Looking for the perfect free knit baby summer tee pattern? The Baby Deborah Tee is an adorable, lightweight summer top with a stunning lace detail—perfect for keeping little ones cool and stylish.
When Necessity Sparks Creativity
Kids grow too fast—every mom knows it. My preemie daughter recently moved up to 2T, which should have been exciting, except for one problem… We lost the 2T bin of clothes from her older sisters during our move. Who knows? Maybe it’ll turn up in storage someday. But in the meantime, I needed a quick solution.
And just like that, the Baby Deborah Tee was born! I wanted a lightweight, breathable, and stylish summer tee that would be comfortable for my daughter and fun to knit. This free knit baby summer tee pattern checks all the boxes, and I’m so excited to share it with you!
Choosing the Perfect Yarn
For this project, I went with KnitPicks Samia yarn (affiliate link), a luxurious blend of cupro and silk. If you’ve never worked with cupro before, imagine the softest, most lightweight fabric with an elegant drape—it’s like magic in yarn form!
Pros of Samia Yarn (Affiliate Link):
✔ Incredibly soft – Perfect for baby knits!
✔ Beautiful drape – Gives a polished, store-bought look.
✔ Glides off the needles – Makes knitting fast and smooth.
Cons of Samia Yarn (Affiliate Link):
✖ Slippery on metal needles – I recommend bamboo or wood needles to keep stitches from sliding off.
✖ Splits easily – You’ll need to pay attention while knitting, but the final fabric is so worth it!
Even with the slight learning curve, I’m obsessed with Samia yarn (affiliate link). I’ll definitely be using it again—and if you want one for yourself or a mommy and me set check out Adult Deborah Tee!
The Design: Classic with a Twist
I knew I wanted a crew neck raglan for this free knit baby summer tee pattern because:
✔ It’s easy to knit.
✔ It’s comfortable for wiggly toddlers.
✔ It looks adorable on everyone!
The tricky part? The eyelet lace panel.
I won’t lie—I had to frog this part nine times before getting it right! But once I figured out the perfect placement, I fell in love. The front of the tee is simple and classic, but the back? BAM! A stunning lace panel that adds just the right amount of delicate charm. It’s such a fun surprise and makes this tee extra special.
Materials & Sizing
What You’ll Need:
- Yarn: KnitPicks Samia yarn (affiliate link), 2-3 balls depending on size.
- Needles: US size 1 (2.5mm) & US size 2 (3mm), straight or circular.
- Notions: Stitch markers, tapestry needle.
Available Sizes:
- 0-3 months
- 3-6 months
- 6-12 months
- 12 months
- 18 months
- 24 months
This free knit baby summer tee pattern is knit top-down with a seamless raglan construction, meaning no fussy seams to sew at the end—just bind off and weave in those ends!
Why You’ll Love This Free Knit Baby Summer Tee Pattern
- Quick knit! The lightweight yarn and simple design make this a fast project.
- Great for summer! The lace panel keeps it breathable and cool.
- Perfect for layering! Pair it with leggings or bloomers for an adorable outfit.
- Mommy & Me potential! (Did I mention an Adult Deborah Tee? 😉)
Get the Free Knit Baby Summer Tee Pattern Now!
I had so much fun designing this free knit baby summer tee pattern, and I hope you love knitting it as much as I did! Whether you’re making it for your little one or as a gift, it’s sure to be a favorite.
Want the full pattern? Keep scrolling down and grab it for free today! Happy knitting! 😊
Materials and Info
Size: 0-3m, 3-6m (6-12m, 12m) 18m, 24m
Materials: Approximately 2, 2 (3, 3) 3, 3 balls of KnitPicks Samia (50g/188y), needle, stitch markers
Needle Size: 1(US) 2.5mm & 2(US) 3mm straight and dpn
Gauge (tension): 32sts & 36 rows to make 10cm square, using size 2(US) 3mm needles
Chest Measurement: 41, 44 (47, 50) 52, 54 cm
METHOD
This pattern is a top-down raglan that is worked in the round with 10cm of ease.
Deborah Lace Stitch Patten
In the Round
Rounds 1-3 – knit across
Round 4 – [yo, k1, K2tog, k1] repeat [to] across
Rounds 5-7 – knit across
Round 8 – [k2tog, k1, yo, k1] repeat [to] across
Worked Flat
Row 1 – purl across
Row 2 – knit across
Row 3 – purl across
Row 4 – [yo, k1, K2tog, k1] repeat [to] across
Row 5 – purl across
Row 6 – knit across
Row 7 – purl across
Row 8 – [k2tog, k1, yo, k1] repeat [to] across
Baby Deborah Tee Pattern
NECK
Cast on 52, 54 (54, 58) 58, 60 sts in using larger needles
Join in the round
SET-UP ROUND
Purl 2 (front), pm,
Purl 6 (sleeve), pm,
Purl 8, 9 (9, 9) 9, 10 (back) pm,
Purl 20, 20 (20, 24) 24, 24 (Lace Panel), pm,
Purl 8, 9 (9, 9) 9, 10 (back) pm,
Purl 6 (sleeve), pm,
Purl 2 (front)
Begin Deborah Lace Stitch pattern now within marked panel now. Set up row counts as row 1.
