Summer Empire Waist Dress

Free Dress Knitting Pattern

Size: Size: 8/10 (38/40)

Materials: Elann (affiliate link).com Nilo DK cotton / viscose / linen yarn 100 m (109 yds) / 50 gr - 18 skeins.
Needles: circular 2 (2.75 mm) - 32" / 82 cm and circular 5 (3.75 mm) - 32" / 82 cm OR SIZE NEEDED TO OBTAIN GAUGE.
Crochet hook size E (3.5 mm).

Gauge for stocking stitch: 22 st x 28 rows = 4" x 4" (10 x 10 cm)
Gauge for slip stitch pattern: 29 st x 40 rows = 4" x 4" (10 x 10 cm)

Patterns:

Garter Stitch in rounds:
Row 1 (WS): purl
Row 2: knit
Repeat rows 1 and 2.

Reverse stocking stitch in rounds:
all rows - purl sts

Herringbone Stripe on 13 sts in rounds (based on Barbara G. Walker pattern):
Multiple of 13
Row 1: m1 (make one stitch by lifting running thread and knitting into the back of this thread), k 3, p2, p3tog (purl 3 together), p2, k3, m1.
Row 2: k4, p5, k4.
Row 3: m1, k4, p1, p3tog, p1, k4, m1.
Row 4: k5, p3, k5.
Row 5: m1, k5, p3tog, k5, m1.
Row 6: k6, p1, k6.
Repeat rows 1-6.

Slip Stitch Pattern in rounds:
Multiple of 4 plus 3
Row 1: k3, *sl 1 yb (slip 1 stitch with yarn in back), k3*, repeat from * to *.
Row 2: p3, *sl 1 yb, p3*, repeat from * to *.
Row 3: k1, *sl 1 yb, k3*, repeat from * to *.
Row 4: p1, *sl 1 yb, p3*, repeat from * to *.
Repeat rows 1-4.

Slip Stitch Pattern knitted back and forth:
Multiple of 4 plus 3
Row 1 (RS): k3, *sl 1 yb (slip 1 stitch with yarn in back), k3*, repeat from * to *.
Row 2: k3, *sl 1 yf (slip 1 stitch with yarn in front), k3*, repeat from * to *.
Row 3: k1, *sl 1 yb, k3*, repeat from * to *.
Row 4: k1, *sl 1 yf, k3*, repeat from * to *.
Repeat rows 1-4.

Directions
The dress is knitted from the hem to the top in rounds as a cylinder up to the armholes. From the armholes back and front knitted separately back and forth.
Cast on 324 sts on 5 (3.75 mm) needles.
Continue the rest of the dress on 2 (2.75 mm) circular needles.
Rows 1-3: garter stitch
Rows 4-9: *Herringbone stripe on 13 sts, reverse stocking st on 14 st *, repeat 12 times.
Continue to knit Herringbone stripes with reverse stocking stitch decreasing stitches as follows:
Row 10: decrease for 1 sts in the middle of the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th and 11th reverse stocking stitch parts.
Row 15: decrease for 1 st in the middle of the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th reverse stocking stitch parts.
Row 21: decrease for 1 sts in the middle of the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th and 11th reverse stocking stitch parts.
Row 27: decrease for 1 st in the middle of the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th reverse stocking stitch parts.
Row 33: decrease for 1 sts in the middle of the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th and 11th reverse stocking stitch parts.
Row 39: decrease for 1 st in the middle of the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th reverse stocking stitch parts.
Row 45: decrease for 1 sts in the middle of the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th and 11th reverse stocking stitch parts.
Row 50: decrease for 1 st in the middle of the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th reverse stocking stitch parts.
Rows 51-189: *Herringbone stripe on 13 sts, reverse stocking st on 10 st *, repeat 12 times.
Rows 190-195: decrease for 1 st in the middle of each reverse stocking stitch part with only 4 sts of reverse stocking stitch remaining after row 195.
Row 196: Mark the 1st stitch of the round and the 103rd (the 1st stitch of the 7th Herringbone stripe) with the stitch marker. These will be the place of the side seam and the middle of the armholes. Mark the 37th stitch of the round (the 3rd st of the 3rd Herringbone stripe) and the 79th stitch of the round (the 11th st of the 5th herringbone stripe) with the stitch markers. These will be the places for the increases for the vertical bust darts.
Rows 196-201: knit slip stitch pattern.
Rows 202-225: to make vertical bust darts increase for 1 sts in each odd row in the places marked for the darts (see row 196). Make 12 increases in 24 rows, 24 sts total. There will be 228 stitches after the last increase.
Row 226: to shape armholes you need to cast off 14 sts for each armhole, 7 stitches on both side of the stitch markers for the side seams (see row 196). Do it as follows: cast off last 7 sts from the row 225 and first 7 sts from the row 226. Knit 112 sts of the slip stitch pattern. Cast off 14 sts for the right armhole (the marker should be the 8th st). Knit remaining 88 sts. Now continue to knit and back separately back and forth.

