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IntermediateFree Dress Knitting Pattern
This cute dress is light and comfortable. It’s good for both summer and winter wear. Contrast color is used at the empire waist, hem and cuffs, to add interest. This would make a great Christmas dress in white, red and green!
The dress features raglan-style shoulders and seamless construction. The bodice is worked in stockinette stitch, with applied I-cord used to finish neckline and back opening. The skirt features a Puff Rib lace pattern, which gives it a pleated look.
You can find the matching doll dress here.
Skills Required/Techniques Used:
-Knit & purl, cast on & bind off
-Increasing: yarn over (YO), make 1 (m1)
-Decreasing: purl 3 together (p3tog)
-Working in the round on double pointed needles
-Working lace patterns
-Picking up stitches
-Working applied I-cord.
-Basic crochet: chain
Sizes: 2 (4, 6, 8, 10)
Shown in size 2.
Measurements
For chest: 21 (23, 25, 26.5, 28) inches [53 (58, 64, 67, 71) cm]
Materials:
Briggs & Little Sport, sport weight yarn (100% wool), 430 yards (393 meters)/113 grams, color White- 2 (2, 3, 3, 4) skeins (MC)
Briggs & Little Sport, sport weight yarn (100% wool), 430 yards (393 meters)/113 grams, color Light Blue - 1 skein (CC)
Notions: 3 buttons, stitch markers, tapestry needle, sewing needle and thread of matching color, crochet hook 2.5 mm.
Needles: US 2 (2.75 mm) circular needles 21” (52 cm), 24” (60 cm) OR SIZE NEEDED TO OBTAIN GAUGE.
Gauge for stockinette st: 22 sts x 36 rows = 4" x 4" (10cm x 10cm)
Abbreviations:
st, sts - stitch, stitches
k - knit
p - purl
k2tog - knit 2 together
k3tog tbl - knit 3 sts together through back loop: insert the RH needle from right to left into the back loops of the next 3 sts, wrap the yarn around the needle and pool it through the 3 sts.
pu&k- pick up and knit
m1 - make 1 increase - make a backward loop over the right-hand needle and in the next row/round purl/knit as a regular stitch.
pm - place marker
sm - slip marker
rm - remove marker
RS - right side
WS - wrong side
Bb – button band
ch - chain
Pattern Notes:
Stockinette stitch in rows:
Row 1 (RS, and all RS rows): knit
Row 2 (WS and all WS rows): purl
Repeat 2 rows
Stockinette stitch in rounds:
All rounds – knit
Reversed stockinette in rounds:
All rounds – purl
Garter st in rounds:
Round 1: knit
Round 2: purl
Repeat rounds 1-2.
Puff Rib pattern in rounds:
Number of stitches is multiple of 3, the number of stitches increases by 2 per repeat in the first round and returns to the initial number in the fourth round.
Round 1 (RS): *yo, k1, yo, p2 - repeat from * across
Rounds 2-3: *k3, p2 - repeat from * across
Round 4: *k3tog tbl, p2 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 1-4
The selvedge/edge stitches here are worked as follows: slip the 1st and purl the last st in both RS and WS rows.
Raglan increases: Increase for raglan by making 1 st (m1) on each side of indicated, marked, stitch in every right side (RS) row, as follows: knit to the marker, m1, sm, k1 (raglan st), m1. There are 4 raglan lines, so the number of sts increases by 8 in each RS row.
Short overview of the pattern:
The dress is worked top-down, seamlessly, with opening on the back of the yoke. To shape the neckline, the first 6 (8) rows of the dress is worked as 2 separate pieces: the right half of the back, right sleeve and right front are worked from one ball of yarn, the left half of the back, left sleeve and left front are worked from another ball of yarn. You can work them simultaneously or one by one, I describe how to work the parts simultaneously. Starting from the 7th (9th) row the parts are connected in front by casting on more sts between the two parts and the dress is worked in rows with the opening on the back.
At some point the back parts are joined and the dress is worked in rounds. Then the stitches are divided for front, sleeves and back. The sleeve sts are transferred to a length of waste yarn. Underarm stitches are cast on and the work goes on in rounds.
The skirt is worked in a Puff Rib lace pattern. The A-shape of the dress is achieved by increasing the number of stitches between the puff stitches.
The sleeve sts are worked in rounds, top-down. The sleeves are finished with garter st in contrast color. The neckline and the back opening are finished with applied I-cord.
The dress is worked from yarn of 2 colors. The hem of the skirt, the belt line and the sleeve cuffs are worked in contrast color yarn.
