Crochet One-Skein Wonders® for Babies: 101 Projects for Infants & Toddlers (Storey, 2016) edited by Judith Durant and Edie Eckman is bursting with crochet projects that require no more than one skein of yarn. These adorable projects range from stuffed animals and mittens to clothes and bibs. These handmade baby items are sure to become family heirlooms! This excerpt comes from chapter four, “Little Bottoms.”
Keep baby snug but mobile in these tie-at-the-waist pants. Work the two legs separately in the round, work a few rows back and forth on each, then join the legs together in the round to finish the seat to the waist. If you have enough yarn left over, work an I-cord for the top; if not, use a shoelace or ribbon.
What You’ll Need:
Size and Finished Measurements: To fit 6–12 months: 20″/51 cm waist, 71/2″/19 cm inseam, and 12″/30.5 cm front-to-back through crotch
Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light, 100% superwash merino wool, 420 yds (384 m)/3.5 oz (100 g), Spectrum
Crochet Hook: US G/6 (4 mm) or size needed to obtain correct gauge
Gauge: 26 stitches and 14 rows/rounds = 4″/10 cm in pattern
Other Supplies: Yarn needle, 40″/101.5 cm length of 3/8″/9.5 mm shoelace or ribbon (optional)
Pattern Essentials
Pattern Stitch (multiple of 2 stitches)
Rnd 1: Work an even number of fdc; join with slip st to first fdc to form a rnd.
Rnd 2: Ch 1, skip first st, sc in next st, ch 1, skip next st; repeat from around to last st, sc in last st, ch 1, join with slip st to beginning ch-1.
Rnd 3: Ch 3, work dc2tog over same st and next ch-space, ch 1, dc2tog over same and next space, ch 1; repeat from around, join with slip st to top of beginning ch-3.
Rnd 4: Ch 1, skip next st, sc in next space, ch 1, skip next st; repeat from to last space, sc in last space, ch 1, join with slip st to beginning ch-1.
Repeat Rnds 3 and 4 for pattern.
Crocheting the Pants
The Legs
Rnd 1: Fdc 66; join with slip st to first fdc to form a rnd.
Rnd 2: Work Rnd 2 of pattern st. You now have 33 sc and 33 spaces.
Rnd 3: Work Rnd 3 of pattern st.
Rnd 4: Work Rnd 4 of pattern st.
Rnd 5: Repeat Rnd 3.
Rnd 6 (increase rnd): Ch 1, sc in first st, ch 1, skip next st, sc in next space; repeat from around, ending with sc in top of beginning ch, ch 1, join with slip st to beginning ch-1. You now have 68 sts.
Rnd 7: Repeat Rnd 3.
Rnds 8–25: Repeat Rnds 6 and 7 nine more times. At the end of Rnd 25, you will have 86 sts.
Rnds 26–29: Repeat Rnds 4–7. You now have 88 sts.
Rnds 30 and 31: Repeat Rnds 4 and 5.
Rnd 32: Slip st in next 6 sts, ch 1 sc in same space, ch 1, sc in next ch-1 space, ch 1, skip next st; repeat from to last 7 sts, sc in next ch-1 space, turn, leaving remaining sts unworked. You now have 78 sts.
Begin working back and forth in rows.
Row 33: Ch 3, dc2tog over same st and next ch-space, ch 1, dc2tog over same and next ch-space, ch 1; repeat from across, ending with dc in beginning ch-1. You now have 78 sts.
Row 34: Slip st in first 2 sts (2 sts decreased), slip st in next st, ch 1, sc in next space, ch 1, skip next st; repeat from to last 4 sts (the dc2tog, ch 1, dc2tog, ch-3), turn, leaving remaining st unworked. You now have 72 sts.
Rows 35 and 36: Repeat Rows 33 and 34. You now have 68 sts.
Fasten off and set aside.
Repeat to make a second leg. Do not fasten off.
Join the Legs
Rnd 1 (joining rnd): Ch 3, work dc2tog inserting hook in sc at base of ch-3 and then in next ch-1 space, ch 1, dc2tog inserting hook into same sp as previous st and then in next ch-1 space, ch 1; repeat from to across current leg, ending with dc2tog into same space as previous st at end of row and then in first ch-1 space on last row of other leg (making sure the join is snug), repeat from to across second leg, ending with dc2tog into same space as previous st at end of row and then in first ch-1 space on last row of first leg, ch 1, join with slip st to beginning ch-3 (center back). You now have 136 sts and are working in the rnd.
Repeat Rnds 4 and 5 from Crocheting the Legs on 136 sts until piece measures 51/2″/14 cm from Rnd 1 (joining rnd).
Final Rnd: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join with slip st to first sc. Fasten off.
Finishing
Use tails at beginning of legs to join the first and last fdc sts. Sew crotch seam. Block.
Weave I-cord, lacing, or ribbon through every other dc cluster in the 2nd rnd from the waist so that the ends meet at the center front. With sewing needle and thread, tack cord in place at center back so baby cannot remove it.
Abbreviations
ch = chain
dc2tog = double crochet 2 together
fdc = foundation double crochet
sc = single crochet
st(s) = stitch(es)
Excerpted from Crochet One-Skein Wonders for Babies (c) Judith Durant (c) Edie Eckman. Photographs by (c) Geneve Hoffman Photography. Used with permission of Storey Publishing.