Back
Row 227 (WS): slip stitch pattern.
Row 228: cast off 2 sts at the beginning of the row.
Row 229: cast off 2 sts at the beginning of the row.
Row 230: cast off 2 sts at the beginning of the row.
Row 231: cast off 2 sts at the beginning of the row.
Row 232: cast off 1 st at the beginning of the row.
Row 233: cast off 1 st at the beginning of the row.
Row 234: cast off 1 st at the beginning of the row.
Row 235: cast off 1 st at the beginning of the row.
Rows 236-317: slip stitch pattern.
Row 318: to shape a neckline cast off 22 sts in the middle of the row. Now continue the left and the right parts of the back separately.
Row 319: slip stitch pattern.
Rows 320-325: to continue shaping a neckline cast off for 1 sts in each odd row for the left part and in each even row for the right part. Total decrease 3 times for each side. There will be 24 sts in each part remaining.
Rows 326-329: slip stitch pattern
Row 330: to shape the left shoulder line knit 6 short rows wrapping, when 6 sts are left on the left needle in the 1st row, 12 sts left in the 3rd row and 18 sts are left in the 5th row.
After the 6th short row was knitted turn and cast off all the stitches.
For the right shoulder do the wrapping in the 2nd, 4th and 6th rows.

Front
Row 227 (WS): slip stitch pattern.
Row 228: cast off 2 sts at the beginning of the row.
Row 229: cast off 2 sts at the beginning of the row.
Row 230: cast off 2 sts at the beginning of the row.
Row 231: cast off 2 sts at the beginning of the row.
Row 232: cast off 1 st at the beginning of the row.
Row 233: cast off 1 st at the beginning of the row.
Row 234: cast off 1 st at the beginning of the row.
Row 235: cast off 1 st at the beginning of the row.
Rows 236-289: slip stitch pattern.
Row 290: to shape a neckline cast off 52 sts in the middle of the row. Now continue the left and the right parts of the front separately.
Rows 291-329: slip stitch pattern
Row 330: to shape the right shoulder line knit 6 short rows wrapping, when 6 sts are left on the left needle in the 1st row, 12 sts left in the 3rd row and 18 sts are left in the 5th row.
After the 6th short row was knitted turn and cast off all the stitches.
For the left shoulder do the wrapping in the 2nd, 4th and 6th rows.

Sleeve
Cast on 77 sts (including edge stitches) on 5 (3.75 mm) needles.
Continue on 2 (2.75 mm) needles: slip stitch pattern.
Continue to knit for 30 rows adding 4 times 1 st on both sides in each 6th row. There will be 85 sts.
Row 31: cast off 7 sts at the beginning of the row.
Row 32: cast off 7 sts at the beginning of the row.
Row 33: cast off 2 sts at the beginning of the row.
Row 34: cast off 2 sts at the beginning of the row.
Row 35: cast off 2 sts at the beginning of the row.
Row 36: cast off 2 sts at the beginning of the row.
Row 37: cast off 1 st at the beginning of the row.
Row 38: cast off 1 st at the beginning of the row.
Row 39: cast off 1 st at the beginning of the row.
Row 40: cast off 1 st at the beginning of the row.
Rows 41-102: slip stitch pattern.
Row 103: cast off 1 st at the beginning of the row.
Row 104: cast off 1 st at the beginning of the row.
Row 105: cast off 1 st at the beginning of the row.
Row 106: cast off 1 st at the beginning of the row.
Row 107: cast off 1 st at the beginning of the row.
Row 108: cast off 1 st at the beginning of the row.
Row 109: cast off 2 sts at the beginning of the row.
Row 110: cast off 2 sts at the beginning of the row.
Row 111: cast off 2 sts at the beginning of the row.
Row 112: cast off 2 sts at the beginning of the row.
Row 113: cast off 3 sts at the beginning of the row.
Row 114: cast off 3 sts at the beginning of the row.
Cast off.
Cast off.

Finishing:
Join shoulder seams and sleeve seams. Set in sleeves.
Crochet 1 row of sc around the neckline and around the bottom of the sleeves.

Enjoy!