Garter Squish Kids

Garter Squish is top down, knit in the round and uses short rows to shape the neckline. It has two style options for the bottom hem shaping. Interest is added by the seamless joining of the rib neckline into the slipped stitch raglan stitches which then continue through the body and sleeves. This creates a faux seam appearance and gives the garment extra ‘squish factor!’

Dropped hem option adds approximately 3.5” (9cm) to the centre front and back

The schematic is a visual representation of the full shaped hem version of the pattern, finished dimensions are the same for both styles.

Sizing in Inches

	A	B	C	D	E
2yrs	24	5.5	9.5	9	8
4yrs	26.5	5.5	10.5	11	9
6yrs	28	6	11.5	12	10
8yrs	29.5	6.5	12	13	13
10yrs	30.5	6.5	12	14	15

Sizing in Centimetres

	A	B	C	D	E
2yrs	60	14	24	22.5	20
4yrs	66.5	14	26.5	27.5	22.5
6yrs	70	15	29	30	25
8yrs	73.5	16.5	30	32.5	32.5
10yrs	76.5	16.5	30	35	37.5

Any chunky/super chunky yarn with approximately 100m (109yds) per 100g. Many hand dyed chunky yarns are this exact specification making them an excellent choice. Have a look at what your favourite indie dyer has to offer and treat yourself and your knit-worthy recipient!

Alternatively, there are plenty of hard wearing, purse friendly yarns from more commercial sources so whatever your requirements are, go for it!

Sample one is modelled by my daughter, Pippa, and shows the full hem shaping. It was knit in Needle and Fred Merino Chunky in the colourway ‘La Vie En Rose’. The sweater is a size 4yrs worn with 2.5” (6.5cm) positive ease.

Sample two is modelled by my son, Oscar, and shows the back hem shaping option. It was knit with Lion Brand Hue + Me in the colourway ‘Ozone’. It is a size 2yrs worn with 3” (7.5cm) positive ease and 1” (2.5cm) added to the body length.

Suggested Yarns

Needle and Fred Superwash Merino Chunky, 100m (109yds) per 100g. 100% Merino 3ply construction.

Lion Brand Hue & Me, 125m (137yds) per 125g. 20% wool, 80% acrylic.

Drops Karisma, 100m (109yds) per 50g. 100% wool, held double

Required Meterage

2yrs (4yrs, 6yrs, 8yrs, 10yrs)

380 (450, 520, 645, 740) m / 415 (490, 570, 705, 810) yds.

This equates to 4 (5, 6, 7, 8) skeins of Superwash Merino Chunky, 100m (109yds) per 100g

OR 4 (4, 5, 6, 6) balls of Lion Brand Hue & Me, 125m (137yds) per 125g.

OR 8 (10, 12, 14, 16) balls of Drops Karisma, 100m (109yds) per 50g.

The stated meterage (yardage) is the estimated quantity needed to create both the garment and one swatch.

Gauge

On larger needle, 12 sts and 20 rows = 4x4in (10x10cm) in garter stitch, after blocking.

Due to the unpredictability of garter stitch, I would strongly recommend creating a blocked swatch. You need to give a thought to how your swatch/gauge changes before and after blocking and how aggressively you will block the garment. The garter stitch should retain a fair amount of bounce and have the ability to grow once blocked. When measuring lengths of sections while working, remember how your swatch behaved. For instance, the yarns shown in the samples behaved very differently to each other; the acrylic mix retained its ‘bounce’ so once blocked, the measurements didn’t change significantly. However, the Superwash Merino relaxed for the chest and underarm to waist measurement. Therefore, if using a similar yarn, I suggest making a judgement based on how your swatch behaved and consider knitting the body slightly shorter than the pattern states. The chest measurement can be manipulated by lengthening the body whilst blocking.

Needles

Backwards loop cast on (tubular cast on given as an alternative to match the adult pattern).

Knitting in the round.

Use of either Magic Loop or double pointed needles.

German short row shaping.

Sizing in Inches

	A	B	C	D
2yrs	23.5	8	5.5	9
4yrs	25.5	9	5.5	11
6yrs	27.5	10	6	12
8yrs	29	13	6.5	13
10yrs	30.5	15	6.5	14

Sizing in Centimetres

	A	B	C	D
2yrs	59	20	14	23
4yrs	64	22.5	14	28
6yrs	69	25.5	15	30.5
8yrs	72.5	33	16.5	33
10yrs	76.5	38	16.5	35.5