Tiny Ribbon Baby Dress by Astrid Colding Sivertsen
This little summer dress uses a very small pattern fragment from a Japanese stitch library. As it doesn't seem to have a name, I decided to just call it tiny ribbon. The tiny ribbon on the skirt transitions nicely into the twisted rib of the bodice. The dress is knit in the round to the underarm, then back and forth. I used magic loop technique, then switched to double pointed needles when it felt comfortable. After binding off at the underarm, I attached another skein of yarn and continued to work front and back at the same time. When binding off at the neck, the other ends of the already-used skeins were attached. That way, all 4 shoulder flaps are finished together. I think that's much easier (and the tension is uniform and all parts have the same length) but if you don't think so, just work them one after another. All measurements are given in cm. If you don't have a cm measuring tape, buy one and step into the world of wonderful, rational, international units. If you insist on inches, divide by 2.54, note the numbers, and please remember to hang yourhead in shame. Size: 3-6 months. Materials: 3 skeins (150 g) Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy (I used just around 2, but buying 2 would feel a little risky). 2 buttons (1.5 cm diameter). Needles: 3.5 mm (US 4) circular and double pointed needles, 3.5 mm (E) crochethook. Gauge: In tiny ribbon pattern with p1 between ribbons, 28 sts x 31 rows is 10 x 10 cm. Abbreviations: bo = bind off, co = cast on, k = knit, k2tog = knit 2 together, p = purl, p2tog = purl 2 together, s = stitch, ssk = slip 2 stitches knitwise and knit them together through the back loops, sts = stitches, tbl = through the back loop, trc = work appropriate row of tiny ribbon chart, twisted rib = [k1 tbl, p1] on right side, [p1 tbl, k1] on wrong side, yo = yarn over. Tiny ribbon chart:
Loosely co 180 sts. The first row is on the wrong side: [k4, p1 tbl, k1, p2, k1, p1 tbl 18 times. The second row is on the right side: [row 1 of tiny ribbon chart, p4] 18 times. Join to work in the round, careful not to twist, and continue working the tiny ribbon chart with 4 p sts between. When work measures 3.5 cm: [trc, p4, trc, p1, p2tog, p1] 9 times (171 sts). Continue with rounds of [trc, p4, trc, p3]. When work measures 7 cm: [trc, pl, p2tog, p1, trc, p3] 9 times (162 sts). Continue with rounds of [trc, p3, trc, p3]. When work measures 10.5 cm: [trc, p3, trc, p2tog, p1] 9 times (153 sts). Continue with rounds of [trc, p3, trc, p2]. When work measures 14 cm: trc, p2tog, p1, trc, p2] 9 times (144 sts). Continue with rounds of [trc, p2, trc, p2]. When work measures 17.5 cm: [trc, p2, trc, p2tog] 9 times (135 sts). Continue with rounds of [trc, p2, trc, p1]. When work measures 21 cm: [trc, p2tog, trc, p1] 9 times (126 sts). Continue with rounds of [trc, pl, trc, p1]. When work measures approximately 24 cm and row 2 of the tiny ribbon chart has just been worked: [k1 tbl, p1, k2tog, p1, k1 tbl, p1] 18 times (108 sts). Work rounds of [k1 tbl, p1] for 2 cm. Now, the work is split in front and back: [bo 7 sts, work 47 sts of twisted rib] 2 times. Attach another skein of yarn, that way both pieces can be knit at the same time. From now on, the dress is knit back and forth, and from this point on, “row” means that you have knit across the front and back either on the right or wrong side. On the next 2 rows, bo first 2 sts and work twisted rib on rest of the row (front/back each 43 sts). On the next 2 rows, bo first s and work twisted rib for the rest of the row (front/back each 41 sts). Work twisted rib until length of the rib is 8 cm (total length of the work is 32 cm). Now, the front is closed for neck opening (meanwhile, continue to work 41 sts of twisted rib across back): 17 sts of twisted rib, bo 7 sts, 17 sts of twisted rib. Attach another skein of yarn or the other end of a skein you are using, so all pieces can be knit at the same time. On the next 4 rows, bo first 2 sts at neck opening and work twisted rib for the rest of the row (each shoulder is 13 sts). On the next 4 rows, bo first s at neck opening and work twisted rib for the rest of the row (each shoulder is 11 sts). Continue in twisted rib. When work measures 37 cm, the back is closed for neck opening: 11 sts of twisted rib, bo 19 sts, 11 sts of twisted rib. Attach another skein of yarn or the other end of a skein you are using, so all pieces can be knit at the same time. Work 1 cm of twisted rib. Work measures 38 cm. Close one shoulder using 3- needle bo. On the other shoulder, bo the front flap. On the back flap, work another 2 rows of twisted rib, then one row where you bo the 3. and 9. sts. On the next row, make yo's over the bound off stitches. Work another 2 rows of twisted rib, then bo. Sew in ends. Now, crochet [2 single crochet, 3 chain sts] all the way around the neck and arms, creating a picot edging. Sew on buttons, carefully picking the right place so the shoulder straps have the same length. Wash the dress. I let it lay flat to dry, and then ironed it. But if you feel blocking is the way to go, by all means do so!
