You need – Size H double ended afgan/tunisian crochet hook, 2 2oz balls of worsted yarn
Waistband
Chain 72 (more if you are using a lighter weight yarn)
Connect your chain
Round 1: Double Crochet into each stitch of the chain.
Round 2 and 3: Alternate between Front Post Double Crochet and Back Post Double Crochet
This creates a ribbed look and crochets up pretty quick. You can easily substitute this if you have a waistband you prefer to use. You can also chain more or less to find a better fit for you little one.
For the drawstring I just chain my desired length with 2 strands of yarn.
Soaker
Round 1: Cast On – watch the youtube video
Round 2-5: Tunisian in the round
Round 6: Increase every 5 stitches. I increase on my forward pass. Meaning – I do a Tunisian stitch, yarn over, Tunisian stitch until I need to do another increase.
Round 7-9: Tunisian in the round
Here you need to place some stitch markers (I just use scrap yarn). Mark the sides of your work. Half the stitches are for the front part of your soaker and the other half are for the back.
It’s time to add some short rows! I create a little pouch so the hips aren’t saggy.
**if you want a higher rise or are using a light weight yarn add a few more (2-4) rows before continuing on**
Round 10 Front: Tunisian in the Round
Round 10 Back: Tunisian until you have 10 stitches until you marker. Do a normal return stitch without flipping your work (just like working with a flat piece of work) until you have 10 stitches to your marker. Now pick up the bars of the stitches you just created and continue with your Tunisian in the round.
Round 11 Front: Tunisian in the Round
** Make sure you pick up the from the first row bar when you get to your previous short row.
Round 11 Back: Tunisian until you have 9 stitches until you marker. Do a normal return stitch without flipping your work (just like working with a flat piece of work) until you have 9 stitches to your marker. Now pick up the bars of the stitches you just created and continue with your Tunisian in the round.
Round 12 Front: Tunisian in the Round
Round 12 Back: Tunisian until you have 8 stitches until you marker. Do a normal return stitch without flipping your work (just like working with a flat piece of work) until you have 8 stitches to your marker. Now pick up the bars of the stitches you just created and continue with your Tunisian in the round.
Round 13 Front: Tunisian in the Round
Round 13 Back: Tunisian until you have 7 stitches until you marker. Do a normal return stitch without flipping your work (just like working with a flat piece of work) until you have 7 stitches to your marker. Now pick up the bars of the stitches you just created and continue with your Tunisian in the round.
Round 14 Front: Tunisian in the Round
Round 14 Back: Tunisian until you have 6 stitches until you marker. Do a normal return stitch without flipping your work (just like working with a flat piece of work) until you have 6 stitches to your marker. Now pick up the bars of the stitches you just created and continue with your Tunisian in the round.
Row 15 Front: Tunisian in the Round
Row 15 Back: Tunisian in the Round
Row 16 Front: Tunisian in the Round
Row 16 Back: Tunisian in the Round
Row 17 Front: Tunisian in the Round
Row 18 Back – do a normal return stitch without flipping your work then pick up the bars of the stitches you just created and continue with your Tunisian in the round
Bind off
Crotch – work as a flat piece (you don’t flip your work)
Find the middle 21 bars of the back of your work (I’m pretty sure this leaves you with 11 on each end)
Row 1 -2 – Tunisian crochet a forward pass 21 stitches and do a return pass
Row 3 – Tunisian crochet a forward pas and decrease every 7 (when you get to bar 7 just pick up bar 8) and do a return pass
Row 4 - Tunisian crochet a forward pass and decrease every 5 (when you get to bar 5 just pick up bar 6) and do a return pass
Row 5- Tunisian crochet a forward pass and return pass
Row 6 – Tunisian crochet a forward pass and decrease in your 2nd and 3rd stitches and then your 2nd to last and 3rd to last stitches and then do your return pass – you should have 14 stitches
Row 7 - Tunisian crochet a forward pass and return pass
Bind off
Find the middle 14 stitches of your front
Row 1 – 5 - Tunisian crochet a forward pass and return pass
You need to connect the crotch pieces.
Turn your work inside out. Make the back piece closest to you. Go in between the first and second bar of the back and around the first bar of the front and do a slip stitch. Then, go in between the second and third bar of the back and around the second bar of the front and do a slip stitch. You do this the entire way across.
Turn your work right side out again and do some single crochet rows around your leg openings. I just pick up the bars where I can and do a single crochet through them. I like 2-3 rows.
