end stitch in. "Fully fashioned")
- **Inc:** Increase (Pick up heel of stitch from row below and hang on empty needle)

## TOOLS REQUIRED
- 1x2 and 1x3 Transfer Tools
- Tappet Tool (Latch Tool)
- Cast-on comb and claw weights
- Ravel cord (optional but recommended)
- Tapestry needle

---

## MACHINE-KNITTING REQUIREMENTS
- **Setup:** LK150 Single Bed.
- **Cast-on Method:** E-wrap or Waste Yarn method (pattern uses Waste Yarn for a neat hung hem).
- **Side Levers:** Triangle (Normal knitting) unless specified otherwise.
- **Russell Levers:** I (Knits needles in Hold) or II (Holds needles) - Set to **I** initially.

---

## INSTRUCTIONS

### PART 1: BACK
*We start with the back panel to establish the width.*

**1. HEM (Picot Edge)**
- **Setup:** Bring **56** needles to work (L28 to R28).
- Thread carriage with **WY**.
- Knit 6 rows.
- Thread **MY**. Set Tension to **T-3.0**.
- **RC 000**.
- Knit 8 rows.
- **Picot Row:** Using transfer tool, transfer every 2nd stitch to its neighbor. (Needle setup: 1 in work, 1 out of work). Ensure empty needles are pushed back to A (Non-working) position.
- Knit 1 row (Tension still 3.0).
- Bring empty needles forward to work position.
- Knit 7 rows.
- **Hang Hem:** Pick up the sinker loops from the first row of MY (where it meets the WY) and hang them on the corresponding needles.
- Pull needles out to Hold (D) to ensure stitches are seated.
- Set Tension to **T-4.5**. Reset **RC 000**.

**2. BODY**
- Knit straight until RC **52**.
  * [Math: 52 rows / 30 rows/10cm ≈ 17.3 cm length to underarm]*
- **Shape Armholes:**
  - Cast off 2 sts at the beginning of the next 2 rows.
  - **COR:** Bind off 2 sts. Knit to left.
  - **COL:** Bind off 2 sts. Knit to right.
  - **[Math: 56 start - 2 - 2 = 52 sts remaining]**

**3. RAGLAN SHAPING**
- **Action:** You will decrease 1 stitch at *both ends* of every **2nd row**.
- **Method:** Use 3-prong tool. Move outer 3 stitches inward by 1 needle width. Place the doubled stitch on the 3rd needle from edge.
- Decrease 1 st each side, then Knit 2 rows.
- Repeat this sequence **19 times** total.
- **Stop at RC 90 (approx).**
  - *[Math Check: 52 sts - (19 dec * 2 sides) = 14 sts]*
  - *Wait, logic check*: Original plan 56 -> cast off 2 per side = 52.
  - 52 sts remaining. We need to reach neck width (~12cm / 26 sts... wait 18 sts is better for baby neck back).
  - Let's adjust: Decrease 1 st each side x 17 times.
  - *[Recalculation: 52 - (17*2) = 18 sts remaining].*
  - Total Raglan Rows: 17 * 2 = 34 rows.
- **End:** RC should be approx 86-88. Stitch count is **18 sts**.
- Transfer live stitches to waste yarn and remove from machine.

---

### PART 2: FRONT
*Work exactly as Back until the Neck Shaping.*

**1. HEM & BODY**
- Follow instructions for BACK until you reach the start of Raglan Shaping.
- **RC 52**. Cast off 2 sts at start of next 2 rows. **[52 sts rem]**.

**2. RAGLAN SHAPING (LOWER)**
- Decrease 1 st each end every 2 rows **11 times**.
- **RC 74**. **[Math: 52 - 22 = 30 sts rem]**.

**3. NECK DIVIDE & UPPER RAGLAN**
*We will split the work to shape the crew neck.*
- **Carriage COR.**
- Move Left side **15 sts** to Hold Position (D). Set Carriage to **Hold (II)** so these do not knit.
- Working on Right side only (15 sts):
  - **Next Row (Dec row):** Decrease 1 at armhole edge. Knit 1 row to Left (Neck edge).
  - **Neck Dec:** Bind off 3 sts at neck edge. Knit to Right.
  - **Armhole Dec:** Decrease 1 at armhole. Knit to Left.
  - **Neck Dec:** Decrease 1 at neck edge. Knit to Right.
  - Continue decreasing 1 st at Armhole edge every 2nd row (as established) AND decrease 1 st at Neck edge every 2nd row until 2 sts remain.
  - Knit 1 row, transfer remaining 2 sts to waste yarn.
- **Left Side:**
  - Reverse shaping. Put Carriage on Left. Reset Hold levers to knit the held stitches. Thread yarn.
  - Repeat mirror image of Right side.

---

### PART 3: SLEEVES (Make 2)
**1. CUFF (Hem)**
- Cast on **34 sts** (L17 to R17).
- Work Hem (Picot) exactly as Body (Tension 3.0).
- Reset **RC 000**. Change to **T-4.5**.

**2. INCREASE SECTION**
- Increase 1 st at each end every **6th row**.
- **Method:** Lift the "heel" of the sinker loop from the row below the edge stitch and hang on the new empty needle.
- Repeat increase 9 times.
- **RC 54**.
- **[Math: 34 start + (9 inc * 2 sides) = 52 sts]**.
- Knit straight until **RC 58**. (Length ~19cm).

**3. RAGLAN CAP**
- Cast off 2 sts at start of next 2 rows. **[Math: 52 - 4 = 48 sts]**.
- Decrease 1 st at each end every 2nd row **17 times**.
  - *Note: This matches the Back raglan height (34 rows).*
- **[Math: 48 - (17*2) = 14 sts remaining]**.
- Transfer remaining 14 sts to Waste Yarn.

---

### FINISHING

1.  **Blocking:** Steam block the pieces gently while off the machine. Do not kill the acrylic (do not press iron directly on yarn). This flattens the edges for easier sewing.
2.  **Raglan Seams:** Mattress stitch the sleeves to the body (Front-Sleeve-Back-Sleeve). Leave the back right seam open for neckband finishing if preferred, or sew all 3 and leave one front seam open. For a crew neck, usually, we sew all 3 raglan seams leaving the back/sleeve seam open to rehang.
3.  **Neckband:**
    - With right sides facing, rehang the stitches from the Back (18), Sleeve tops (14 each), and pick up stitches around the Front neck curve.
    - Approximate stitch count: 18 (Back) + 14 (Sleeve) + 14 (Sleeve) + ~24 (Front) = ~70 sts.
    - **Tension 3.5**.
    - Knit 6 rows.
    - **Bind off loosely** using the latch tool (loop through loop) or backstitch bind off. *Verify the neck stretches enough for a baby's head.*
4.  **Side Seams:** Mattress stitch the side seams and sleeve underarms continuously.
5.  **Weave in ends.**