Dress
With MC yarn cast on 19 (19, 19, 21, 23) sts, with yarn from another ball cast on again 19 (19, 19, 21, 23) sts and knit one foundation row (wrong side). Check the sts and place markers on raglan lines as follows:
1st piece (right back piece)
9 (9, 9, 10, 11) sts (right back) + 1 st (first raglan, place a marker before this stitch) + 6 (6, 6, 7, 8) sts (right sleeve) + 1 st (second raglan, place a marker before this stitch) + 1st (right front) + 1st (selvedge).
2nd piece (left back piece) from the 2nd ball of yarn
1st (selvedge) + 1 st (left front) + 1 st (third raglan, place a marker before this stitch) + 6 (6, 6, 7, 8) sts (left sleeve) + 1 st (forth raglan, place a marker before the stitch) + 9 (9, 9, 10, 11) sts (left back).
Row 1: (RS, 1st increase row):
Right part: *knit till marker, m1, sm, k1, m1, from * repeat one more time, k1, m1, p1. (+ 5 sts)
Left part: sl1, m1, *knit till marker, m1, sm, k1, m1, from * repeat one more time, knit to the end of the row. (+ 5 sts in each part). Total 24 (24, 24, 26, 28) sts in each part.
Row 2 (WS) and all WS rows:
Left part: sl1, purl all sts.
Right part: sl1, purl to the end of the row.
Repeat 1st increase row 2 (2,2,3,3) more times, each time the number of sts is increased by 5 in each part. Total after last repeat 34 (34, 34, 41, 43) sts in each part.
Row 7 (7, 7, 9, 9) (RS, 2nd increase row): *knit till marker, m1, sm, k1 (raglan), m1, repeat from * one more time, knit to the end of the right part, cast on 9 (9, 9, 9, 11) sts, continue to knit with the yarn from the right part, cut yarn from the left part.
Knit to the next marker, m1, sm, k1 (raglan), m1, knit till marker, m1, sm, k1 (raglan), m1, knit to the end of the row. Total 85 (85, 85, 99, 105) sts.
Row 8 (8, 8, 10, 10) and all WS rows: purl.
Row 9 (9, 9, 11, 11) (RS, 3rd increase row): *knit till marker, m1, sm, k1, m1, from * repeat three more times, knit to the end of the row.
Repeat 3rd increase row nine more times. Total after last increase row 165 (165, 165, 179, 185) sts.
Row/Round 29 (29, 29, 31, 31) (RS, 4th increase row): *knit till marker, m1, sm, k1, m1, from * repeat three more times, knit to the end of the row, cast on 1 st, pm (this will mark the beginning of the round), join the work and continue to work in-the-round. Total 174 (174, 174, 188, 194) sts. The middle of the back is now the beginning of the round.
Round 30 (30, 30, 32, 32) and all even rounds: knit across.
Round 31 (31, 31, 33, 33) (5th increase round): *knit till marker, m1, sm, k1, m1, from * repeat three more times, knit to the end of the round.
Repeat 5th increase round 4 (6, 9, 9, 10) more times. Total after last increase 214 (230, 254, 268, 282) sts.
Divide for sleeves and bodice:
Round 41 (45, 51, 53, 55): knit till marker, rm, k1 (raglan), transfer right sleeve sts (all sts till the next marker) to a piece of waste yarn, rm, cast on 6 sts for underarm, knit till next marker, rm, k1 (raglan), transfer left sleeve sts (all sts till the next marker) to a piece of waste yarn, rm, cast on 6 sts for underarm, knit till last st. Place marker in the middle of each underarm (between 3rd and 4th). Total after division 146 (154, 166, 176, 186) sts.
With CC yarn work 6 rounds of bodice as established: all rounds knit.
In the last round increase for 1 (2, 2, 1, 0) sts. Increase for 1 st in the middle of the back, increase for 2 sts at the underarm markers.
Cut CC yarn, continue with MC yarn.
Skirt
The rounds for skirt are numbered from round 1.
Sizes 2 (4)
With MC yarn
Round 1 (RS): *yo, k1, yo, p2 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 2-3: *k3, p2 - repeat from * across
Round 4: *k3tog tbl, p2 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 1-4 two (2) more times.
Round 13 (increase round): *yo, k1, yo, p1, m1, p1 –repeat from * across.
Rounds 14-15: *k3, p3 - repeat from * across
Round 16: *k3tog tbl, p3 - repeat from * across
Round 17: *yo, k1, yo, p3 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 18-19: *k3, p3 - repeat from * across
Round 20: *k3tog tbl, p3 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 17-20 two (2) more times.
Round 29 (increase round): *yo, k1, yo, p1, m1, p2 –repeat from * across.
