Adorable Knitted Baby Summer Top Pattern — Easy Toddler Size (2–4 yrs)

Lightweight, breathable and sweetly styled, this knitted baby summer top is a perfect warm-weather wardrobe piece for toddlers. The pattern below is written for a toddler size (2–4 years) with a 52 cm bust and uses simple shaping to create the little bra-style triangles and an i-cord strap finish. Follow the gauge and stitch counts closely for the best fit, and adjust stitch multiples if you need a different size.

Knitted baby summer top showcasing the stitch pattern and finished bra-style front and i-cord strap.

Knitting materials and tools:

• Circular knitting needles and dpn for an i-cord, size 3.5 mm (US 4)
• Cotton fair (2) – 48% acrylic, 52% cotton, 100 grams - 290 m per skein.

Knit baby summer top size:

Toddler (2-4 years): bust size – 52 cm.

Gauge: 20 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette.

Calculation: 52 * 2 = 104 sts for the bust. This number must be divisible by 4. If your stitch count differs, add the needed number of stitches to reach a number divisible by 4.

If you want to knit a frill at the bottom add ½ of the bust stitches: 104 + 52 = 156 sts.

Common abbreviations of knitting stitches:

• k – knit
• p – purl
• k2tog – knit two together
• skpo – Slip, Knit, Pass Over: Slip one stitch to the right needle knitwise, knit in the next stitch and drop this stitch off the left needle, insert the left needle into the slipped stitch, pass it over the knit stitch and it’s done.
• sel s – selvage stitch: always slip the first stitch purlwise, work to the last stitch, purl the last stitch.

Knit baby summer top pattern

Knitting body of the baby summer top

Using the long tail method cast on 156 stitches, place a marker if needed and join to knit in the round.

Round 1: purl all stitches around.

Round 2: knit all stitches around.

Rounds 3-8: repeat Rounds 1 and 2.

Round 9-27: knit all stitches around or until piece measures 8-9 cm from the edge.

Round 28: [k1, k2tog] – repeat till the end of round. (104 stitches)

Round 29: purl all stitches around.

Round 30: knit all stitches around.

Repeat Round 30 until you reach the armpits or until the piece measures 27 cm from the edge.

Now divide all stitches into 4 parts (26 sts each) and place markers. From this point we are going to knit bra triangles and we are going to knit them back and forth.

Knitting the first triangle of the baby top

Row 1: sel s, k1, skpo, k18, k2tog, k1, sel s.

Row 2: sel s, purl all stitches across, sel s.

Row 3: sel s, k1, skpo, k16, k2tog, k1, sel s.

Row 4: sel s, purl all stitches across, sel s.

Row 5: sel s, k1, skpo, k14, k2tog, k1, sel s.

Row 6: sel s, purl all stitches across, sel s.

Row 7: sel s, k1, skpo, k12, k2tog, k1, sel s.

Row 8: sel s, purl all stitches across, sel s.

Row 9: sel s, k1, skpo, k12, k2tog, k1, sel s.

Row 10: sel s, purl all stitches across, sel s.

Row 11: sel s, k1, skpo, k10, k2tog, k1, sel s.

Row 12: sel s, purl all stitches across, sel s.

Row 13: sel s, k1, skpo, k8, k2tog, k1, sel s.

Row 14: sel s, purl all stitches across, sel s.

Row 15: sel s, k1, skpo, k6, k2tog, k1, sel s.

Row 16: sel s, purl all stitches across, sel s.

Row 17: sel s, k1, skpo, k6, k2tog, k1, sel s.

Row 18: sel s, purl all stitches across, sel s.

Row 19: sel s, k1, skpo, k6, k2tog, k1, sel s.

Row 20: sel s, purl all stitches across, sel s.

Row 21: sel s, k1, skpo, k4, k2tog, k1, sel s.

Row 22: sel s, purl all stitches across, sel s.

Row 23: sel s, k1, skpo, k2, k2tog, k1, sel s.

Row 24: sel s, purl all stitches across, sel s.

Row 25: sel s, k1, skpo, k2tog, k1, sel s.

Row 26: sel s, purl all stitches across, sel s.

Row 27: sel s, skpo, k2tog, sel s.

When you have 4 sts on your needles start knitting an i-cord:

Slip all stitches on double-pointed needle. Slide all stitches to the other end of the needle. Do not turn the work. Your working yarn is coming from the left side. Knit one row bringing the yarn behind the row. Slide stitches again to the other end and repeat previous steps. Knit until the length of the cord reaches at least 15–20 cm (6–8 inches).

Bind off

[k2tog] – twice, do not turn, pass 1st stitch over the 2nd one. Cut the yarn.

Knit 3 more triangles to complete the front. Weave in ends. Ta-da!

Notes and tips:

• Check your gauge before starting; adjust needle size if necessary to match the gauge.
• If you’d like a longer body or a decorative frill, add the extra half-bust stitches as noted and work extra rounds before shaping.
• Keep selvage stitches neat by always slipping the first stitch purlwise and purling the last stitch as instructed.