Mermaid Skirt and Soaker Sack
Designed and written by Heather Johnson
SECTION 1: Getting Started
For those familiar with the Freckle Soaker/Skirty Pattern and the Freckle Bottoms Pattern, please note, this Mermaid pattern will be a bit less detailed than those 2 patterns. The Mermaid Skirt/Soaker Sack is a more specific pattern with less customizable options, so it stands to reason, less options/details will be needed for the pattern's execution. I will still try to make sure there are as few question points as possible and will still have pattern support available like with my previouspatterns. Before casting on, please read through the Getting Started and Pattern Overview Sections thoroughly, as doing so will likely answer questions you may run into while working the pattern, as well as get you started off on the right foot. The pattern includes both explicit instructions for a size 4T skirt, a newborn/small soaker sack, as well as customizable suggestions for any gauge/size. SIZES: NB/Small Soaker Sack: Garment Size: Hips - 17", Length 13" Body Size: Hips: 15-18" 4T Skirt (actually 2T-4T+ due to fit of garment, for larger children, expect negative ease in the fit.) Garment Size: Hips: 21", Length: 13" Body Size: Hips: 20-22+'
GAUGE
5 stitches per inch, in flat stockinette\*
Required Materials NEEDLES/HOOKS
Size 8, 16" Circular Needle (or size needed to get gauge.) Size 6, 16" Circular Needle (or 2 sizes smaller than needed for gauge) ·Size 8, 24" Circular Needle (or gauge size) Darning Needle 4.5-5.0 mm Crochet Hook for tail Bind-off (optional)
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YARN:
Approximately 6 oz. Worsted to Aran Weight 100% Wool. You will want non-superwash wool for the soaker sack unless you are making it for a non-cloth-diapered baby. For a non-cloth-diapered baby or a toddler skirt, superwash wool will work just fine as an alternative if you desire the ability to machine wash. Items pictured have been knit using single ply 100purewool, Aran Blue Faced Leicester, and Swish Superwash Worsted. For skirts and non-cloth-diapered babies, lighter weight wools (like DK) will work as well. Note that a semi-solid yarn will give more of a true mermaid tail appearance than a variegated yarn. However, the stitch pattern does work up with a neat effect on variegated yarn too.
SECTION 2: Calculations for a Customized Garment
(A) Cast On: (Hips x Gauge (rounded to be divisible by 2)) \* (B) Waist: (Waist x Gauge (rounded to be divisible by 4) (C) Tail: (A- 4 stitches (rounded down to be divisible by 6)) (D) Scale Length: Total Waist to Tail Cast of Length - 5 1/4" \* Please note, the stitch pattern for the body does not work up at the same gauge as stockinette. It works up at a larger gauge (so smaller garment) if measured exactly. For the explicit instructions, I've calculated the Body/Cast on Stitches for the Soaker Sack at 18” and the Skirt at 22". However, the finished garments work up slightly smaller. For the explicit garments, this is OK; the fit is still great for a NB/Small Soaker Sack and a negative ease 4T Skirt. My final measurements are just as I would like them. If you are calculating a different size, or using a different gauge, please take this into consideration. Depending on the size of your garment, you will either (1) want to expect a negative ease fit (like in my 4T version); (2) add an inch or 2 to the hip measurement you desire; or (3) the most accurate thing to do would be do knit your gauge swatch in the round, using the body stitch pattern.
SECTION 3: Bottoms Pattern Overview
Architecture
The Mermaid Pattern is knit from the body up and the body down. You will cast on using a provisional cast on and knit the body in the scale stitch pattern. Then you will decrease to your waist measurement, work in 2x2 ribbing for the waist, and bind off loosely. Then, you will pick up the stitches from your provisional cast on, decrease a bit to begin the tail, work some ribbing, and finish with a fluted ruffle for the tail and a double crochet bind off.
Some additional details:
All stitch counts listed assume the NB/Soaker Sack size. The other sizes are in parenthesis (4T Skirt, Custom Skirt). It is suggested that you print out this pattern, go through and highlight the correct (or cross out all the wrong values) to help prevent using the wrong #. For all techniques/stitches, please use your favorite knitting reference to determine a method to use to create the stitch. My favorites are www.knittinghelp.com, Debbie Stoller's Stitch 'n Bitch, and Vogue Knitting's The Ultimate Guide
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to Knitting. As an alternative to this, pictures and/or videos will soon be provided on the Freckle Pattern Support Forums (http://freckle.forumco.com). Techniques/Stitches used: Provisional Cast on,Double Crochet Bind Off, K (Knit), P(Purl), Slip (Slip purl wise), K2tog (Knit 2 together), Ptog (Purl 2 together), YO (Yarn Over), SM (Slip Marker)
SECTION 4: The Pattern
Body
Using a provision method and your 16" circular needle used to obtain gauge, cast on 92 (112, -——A) stitches. Place marker and join into a round being very careful not to twist the stitches. Round 1:Knit Round 2: \*P1, Slip 1\* repeat to end. Round 3:Knit Round 4: \*Slip 1, P1\* repeat to end Repeat rounds 1-4 until you are 7 3/4 “ (7 34", D) from cast on edge. Knit one round.
