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| Photo above © knitchick2 |
Seed Stitch Baby Jacket by Elinor Brown is a classic free baby and toddler jacket knitting pattern with a cozy hood, double-breasted front and beautifully textured seed-stitch fabric.
Worked in worsted-weight yarn, the jacket is available in five sizes from approximately 3–6 months through 18–24 months.
Best of all, the original pattern remains available as a free Ravelry download.
✓ Free Pattern Availability
Seed Stitch Baby Jacket by Elinor Brown is currently available as a free Ravelry download. Use the current pattern listing below for the complete instructions and the designer's latest pattern notes.
Seed Stitch Baby Jacket at a Glance
Pattern: Seed Stitch Baby Jacket
Designer: Elinor Brown
Published: September 2007
Category: Baby / Toddler Jacket
Yarn Weight: Worsted / 10 ply
Original Yarn: Cascade Yarns Cascade 220
Needles: US 7 / 4.5 mm
Gauge: 19 stitches × 36 rows = 4 in / 10 cm in seed stitch
Sizes: 3–6, 6–9, 9–12, 12–18 and 18–24 months
Yardage: Approx. 440–880 yd / 402–805 m
Construction: Bottom up, seamed, set-in sleeves
Features: Seed stitch, hood, double-breasted front, buttonholes
Availability: Free Ravelry download
About the Seed Stitch Baby Jacket
Seed Stitch Baby Jacket was designed by Elinor Brown and first published in 2007.
Rather than relying on complicated colorwork or lace, the design gets much of its character from the richly textured seed-stitch fabric.
A hood and double-breasted buttoned front give the jacket the substantial appearance of a tiny coat, making it a particularly attractive project for cooler weather.
Five Baby and Toddler Sizes
The pattern includes five sizes:
- 3–6 months
- 6–9 months
- 9–12 months
- 12–18 months
- 18–24 months
Because babies of the same age can vary considerably in size, use age only as a starting point when choosing which version to knit.
If possible, compare the intended recipient's measurements with the finished measurements in the complete pattern.
Seed Stitch Texture
Seed stitch is the defining feature of this jacket.
Alternating knit and purl stitches creates a dense, pebbled surface that looks attractive in a simple solid yarn and gives the garment plenty of visual texture.
It is also a useful stitch pattern for knitters who want to become more comfortable moving repeatedly between knit and purl stitches.
Avoid Accidental Ribbing
One common mistake when learning seed stitch is accidentally creating ribbing.
Instead of thinking only about what you worked on the previous row, learn to recognize how the next stitch appears on the needle.
In seed stitch, the new stitch should generally be worked opposite to the way the stitch below presents itself so that the knit and purl bumps remain staggered.
Check the fabric regularly during the first few inches. An accidental column of ribbing is much easier to correct when noticed early.
Gauge
The published gauge is:
19 stitches × 36 rows = 4 × 4 inches / 10 × 10 cm
This gauge is measured in seed stitch.
Be sure to swatch in the actual stitch pattern rather than assuming that your stockinette gauge will be identical.
Seed stitch can behave differently from stockinette, and gauge is particularly important for a fitted garment such as a jacket.
Needles
The published needle size is:
US 7 / 4.5 mm
Treat this as a starting point. Use whichever needle size allows you to obtain the designer's required seed-stitch gauge.
Original Yarn
The original pattern uses Cascade Yarns Cascade 220, a worsted-weight 100% wool yarn.
The yarn is listed at approximately 220 yards / 203 meters per 100-gram skein in the original pattern information.
Important Yardage Correction
Important Pattern Note
The current Ravelry listing includes a correction to the original yarn quantity. The corrected requirement is 2 (3, 3, 3, 4) skeins of Cascade 220 for the five published sizes. Check the current pattern page before purchasing yarn.
This corresponds to an approximate published range of 440–880 yards / 402–805 meters.
Buying according to the corrected information is particularly important for the larger sizes.
Choosing a Substitute Yarn
You do not have to use the original Cascade 220 to make the jacket.
A suitable worsted-weight substitute can work well if it produces the required seed-stitch gauge and a fabric appropriate for a baby's garment.
