Tulip Cocoon

Good morning beautiful people.

Well, here it is, the first pattern for 2017! I'm hoping for big things this year here on the blog, so lets see if we can pull them off! This year will be a mixed bag, as far as the blog goes. Preemie items like usual, but I want to throw in some more variety. Newborn items, props, DIY's, more dolls clothing, more recipe reviews, more of everything, and why not! I love to share these kinds of things with you all, and Im sure this year, like the last, will be full of fantastic posts and projects!! Preemie pattern wise, I want to try an focus on the smaller sizes, that often gets overlooked.

Today's pattern was designed after reading a post at Project Robby asking for cocoon patterns. Now I know I have a couple, and they get used so very much, but there could always be more. This is the first, and I'll have a new one every month this year. Lots of sizes and styles for wee babies. I'm not sure if you guys remember, but 2 years ago I made a hat for the hat drive using the flower pattern, and I said then I wanted to rework it into a cocoon, and Im so glad I did, it worked so well! You could use matching flower colours, different shades like I have here, or 2 completely different colours. I'm sure all options would work well.

Sized To Fit:
16/17 Weeks Gestation

You Will Need:
4mm hook.
DK/8ply yarn in a main colour (white) and a small amount of green and pinks for the flowers.
2 buttons for closing. (you could also use ribbon, or lengths of chained yarn for ties)

Tulip Cocoon

Special Stitches: DC3TG CLUSTER: yarn over, insert hook, yarn over, pull through, yarn over, pull through two, yarn over, insert hook, yarn over, pull through, yarn over, pull through two, (3 loops left on hook), yarn over, insert hook, yarn over, pull through, yarn over, pull through two, (4 loops on hook), yarn over, pull through all loops.

1: Into a magic ring, ch2, dc 9 times, join to the first dc. - 9dc 3cm across

2: Ch3, 2dc in the same stitch, 2dc in each stitch around, join to the first dc. -18dc 5.5cm across

3: Ch3, dc in the same stitch, 2dc in the next stitch, *dc in the next stitch, 2dc in the next stitch*, repeat from * to * around, join to the first dc. -27dc 7.5cm

4: Ch3, dc in the same stitch, dc in the next stitch, 2dc in the next stitch, *dc in the next 2 stitchs, 2dc in the next stitch*, repeat from * to * around, join to the first dc. - 36dc 10cm across

5: Ch3, dc in the same stitch, dc in the next 2 stitchs, 2dc in the next stitch, *dc in the next 3 stitchs, 2dc in the next stitch*, repeat from * to * around, join to the first dc. - 45dc 12cm across

6. ch3, dc in the same stitch, dc in each stitch around, do not join. - 45dc

Change to green yarn

7: Ch3, turn, skip 2 stitches, *(dc, ch1, dc) in the next stitch, skip 2 stitches*, repeat across, dc in the last stitch.

Change to pink yarn

8: Ch5 (counts as first dc and ch2), turn, *DC3TG cluster in the next ch1 space, ch2*, repeat across, dc into the ch3 from the previous round.

Change to white yarn

9: Ch2, turn, hdc in each stitch and chain across, the last stitch will be in the 3rd chain from the previous row. - 45hdc

10: Ch3, turn, dc in each stitch across. - 45dc

11-14: Repeat rows 7 to 10

15: ch3, turn, dc in each stitch across.

16: Ch1, turn, sc in each stitch across, 2sc in the last stitch, then sc evenly down the side of the opening, until you reach the bottom, sc once in the space between both sides and then sc evenly back up the other side of the opening, joining to the first sc. End off and weave in all tails. Completed size 13.5cm across the top, 18cm in length.

Attach buttons. I used the spaces in the dc's for "buttonholes" you could always use the gaps in the green or pink also.