Waist
Switch to your smaller circular needle. Decrease to 76 (96, -—_B) stitches for waistband. You will decrease evenly around as you work your first row of ribbing. (This will hide the decreases the best and move you from the pattern stitch to the ribbing the most seamlessly. However, if you are more comfortable working your decreases in a knit only row, feel free to do so.) Decrease round for Soaker Sack: K2, P1, P2tog, K2, P2, K2tog, K1, P2, K, K2tog, P2, K2, P2tog, P1, K2, P2tog, P1, K2, P1, P2tog, K2, P2, K2tog,K1, P2, K, K2tog, P2, K1, K2tog, P2, K2, P2tog, P1, K2, P1, P2tog, K2, P2, K2tog, K1, P2, K2tog, K1, P2, K1,K2tog, P2, K2, P2tog, P1, K2, P1, P2tog Decrease round for the Skirt: \*K2, P2, K1, K2tog, P2, K2, P1, P2tog\* repeat 8 times Decrease round for customizable option: Decrease evenly around incorporating into 2x2 ribbing. Please contact me if you need assistance in calculating this, I' d be happy to help. Work in 2x2 ribbing for 1 1/8" Work an eyelet row (K2, P2tog, YO) around. Work in 2x2 ribbing for another 1 1/8". Bind off loosely.
Tail
Using the same needle you did for the body, pick up and knit all stitches from your provisional cast on, making sure to maintain the proper orientation on the stitches. Knit one row. Decrease to 78 (108, _C) stitches for the Tail. You will decrease evenly around as you work your first row of 4x2 ribbing, to begin the tail pattern. (This will hide the decreases the best and move you from the pattern stitch to the ribbing the most seamlessly. However, if you are more comfortable working your decreases in a knit only row, feel freetodoso.) Page 3 of 4 K4, P2tog, P1, K4, P2tog, P1, K3, K2tog, P2, K3, K2tog, P2, K2, K2tog, K1, P2, K2, K2tog, K1, P2, K1, K2tog,K2, P2, K1, K2tog, K2, P2, K2tog, K3, P2, K2tog, K3, P1, P2tog, K4, P1, P2tog, K4, P2tog, P1, K4, P2tog, P1Decrease round for the Skirt: \*K4, P2, K4, P2, K4, P2, K4, P2, K2, K2tog, K1, P2, K4, P2, K4, P2, K4, P2, K4, P1, P2tog\* repeat 2 times Decrease round for customizable option: Decrease evenly around incorporating into 4x2 ribbing. Please contact me if you need assistance in calculating this, I' d be happy to help. Work in 4x2 ribbing for 1"' then begin fluted ruffle for tail. Round 1: \*K2, YO, K2, P2\* repeat around. Round 2: \*K5, P2\* repeat around. Round 3: \*K2, YO, K1, YO, K2, P2\* repeat around. Round 4: \*K7, P2\* repeat around. Round 5: \*K2, YO, K3, YO, K2, P2\* repeat around. Round 6: \*K9, P2\* repeat around. Round 7: \*K2, YO, K5, YO, K2, P2\* repeat around. Round 8: \*K11, P2\* repeat around. Round 9: \*K2, YO, K7, YO, K2, P2\* repeat around. Round 10: \*K13, P2\* repeat around. Round 11: \*K2, YO, K9, YO, K2, P2\* repeat around. Round 12: \*K15, P2\* repeat around. Round 13: \*K2, YO, K11, YO, K2, P2\* repeat around. Round 14: \*K17, P2\* repeat around. Round 15: \*K2, YO, K13, YO, K2, P2\* repeat around. Round 16: \*K19, P2\* repeat around. Round 17: Bind off using a double crochet bind off.
Finishing
1.Your Mermaid Item is now finished. 2. Weave in waist, tail, and provisional cast on ends. 3. Make a drawstring. Some of the most common include: i-cord, making a crochet chain with yarn doubled, or just a twisted cord using a hand mixer or drill. (A second can be made to weave into the top of the tail of the soaker sack if desired.) 4. Work the drawstring through the eyelets of the waist, meeting up in the front. 5.Wash, lanolize (if for cloth diapers), and block. Blocking is a tremendously helpful step that is often neglected. After washing and squishing out the bottoms, lay them on a flat surface to dry. Pat them out to smooth (the stitches will even out a bit from the washing, and the yarn will often fill out a bit as well). Let dry.
Credits
The scale pattern is an in-the-round adaptation of the Loop Pattern found on page 31 of The Harmony Guides Knit & Purl Stitch edited by Ericka Knight. The tail is created using an in-the-round adaptation of the Knitted Fluted Edge found on page 60 of Nicky Epstein's Knitting on theEdge. Page 4 of 4
