knitshop.co.uk: Simply Waistcoat and Hat

Kids Simply Waistcoat and Hat Pattern a between-seasons cover-up

The cold weather shows no signs of departing, so we thought we’d introduce you to one of our favourite and brand new pattern for kids. The Kids Simply Waistcoat and Hat set is knitted in knitshop.co.uk Simply Wool Yarn and is a great cover up for active youngsters who can’t bear to be cooped up at home. Pop on one of these cosy tops and your kids will be kept snug but they won’t feel as though they’re bundled up in lots of layers.

Simply Waistcoat and Hat Pattern
using Simply Wool Yarn in Dark Turquoise, Robin Egg Blue and Yellow

The Simply Stripes Kids’ Waistcoat pattern is suitable for beginner knitters as it uses just knit and purl stitches. The back doesn’t require any shaping, while the V-necked front is an easy-to-work decrease. The main body is knitted in double moss stitch, which is what gives this cosy waistcoat its interesting texture. We’ve used garter stitch for the cuff at the bottom, which provides a smart contrast to the patterned body.


The size shown here is 18-24 months.

The striped sections in our design are quite deep. If you prefer, you can use narrower stripes instead and alternate colours more frequently. Just ensure you knit the right number of rows in total. Full row-by-row instructions and images are included in the PDF pattern, so you should have no problem following along or making your own modifications. We also include suggestions of how to customise the jacket with a wooden buttons, crochet edging and an optional 3 needle cast off.

The striped Simply Waistcoat and Hat pattern comes in four sizes: 12-18 months, 18-24 months, 2-3 years and 3-4 years. We’ve used Dark Turquoise, Robin Egg Blue and Yellow Simply Wool Yarn for the boys’ version of the tank top. For a more feminine colour combination you might like to try Deep Pink, Purple and Aquamarine. The yarn comes in a choice of 26 shades, so you should have no trouble finding a trio you like.

knitshop.co.uk Simply Wool Yarn is made from nothing but sheep’s wool (knitshop.co.uk prides itself on selling only natural fibre yarns) and knits to a 18 stitches by 32 rows to 10cm tension on 4.5mm needles over double moss stitch pattern. Simply Wool Yarn comes in 100g skeins of 200m. If you’re following our example, you will need one ball of each of the three colours you’ve chosen. However, you could simply choose a single shade, in which case you’ll need only two skeins in total. Watch our for the next blog with more about felting, fulling and Simply Wool.

Once you’ve finished knitting your kids’ new Simply Waistcoat and Hat, you’ll have plenty of the two contrast colour yarns left over. Want an idea of how to put it to good use? Our pretty Fair Isle Wrist Warmer pattern just happens to use two contrasting shades of Simply Wool yarn. The only other thing you’ll need is a set of 4mm double-pointed needles. So you could make some cosy gloves for yourself and a practical cover-up for your child for less than £20. What a nice reward for your knitting efforts.