BABY’S SPECIAL TUNIC

This easy tunic is perfect for the fashionable baby and is comfy to wear as well! Crocheted with Baby Hugs Light, it can be worn over warm layers when it is cold, or as a mini dress on warmer days.

What you will need:

  Baby Hugs™ Light: 1 (1, 2, 2) ball(s) 3303 Shell A and 1 ball 3012 Ink B Susan Bates® Crochet Hook: 5.5mm [US I-9] and 6mm [US J-10] Yarn needle, stitch marker, ⅝” (15mm) button
GAUGE: 14 hdc = 4″ (10 cm); 9 rows = 4″ (10 cm) with smaller hook; 5 shells = 4″ (10 cm); 10 rows = 4″ (10 cm) with larger hook. CHECK YOUR GAUGE.
Use any size hook to obtain the gauge.

Baby
Hugs™ Light, Art. E403 Oeko-Tex Certified 100% Acrylic baby yarn available in 4.5 oz (127 g) 318 yds (290 m) balls

Directions are for size 6 months. Changes for sizes 12 months, 18 months and 24 months are in parentheses.
Finished Chest Measurement: 19 (20, 21, 23)” [45.5 (51, 53.5, 58.5) cm].
Finished Length: 13½ (14½, 16, 17½)” [34.5 (37, 40.5, 44.5) cm].
Notes
1. Tunic is worked from top down.
2. Yoke is worked back and forth in turned rows.
3. Bodice is worked in joined rounds with right side facing at all times. Skirt is worked in continuous (spiral) rounds. Do not join unless instructed.
Special Stitch
shell = (Sc, 2 dc) in indicated stitch.
Special Technique
Join with sc = Place a slip knot on hook, insert hook in indicated stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and draw through both loops on hook.
TUNIC
Yoke
With smaller hook and A, ch 63 (67, 71, 75)
Row 1 [right (wrong, right, right) side]: Hdc in 3rd ch from hook (beginning skipped ch do not count as a st) and in each remaining ch across, turn—61 (65, 69, 73) hdc.
Row 2: Ch 1, hdc in first st, *ch 2, skip next st, hdc in next st; repeat from * across, turn—31 (33, 35, 37) hdc and 30 (32, 34, 36) ch-2 spaces.
Row 3: Ch 1, hdc in first st, *2 hdc in next ch-2 space, hdc in next st; repeat from * across, turn—91 (97, 103, 109) hdc.
Rows 4 and 5: Ch 1, hdc in each st across, turn.
Row 6: Ch 1, hdc in first 1 (1, 3, 4) st(s), *2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 17 (31, 19, 20) sts; repeat from * across, turn—96 (100, 108, 114) hdc.
Row 7: Ch 1, 2 hdc in first st, hdc in next 11 (9, 26, 18) sts, *2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 11 (9, 26, 18) sts; repeat from * across, turn—104 (110, 112, 120) hdc.
Size 6 months only:
Row 8: Ch 1, 2 hdc in first st, hdc in next 12 sts, *2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 12 sts; repeat from * across; change to B, turn—112 (110, 119, 126) hdc.
Size 12 months only:
Row 8: Ch 1, hdc in each st across, turn— 110 hdc.
Row 9: Ch 1, 2 hdc in first st, hdc in next 10 sts, *2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 10 sts; repeat from * across; change to B, turn—120 hdc.
Size 18 months only:
Row 8: Ch 1, 2 hdc in first st, hdc in next 15 sts, *2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 15 sts; repeat from * across, turn—119 hdc.
Row 9: Ch 1, hdc in first 2 sts, *2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 12 sts; repeat from * across, turn—128 hdc.
Row 10: Ch 1, hdc in each st across; change to B, turn.
Size 24 months only:
Row 8: Ch 1, 2 hdc in first st, hdc in next 19 sts, *2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 19 sts; repeat from * across, turn—126 hdc.
Row 9: Ch 1, 2 hdc in first st, hdc in next 20 sts, *2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 20 sts; repeat from * across, turn—132 hdc.
Row 10: Ch 1, 2 hdc in first st, hdc in next 32 sts, *2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 32 sts; repeat from * across; change to B, urn—136 hdc.

Bodice
Note: To minimize weaving in ends, carry color not in use on wrong side until next needed.
Round 1 (right side): Ch 1, working in back loops only, sc in each st around; change to A; join with slip st in first sc—112 (120, 128, 136) sc.
Round 2: Ch 1, sc in first 15 (16, 17, 18) sts, ch 2, skip next 26 (28, 30, 32) sts (first armhole made), sc in next 30 (32, 34, 36) sts, ch 2, skip next 26 (28, 30, 32) sts (second armhole made), sc in last 15 (16, 17, 18) sts; change to B; join with slip st in first sc—60 (64, 68, 72) sc and 2 armholes.
Round 3: Ch 1, sc in each sc around; change to A; join with slip st in first sc—60 (64, 68, 72) sc.
Round 4: Ch 1, sc in each sc around; change to B; join with slip st in first sc.
Round 5: Repeat Round 3.
Round 6: Ch 1, working in back loops only, sc in each st around; join with slip st in first sc. Do not fasten off. Turn work to wrong side and change to larger hook.
Skirt
Round 1 (wrong side): Ch 1, shell in first st, *skip next st, shell in next st; repeat from * around, skip last st—30 (32, 34, 36) shells. Do not join rounds until instructed. Place marker for beginning of round and move marker up as each round is completed.
Round 2: Shell in sc of each shell around. Repeat Round 2 until skirt measures 6 (6½, 7½, 8½)” [15 (16.5, 19, 21.5) cm] from bottom of bodice; join with slip st in sc of first shell at end of last round. Fasten off.
Hem Edging
Round 1: With wrong side facing, join B with sc in same sc as join, 2 dc in same st, shell in sc of each shell around.
Round 2: Shell in sc of each Shell around; join with slip st in first sc. Fasten off.
Neckline Edging
Row 1: With right side of yoke facing, join A with sc in end of first row of left back above bodice; working in ends of rows, sc evenly spaced across to last row, (sc, ch 5, sc) in last row (buttonhole made); working in opposite side of foundation ch, sc in each ch around to last ch, 3 sc in last ch; working in ends of rows of right back, skip first row, sc evenly spaced across. Fasten off.

FINISHING
Neckline Trim
With B, ch 100 or as many ch as needed to fit around Row 2 of yoke, slip st in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Fasten off.
Beginning at edge of Row 2, skipping as many sts as desired, evenly weave trim over and under sts. Distribute trim evenly and tack edges to neckline edging.
Bow
With B, ch 41, slip st in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Fasten off. Shape into a bow and tack at center to hold in place. Referring to photograph, sew to neckline trim or where desired. Sew button to 3-sc group of neckline edging. Weave in ends.
ABBREVIATIONS
A, B = Color A, Color B; ch = chain(s); dc = double crochet; hdc = half double crochet; sc = single crochet; st(s) = stitch(es); ( ) = work directions in parentheses into same st; * = repeat whatever follows the * as indicated.