Wee Selkie Cardigan Knitting Pattern for Newborn to 6 Months by Rebecca Newman of Tinylovely Knits

Wee Selkie

By Rebecca Newman Tinylovely Knits Size newborn to 6mth.

Wee Selkie is a cardigan inspired by the mythical Selkie water spirit, in which a seal-like creature shape shifts into a human once a year, usually Midsummer's Eve and then walks ashore. The Selkie have to hide their seal skin or it can be lost or taken and then they cannot transform back in their original seal form until it is returned. Little Selkie is a cardi for your wee lass to keep her warm as she walks the land. Wee Selkie is a seamless kimono style wrap cardigan which is fastened with two feature buttons. It has a sweet, simple eyelet lace detail, which has instructions in charted and written form. This cardigan is ideal for a first lace project. The Wee Selkie cardigan is seamless and knitted from the top down with raglan sleeves in a light worsted yarn. Wee Selkie is written in three sizes from wee newborn to 6mths. When you're wee lass needs a larger size, there is the Little Selkie sister pattern which is sized from 9mths to 8yrs. The edging band is picked up afterwards to allow for easy use of trims and coordinating colours.

Sizing:

Please knit the size of your child's chest measurement, rather than their age, and add or subtract length for their age, this will ensure the best fit. There is approximately one inch (2.5cm) of positive ease included in this pattern. The following table includes chest size, actual back length, and estimated yarn quantity.

Construction:

Little Selkie is a cardigan that is knitted seamlessly from the top down with raglan sleeves and eyelet increases. The garter stitch edging band is added by picking up stitches and working a garter stitch band and is ideal for using contrasting yarn. It has a tapered sleeve with a garter stitch sleeve cuff.

Tension:

20 sts and 28 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette. Please take the time to knit a swatch before beginning this project. It is also important to wash and block your swatch to ensure the best fit possible.

Yarn:

A light worsted weight wool 10ply yarn is recommended. Either a semi-solid or variegated coloured yarn would suit this design. Some suggested yarns include Featherbrush Yarns Worsted, Mosaic Moon Kona Superwash Aran, Colour Adventures Dia Worsted or Malabrigo Rios. Equipment: 4mm/US 6 and 4.5mm/ Us 7 or size to get gauge, 60cm long circular knitting needles, 4mm/US 6 or size to get gauge, 80 - 100cm long circular knitting needles, 4mm/US 6 and 4.5mm/ Us 7 or size to get gauge, 30cm long circular knitting or preferred small circumference knitting method i.e DPNs. Two - four 3/4inch buttons Four Stitch Markers Waste Yarn Darning needle Tape measure Rebecca Newman 2013. All rights reserved.

yarn over, creates hole in knitting and increases by one stitch unless followed by decrease

The Pattern:

With the MC yarn and the 4.5mm/ Us 7 or size to get gauge, 60cm/24in long needle, using long tail cast on or your preferred method, cast on the following stitches NB - 6mth: 30 (34, 34) sts. Row 1 (Rs): Knit one row placing stitch markers as stated in the table below

Row 2 (Ws): Purl all stitches slipping each stitch marker. Row 3 (RS): Kfbf, slipm, YO, knit to 1 st before SM, \* YO, k1, slipm, YO knit to 1 st before SM, repeat from \* once more, YO, k1, slipm, YO, kfb. Row 4 (ws): Purl all stitches slipping each stitch marker as you pass them. Row 5: (RS) Knit 1, M1L, knit till 1 st before SM, YO, knit 1, slipm, YO, knit to 1st before SM, \* YO, k1, slipm, YO knit to 1 st before SM, repeat from \* once more, YO, knit 1, slipm YO, knit till 1 st before end of row, M1R, knit 1. Each increase row has a total of 10 stitches increased per row. Repeat rows 4 and 5 until you have the following stitch count for your size

Row 6(ws): Repeat Row 4 once more

Dividing for the sleeves:

Row 7 (RS): Knit until the 1st SM, remove stitch marker and place NB - 6mth: 32(35, 37) sts on waste yarn, remove stitch marker. Cast on 4st using the cable cast on, and knit the back stitches. Remove stitch marker and place NB - 6mth: 32(35, 37) sts on waste yarn, remove stitch marker. Cast on 4st, and knit the rest of the row. You will now have a total stitch count of NB - 6mth: 94 (102, 108) sts Row 8: Purl one row. Row 9: With CC yarn and your 4mm needle, knit four rows. @ Rebecca Newman 2013. All rights reserved.

