Cute & Cabled Baby Bib

Cute & Cabled Baby Bib

I have had this yarn in my stash for an embarrassingly long time - I bought it over a year ago with the intention of turning it into a cowl, and then promptly forgot about it. When I ran across it at the end of a hectic week, however, I realized that it would be perfect for a quick-knitting project like this one. So I conceived of the Cute & Cabled Baby Bib, which is thick, cute, detailed but not too difficult to knit, and works up in a snap. Also, I'm pretty sure you could get two bibs out of one skein, although I haven't tried it (yet).

Yarn: Plymouth Yarn Jeannee Chunky (51% Cotton, 49% Acrylic; 106 yards [97 meters]/100 grams); #10 Blue - one skein

A close-up of the side detail.
After a long debate, I used
decreases for shaping
instead of short rows.

Needles: One set of straight needles in size US 10 and two double pointed needles (dpns), also in size US 10, for working the i-cord ties

Notions: Tapestry needle, two stitch markers

Gauge: 14 stitches = 4 inches 

So let's make a bib! First of all, then, using your size 10 needles, cast on 29 stitches loosely. Then, we'll knit the following two set-up rows: 

Set-up Row 1 (wrong side): knit

Set-up Row 2: p9, place marker, p11, place marker, purl until end of row 

And once those rows are done, it's time to begin our pattern, which includes some shaping and also a strip of "Opening" Double Cable from page 113 of Barbara G. Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns. At any rate, we'll be continuing like so:

Row 1 (wrong side): purl until you reach first marker, slip marker, k2, p7, k2, slip marker, purl until end of row

Row 2: knit until you reach first marker, slip marker, p2, k2, slip 1 stitch with yarn in back (slip 1 wyib), k1, slip 1 wyib, k2, p2, slip marker, knit until end of row

Row 3: purl until you reach first marker, slip marker, k2, p2, slip 1 stitch with yarn in front (slip 1 wyif), p1, slip 1 wyif, p2, k2, slip marker, purl until end of row

Row 4: knit until you're two stitches before first marker, k2tog, slip marker, p2, slip 2 wyib, drop slip stitch to front of work, slip the same 2 stitches back to left-hand needle, pick up dropped stitch and knit it, k3, drop slip stitch to front of work, k2, pick up dropped stitch and knit it, p2, slip marker, ssk, knit until end of row

Knit rows 1 - 4 until you have 1 stitch left before your first stitch marker (and 1 after your second), and you've just knit row 4 of the pattern. Remove markers. Then we'll knit the following edging row:

Edging Row 1 (wrong side): (k2tog, k1) twice, k1, (k1, k2tog) twice

Complete edging row 1 and then bind off loosely, using a purl stitch rather than a knit stitch. Then, beginning on the right side of the bib when seen from the right side (which you knit bottom-up, in case you need help orienting yourself), pick up 28 stitches evenly along side edge. Then we'll continue as follows:

Row 1 and all odd rows (wrong side): purl

Row 2: (ssk, k5) four times

Row 4: (ssk, k4) four times

Row 6: (ssk, k3) four times

Row 8: (ssk, k2) four times

Row 10: (ssk, k1) twice, knit until end of row

Rows 12, 14, & 16: (ssk) twice, knit until end of row

Knit rows 1 - 16, and then transfer your work to one of your size 10 dpns. Work in a 4-stitch i-cord until i-cord measures roughly 12" (or longer, if you'd like longer ties. Mine are 12"). Bind off loosely, and then we'll work the other side of the bib. So, pick up 28 stitches evenly along left edge. Then we'll continue as follows:

Row 1 and all odd rows (wrong side): purl

Row 2: (k5, k2tog) four times

Row 4: (k4, k2tog) four times

Row 6: (k3, k2tog) four times

Row 8: (k2, k2tog) four times 

Row 10: knit until you have 6 stitches left in row, (k1, k2tog) twice

Rows 12, 14, & 16: knit until you have 4 stitches left in row, (k2tog) twice

Knit rows 1 - 16, and then transfer your work to one of your size 10 dpns. Work in a 4-stitch i-cord until i-cord matches your first i-cord in length. Bind off loosely and tuck in ends. Block, stretching bottom of bib into a nice rounded shape and allowing top to bunch naturally with the ribbing.