Tag: dress

Knitting

Knit and Sewn Dress for a Little Girl

Iris Rose

I love these little dresses.  The skirt is full and fun and the bodice is a cozy knit.  I have seen dresses similar to this on Pinterest but have been unable to find a pattern that works for me.

When you can’t find a pattern, what do you do?  You write one of your own of course!

I love to crochet and sew as well as knit so have combined all of these crafts in this little dress.  I have a really soft cotton and acrylic blend worsted weight yarn in my stash (don’t get me started on ebay and my affair with the same a couple of years ago) and thought that it would make a pretty top for the dress that I had in mind.

The skirt is the bottom of a new lady’s skirt that I found on a clearance rack for a couple of bucks and bought with the idea of repurposing the fabric.  Remember, I am the Queen of Clearance!  I cut it off to the right length, already hemmed and gathered it to fit the bottom edge of the bodice.

I found buttons in my collection that matched and voila, done!

Here is the pattern as I made it.  I have included four sizes for you.

Child’s Dress Bodice

This dress bodice pattern is designed to attach to a sewn skirt to make a pretty and comfortable dress for your sweetie.  The bodice is knit top down with worsted weight yarn and is a really easy knit.  You can customize the top by making it longer or shorter or even turning this basic pattern into a cardigan by omitting the skirt, making it hip length, and finishing the bottom with the pretty edging.

Sizes: 2, (4, 6, 8)

Materials: Worsted weight yarn, I used a cotton and acrylic blend, 150m (165 yards) to 280m (310 yards), 4, (5, 6, 6) buttons. Fabric for the dress skirt, 115cm (45”) wide and the desired length of the skirt plus 6cm (2.25”) for the hem and gathers.

Tools: 5.5mm (US 9), 80cm (32”) circular needle, 5mm (US 8 or H) crochet hook for optional edging, 6 stitch markers, tapestry needle.

Gauge: 16 stitches x 24 rows = 10cm or 4”

Cast on 66, (72, 80, 88) stitches.

Rows 1 to 3: Knit 3 rows, next row is right side and you will divide for the fronts, back and sleeves placing markers as you go.

Note 1: The first four stitches on every row are knit to make the bands.  Buttonholes are worked starting on the fourth row and on every twelfth row after that.  You will make three on size 2, four on size 4, and 5 on size 6 and 8.  The extra button is sewn on through both layers after the fronts are joined to balance the functioning buttons.

Note 2: All yarn overs are purled or knit through the back loop on the wrong side rows.  This will give you a smaller buttonhole and a smaller increase hole at the sleeve/body joins.  If you wish to you can, of course, work them as usual but your holes will be significantly larger.  You will need larger buttons.

Row 4: Right side of work.  K4, place marker, K8, (9, 11, 12), YO, place marker, K1, YO, K10, (11, 12, 13), YO, place marker, K1, YO, K19, (21, 23, 27), YO, place marker, K1, YO, K10, (11, 12, 13), YO, place marker, K1, YO, K7, (8, 9, 11, ), place marker, K2tog, YO, K2 (buttonhole made).

Row 5 and all wrong side rows: K4, slip marker, P across slipping markers as you go to last marker, slip marker, K4.

Rows 6 to 14: K4, slip marker, K to next marker, YO, slip marker, K1, YO, K to next marker, YO, slip marker, K to next marker, YO, slip marker, K1, YO, K to next marker, YO, slip marker, K1, YO, K to next marker, slip marker, K4.

Row 16: K4, K to next marker, YO, slip marker, K1, YO, K to next marker, YO, slip marker, K to next marker, YO, slip marker, K1, YO, K to next marker, YO, slip marker, K1, YO, K1 to next marker, slip marker, K2tog, YO, K2 (buttonhole made).

Continue working increases as in Row 6, make a buttonhole on every twelfth row on the right front band.

Size 2: Stop when you are finished Row 25 (wrong side).  You should have 4 bands stitches, 19 front left stitches, 33 left sleeve stitches, 42 back stitches, 33 right sleeve stitches, 19 right front stitches, and 4 band stitches.  Move to the transition row.

Size 4: Stop when you are finished Row 31 (wrong side).  You should have 4 bands stitches, 23 front left stitches, 40 left sleeve stitches, 50 back stitches, 40 right sleeve stitches, 23 right front stitches, and 4 band stitches.  Move to the transition row.

Size 6: Stop when you are finished Row 35 (wrong side).  You should have 4 bands stitches, 25 front left stitches, 44 left sleeve stitches, 56 back stitches, 44 right sleeve stitches, 25 right front stitches, and 4 band stitches.  Move to the transition row.

