Knitted baby trousers made to look like a small pair of jeans, and as comfortable as pyjamas to wear. The nicest thing about them is that they improve with age: denim-coloured yarn fades and softens with each wash, so they look more convincingly like real jeans the longer they are worn.
Unisex. Knitted on #6 (4mm) needles, in sizes 3-6 months, 6-12 months, 12-18 months and 18-24 months.
What sells the effect
The details do the work. Pockets, a mock fly, a waistband and a line of contrast topstitching in gold or cream are what turn a pair of knitted trousers into recognisable jeans. Left off, the same garment reads as plain leggings – perfectly nice, but not the same thing.
The topstitching is worked afterwards in embroidery, usually as a simple running or chain stitch along the seams and pocket edges. It takes very little time and is the single detail that most changes how the finished pair looks.
Yarn
A denim-toned yarn in worsted weight. Cotton and cotton blends suit these particularly well: cotton fades gradually with washing in the way real denim does, which is exactly the effect the pattern is after. Some yarns are sold specifically as denim-effect and are designed to shrink slightly and fade on first wash – check the ball band, since those need to be washed before measuring.
Machine washable is essential. These are baby trousers.
Fit
Knit a soft, roomy waistband. Babies spend most of their time sitting and lying down, and a firm waistband that would be right on an adult garment digs in uncomfortably. A wide ribbed band or a threaded elastic casing both work well.
Allow extra room through the seat for a nappy. Most baby trouser patterns already do, but if you are adjusting the size, that is the measurement not to trim.