Buttonhole Row:

Row 10 (RS): Knit until the following stitches are left NB - 6mth: 14 (14, 16) sts. Then k2tog, YO and knit the following stitches NB - 6mth: 8 (8, 10) sts, k2tog, YO, K2. Row 11 (ws): knit one row increasing the following sts evenly using kfb NB - 6mth: 4 (4, 6) sts Row 12: Knit two rows You will now have a total stitch count of NB - 6mth: 98 (106, 114) sts. Change back to 4.5mm needles and MC yarn, if knitting lace down to hem of the cardi, or if including the feature waistband please continue using the CC yarn. Begin the lace repeat section by following either the written or charted instructions.

Written Lace instructions:

Row 13 (RS): K1 \*K1, ssk, YO, K2, YO, K2tog, K1, repeat from\* until last stitch, K1. To make knitting the lace repeats easier to remember or put down the knitting in the middle of the row place a SM at the beginning of each repeat. Row 14 (ws): Purl row, slipping stitch markers as you pass them.

Charted Lace instructions:

Option one:

For the option of lace continued down to the hem work as follows:

Repeat row 13 and 14 until your work measures NB - 6mth: 22.5(25, 27.5) cm or NB - 6mth: 9(10, 11) inches from the top of the shoulder or your desired length. Skip to the hem and edging section.

Option two:

Or to include the feature waistband work as follows:

Repeat row 13 and 14 twice more for a total of three times.

Option two: (a)

Optional extra buttonhole row:

The optional extra buttonhole row adds extra stability. Row 15: With CC yarn and your 4mm needle, knit four rows. Row 10 (RS): Knit until the following stitches are left NB - 6mth: 14 (14, 16) sts. Then k2tog, YO and knit the following stitches NB - 6mth: 8 (8, 10) sts, k2tog, YO, K2. Knit three rows. Skip to Body Section.

Option two:

Or to have no extra buttonhole row, knit as follows:

Row 15: Change to your 4mm needle and knit one row removing stitch markers as you go. Row 16: Knit seven rows.

Body section:

Row 17 (Rs): Change to the MC yarn and your 4.5mm needle and knit row. Row 18 (Ws): Purl row Repeat Row 17 and 18 until your work measures approximately NB - 6mth: 22.5(25, 27.5) cm or NB - 6mth: 9(10, 11) inches from the top of the shoulder or your desired length.

Hem and edging:

Row 18: Change to your 4mm needle. And CC yarn and knit to the end of the row. Row 19: Knit nine rows. Row 20: Bind off purl wise with the 4.5mm needle loosely. Leave yarn attached. Row 21: Change to the 4mm needle. With the 1 original st on needle, pick up and knit 2 sts for every 3 rows along the right front, 1 st for each cast on st along the neck and shoulders and 2 sts for every 3 rows along the left front. Row 22: Knit until the first front corner of the neck starts, next to the lace band and kfb. Then continue knitting until the next front corner, next to the lace band and kfb, knit till the end of the row. Repeat row 23, five more times for a total of six times. Bind off purl wise with the 4.5mm needle loosely. Rebecca Newman 2013. All rights reserved.

Steeves:

Place the stitches held on waste yarn onto 4.5mm 30cm needles or longer length for magic looping. Using the MC yarn pick up as follows:

NB-6mth:

Pick up 3 stitches, place marker, pickup another 3 stitches and join in the round. Stitch count: NB - 6mth: 36 (41, 43) sts. Knit one round, and then knit 1 st and k2tog, knit to 3 st before SM and SSK, K1. Repeat decrease round every NB - 6mth: 4(4, 4) rounds A total of NB - 6mth: 4(5, 6) times, until there is the following stitch number NB - 6mth: 28(31, 31) sts. Then knit the sleeve until it measures approximately from the underarm NB - 6mth: 11.25(12.5, 13.75) cm or NB - 6mth: 4.5(5, 5.5) inches. Please add or subtract sleeve length for their age, if desired.

garter Cuff

Change to the CC yarn and 4mm 30cm needles Round 1: Knit round Round 2: Purl round Repeat rounds 1 and 2, twice more for a total of three times. Repeat round 1, Bind off loosely purl wise. Repeat for other sleeve. Weave in all ends, sew on buttons. Wet block and lay flat to dry.

Thank you very much to my amazing group of testers; Trish, Lori, Holly, Rebecca, Krissie,Charlene, and Robbin. For pattern support please email me at tiny.lovely@hotmail.com This pattern is for personal use only, to be knitted for your gifts or for charity, and is not to be reprinted, reproduced, or distributed without permission from the designer. Ifyou wish to knit this pattern for sale please contact me for cottage license information. Find me on Ravelry as Tinylovely or contact me by email: tiny.lovely@hotmail.com @ Rebecca Newman 2013. All rights reserved.