Baby's First Panda Costume

This sweet little hat and mittens set is the perfect DIY baby Halloween costume. Baby's First Panda Costume is perfect for letting your little one join in on the festivities while keeping him nice and warm all night long. This homemade Halloween costume is a great project for the intermediate knitter. This year, trick-or-treat with the family with a tiny little panda strapped to your back.

Intermediate

Knitting Needle Size5 or 3.75 mm, 7 or 4.5 mm, Double-Pointed Knitting Needles (DPNs)

Yarn Weight(4) Medium Weight/Worsted Weight and Aran (16-20 stitches to 4 inches)

Materials:

STITCH NATION by Debbie Stoller™ “Alpaca Love™”: 1 ball each 3101 Vanilla A and 3012 Night B. *Available in 3 oz (85 g); 132 yd (121 m) balls.
Knitting Needles: 4.5mm [US 7].
Double Pointed Needles: 1 set 3.75mm [US 5] and 4.5mm [US 7]
Stitch marker
stitch holder
yarn needle
2 buttons 5/8” diameter

GAUGE: 18 sts = 4”; 26 rows = 4” in St st with larger needles.
CHECK YOUR GAUGE. Use any size needles to obtain the gauge

ABBREVIATIONS:
A, B = colors A, B
dec = decrease
inc = increase
k = knit
mm = millimeters
p = purl
st(s) = stitch(es)
St st = Stockinette stitch (k on right side rows, p on wrong side rows, or in the round k every round)
tog = together
yo = yarn over
[ ] = work directions in brackets the number of times specified;* or ** = repeat whatever follows the * or ** as indicated.

Special Abbreviations
M1 (make one stitch) = Lift running thread before next stitch onto left needle and knit into the back loop.
Ssk = Slip next 2 sts knitwise, one at a time to right needle; insert point of left needle into the fronts of these 2 sts and knit them together from this position.

Directions are for size Newborn; changes for size 12 mos are in parentheses.
Hat Circumference: 12½ (15½)”.

HAT

With knitting needles and A, cast on 48 (60) sts.
Work 6 rows in Garter st.
Next Row (inc): * K3, m1, k3; repeat from * across–56 (70) sts.
Begin with a p row, work even in St st until piece measures 4½ (6)” from beginning, end by working a wrong side row.

Shape Back
Row 1: * K5, k2tog; repeat from * to end–48 (60) sts.
Row 2 and all wrong side rows: P even across.
Row 3: * K4, k2tog; repeat from * to end–40 (50) sts,.
Row 5: * K3, k2tog; repeat from * to end–32 (40) sts.
Row 7: * K2, k2tog; repeat from * to end–24 (30) sts.
Row 9: * K1, k2tog; repeat from * to end–16 (20) sts.
Row 11: * K2tog; repeat from * to end–8 (10) sts.
Cut yarn leaving long tail. Thread tail through remaining sts and pull tightly to secure. Sew back seam.

Strap
With A, cast on 12 (20) sts, pick up and k21 (27) sts across left side base of hat, pick up and k1 st in seam, pick up and k21 (27) sts across right side base of hat, cast on 12 (20) st–67 (95) sts.
Work 3 rows in Garter st.
Buttonhole Row 1: K2, yo, k2tog, k9 (17), yo, k2tog, place marker, k to end.
Buttonhole Row 2: K to marker, yo, k2tog tbl, k9 (17), yo, k2tog tbl, k2.
Work 3 rows in Garter st. Bind off.

Ear (make 2)
With B, cast on 11 sts.
Row 1: K5, k into the front and back of next st, k5–12 sts.
Row 2 and all wrong side rows: P even across.
Row 3: K5, k into the front and back next 2 sts, k5–14 sts.
Row 5: K5, k into the front and back of next 4 sts, k5–18 sts.
Rows 7 and 9: K even across.
Row 11: K5, [k2tog] 4 times, k5–14 sts.
Row 13: K5, [k2tog] 2 times, k5–12 sts.
Row 15: K5, k2tog, k5–11 sts. Bind off.

Finishing
Sew ear seams. Sew ears to sides of hat. Sew buttons securely opposite holes on strap. Weave in yarn ends.

Mittens (make 2)

Panda Paw Chart

Cuff
With smaller double pointed needles and B, cast on 24 (28) sts.
Divide sts evenly among 3 needles, place marker for beginning of round and join, being careful not to twist sts. Work 8 (12) rounds in K1, p1 rib.

Hand
Change to larger double pointed needles and work 4 (6) rounds even in St st (k every round)

Shape Thumb
Round 1: M1, k2, m1, k around–26 (30) sts.
Round 2: K even around.
Round 3: M1, k4, m1, k around–28 (32) sts.
Round 4: K even around.
Round 5: M1, k6, m1, k around–30 (34) sts.
Round 6: K even around.
Round 7: Cast on 2 sts, place next 8 sts on holder for thumb, k to end.
Work even on 24 (28) sts until piece measures 4 (5)” from beginning.

Shape Top
For Size 12 mos only
Next Round: [K1, k2tog, k8, ssk, k1] 2 times–24 sts.
Continue For all sizes
Next Round: [K1, k2tog, k6, ssk, k1] 2 times–20 sts.
Next Round: [K1, k2tog, k4, ssk, k1] 2 times–16 sts.
Next Round: [K1, k2tog, k2, ssk, k1] 2 times–12 sts.
Next Round: [K1, k2tog, ssk, k1] 2 times–8 sts.
Cut yarn and thread through remaining sts.

Thumb
K8 sts from holder, then k2 sts across cast on sts where hand joins above thumb–10 sts. Work even in St st for 1(1½)”.
Next Round: [K2tog] 5 times–5 sts. Cut yarn and draw through remaining sts.

Finishing
With A, duplicate st paw pattern on palms of mittens.
Weave in yarn ends.

How to Duplicate Stitch
Each square of the chart represents one V-shape duplicate stitch.
Thread yarn needle with one strand of yarn.

1. Starting at lower right, locate the “V” that the first stitch will cover and come up from wrong
side at base of the “V”. Insert needle from right to left through base of “V” directly above.

2. Go back through the base of “V” at same point as you first came up and up at base of next “V”. First duplicate stitch is completed.

3. Continue working from right to left across row.

4. Move up to your second row of
and work left side of “V”.

5. Continue working from left to right.

Secure the beginning tail by working over it as you do the duplicate stitching. When ending, run the needle under the back of several completed stitches, then return in the other direction to secure.