This charming vintage baby knitting pattern creates a pair of high-waisted knitted leggings with crossover shoulder straps and a matching striped jumper. The leggings have shaped legs, knitted instep flaps and adjustable buttoned straps, while the jumper is a classic long-sleeved design with narrow contrast stripes.
It is a lovely example of practical vintage baby knitwear: warm, comfortable and designed to stay securely in place on an active little one.
The original pattern uses vintage sports-weight wool and is written for one size. When substituting a modern yarn, choose your yarn by gauge rather than the vintage yarn description.
Knitted Baby Leggings
Materials
- Approx. 8 oz / 225 g sports-weight wool
- Knitting needles required to obtain gauge
- 2 buttons
- Narrow elastic
The original pattern specifies four 2 oz skeins of sports wool and vintage No. 10 and No. 7 knitting needles.
Finished Measurements
Waist to crotch: 9 in. / 23 cm
Inside leg to lower edge of flap: 9½ in. / 24 cm
Length of instep flap: 3 in. / 7.5 cm
Gauge
5½ sts and 7 rows = 1 in.
Abbreviations
k: knit
p: purl
st(s): stitch(es)
RS: right side
WS: wrong side
k2tog: knit 2 stitches together
p2tog: purl 2 stitches together
sl1: slip 1 stitch
psso: pass slipped stitch over
M1: make 1 stitch as described below
gst: garter stitch
stockinette stitch: knit on RS rows and purl on WS rows
M1 Increase
The original pattern calls this increase P.U.L. (pick up loop).
To work it, pick up the strand before the next stitch and knit into the back of it to create one new stitch.
Leggings
Using the smaller needles, cast on 140 sts.
Work 8 rows in k1, p1 rib.
Change to the larger needles.
The following short rows shape the back of the leggings.
Row 9: (k1, p1) 40 times, turn.
Row 10: p20, turn.
Row 11: k32, turn.
Row 12: p44, turn.
Row 13: k56, turn.
Row 14: p68, turn.
Row 15: k80, turn.
Row 16: p92, turn.
Row 17: k104, turn.
Row 18: p116, turn.
Row 19: k128, turn.
Row 20: p140, turn.
Row 21: knit.
Row 22: purl.
Work 8 rows in stockinette stitch.
Row 31: k69, M1, k2, M1, k69.
Work 7 rows in stockinette stitch.
Row 39: k70, M1, k2, M1, k70.
Work 7 rows in stockinette stitch.
Row 47: k71, M1, k2, M1, k71.
Work 7 rows in stockinette stitch.
Row 55: k72, M1, k2, M1, k72.
Work 7 rows in stockinette stitch.
Row 63: k73, M1, k2, M1, k73.
Work 7 rows in stockinette stitch.
150 sts.
Left Leg
Row 71: k75, turn.
Leave the remaining stitches on a spare needle for the Right Leg.
Row 72: purl.
Row 73: k2tog, knit to last 2 sts, k2tog.
Row 74: purl.
Repeat Rows 73–74 eighteen more times.
Row 111: k2tog, knit to end.
36 sts remain.
Work 17 rows in stockinette stitch.
Row 129: k2tog, knit to last 2 sts, k2tog.
Work 3 rows in stockinette stitch.
Repeat the last 4 rows.
32 sts remain.
Left Instep Flap
Row 137: k16, turn.
Row 138: p10, turn.
Work 20 rows in stockinette stitch over these 10 sts.
Break yarn and place these stitches on a spare needle.
Row 159: Rejoin yarn at the beginning of the flap. Pick up and knit 15 sts down the side of the flap, knit the 10 held sts, pick up and knit 15 sts down the opposite side, then k6.
62 sts.
Work 4 rows in garter stitch.
Cast off.
Return to the stitches held for the Right Leg.
Right Leg
Row 71: Rejoin yarn and k75.
Repeat Rows 72–110 of the Left Leg.
Row 111: knit until 2 sts remain, k2tog.
36 sts remain.
Repeat Rows 112–136 of the Left Leg.
32 sts remain.
Right Instep Flap
Row 137: k26, turn.