Rounds 30-31: *k3, p4 - repeat from * across
Round 32: *k3tog tbl, p4 - repeat from * across
Round 33: *yo, k1, yo, p4 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 34-35: *k3, p4 - repeat from * across
Round 36: *k3tog tbl, p4 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 33-36 one more time.
Round 41 (increase round): *yo, k1, yo, p2, m1, p2 –repeat from * across.
Rounds 42-43: *k3, p5 - repeat from * across
Round 44: *k3tog tbl, p5 - repeat from * across
Round 45: *yo, k1, yo, p5 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 46-47: *k3, p5 - repeat from * across
Round 48: *k3tog tbl, p5 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 45-48 two (2) more times.
Round 57 (increase round): *yo, k1, yo, p2, m1, p3 –repeat from * across.
Rounds 58-59: *k3, p6 - repeat from * across
Round 60: *k3tog tbl, p6 - repeat from * across
Round 61: *yo, k1, yo, p6 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 62-63: *k3, p6 - repeat from * across
Round 64: *k3tog tbl, p6 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 61-64 three (3) more times.
Round 77 (increase round): *yo, k1, yo, p3, m1, p3 –repeat from * across.
Rounds 78-79: *k3, p7 - repeat from * across
Round 80: *k3tog tbl, p7 - repeat from * across
Round 81: *yo, k1, yo, p7 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 82-83: *k3, p7 - repeat from * across
Round 84: *k3tog tbl, p7 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 81-84 3 (7) more times or to desired length.
Size 6
With MC yarn
Round 1 (RS): *yo, k1, yo, p2 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 2-3: *k3, p2 - repeat from * across
Round 4: *k3tog tbl, p2 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 1-4 two (2) more times.
Round 13 (increase round): *yo, k1, yo, p1, m1, p1 –repeat from * across.
Rounds 14-15: *k3, p3 - repeat from * across
Round 16: *k3tog tbl, p3 - repeat from * across
Round 17: *yo, k1, yo, p3 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 18-19: *k3, p3 - repeat from * across
Round 20: *k3tog tbl, p3 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 17-20 two (2) more times.
Round 29 (increase round): *yo, k1, yo, p1, m1, p2 –repeat from * across.
Rounds 30-31: *k3, p4 - repeat from * across
Round 32: *k3tog tbl, p4 - repeat from * across
Round 33: *yo, k1, yo, p4 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 34-35: *k3, p4 - repeat from * across
Round 36: *k3tog tbl, p4 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 33-36 three (3) more times.
Round 49 (increase round): *yo, k1, yo, p2, m1, p2 –repeat from * across.
Rounds 50-51: *k3, p5 - repeat from * across
Round 52: *k3tog tbl, p5 - repeat from * across
Round 53: *yo, k1, yo, p5 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 54-55: *k3, p5 - repeat from * across
Round 56: *k3tog tbl, p5 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 53-56 three (3) more times.
Round 69 (increase round): *yo, k1, yo, p2, m1, p3 –repeat from * across.
Rounds 70-71: *k3, p6 - repeat from * across
Round 72: *k3tog tbl, p6 - repeat from * across
Round 73: *yo, k1, yo, p6 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 74-75: *k3, p6 - repeat from * across
Round 76: *k3tog tbl, p6 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 73-76 four (4) more times.
Round 93 (increase round): *yo, k1, yo, p3, m1, p3 –repeat from * across.
Rounds 94-95: *k3, p7 - repeat from * across
Round 96: *k3tog tbl, p7 - repeat from * across
Round 97: *yo, k1, yo, p7 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 98-99: *k3, p7 - repeat from * across
Round 100: *k3tog tbl, p7 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 97-100 seven (7) more times or to desired length.
Size 8
With MC yarn
Round 1 (RS): *yo, k1, yo, p2 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 2-3: *k3, p2 - repeat from * across
Round 4: *k3tog tbl, p2 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 1-4 two (2) more times.
Round 13 (increase round): *yo, k1, yo, p1, m1, p1 –repeat from * across.
Rounds 14-15: *k3, p3 - repeat from * across
Round 16: *k3tog tbl, p3 - repeat from * across
Round 17: *yo, k1, yo, p3 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 18-19: *k3, p3 - repeat from * across
Round 20: *k3tog tbl, p3 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 17-20 two (2) more times.
Round 29 (increase round): *yo, k1, yo, p1, m1, p2 –repeat from * across.
Rounds 30-31: *k3, p4 - repeat from * across
Round 32: *k3tog tbl, p4 - repeat from * across
Round 33: *yo, k1, yo, p4 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 34-35: *k3, p4 - repeat from * across
Round 36: *k3tog tbl, p4 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 33-36 four (4) more times.