Size 8: Stop when you are finished Row 39 (wrong side).  You should have 4 bands stitches, 30 front left stitches, 50 left sleeve stitches, 64 back stitches, 50 right sleeve stitches, 30 right front stitches, and 4 band stitches.  Move to the transition row.

You will need to have a separate end of your yarn to finish the sleeves, one at a time, so that you don’t need to cut your main working yarn.  You can use the other end of your working ball or start a new one.  You can cut if you choose but it will mean more ends to weave in!

Transition Row: Sleeves will be finished and front and back of body joined. K4, slip marker, K across the left front to next marker, drop your working yarn and, with a new end of yarn, K 4 rows back and forth (garter stitch) on left sleeve stitches only, removing markers after the first row.  Cast off sleeves stitches on right side.  Pick up your working yarn, turn your work around and cast on three stitches at the end of the last stitch.  Turn the work back and K across the back to the next marker, drop your working yarn and, with a new end of yarn, K 4 rows back and forth (garter stitch) on right sleeve stitches only, removing markers after the first row.  Cast off sleeves stitches on right side.  Pick up your working yarn, turn your work around and cast on three stitches at the end of the last stitch.  Turn the work back and K across the right front to the next marker, slip marker K4.

Work back and forth on the body only from here.

Row 1: K4, slip marker, P to next marker, slip marker, K4.

Row 2: K4, slip marker, K to next marker, slip marker, K4.

Size 2: Repeat Rows 1 and 2 twice more and then repeat Row 1 once for a total of 8 rows on the body section.  Cast off on right side.

Size 4: Repeat Rows 1 and 2 four more times and then repeat Row 1 once for a total of 12 rows on the body section.  Cast off on right side.

Size 6: Repeat Rows 1 and 2 six more times and then repeat Row 1 once for a total of 16 rows on the body section.  Cast off on right side.

Size 8: Repeat Rows 1 and 2 eight more and then repeat Row 1 once for a total of 20 rows on the body section.  Cast off on right side.

Overlap the front bands and stitch together at the bottom.  Sew sleeve edges together and stitch to cast on stitches under the arm on the body.  Weave in ends.  Sew on buttons on the left front band to match buttonholes on the right.  Sew the extra button near the bottom of the overlapped bands at the same spacing as the buttonholes.

The bottom may be left plain, edged with purchased lace or finished with a crocheted edging like the sample.

Crocheted edging: The trim is based on a seven stitch repeat.

Rnd 1: Starting at either side, join yarn, ch 1 and work 84, (91, 98, 105) sc over the cast off stitches at the bottom edge.  Join with a slip stitch.

Rnd 2: Ch3, skip 3 sc, slip st into 4th sc, skip next 2 sc, (dc, ch1) 4 times, dc in same sc, repeat to around. After last slip st, (dc, ch1) four times at starting ch3 and join with slip st to second ch of ch3.

Rnd 3: (Slip st into first ch1 space of next shell, ch2, slip st in same space, slip st in next ch1 space, ch2, slip st in same space three more times).  Repeat around, join with slip stitch into first slip st and fasten off.

Weave in your ends and block your dress bodice.

Unblocked, ready to finish

Skirt: Cut two pieces of fabric each 58cm (22.5”) wide and the length that you want the skirt to be (anywhere from 20cm (8”) to 50cm (20”) to fit your little one) plus 6cm (2.25”) for the hem and gathered seam allowance.

Finish cut edges with an overcast stitch or serge to stop fraying.

Sew side seams.

Run a gathering thread around the top edge and gather to fit the bottom edge of the bodice.

Stitch the bodice bottom edge to the skirt by lapping the top over the gathered edge and stitching with a matching thread by machine or hand.

Turn up a 4cm (1.5”) hem and stitch with a hem stitch.

Knitting

Pink Ice Cream For Summer

Iris Rose

It is almost summer, yay!  I love this time of the year the best.  It is a time of promise, watching new plants grow, dreaming of the fruit and berries to come.  Do you think I like food?  It is also a time to look forward to swimming at the lake, walking in the park and just generally enjoying the outdoors.

This brings me, of course, to outdoor crafting.  When you are working in the heat, it is nice to have something small to knit or crochet.  If, like me, you have grandkids to spoil or maybe your own babies to create for, this is a good time to work on the little clothes that are such fun to make and look so cute.

I designed this little jumper (or tunic dress) for our oldest granddaughter a few years ago and didn’t take any pictures at the time so I have recreated it to include multiple sizes and what I hope are clear instructions.

I am including it here now as a gift to you for reading my blog.  It will be on Ravelry next week as a paid pattern.

