Sun Tunic for my Niece

The May Stash knit-down challenge was to use up cotton/cotton blends. I had three coordinating balls in the stash and made this little tank top for my niece, who 9 months old.

I had been experimenting with a mosaic table mat or wine cozy, but then I saw Sweetness by Kathleen Sperling on Ravelry and decided to try a top or sundress. I wanted a little more shoulder coverage, a mosaic pattern rather than FI, and a lacy skirt with a bit more flare for easy crawling.

I cast on with green and worked a boat-neck raglan in Shadow 14 (Barbara Walker's Mosaic Knitting.) Then I bound off the shoulders and increased for the underarms. I left the back open up to this point to allow ease for her to fit her head through. Here I joined and preceeded in rounds. I worked another band of Shadow 14 to transition into beige. Then I worked Fountain Lace (BW's Second Treasury p.272), increasing 4st per RSRnd during the first two repeats of the lace to give it flare. At DD1's recommendation, I stopped at tunic length and finished with Elastic Bind-off in green. The back ties shut with i-cord.

I had planned to make a sun hat as well, but not enough yarn left. All she gets is a flower barrette.