Consider:
- Softness against the skin
- Ease of washing
- Good stitch definition
- Enough resilience to hold the textured fabric
- Ability to match the required gauge
Always check the yarn manufacturer's care instructions before choosing yarn for a baby or toddler garment.
Bottom-Up Construction
Seed Stitch Baby Jacket is constructed from the bottom up.
Ravelry also classifies the design as seamed, with set-in sleeves.
This is a more traditional garment construction than the seamless top-down baby cardigans that have become common in recent years.
Set-In Sleeves
Set-in sleeves create a defined shoulder and armhole shape.
Because the pieces are assembled during finishing, careful seaming can make a noticeable difference to the appearance of the finished jacket.
Before sewing, lay the pieces out and make sure the corresponding shaping points align correctly.
The Double-Breasted Front
One of the most distinctive details is the double-breasted front.
The overlapping front gives the little jacket a coat-like appearance and makes the buttons part of the design rather than merely a functional closure.
Take time to position the buttons evenly during finishing so that the two fronts sit neatly when fastened.
The Hood
The hood adds warmth and reinforces the jacket's cozy outerwear character.
When assembling the garment, pay attention to the junction between the hood and neckline so that the seam remains comfortable and the hood sits naturally.
Baby Button Safety
Buttons on baby garments should be attached particularly securely.
After finishing the jacket, inspect every button and fastening point before use and periodically check them for looseness.
Small detached objects can present a hazard to babies and young children.
Seaming Seed Stitch
Textured fabric can sometimes make seam placement less visually obvious than smooth stockinette.
Work slowly and keep the seam tension even. Pulling the sewing yarn too tightly can create a stiff ridge, while an excessively loose seam may allow the garment pieces to shift.
Matching corresponding rows and shaping points before sewing helps produce a more professional result.
Why This Is a Useful Skill-Building Project
Although the stitch pattern itself is straightforward, the complete jacket introduces several garment-making skills.
It provides practice with:
- Seed stitch
- Maintaining consistent knit-and-purl tension
- Garment shaping
- Bottom-up construction
- Set-in sleeves
- Buttonholes
- Double-breasted fronts
- Hood construction
- Seaming
- Attaching buttons securely
A Unisex Baby Jacket
Ravelry tags the design as unisex.
The simple texture and classic coat construction work well in many different colors, from soft neutrals and traditional baby shades to brighter modern combinations.
This makes it a flexible pattern for gift knitting when you want something practical rather than highly decorative.
Is Seed Stitch Baby Jacket Still Free?
Yes.
Seed Stitch Baby Jacket by Elinor Brown remains available as a free Ravelry download.
The Ravelry pattern record was updated in 2025 and also includes the important corrected yarn-quantity note.
Amazing Knitting does not reproduce Elinor Brown's complete copyrighted instructions. Use the original pattern listing for the current free pattern.
Get the Free Seed Stitch Baby Jacket Pattern
Visit the designer's Ravelry pattern page for the free download:
Get the Free Seed Stitch Baby Jacket Pattern →
More Free Baby Cardigan & Jacket Patterns
If you enjoy classic baby garments, another excellent free pattern in the Amazing Knitting archive is Harvest by Tin Can Knits.
Harvest uses a very different seamless top-down construction, making it an interesting companion project if you want to compare traditional seamed and modern seamless cardigan construction.
See the Free Harvest Cardigan →
You can also browse:
Before You Start
Choose the size carefully, make your gauge swatch in seed stitch and check the current corrected yarn quantity before purchasing your yarn.
Read through the construction before casting on so that you understand how the bottom-up pieces, set-in sleeves, hood and double-breasted front come together.
Most importantly, use the current free Ravelry download rather than an old copied version so that you have access to the latest pattern notes.
Pattern credit: Seed Stitch Baby Jacket was designed by Elinor Brown and first published in 2007. The existing project photograph on this Amazing Knitting page is credited to knitchick2. Amazing Knitting provides an independent project guide and does not reproduce the designer's complete copyrighted knitting instructions.









