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| The photo above © Marlene |
Looking for an elegant free baby knitting pattern with a traditional lace finish? The Bernat Leaf & Lace Set combines a beautiful knitted baby jacket with a matching hat and booties, creating a complete handmade outfit for a new baby.
Worked in soft Bernat Softee Baby yarn, the design uses delicate leaf-inspired lace details to give the set a classic heirloom appearance. You can knit the complete matching set or choose just the jacket, hat, or booties for a smaller project.
Bernat Leaf & Lace Baby Set at a Glance
Pattern: Bernat Leaf & Lace Set
Brand: Bernat
Publisher: Yarnspirations
Craft: Knitting
Set Includes: Baby Jacket, Hat/Bonnet and Booties
Skill Level: Intermediate
Yarn: Bernat Softee Baby
Needles: US 4 / 3.5 mm and US 5 / 3.75 mm
Gauge: 24 stitches and 32 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
Sizes: 3 months and 6/12 months
Pattern Availability: Free download
About the Leaf & Lace Baby Set
The Bernat Leaf & Lace Set is more than a single baby sweater pattern. It is a coordinated knitting set consisting of a jacket, matching hat or bonnet, and baby booties.
A repeating foliage-inspired lace motif gives the pieces their distinctive appearance. The combination of soft baby yarn and decorative eyelet work creates a traditional style that works especially well for baby gifts, special occasions, and handmade keepsakes.
Baby Jacket
The jacket is the centerpiece of the set. It combines a classic baby-cardigan shape with decorative lace details and a shaped yoke.
According to the current pattern, the jacket is worked in one piece from the neck edge down. This top-down approach reduces some of the assembly normally associated with garments knitted as several separate pieces.
The finished cardigan can be paired with the matching accessories or worn by itself as a lightweight knitted baby layer.
Matching Hat and Baby Booties
One of the nicest features of this pattern is the ability to create a complete coordinated outfit.
The matching headwear carries the lace theme from the jacket, while the tiny booties repeat the decorative texture on a much smaller scale.
You do not have to make all three pieces at once. The accessories can also work as individual projects when you want something smaller or have limited knitting time.
Available Baby Sizes
The current Yarnspirations pattern provides two size options:
- 3 months
- 6/12 months
When knitting baby garments, always use the measurements in the current pattern rather than relying only on the age label. Babies of the same age can vary considerably in size.
Yarn for the Leaf & Lace Set
The pattern is designed for Bernat Softee Baby, a lightweight yarn intended for baby garments and accessories.
The amount of yarn required depends on the size and whether you are knitting only the jacket or the complete jacket, hat, and booties set.
If you substitute another yarn, choose one that can achieve the required gauge and that is appropriate for garments worn by babies.
Needles and Gauge
The pattern lists two knitting needle sizes:
- US 4 / 3.5 mm
- US 5 / 3.75 mm
The published gauge is:
24 stitches × 32 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
Matching gauge is especially important when making the jacket because it determines whether the finished garment will correspond to the intended baby size.
Additional Materials
In addition to yarn and knitting needles, the current pattern calls for several finishing supplies, including:
- Stitch holders
- Stitch markers
- US F/5 / 3.75 mm crochet hook
- 2 buttons
- Yarn needle
- Ribbon for the bonnet
Check the official pattern before purchasing materials because requirements can vary by size and by which pieces of the set you plan to make.
The Leaf Lace Design
The decorative stitch pattern is what gives this baby set its name. Yarn overs, decreases, and other lace techniques create repeating shapes reminiscent of small leaves.
This openwork detail adds visual interest without requiring different yarn colors, so a single soft shade can still produce a highly decorative garment.
Soft green emphasizes the botanical theme beautifully, while white, cream, pastel pink, blue, or other baby-friendly shades can give the same pattern a completely different appearance.
Skill Level and Techniques
Yarnspirations currently classifies the Leaf & Lace Set as an Intermediate knitting pattern.
Depending on which pieces you make, you may encounter techniques such as:
- Knit and purl stitches
- Yarn overs
- Knitted increases
- Knitted decreases
- Lace pattern repeats
- Stitch markers and stitch holders
- Garment shaping
- Picking up or managing stitches
- Basic finishing
Reading the entire pattern before casting on is particularly useful when working a lace design because increases and decreases need to remain correctly aligned with the pattern repeat.
A Beautiful Handmade Baby Gift
A coordinated knitted set can make a particularly thoughtful baby-shower, newborn, or keepsake gift.
If you have time, knitting the jacket, hat, and booties together creates an impressive matching outfit. If you prefer a smaller project, the jacket or accessories can also stand alone.
The classic lace texture gives the finished pieces a traditional appearance that can work well as an heirloom-style baby set.
Is the Bernat Leaf & Lace Pattern Free?
Yes. The Bernat Leaf & Lace Set is currently available from Yarnspirations as a 100% free pattern download.
Yarnspirations notes that an item associated with the pattern has been discontinued, but the knitting pattern itself remains available to download for free.
Amazing Knitting does not reproduce the copyrighted pattern instructions. Please use the official Yarnspirations page for the complete pattern.
Get the Free Leaf & Lace Baby Set Pattern
Visit Yarnspirations to download the current pattern and view the latest sizing, materials, instructions, and pattern updates.
Get the Free Leaf & Lace Set Pattern →
Pattern credit: Leaf & Lace Set is a Bernat knitting pattern published by Yarnspirations. Pattern availability, sizing, materials, and technical information are controlled by the publisher and may change over time.
More Baby Knitting Inspiration
Explore more baby cardigan knitting patterns, baby booties knitting patterns, and baby hat knitting patterns from the Amazing Knitting archive.
Before You Start
Visit the current Yarnspirations pattern page before buying yarn or beginning the project. Confirm the size you want to make, yarn quantity, needle sizes, gauge, buttons, ribbon, and any revised instructions before casting on.