Josephine Kitty Sweater Pattern

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Okay ghoulz! I need to add some notes here about size!

It’s come to my attention that my kitty sweater patterns are on the small side. I’m going to make notes, but if you want larger patterns, add more chains in the beginning chain to shape the chest. Since I make the arm hole rows early on, you can use this to slide it onto your pet and see if you like the size or if you want to adjust it before you spend a lot of time making it only to find it is too small. The patterns are written to where it’s pretty basic to adjust for a larger beginning chain. That being said, I have not yet done any adjustments for larger pets.

When I made this pattern, our kitty, Mizzy, was very old, and she was a petite kitty. This pattern is for tiny cats, or teen/older kittens. I’ve seen it used for a rabbit sweater, and it worked for me when I made one for a chihuahua/rat terrier sized extra small dog. So if you’re wanting notes on the size, there ya go!

Mizzy Kitty passed away a few years ago, and we now have a kitten, October the Cat-Toby Toebeans. I call him a kitten, but he is two years old this month, (October 2021)! I just tried to make him a sweater, and he is ALREADY TOO BIG for this sweater, LOL! This made me think that I’d better make some notes on the size to go with this pattern, so I’ll be adding this at the beginning of both the patterns.

Now…on to the pattern!

~ Starling

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* Made using a size K (6.50 MM) hook and Red Heart Super Saver Yarn.

Begin by shaping the chest and creating the sleeve holes:

Rnd 1: Ch 42 loosely, Jn with sl st in first ch to form a large ring. Ch 2, (counts as first dc here and throughout), 2 dc in same ch, sk next 2 ch, (3 dc in next ch, sk next 2 ch) around. Jn with sl st in first dc. Fasten off if changing colors at the end of each row. If not simply sl st to the nearest place that you are instructed to begin. (14 sets of 3-dc-fans.)

Rnd 2:  Jn with a sl st between any two fan clusters. Ch 2, 2 dc in same space. To form first arm hole, *put only 2 dc in next space between fans, chain 5 loosely, sk next space between fans and put 2 dc in the next space between fans.* 3 dc in next space. To make second armhole, repeat from * to *. Then put 3 dc in each space the rest of the way around and jn with a sl st in the first dc. (8 sets of 3-dc-fans, 4 sets of 2-dc fans, and two armholes.)

Rnd 3:  Jn with a sl st between one of the clusters. Ch 2, 2 dc in same space. 3 dc in each space around except in the two armholes. Work 5 dc in each armhole. Jn with a sl st in first dc.

Rnd 4: Jn with a sl st between the cluster right before the first armhole.  2 dc in same space, sk next 2 st, 3 dc in next st (about the center of the 5 double crochets along the armhole), 3 dc in each of next 3 spaces between the fans, sk next 2 st, 3 dc in next st (also about the center of the 5 double crochets of this second armhole), 3 dc in each of the spaces between the fans around. Jn with a sl st in first dc.  (14 3-dc-fan-clusters in all.)

Rnds 5 and 6:  Jn with a sl st between one of the clusters. Ch 2, dc in same st, 3 dc in each space between the fan clusters around. Jn with a sl st in first dc.

Now will begin working back and forth in rows instead of around.

Row 1: Jn with a sl st in a space between fans that is even with the outside (upper) point of the closest armhole so that your rows will be starting just above one armhole and ending just above the other armhole back and forth. Ch 1, (sc, hdc, dc) in same space as join. Work 3 dc until you reach the space even with just above the other armhole. (dc, hdc, sc, ch 1, sl st) in that last space. (I personally have 7 sets of 3-dc fans and the two varied-stitch fans; one on each side. So 9 fans all together.)

Row 2: Jn with a sl st in the last sc of previous row. Ch 1, turn. sc in next st (not the same st as your ch-1, but the hdc from the previous row), hdc in the next st, ch 1, 3 dc in the second space between fan stitches rather than the space that is now directly below your hdc. 3 dc in each space across stopping before last space.Ch 1, hdc in 3rd st from end, sc in 2nd st from end, sl st in the last st of the row. Fasten off.

Row 3: You don’t have to turn rows anymore unless you’re using the same color and working back and forth. If you’re changing colors you might as well keep working with the right side facing you on every row now. Jn with a sl st in 1st st. (This should be between the sc/sl st spot of previous row.) Ch 1, (sc, hdc, dc) in same st, 3 dc in every space between fans across. After the last fan, sk the next st and in the very last st of the row (this should be between the sc/sl st of previous row) work (dc, hdc, sc, ch 1, sl st) in that last st.

Row 4 -7:  Repeat Row 2 and 3 twice.

Row 8: Repeat Row 2.

Front Section: (Basically this will fill in the bottom half of the front of the sweater.)Working with the original chain you made to begin the sweater, you’ll join with a sl st along the bottom section of the front just in line with the outside of one of the legs like you did on the other side of the sweater to create the back and forth rows of the sweater’s back. Then you’ll work across until you reach even with the outside of the opposite leg hole. You’ll be turning and working back and forth, and as you move up the rows it will make a kind of square which you’ll then fold up toward the neck/chest and sew it in place leaving only the opening for the neck.

Row 1: Jn with a sl st in the original chain just in line with the outside of one of the leg holes. You’ll be joining in one of the spaces between the fans, only from the angel of the chain along the bottom and working in the opposite direction. Ch 2, dc only once in the same space, 3 dc in each space between the fans until you reach the fan space that is even with the outside of the second leg hole. Work only 2 dc in that last space.

Row 2: Jn with a sl st in the first st of the row. Ch 2, 3 dc in each space between the fans across. Work one dc in very last st.

Row 3:  Jn with a sl st in first st. Ch 2, dc only once in the same space, 3 dc in each space between the fan across. Then work 2 dc in the very last space. Fasten off after row 3.

Fold the square section to fit along the bottom section of the front of the sweater. Use a yarn needle and pick a suitable color yarn to sew this flap section into place along the chain at the sides leaving only the neck hole at the top where you’ll then be able to work around to form a colar or turtleneck. If you’d like to give the shoulders/chest a more rounded appearance you can get fancy and turn the sweater in-side-out to sew this flap into place, but I usually don’t notice much of a difference is sewing it in place right-side-out or in-side-out.

Sleeves:

Rnd 1: Around each armhole, there should be about 5 spaces that are like the spaces between the 3-dc-fans. Jn with a sl st in one of these spaces, ch 2, 2 dc in same space as join, then you’ll put 3 dc in each space around accept for the little span of 5 dc in a row where you need to pick a spot about mid-way bewteen those stitches and add one more set of 3 dc in one st. This should give you 6 even 3-dc-fans to form the shape of the sleeve, and you’ll join with a sl st in top of the first dc/ch-2.

Then make the sleeves as long as you’d like by joining next rnd with a sl st in any space between the fans, ch 2, dc in same space, then 3 dc in each space around and jn with a sl st in top of first dc/ch-2. I usually just add 2 rows, but you might be in the mood some time for some long pet sleeves! Fasten off at the end of your last row and weave in ends.

Neck:

Rnd 1 and 2: Jn with sl st in any of the open spaces along the neck. Ch 2, 2dc in same space, 3 dc in next space and in each space around. Jn with a sl st in top of first dc.

Border:

For the border, jn with the color of your choice with a sl st somewhere along the edging. (Ch 1, sl st) around. Jn with sl st, fasten off, weave in ends.