Row 138: p10, turn.
Work 20 rows in stockinette stitch over these 10 sts.
Break yarn and place the 10 sts on a spare needle.
Row 159: Rejoin yarn at the beginning of the flap. Pick up and knit 15 sts down the side of the flap, knit the 10 held sts, pick up and knit 15 sts down the opposite side, then k6.
62 sts.
Work 4 rows in garter stitch.
Cast off.
Making Up the Leggings
Sew the centre-front seam and the leg seams.
Sew a short length of narrow elastic beneath each instep flap to help hold the leggings securely around the foot.
Press lightly under a damp cloth with a warm iron, taking care not to flatten the knitting.
Shoulder Straps
Make 2.
Using the larger needles, cast on 11 sts.
Row 1: k1, *k1, p1; repeat from * until 2 sts remain, k2.
Row 2: *k1, p1; repeat from * until 1 st remains, k1.
Repeat these 2 rows 47 times.
Buttonhole
Row 97: k2, p1, k1, p2tog; join a separate small length of yarn and work p1, k1, p1, k2 with the separate yarn.
Row 98: With the main yarn, (k1, p1) twice, k1; on the opposite side, (k1, p1) twice, k1.
Row 99: k2, p1, k1, increase 1 st, continue with the same yarn across the remaining stitches: (p1, k1) twice, k1.
Repeat Row 2, then repeat Rows 1–2 three times.
Repeat Rows 97–99 once more.
Decrease 1 st at each end of each of the next 4 rows.
Then:
sl1, k2tog, psso.
Fasten off.
Attaching the Straps
Sew the straps to the back of the leggings.
Cross the straps at the back and fasten them to two buttons sewn to the front of the leggings.
The second buttonhole in each strap provides some adjustment as the child grows.
Matching Striped Baby Jumper
The matching vintage baby jumper is worked in a main colour with narrow contrast stripes.
Materials
- Approx. 6 oz / 170 g sports-weight wool in main colour
- Approx. 2 oz / 55 g sports-weight wool in contrast colour
- Knitting needles required to obtain gauge
- Crochet hook
- 4 small buttons
The original pattern specifies three 2 oz skeins in the main colour and one 2 oz skein in the contrast colour.
Finished Measurements
Length from shoulder to lower edge: 14 in. / 35.5 cm
Chest circumference at underarm: 22 in. / 56 cm
Sleeve seam: 8 in. / 20 cm
Gauge
5½ sts and 7 rows = 1 in.
Jumper Back
Using the main colour and smaller needles, cast on 64 sts.
Work 19 rows in k1, p1 rib.
Row 20: *k1, p1 seven times, k2tog; repeat from * 3 times.
60 sts remain.
Change to the larger needles.
Work 6 rows in stockinette stitch.
Change to contrast colour.
Knit 1 row.
Purl 1 row.
Change back to main colour.
Repeat the previous 8-row stripe sequence 4 times, then work 6 rows in stockinette stitch in the main colour.
Shape Armholes
Row 67: With contrast colour, cast off 4 sts, knit to end.
Row 68: cast off 4 sts, purl to end.
Continue the established stripe sequence, changing to the contrast colour for the stripe every 7th and 8th row as before.
Row 69: k2tog, knit to last 2 sts, k2tog.
Row 70: purl.
Repeat the last 2 rows twice.
Work 24 rows in stockinette stitch, maintaining the stripe sequence.
Back Neck and Shoulders
Row 99: knit until 8 sts remain, turn.
Row 100: purl until 8 sts remain, turn.
Row 101: knit until 16 sts remain, turn.
Row 102: purl until 16 sts remain.
Cast off 16 sts.
Place the centre 14 sts on a spare needle for the back neck.
Rejoin yarn on the opposite side and cast off the remaining 16 sts.
Jumper Front
Work as for the Back through the end of Row 76.
Work 14 rows in stockinette stitch, maintaining the stripe sequence.
Shape Front Neck
Row 91: k18, k2tog, slip the next 6 sts onto a contrasting length of yarn, join a second ball of yarn, k2tog, k18.