Round 53 (increase round): *yo, k1, yo, p2, m1, p2 –repeat from * across.
Rounds 54-55: *k3, p5 - repeat from * across
Round 56: *k3tog tbl, p5 - repeat from * across
Round 57: *yo, k1, yo, p5 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 58-59: *k3, p5 - repeat from * across
Round 60: *k3tog tbl, p5 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 57-60 four (4) more times.
Round 77 (increase round): *yo, k1, yo, p2, m1, p3 –repeat from * across.
Rounds 78-79: *k3, p6 - repeat from * across
Round 80: *k3tog tbl, p6 - repeat from * across
Round 81: *yo, k1, yo, p6 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 82-83: *k3, p6 - repeat from * across
Round 84: *k3tog tbl, p6 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 81-84 five (5) more times.
Round 105 (increase round): *yo, k1, yo, p3, m1, p3 –repeat from * across.
Rounds 106-107: *k3, p7 - repeat from * across
Round 108: *k3tog tbl, p7 - repeat from * across
Round 109: *yo, k1, yo, p7 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 110-111: *k3, p7 - repeat from * across
Round 112: *k3tog tbl, p7 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 109-112 nine (9) more times or to desired length.
Size 10
With MC yarn
Round 1 (RS): *yo, k1, yo, p2 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 2-3: *k3, p2 - repeat from * across
Round 4: *k3tog tbl, p2 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 1-4 two (2) more times.
Round 13 (increase round): *yo, k1, yo, p1, m1, p1 –repeat from * across.
Rounds 14-15: *k3, p3 - repeat from * across
Round 16: *k3tog tbl, p3 - repeat from * across
Round 17: *yo, k1, yo, p3 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 18-19: *k3, p3 - repeat from * across
Round 20: *k3tog tbl, p3 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 17-20 three (3) more times.
Round 33 (increase round): *yo, k1, yo, p1, m1, p2 –repeat from * across.
Rounds 34-35: *k3, p4 - repeat from * across
Round 36: *k3tog tbl, p4 - repeat from * across
Round 37: *yo, k1, yo, p4 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 38-39: *k3, p4 - repeat from * across
Round 40: *k3tog tbl, p4 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 37-40 five (5) more times.
Round 61 (increase round): *yo, k1, yo, p2, m1, p2 –repeat from * across.
Rounds 62-63: *k3, p5 - repeat from * across
Round 64: *k3tog tbl, p5 - repeat from * across
Round 65: *yo, k1, yo, p5 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 66-67: *k3, p5 - repeat from * across
Round 68: *k3tog tbl, p5 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 65-68 five (5) more times.
Round 89 (increase round): *yo, k1, yo, p2, m1, p3 –repeat from * across.
Rounds 90-91: *k3, p6 - repeat from * across
Round 92: *k3tog tbl, p6 - repeat from * across
Round 93: *yo, k1, yo, p6 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 94-95: *k3, p6 - repeat from * across
Round 96: *k3tog tbl, p6 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 93-96 six (6) more times.
Round 121 (increase round): *yo, k1, yo, p3, m1, p3 –repeat from * across.
Rounds 122-123: *k3, p7 - repeat from * across
Round 124: *k3tog tbl, p7 - repeat from * across
Round 125: *yo, k1, yo, p7 - repeat from * 49 (52, 56, 59, 62) times.
Rounds 126-127: *k3, p7 - repeat from * across
Round 128: *k3tog tbl, p7 - repeat from * across
Repeat rounds 125-128 ten (10) more times or to desired length.
All sizes
With CC yarn work 8 rounds of garter st.
Bind off.
Sleeves
Sleeves are worked in rounds on circular needles using the “magic loop” method. Alternatively, the sleeves can be worked on 5 dpn needles. Work one sleeve at a time.
Transfer stitches from waste yarn.
Round 1: pu&k 3 underarm sts, knit around, pu&k 3 remaining underarm sts, pm to mark the beginning of the round between the 3 and 3 underarm sts.
Round 2: knit across.
To shape the sleeve decrease at marker as follows: k1, k2tog, knit around to 3 last sts,ssk, k1, sm. Work the decreases in every 8th round
Work as established 86 (104, 114, 122, 132) rounds or to desired length.
With CC yarn work 8 rounds of garter st.
Bind off.
Finishing
Weave in ends.
Starting at the bottom of the back opening, work applied I-cord around the back opening and neckline.
See video instructions for knitting applied I-cord.
Block.
Sew on 3 buttons at the back opening on the right side.
Crochet three 1 1/2-inch lengths of chain for the button loop. Sew it on the inside of the right back.
Have fun!