It is kind of mindless knitting but sometimes, especially this time of the year, that’s okay.  I hope that you enjoy my latest pattern and that you will share a photo of your finished jumper with me.

Pink Ice Cream Jumper

This pretty little jumper is knit from the bottom up in the round starting with the ruffle.  The buttons are sewn onto the straps with the buttonholes in the bodice which allow you to easily move the buttons to make the jumper grow a little bit with your kidlet.  The bodice is designed to fit snuggly with a stretchy fabric.

You can make the ruffle in a different colour from the body and add a third colour at the bodice.  I have made this pattern in a self striping yarn as well and it was very cute worn over a coordinating Tshirt.

 

Sizes: 6 months, 1, 1 ½, 2, 3.  Chest is designed with negative ease of 1.25cm or ½”.

Gauge: 24 stitches x 31 rows = 10cm or 4″

Materials:  300 to 350m or 330 to 390 yds of baby or sport weight yarn, two buttons.

Tools: 4mm (US6), 60cm (24″) circular needle, stitch holder, stitch marker.

Abbreviations:           k = knit

p = purl

k2tog = knit 2 stitches together

 

To begin: Cast on 260 (264, 276, 280, 292) stitches and join being careful not to twist stitches. I used a long tail cast on but a cable cast on is pretty too.  If you have trouble joining in the round with this many stitches, work the garter rows back and forth and join after that so that you can see if your work is twisted.  You can use your cast on tail to sew the garter piece closed and no one will know the difference.  Place a marker at the join to mark the beginning of your rounds.

 

Ruffle:

Rounds 1 to 4: Garter stitch (in the round, knit 1 row, purl 1 row).

Rounds 5 to 14: Stocking stitch (in the round, knit every row).

Round 15: k2tog around. 130 (132, 138, 140, 146) stitches remain).

Skirt:

Work in stocking stitch until the body piece measures 15.25, (20.25, 25, 30.5, 35.5) cm or 6 (8, 10, 12, 14)” total including the ruffle.  This measurement is a guide only.  Stop when you think that the skirt is long enough for your child.

Bodice:

All stitches will be worked as k1, p1 rib for the remainder of the jumper.

Round 1: k1, p1, repeat from marker to marker.

Repeat Round 1: 7 (9, 11, 15, 17) more times.

Next Round: Cast off 10 (13, 14, 16, 17) stitches st, work 50 (52, 54, 54, 56) stitches in k1, p1 rib, cast off 10 (13, 14, 16, 17) stitches, work 50 (52, 54, 54, 56) stitches in k1, p1 rib.  Remove marker.

You will be working back and forth from here on.

Place the first 50 (52, 54, 54, 56) stitches (back piece) on a holder as you will now be working back and forth over the last 50 (52, 54, 54, 56) (front piece) stitches.  You can leave the first batch of stitches on the needle and just work back and forth on the front stitches if you don’t want to move them to a stitch holder.

Rows 1 to 10: k2tog through the back loop, k1, p1 to last two stitches, k2tog.  You are decreasing 1 stitch each end and will have a total of 30 (32, 34, 34, 36) stitches remaining on Row 10.

Rows 11 to 15: k1, p1 to end of the row.

Row 16: Make buttonholes: Maintaining k1, p1 rib, work 4 stitches, k2tog, yo, k1, p1 for 18 (20, 22, 22, 24) stitches, yo, k2tog, k1, p1 over remaining 4 stitches.

Row 17 to 21: k1, p1 to end of row.

Cast off tightly to keep top edge from stretching.

Transfer the second (back) set of 50 (52, 54, 54, 56) stitches from the holder to your working needle.

Rows 1 to 10: k2tog through the back loop, k1, p1 to last two stitches, k2tog.  You are decreasing 1 stitch each end and will have a total of 30 (32, 34, 34, 36) stitches remaining on Row 10.

Rows 11 to 21: k1, p1 to end of row.

Row 22: Work the first 8 stitches in k1, p1 rib, cast off next 14 (16, 18, 18, 20) stitches (tightly to minimize stretch), work the last 8 stitches in k1, p1 rib.

Place the first 8 stitches on the stitch holder or leave it on your needle if you are comfortable working on the second 8 stitches with the first hanging.

 

Straps:

Rows 1 to 49: k1, p1 to end of row.  If you want a shorter strap, cast off when you reach the length that looks good to you.  I made mine extra long so that the buttons could be moved for grow room.

Cast off.  Transfer the remaining 8 stitches from the stitch holder and repeat Rows 1 to 49, cast off.  Block lightly, weave in ends and sew buttons to ends of straps to fit snugly to shoulders.