Adventure Pinafore
A simple seamless stocking stitch pinafore with A-line skirt, contrast trim and kangaroo pocket for holding all those little girl treasures. Designed to be worn with 2-4cm of positive ease so you can add layers underneath on frosty days. Use machine washable wool to make clean-up easier. Instructions are below for 2 sizes, but you'll see from the simple construction you can easily make any size you like. The sizes below are generous in hopes that they will fit for more than 1 year! The pinafore is started on a provisional cast on at the waist and worked up to the shoulders, then the cast on is removed and the skirt is knitted down to the hem. The Kangaroo pocket is worked separately and sewn on at the end. NB: the yarn I used is discontinued, so substitute a thick DK or a soft worsted yarn. You want something snuggly and warm without too much weight or thickness.
Techniques Required:
Knitting in the round Provisional cast on Increasing & Decreasing Three needle bind off
Materials:
4mm needles, or size required to obtain gauge approx. 360 (450)m DK yarn MC (I used Mill End 8ply pure wool, 90m per 50g, 4 (5) balls) oddments of yarn for CC (I used Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino) on 3.5mm needles ?DPN's in size to suit your CC for armhole and neck edging ·Stitch holders / safety pins waste yarn for provisional cast on
GAUGE 20STS& 26 ROWS PER 10 CM
To fit age 3-4 (5-6 years) Chest: 56-58 (60-63)cm Finished measurements: Chest: 60 (64) cm Length: 53 (58) cm
Instructions:
Using a provisional cast on (crochet cast on) and MC cast on 120 (128) stitches. Join for working in the round and mark beginning and middle of the round. Work 8 rounds of garter stitch. Continue in stocking stitch until piece measures 14 (16)cm from cast on. Armholes: Cast off 6 sts at beginning of round, then 6 sts after 2nd marker. You will now work back and forth across the back. Transfer stitches for the front to a spare needle. Decrease 1 st at each end of next 2 (3) rows. 50 (52) sts Work in stocking st until armhole measures 10 (11)cm ending with a WS row. Neck: Knit 16 (17), cast off next 18 sts, Knit to end. Continue on 16 (17) sts for shoulder, decreasing at neck edge every row until 12 sts remain. Continue straight until armhole measures 14 (16) cm. Cut yarn, leave stitches on stitch holder for 3 needle bind-off. Join yarn to other set of 16 (17) sts with ws facing and complete as for 1t shoulder. Front: With WS facing join yarn to 50 (52) sts held for front. Decrease at each end of every row 2 (3) times. Work until front measures 4 (5)cm from armhole cas Off. Shape the neck the same as done for the back, working on your 12 sts until armhole measures 14 (16)cm. Rep. for other side then join shoulders with 3-needle bind-off. Skirt: Unpick your provisional cast on and place stitches onto circular needle. Before joining your yarn slide 3 sts from right to left needle so that the start of your round is directly underneath the middle of the armhole cast off. Join yarn and knit one round placing marker at beginning and half way points. Increase round: k3, increase 1 (using your favourite method), k to 3 sts before next marker, increase, k3, slpm, k3, increase, k to 3 sts before end of round, increase, k to end. (4 sts increased) Work 5 rounds stocking stitch, then work increase round. Repeat last 6 rounds until skirt is 3cm short of desired length. (approx. 10 increase rounds for smaller size, 11 for larger size) Hem: Purl one round. Next round:\* yarn over, k2tog\* rep to end. Work 3 rnds garter stitch starting with purl round. next round: \* yo, k2tog\* rep to end. cast off purlways. Kangaroo Pocket: I haven't got specific instructions for this, make it as plain or colourful as you like with whatever yarn you have to hand. I do recommend using a similar or lighter weight yarn so that the pocket doesn't pull down the front of the dress. Your pocket should be roughly 16-18cm across at the bottom, 12-14cm wide at the top and about 10-12cm tall. Basic instructions are below:
Using Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino and 3.5mm needles cast on 40 (48) sts. Work in stocking st, decreasing at each end of 5th and every following 4th row until piece measures 10 (12) cms. Cast off. Using MC and 3.5mm needles pickup stitches along angled side of pocket. Work 3 rows in k2 p2 rib. Cast off. Repeat on other side. Finishing: Place the pocket under the garter stitch at the waist - make sure you centre it carefully and pin it in place before sewing on. Using CC pickup stitches around the neckline. Work 1 round purl, working p2tog at the front and back of the neckline in the corners (where you started the decreases). Knit one round. Cast off purlways working decreases as before. Work edging for armholes the same as neckline. Weave in all ends and block if needed.
