FO and pattern: Goldie Dress

a dress or tunic for sweet babies aged 3-6 months (give or take)

Yarn

Joann Sensations Kashmira, one skein (284 yards)- sample is dyed with Kool-Aid and food coloring. You may need another skein, depending on length- the dress shown is knee length on a 1 month old baby

Needles

size 4 US circular and/or double point needles, or size needed to obtain gauge

Gauge

6 stitches and 8 rows = 1 inch

Abbreviations/Skills Necessary

k- knit

p- purl

k2tog- knit two together

kfb- knit front and back of stitch

CO- cast on

BO- bind off

pm- place marker

slm- slip marker

garter st- k every row (k 1 row, p 1 row in the round)

Finished Measurements

9.5” across at underarm

7.25” from underarm to hem

(measurements are approximate, but remember- it will fit the baby at some point!)

Dress

Starting for collar, CO 54 st. Starting with a RS row, work in garter st for 1”, ending in RS row.

Row 1: K4, P6 (front), pm, P9 (sleeve), pm, P16 (back), pm, P9 (sleeve), pm, P6 (front), K4.

Row 2: *K to 1 st before marker, kfb, slm, kfb* and repeat from * to * till end of row.

Row 3: K4, P till 4 st before end, K4.

Repeat rows 2 and 3 till back has 44 st or desired width.

At the same time and after about 8 repeats of row 2 and 3, increase for the puffed sleeves (you can leave this part out if you don’t want puffy sleeves)

RS row: slm for sleeve, kfb, *k4, kfb*, repeat from * to * till last stitch before marker (don’t worry if it’s not totally even, just k remaining stitches), kfb, slm. Repeat this for both sleeve sections.

WS row: follow row 3 above

Repeat this till desired puffiness is achieved (I did three inc rows), or till back has 44 st.

Join fronts and back: on a RS row, K across front to first marker, remove marker, CO 4 st, pm, CO 4 st, slip sleeve st onto a piece of scrap yarn, remove marker, K back st, , remove marker, CO 4 st, pm, CO 4 st, slip sleeve st onto a piece of scrap yarn, remove marker, K to end. The markers are the sides of the dress and are where you will increase to create the A-line skirt.

Join to work in the round (don’t twist your knitting!) and continue in stockinette st. You will keep the four stitches on either side of the join in garter st (p a round, k a round) for 10 rounds or so, and k all the rest of the st. After that, k those 8 st every round (like the rest of the st).

At the same time, increase for the skirt. Every seventh round, increase as follows: k to one st before marker, kfb, slm, kfb. Repeat at the other marker. Repeat this one round every seventh round (or more if you want a more flared skirt, less if you want less flare). Knit till you want to stop- the dress shown extends past the baby’s bottom, but not quite to her knees.

For the border, k in garter st for 1” or so, and bind off in pattern. I would recommend starting and ending the border and bindoff at one of the markers, rather than in the front center of the dress.

For the sleeves, pick up 8-9 st where you CO at the armpit, and k the st around the arm. Join your work (don’t twist it) and k 3 rows in stockinette. To decrease the puffy sleeves:

Row 1: *k4, k2tog* and repeat from * to * around

Row 2: K

Repeat this till there are fewer than 40 st remaining (it will depend on how much you increased). Knit in garter st for ¾” and bind off loosely. I used EZ’s sewn bindoff for extra stretch- infants are wriggly!

Weave in your ends and have a fashion show.

Size Considerations and Variations

In order to make this dress larger, you have a couple of options:

CO more stitches, 1-2 more per section, increase the armhole depth (do more increases), and lengthen the skirt.

or

Knit out of thicker yarn at a larger gauge.

If you wanted, you could leave off the puffed sleeve increases and side increases. You could then knit it to a shorter length for a cute knitted t-shirt. To make the skirt flare out more, increase more frequently.

version 1.0- July 18, 2008

© 2008 Veronica Machak

Please don’t sell this pattern or things you make from this pattern.