Several colors of sport weight (18 wpi) yarn. 1-2 skeins each (2 could go together I suppose)
Several colors worsted weight (10 wpi) yarn. 1 skein each (yellows and browns mostly it seems)
1 pair size 8 (5mm) circular needles
1 pair size 8 (5mm) straight needles
1 set of 5 size 5 (3.75mm) DPN’s
Here’s a bunch of hooded baby sweaters that use US 8 needles. You mention yarn, but not yardage which is a big factor. On the left side of the page you can input the yardage you have.
Remember to not pick a pattern that doesn’t leave you any extra. Gauges are all different and you could end up with not enough yarn. I hate how the pattern doesn’t give you yardage. Gram weight is not fool proof way to tell especially if your using stash yarn.
As gauge varies much from one knitter to the next, your gauge might not match that given in a pattern. You might have to expand your needle collection.
It doesn’t give a size either, at least I didn’t find one.
Nods, it’s a good suggestion. Ravelry is where I started my search at originally. Then I headed over to DROPS Design and found a baby blanket as well. Though, the sweater is still my favorite.
If you don’t have the correct size to do the ribbing, you can do it on the size 8. It will just be a little looser. I do it all the time just because I’m too lazy to change the tips on my interchangeable needles when knitting mittens. My bad!
A pattern option is Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Baby Surprise Jacket. The DVD I got with the pattern has a hood option. It’s an easy knit, and EZ made several using odds and ends as a way to eat up leftover yarn.