RAGLAN SHAPING
Raglan shaping and neck shaping are worked AT THE SAME TIME so be sure to read both Raglan Shaping and Neck Shaping sections before continuing.
Shape raglan seams by increasing 1 st each side of each marker, a total of 8 sts increased per round
Work each raglan round as follows:
Inc round/row – [k1, m1l, work to 1 st before marker, m1r, k1, sm] repeat across
Work raglan increases as described above on every round/row 6, 4 (8, 4) 6, 4 times, then every other round 12,15 (14, 18) 18, 20 times.
NECK SHAPING
Stitches are increased at the beginning and end of each row to shape the front neck.
Start front neck shaping after working 2, 2 (4, 4) 4, 3 rows after the set-up row:
Cast on 1st at each end of front neck.
Work 3 more rows without neckline shaping.
Cast on 1 st at each end of front neck.
Work 1 more row.
Cast on 1 st at each end of front neck every following 4, 4 (4, 3) 3, 4 rows.
Cast on 2 sts at each end of front neck every following 1, 1 (1, 2) 2, 2 rows.
Cast on 3, 3 (3, 4) 4, 3 sts at each end of next row.
Cast on 5, 6 (6, 6) 6, 7 sts at each end of next row.
Jon in the round
STITCH COUNT CHECK
Total stitches: 228, 240 (264, 272) 288, 292
Front/Back: 72, 76 (82, 86) 90, 92
Sleeve: 42, 44 (50, 50) 54, 54
DIVIDE FOR BODY AND SLEEVES
Work across 36, 38 (41, 43) 45, 46 front stitches, remove marker,
place 42, 44 (50, 50) 54, 54 sleeve stitches on stitch holder,
cast on 8, 8 (10, 10) 10, 8 sts, remove marker,
work across 72, 76 (82, 86) 90, 92 back stitches, remove marker,
place 42, 44 (50, 50) 54, 54 sleeve stitches on stitch holder,
cast on 8, 8 (10, 10) 10, 8 sts,
Work across remaining 36, 38 (41, 43) 45, 46 front stitches.
[160, 168 (184, 192) 200, 200 sts]
BODY
Continue in pattern as established for 12, 13 (15.5, 17.5) 19, 20.5 cms
Switch to smaller needles.
Work in k1p1 ribbing for 2cms
Bind off in pattern.
SLEEVE (REPEAT FOR BOTH SLEEVES)
Using larger needles (you may need to use dpn or magic loop),
pick up and knit 5 sts from underarm,
work the 42, 44 (50, 50) 54, 54 sts from stitch holder,
pick up and knit 5 sts from underarm, pm.
[52, 54 (60, 60) 64, 64 sts]
Knit 1, 2 (3,1) 1, 3 rounds.
Next round – decrease 1 stich at each side of marker.
Then decrease each side of marker after working 0, 1 (1, 4) 2, 6 rounds 1, 1 (2, 1) 3, 1 times to 48, 50 (54, 56) 58, 60 sts.
Knit 4 more rounds.
Change to smaller needle.
Work in k1p1 ribbing for 2cms.
Bind off in pattern.
NECK
With right side facing, using smaller needle (smaller size might require dpn), beginning at the back left raglan, pick up and knit:
6 sts from left sleeve,
12, 12 (14, 14) 14, 14 sts down left front,
10, 12 (12, 12) 12, 14 sts along center front,
12, 12 (14, 14) 14, 14 sts up right front,
6 sts, from right sleeve,
36, 38 (38, 42) 42, 44 sts from back.
[82, 86 (90, 94) 94, 98 sts]
Join in the round and place beginning of round marker.
Work for 2cms.
Bind off in pattern.
FINISHING
Weave in all ends and block according.
Abbreviations
ABBREVIATIONS
K – knit
P – purl
PM – place marker
SM – slip marker
STS – stitches
YO – yarn over
K2tog -knit 2 stitches together
SSK – slip, slip, knit the slipped sts together
M1R – Insert the left needle under the strand that runs between two stitches from back to front, then knit this strand
M1L – Insert the left needle under the strand that runs between two stitches from front to back, then knit this strand through the back loop
Download Baby Deborah Tee PDF
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