I found some yummy superwash merino at the Needle Emporium, and with one skein, made a fast knit, very stretchy, baby sack / cocoon. It will be for only the first month or two, but what a lovely warm hug for a newborn in the winter! The added bonus is it becomes a slouchy winter hat for the parents after baby has outgrown it... sweet.
Photos with my bear who is 16 inches tall, and quite chubby.
Hat for daddy!
Baby Cocoon
Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Merino worsted weight. 100 grams, 210 yards (superwash, so in the machine it can go!)
Needles: 5.0 mm (US 8)
FOUR double point (knit in the round, so no seaming) AND a short circular needle in 5.0 mm (you may be fine on just the double point
needles, but you can switch to circ’s if you prefer once the total number of
stitches are reached)
Stitch marker
Gauge 22 sts = 4
inches in 2 by 2 ribbing, relaxed. (very
stretchy, so close enough will probably work fine too!)
Pattern: 2 by 2
ribbing: knit 2, purl2, round and round
(must be worked on total stitches that divide evenly by 4!)
Pattern: Starting at
the bottom of the sack (the top of the head when worn as a hat):
Cast on 12 sts. Join without
twisting and knit one row. Place marker
to show row end.
Next row: knit in the front and back of all the
stitches: (24)
Knit one row. (knitting all the stitches)
Next row: [Knit 1,
Knit in front and back of next stitch] repeat to end of row (36)
Knit one row.
Next row: [knit 1, purl 1, knit in front and back of next
stitch] repeat to end. (48)
Single rib next row: [knit 1, purl 1] repeat to end. (48 still)
Work in single rib for 2 more rows.
Next row: [ Knit
front and back of next stitch, purl 1] repeat across row (72)
Next 3 rows: [knit 2,
purl 1]
Last increase: [knit
2, purl front and back of next stitch] repeat across row (96). (you may want to switch to a short circular
needle for the rest of the knitting.
Must be short enough to work evenly around the sack.)
Rest of rows: (you
can take the marker off now, as you will just work the pattern until length is
reached)
Knit two, purl two until total length is 14 inches from the
start. Cast off loosely all
stitches. Graft the small opening at the
start of the cocoon.
2 comments:
I intensely dislike using double-point or circular needles but would love to make some of these hats for my annual give-away project. I am going to try making some on straight needles although I realize there will be a seam to sew up afterwards.
Hi Lynda, this is always an option, to knit the pattern back and forth on straight needles, and sew up the "back" seam. It should work out just fine !
Chris
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