Basic Button Up Burial Cocoon- Free Pattern

 

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Hello again and welcome to 2013!

I'm only a handful of days into this year, and it already feels better then the last :) This year, I want to aim to release one crochet pattern and one scrap kit every week (that's 52 of each for the year) so lets see how we go. Not an unrealistic goal, but something that will deff make me think!

Ok so onto the pattern :)
Today's pattern is a fully front opening cocoon that is designed to hold a baby up to 18/19 weeks gestation. Babies lost at this age are more often then not far too small and too delicate to dress, so wraps and swaddling are more appropriate. This cocoon can be used to hold bub, as a way to transport, and as a burial item. The colour combinations are endless, however I do like to trim in white or cream because it just looks nicer against the skin tone of these very early babies. You could jazz these up with interesting buttons, a few loud stripes or some appliqued shapes like small fish, hearts, stars ect. You can also close them in a few ways. Some places refer to small pouches like this as foetal demise pouches, but that just sounds crude to me, so burial cocoons it is.

Ive made these in 4, 5 and 8 ply (fingering, sport and dk weight) and there isn't really a lot of difference in it. I like using a 5ply/sport weight cotton for a nice soft and light drape.

Supplies:
Yarn in 4,5 or 8ply (fingering, sport,dk)in main and contrasting colours (a 3rd colour if doing stripes)
4mm hook
needle for sewing in ends
If using buttons, 3 matching ones for closing.

R1. Ch3, 10hdc into the 1st chain, join (with a sl st here and throughout)

R2. Ch2, hdc in the same st, *hdc, 2hdc in the next* Repeat around, join. (14)

R3: Repeat R2 (22)

R4: Ch2, hdc in each st around, join. (22)

R5: Ch2, hdc in the same st, *hdc, 2hdc in the next* Repeat around. DO NOT JOIN (working in rows here on out) (34)

R6-11, Ch2, Turn, hdc in each stitch across (34)

R12-14. Ch2, turn, hdc in the next 9 stitches, dc in the next 16 stitches, hdc in the last 9 stitches

End off main colour here. Join edging colour (white/cream)

R15-16. Ch2, turn, hdc in the next 9 stitches, dc in the next 16 stitches, hdc in the last 9 stitches

R17. ch1, turn, sc in each stitch across, do not end off, do not turn.

Working down the v split sc evenly in the ends of all stitches and back up the other side, placing 2sc in the corner before slst to the first st of R17.

End off, weave in ends.

If adding buttons: Position your buttons evenly on one side and sew on, making sure buttons are not too small to fall through stitches on opposite side, and not too large that they wont fit through the stitches snug.

If using ties: Mark of 3 places for the ties on one side of the opening, and mark the same stitches on the opposite side, join yarn with a sl st and ch21. End off and weave in ends. Make 6 ties in total, 3 on each side. Tie in a bow.

Stripes: To make the stripe pattern shown in my photo, colours were changed in 3 row groups starting at R6 (6,7,8 are green, 9,10,11 are yellow, 12, 13, 14 are green, 15, 16, 17 are yellow)

Pattern 1/52 for 2013
Images copyright Myshelle Cole, please do not use without permission.