Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann

Baby Surprise Jacket

Available in several books, or as an updated pattern, and now as an ebook from Schoolhouse Press.

From Schoolhouse Press:

Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Baby Surprise Jacket has become near legendary since its conception in 1968, from the newsletter #21. The jacket is knitted back and forth in Garter stitch, then cleverly folded and completed by weaving the shoulder seams. This updated pattern includes Elizabeth’s original Baby Surprise Jacket instructions, original Adult Surprise instructions (with added sizing help), and instructions for a Child’s Surprise jacket. We include row by row instructions for the Baby Surprise Jacket. Cully has added numbers to knit the original size jacket with different gauges. Includes notes on color placement, options for hood, collar and more - plus instructions for EZ’s Afterthought Pocket, One-Row buttonhole and more. The Surprise pattern is part of an exciting project, upcoming by 2016. For now, the pattern is available only in Print.

Print version comes in a 3-hole, archival quality sheet protector.

The jacket is knit in a single piece with just two seams that run across the shoulders and down the length of the sleeves. It includes extra ease across the back of the garment to fit well over a nappy (diaper).

Commonly referred to as the “BSJ”, the baby surprise jacket is “a very entertaining piece of knitted engineering”

Materials:
3 oz. of baby wool (6 sts to 1”) (sport-weight to dk)
or
2 skeins Fisherman Yarn (5 sts to 1”) (dk to worsted)

1 pr. needles in the size to give you either of these gauges.


This pattern first appeared in Newsletter #21, Fall 1968.

See the Baby Surprise Jacket Group’s BSJ Wiki for links, sizing help, tips, resources and alternative options.

Also available as a Streaming Video and DVD