Little Summer Dress Marjolein Thunnissen June 2010
An easy to wear little dress for lazy summer days. The pattern should work with any DK yarn with nice drape: cotton, linen, hemp, bamboo blends are ideal. The blue dress is knitted in Debbie Bliss Amalfi ( $70\%$ Cotton, $15\%$ Rayon, $10\%$ Linen, $5\%$ Silk), the orange dress is made with Jaeger Trinity (Silk, Cotton, Nylon). Sizes: 2-3, 3-4, 4-5 years Actual sizes: 60, 64, 67 cm (24", 25", 26.5") measured under the arms around the body. Level: Easy. Advanced beginner, know how to decrease stitches. There are short rows in the yoke.
Materials
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Amalfi colour 32006, light-blue 6,6,7 balls Embroidery yarn: DMC 25 blanc, 2 hanks Needles: $4\;\mathrm{mm}$ circular needle $60\;\mathrm{cm}$ ，$4\;\mathrm{mm}$ DPNs (US 6 needles) Embroidery needle Darning needle 6 stitchmarkers, 2 different to mark sides of garment, 4 for marking decreases Gauge: 20 sts x 30 rows gives $10\,\mathrm{x}\,10\mathrm{cm}\left(4^{\prime\prime}\,\mathrm{x}\,4^{\prime\prime}\right)$ width - length measured after washing/drying swatch. Row gauge is not critical for this pattern.
Abbreviations used:
k: knit p: purl k2tog: knit 2 stitches together ssk: slip 1 stitch, knit next stitch, pass slipped stitch over knitted stitch M: marker pm: place marker sm: slip marker sts: stitches EOR: End of Row
EZ sewn bind-off:
Cut the yarn leaving a long tail (about 2 to3 times longer than circumference). Thread your yarn tail into a darning needle. Working from right to left, \*\*\* pass needle through the front loops of two first stitches, as if to purl. Take all the
yarn through and be careful that stitches remain on the knitting needle. Pass the darning needle now through the first stitch again as if to knit. Take all the yarn through. Let first stitch slip of the knitting needle. Repeat from \*\*\* until no stitches remain. Using the circular needle cast on 176 (188, 200) stitches. Be careful not to twist
and join stitches for knitting in the round. Place one of the different colour markers to indicate start of the row. Row 1: Knit all stitches Row 2: Purl all stitches. Repeat these last two rows 3 times more, (4 ridges in total). Next row: K25 (27, 30) stitches, pm, k38 (40, 40), pm, k25 (27, 30), place one of the different colour markers to indicate side, k25 (27, 30), pm, k38 (40, 40), pm, k25 (27, 30). Scheme on page 4 shows how markers are placed. Knit 9 (5, 9) rows. Decrease row: Knit to marker, sm, (m1), k2tog, knit to 2 sts before next m, ssk, sm, (m2), knit to next same coloured marker, sm, (m3) k2tog, knit to 2 before $\mathrm{m4}$ , ssk, sm (m4), k to end of row: decreased 4 stitches. Knit next 6 (/,/) rows. Repeat decrease row as described. Repeat these last 7 (8, 8)rows, 12 (13, 14) times (in total 14 (15, 16) rows of decreases) total stitches 120 (128, 136). Continue straight to 37 (42 48) cm/14.5" (16.5", 19"). Set body aside to knit the sleeves.
Sleeves
For sleeves cast on 42(44, 44) stitches on DPNs. Be careful not to twist and join for knitting in the round. Row 1: Knit all stitches. Row 2: Purl all stitches. Repeat these last2 rows 3 times more (4 ridges in total). Knit next 8 rows. Knit 5 sts and place last 10 stitches worked on spare yarn for grafting later to body.
Joining:
Knit across front sts until 5 stitches before side marker. Put next 10 stitches on piece of scrap yarn, (removing marker). Knit across sts of right sleeve, (with right side facing at all times), knit across back sts to 5 stitches before side m. Put next 10 stitches on piece of scrap yarn, (removing marker). Knit 16sts across left sleeve, place one of the different coloured markers (This is your EOR marker), knit remaining 16 stitches of the sleeve. Join in the round, total stitches, 164 (176, 284).
Yoke
$\mid\left(1~\%^{\prime\prime},1~3/4^{\prime\prime},1~3/4^{\prime\prime}\right)$ decrease rows slip m such that k2tog can be performed (either to 1 st before or behind). First row of decreases: (k2, k2tog) repeat to end of row; 123 (132, 138) stitches remain. All sizes: Knit $3.5\;\mathrm{cm}$ (1.5") straight. Decrease row 2: (k1, k2tog) repeat until end of the row 82 (88, 92) stitches. remain. Knit $2\;\mathrm{cm}\;(3/4^{\prime\prime})$ straight and a set of short rows will be used to raise the back of the dress for a better fit. See scheme for the positioning of the markers as well as how the short rows are knitted. Short row 1: Knit to marker 1 sm, wrap next stitch and turn. Purl to marker 2, wrap next stitch and turn. Short row 2: Knit to 7 stitches before marker 1, wrap next stitch and turn. Purl to7 stitches before marker 2, wrap next stitch and turn.
Short row 3: Knit to 15 stitches before marker 1, wrap next stitch and turn. Purl
to 15 stitches before marker 2, wrap next stitch and turn. Knit to EOR marker. Knit 1 row being careful to pick up remaining wrapped stitches. Decrease row 3: (k1 k2tog) repeat until end of the row 55 (59, 61) stitches remain.
Neck
Row 1: purl all sts Row 2: knit all sts Row 3: purl all sts, Row 4: k4 k2tog repeat round, 46 (49, 51) stitches remain Row 5: purl all sts Row 6: knit all sts Row 7: purl all sts Bind stitches off using EZ sewn bind-off. Weave in all remaining yarn ends and graft underarm stitches to main body using a Kitchener's Stitch see http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer04/FEATtheresasum04.html fora tutorial). For a better finish pick up 1 extra stitch at either side on both arm and body, any remaining holes can be stitched closed. With the photographs as a guide, use the DCM yarn and embroider small daisies around the hem and neckline of the dress using a lazy daisy stitch. See http://crochet.about.com/library/weekly/aalazydaisy.htm for a tutorial on this Stitch.
