Middlemore Tabard

My husband is a keen historical re-enactor and so we took our 3-month-old son to his first ever re-enactment event this summer at Tewkesbury Medieval Festival. My husband and father-in-law tell me that the appropriate authentic costume for a baby involves him being up to his neck in a hessian sack. Luckily neither of them wanted to put my little darling in a sack so I didn't need to put my foot down about that one!

My husband and the other officers of his group all have livery coats in the group colours and the other group members who take part in the battles have tabards in the group colours. I decided to make a little tabard for my son so that his daddy could show off baby's first costume.

This cute little tabard is not authentic costume for a baby but it is adorable. It buttons on one shoulder which makes it easier to get over baby's head and the sides are only partially seamed so it fits nicely over a nappy and doesn't restrict a wiggly baby's movement.

Size
3-6 months

Measurements
To fit chest: 20" (approx)

Materials
4.5mm needles (or size required to obtain guage)
approx 300 yards of DK weight yarn - 150 yards in colour A and 150 yards in colour B
1 button (1" in diameter)

Gauge
20 st x 32 rows = 4" in stocking stitch

Directions
Right Front
Using colour A, CO 25 sts.
Work 8 rows garter st.
Row 1: K all sts.
Row 2: K5, p to end.
Repeat these two rows a further 10 times.
Work 40 rows stocking st.
Row 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, &11: K all sts.
Row 2: BO 3, k to end.
Row 4: BO 2, k to end.
Row 6, 8 & 12: K1, k2tog, k to end.
Row 10: K all sts.
Work 4 rows garter st.
Row 1: BO 3, k to end.
Row 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, &12: K all sts
Row 3: BO 2, k to end.
Row 5, 7, 9 & 11: K1, k2tog, k to end.
Work 8 rows garter st.
BO all sts.

Left Back
Follow directions for right front.

Right Back
Using colour B, CO 25 sts.
Work 8 rows garter st.
Row 1: K all sts.
Row 2: P to last 5 sts, k5.
Repeat these two rows a further 10 times.
Work 40 rows stocking st.
Row 1: BO 3, k to end.
Row 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, &12: K all sts.
Row 3: BO 2, k to end.
Row 5, 7 & 11: K1, k2tog, k to end.
Row 9: K all sts.
Work 4 rows garter st.
Row 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, &11: K all sts.
Row 2: BO 3, k to end.
Row 4: BO 2, k to end.
Row 6, 8, 10 & 12: K1, k2tog, k to end.*
Work 8 rows garter st.
BO all sts.

Left Front
Work as for right back until *
Work 10 rows garter st.
Row 1: K3, BO 2, k3.
Row 2: K3, CO 2, k3.
Work 2 rows garter st.
BO all sts.

Finishing
Sew left front and right front together.
Sew left back and right back together.
Sew side seams together leaving the garter stitch edges open.
Sew button to left shoulder.


If anyone is interested in seeing this pattern in multiple sizes, please do let me know and I'll see what I can do.

Colourful Cushion Cover

This pretty cushion cover uses mitred squares to show off self-striping yarn beautifully.

I used Adriafil Knitcol Trends for the self-striping yarn and Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran for the solid-coloured back of the cover. This pattern can be used for finer or chunkier yarns - just make sure you use the needle size recommended on the ball band so that you produce a solid fabric. With a finer yarn and smaller needles you will produce a smaller cover; with a chunkier yarn and larger needles you will produce a larger cover.

Finished Measurements
15in x 15in

Materials
A: approx. 300 yards of self-striping yarn (aran weight)
B: approx. 300 yards of solid coloured yarn (aran weight)
4.5mm needles
15 inch zip
Cushion insert or square of foam to use as cushion pad

Directions

Mitred Squares
Using yarn A, cast on 39 sts.
Row 1: Knit.
Row 2 (and following even rows): Sl1, k to centre 3 sts, sk2p, k to last st, p1.
Row 3 (and following odd rows): Sl1, k to last st, p1.

When only 3 sts remain sk2p.Break yarn and pull through the remaining stitch to fasten off.

Pick up 18 sts along one side of completed square and cast on a further 19 sts. Follow directions for square as above.

 Pick up 18 sts along one side of second square and cast on a further 19 sts. Follow directions for square as above.

Pick up 18 sts along one side of third square and cast on a further 19 sts. Follow directions for square as above.

Pick up 39 sts along sides of square two and four. Follow directions for square as above.

Pick up 39 sts along sides of square one and five. Follow directions for square as above.

Cast on 19 sts and pick up 18 sts along one side of sixth square. Follow directions for square as above.


Pick up 39 sts along sides of square seven and five. Follow directions for square as above.

Pick up 39 sts along sides of square eight and four. Follow directions for square as above.

Border
Pick up 57 sts along one side of square. Knit 18 rows. Cast off loosely.

Pick up 65 sts along one side of square. Knit 18 rows. Cast off loosely.
Pick up 65 sts along one side of square. Knit 18 rows. Cast off loosely.
Pick up 73 sts along one side of square. Knit 18 rows. Cast off loosely.

Back of Cushion
Using yarn B, pick up 147 sts along 2 sides of front of cushion.
Row 1: Knit.
Row 2 (and following even rows): Sl1, k to centre 3 sts, sk2p, k to last st, p1.
Row 3 (and following odd rows): Sl1, k to last st, p1.
When only 3 sts remain sk2p.
Break yarn and pull through the remaining stitch to fasten off.

Finishing
Sew in ends.
Sew one of the open edges closed.
Sew zip in remaining open edge.
Insert cushion.
Put on a chair and enjoy!