In the July 26th post I featured a pattern for knitting the top or bodice of a dress for a little girl. The pattern came about because I got sucked into the Pinterest black hole and, although I loved the little dress on the website, could not find a link to a pattern. I decided if I wanted to make this dress, I would have to write my own.
The top is sized from 2 to 8 and, when paired with a sewn skirt, is really cute! I have made a couple of these little dresses now in different sizes and am very happy with the results.
The skirt is simple to sew and should be made in a fabric that is compatible in care to the yarn used for the bodice. I used a new ladies skirt (cut off) for one and yardage for the others. I am posting photos of both so that you can see there is little difference in the finished product.
You will need 115cm (45”) to 150cm (54”) fabric in the length that you want the skirt portion of the dress to be plus 2cm (3/4”) for the top gathering and 4cm (1.5”) for the hem allowance. 115cm fabric will be fine for the smaller sizes, 2 and 4, but you will want the wider fabric for size 6 and 8 so that the skirt is nice and full. You can join pieces to make the width. I would recommend that you use two pieces the same width and use the joins as side seams instead of the back seam. You will also need matching thread and a sewing machine of course.
Cut the fabric to the length that you want and overcast finish all of the cut edges. Sew up the side to make a seam that will be at the centre back. If you have used two pieces of fabric to make a wider skirt, join both sides to make two side seams.
Sew a long stitch gathering thread 1cm (3/8”) in from the top edge. Leave a long end to pull for gathers. Sew a second long stitch line 2cm (3/4”) from the top edge again leaving a long end to pull. Tie of the threads at the start and, using either the top or bobbin threads only, pulling both end threads at once, gather the top of the skirt to fit to your finished and blocked bodice. When you have the right size, tie off and trim your thread ends.
Sew a regular line of stitches between the two gathering lines to secure the gathers. Sew a second line at the top edge where your overcasting is. Pull out the gathering threads.
Pin the skirt inside the bodice at the line where your crochet trim starts, centering the seam at the centre back if one or at each side if two. Carefully back stitch the skirt into place sewing through the top of the skirt and through the inside of the first row of single crochet so that the stitching does not show on the outside of the bodice. I used two plies of the yarn that I knit the bodice with so that any stray stitches wouldn’t show.
Pin up and blind stitch the hem and, with a final press, your pretty little dress is ready to wear!
