Dress for 18-inch Doll

Free Doll Dress Knitting Pattern

This is a long-sleeve dress for the American Girl Doll. I found that there aren't a whole lot of patterns specifically for this style of dress when I was looking for one, so this is my attempt it.

It is knitted with worsted weight yarn, which on the doll makes for a thick, warm garment. This is definitely more a Fall or Winter-themed outfit than a Summer one.

The front and the backs are worked separately then joined. Stitches for the skirted are picked up at the bottom of the bodice and skirt is worked back and forth with wide ribbing. Sleeves are worked separately and joined to the armholes. The dress has a back closure with small snaps.

I used solid color yarn, but a self-striping yarn would work very well for this pattern as well.

Skills Required/Techniques Used:

-Knit & purl, cast on & bind off

-Increasing, decreasing

-Picking uo stitches

Materials: Bernat (affiliate link) Satin 100% acrylic yarn worsted weight, color - Wine Mist, 149 m (163 yds)/100 g - 1 skein.

Notions: yarn needle, 4-5 sew-on snaps, sewing needle and thread of the color matching yarn to sew on snaps.

Needles: 4 (3.50 mm) OR SIZE NEEDED TO OBTAIN GAUGE.

Gauge:16 st x 22 rows = 4" x 4" (10 cm x 10 cm) for stockinette stitch

Abbreviations:

K – knit

P – purl

k2tog - knit 2 together

ssk - slip-slip-knit

St – stitch

Sts - stitches

pu&k - pick up and knit

as est. - as established, work as the pattern demands, here knit the RS rows and purl the WS rows.

co – cast on

RS – right side

WS – wrong side

m 1 - make 1 increase - I used the increase described by Elizabeth Zimmerman: make a backward loop over the right-hand needle and in the next row/round purl/knit it as a regular stitch.

Pattern Notes:

1 x 1 Rib: multiple of 2 plus 1
Row 1: k1, *p1, k1, - repeat from * to the end of the row.

Row 2: p1, *k1, p1 - repeat from * to the end of the row.

Repeat 2 rows.

Stockinette Stitch

Row 1 (RS) - knit
Row 2 (WS) - purl

Repeat 2 rows

The selvedge/edge stitches are worked as follows: knit the first stitch and purl the last one.

Front

Cast on 26 sts.

Row 1 (RS): k25, p1.

Row 2 (WS): k1, p25.

Repeat rows 1-2 one more time

Row 5 (RS): bind off 3 sts at the beginning of the row, k 22, p1. (=23 sts)

Row 6 (WS): bind off 3 sts at the beginning of the row, p 20. (= 20 sts)

Row 7 (RS): k19, p1.

Row 8 (WS): k1, p19.

Repeat rows 7-8 four more times.

Row 17 (RS): k6, bind off 8 sts, k5, p1. Continiue working the left and right parts of the front separately from 2 balls of yarn.

Row 18 (WS): k1, p5.

Row 19 (RS): k5, p1

Repeat rows 18-19 two more times. Repeat row 18 one more time. Bind off.

Right Back

Cast on 14 sts .

Row 1 (RS): k13, p1.

Row 2 (WS): k1, p13.

Repeat rows 1-2 one more time.

Row 5 (RS): Bind off 3 sts , k10, p1. (=11 sts)

Row 6 (WS): k1, p10.

Row 7 (RS): k10, p1.

Repeat rows 6-7 six more times.

Row 20 (WS): bind off 5 sts, p6.

Row 21 (RS): k5, p1.

Row 22 (WS): k1, p5

Repeat rows 21-22 one more time. Bind off.

Left Back

Cast on 14 sts.

Row 1 (RS): k13, p1.

Row 2 (WS): k1, p13.

Repeat rows 1-2 one more time. Repeat row 1 one more time.

Row 6 (WS): bind off 3 sts, p11.

Row 7 (RS): k11, p1.

Row 8 (WS): k1, p11

Repeat rows 7-8 five more times. Repeat row 8 one more time.

Row 21 (RS): bind off 5 sts, k5, p1. (=6 sts)

Rows 22 (WS): k1, p5.

Repeat rows 21-22 one more time. Bind off.

Block the front and 2 back parts. Sew the shoulder and side seams of the bodice.

Skirt

With WS facing pu&k 52 sts along the bottom of the bodice.

Row 1 (RS): k3, *p2, k2 - repeat from * 12 times, p1. (=52 sts)

Row 2 (WS): k1. *p2, k2 - repeat from * 12 times, p3.

Row 3 (RS, increase row): k3, *m1, p2, k2 - repeat from * 12 times, p1. (=64 sts)

Row 4 (WS): k1, p2, *k2, p3 - repeat from * 11 times, k2, p4.

Row 5 (RS): k4, *p2, k3- repeat from * 11 times, p2, k2, p1.

Repeat rows 4-5 two more times.

Repeat row 4 one more time.

Row 11 (RS, increase row): k4, *p2, m1, k3 - repeat from * 11 times, p2, m1, k2, p1. (= 76 sts)

Row 12 (WS): k1, p3, *k2, p4 - repeat from * 12 times.

Row 13 (RS): *K4, p2 - repeat from * 12 times, k3, p1.

Repeat rows 12-13 four more times. Repeat row 12 one more time.

Row 23 (RS, increase row): *K4, m1, p2 - repeat from * 12 times, k3, p1. ( = 88 sts)

Row 24 (WS): k1, p3, * k2, p5 - repeat from * 12 times.

Row 25 (RS): *k5, p2 - repeat from * 12 times, k3, p1.

Repeat row 24-25 two more times. Repeat rows 24 one more time. Bind off.

Sleeve

Sleeve is worked from armwhole down.

Cast on 32 sts.

Row 1 (RS): K31, p1. (=32 sts)

Row 2 (WS): K1, p31.

Repeat rows 1 - 2 one more time.

Row 5 (RS, decrease row): k1, ssk, k26, k2tog, p1. (=30 sts)

Row 6 (WS): k1, p29.

Row 7 (RS): k29, p1.

Repeat row 6-7 one more time. Rerpeat row 6 one more time.

Row 11 (RS, decrease row): k1, ssk, k24, k2tog, p1. (=28 sts)

Row 12 (WS): k1, p27.

Row 13 (RS): k27, p1.

Repeat rows 12-13 one more time. Repeat row 12 one more time.

Row 17 (RS, decrease row): k1, ssk, k22, k2tog, p1. (=26 sts)

Row 18 (WS): k1, p25.

Row 19 (RS): k25, p1.

Repeat rows 18-19 one more time. Repeat row 18 one more time.

Row 23 (RS, decrease row): k1, ssk, k20, k2tog, p1. (=24 sts)

Row 24 (WS): k1, p23.

Row 25 (RS): k23, p1.

Repeat rows 24-25 one more time. Repeat row 24 one more time. Bind off.

Collar:

With RS facing pu&k 48 sts along the neckline.

Row 1: *k1, p1 - repeat from * 24 times.

Repeat row 1 seven more times. Bind off.

Finishing:

Join sleeve seams. Set in sleeves.

Join the back seam of the skirt from the hem up leaving about 2.5 cm (1") open at the waist.

Weave in all yarn ends.

Sew 4-5 sew-on snaps to the back opening.

Enjoy!