The two sides of the neckline are now worked simultaneously with separate balls of yarn.
Row 92: p17, p2tog; on the opposite side, p2tog, p17.
Row 93: k16, k2tog; on the opposite side, k2tog, k16.
Row 94: p15, p2tog; on the opposite side, p2tog, p15.
Row 95: k16; on the opposite side, k16.
Row 96: p16; on the opposite side, p16.
Repeat the last 2 rows twice.
Row 101: k16; on the opposite side k8, turn.
Row 102: p8; on the opposite side p8, turn.
Row 103: k8, turn; cast off 16 sts on the opposite side, then cast off the remaining 16 sts.
Sleeves
Make 2.
Using the main colour and smaller needles, cast on 36 sts.
Work 19 rows in k1, p1 rib.
Row 20: *k1, p1 three times, k2tog; repeat from * 3 times, (k1, p1) twice.
32 sts remain.
Change to the larger needles.
Continue in stockinette stitch, maintaining the same contrast stripe sequence used for the body.
At the same time, increase 1 st at each end of Row 7 and every following 6th row until there are 42 sts.
Work 7 rows in stockinette stitch.
Shape Sleeve Cap
Row 59: cast off 3 sts, knit to end.
Row 60: cast off 3 sts, purl to end.
Row 61: k2tog, knit to last 2 sts, k2tog.
Row 62: purl.
Repeat Rows 61–62 three times.
Row 69: k2tog, knit to last 2 sts, k2tog.
Row 70: purl.
Row 71: knit.
Row 72: purl.
Repeat Rows 69–72 once more.
Row 77: k2tog, knit to last 2 sts, k2tog.
Row 78: p2tog, purl to last 2 sts, p2tog.
Repeat Rows 77–78 twice more, then work Row 77 once more.
Cast off the remaining 10 sts.
Making Up the Jumper
Join the side seams, sleeve seams and right shoulder seam.
Sew the upper half of the left shoulder seam, leaving the neckline end open for the buttoned shoulder fastening.
Set in the sleeves.
Neckband
Using the main colour and smaller needles, pick up and knit:
- 19 sts along the left front neck edge
- Knit the 6 held front-neck sts
- Pick up and knit 19 sts along the right front neck edge
- Work across the 14 held back-neck sts, increasing as instructed below
Across the back neck work:
M1, (k2, M1) 6 times, (k1, M1) twice.
67 sts total.
Neckband Ribbing
Row 1: *k1, p1; repeat from * until 1 st remains, k1.
Row 2: k1, *k1, p1; repeat from * until 2 sts remain, k2.
Repeat Rows 1–2 3 times, then work Row 1 once more.
Cast off in rib.
Turn the neckband inward and hem it neatly to the wrong side.
Shoulder Fastening
Sew buttons to the back of the left shoulder.
Using a crochet hook, make 4 small button loops along the front shoulder edge to correspond with the buttons.
Press the finished jumper lightly on the wrong side under a damp cloth.
Helpful Notes for Knitting This Vintage Baby Set
The shaping at the beginning of the leggings uses short rows to add extra depth across the back. When an instruction says to turn before reaching the end of the row, simply turn the work at that point and work back as directed. The original pattern does not specify a wrap-and-turn or another modern short-row technique.
The original P.U.L. increase is essentially a lifted-bar increase: pick up the strand between the stitches and knit through the back of it. This twists the strand and helps prevent an eyelet from forming.
The leggings are worked as one piece from the waist before the stitches are divided to form the two legs. Each foot ends in an instep flap, rather than a complete knitted sock foot. A small piece of elastic underneath the flap helps keep it in place.
The crossover straps are deliberately long and include two buttonholes, allowing some adjustment in fit.
For the jumper, the narrow contrast stripes are worked as 2-row stripes separated by 6 rows of the main colour. Continue this established stripe sequence through the shaping sections wherever the pattern instructs.
This is a vintage pattern written for a single size, so check the measurements and make a gauge swatch before beginning. Modern yarns can behave quite differently from the sports wool originally used, and matching the stated gauge is the best way to preserve the intended size.
