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Difficulty:  Intermediate

Description:  This dress was inspired by Jill Eaton’s Brittany Jumper from Minnow Knits II.  I used the first 8 rows of the picot lace pattern for the hem and added a 7-stitch lace panel to the skirt portion.  The dress is designed for fall/winter wear and features a top with twisted rib stitch, 3/4 length sleeves and raglan shaping.

Sizes:  2 (3, 4) yrs

Finished Measurements

  Chest:   24 (25, 26) inches - 61 (63.5, 66) cm

  Length shoulder to hem:  16.5 (17.5, 18.5) inches – 42 (44.5, 47) cm

  Width of skirt:  18.5 ( 19.5, 20.5) inches – 47 (49.5, 52) cm

Materials:

  Suggested Yarns

540 yards of worsted weight:  superwash wool, wool blends, cotton blends.

Needles: size 6 or 7 US – three circulars – size 29, 24 and 16 inches (73.5, 61, 40.5 cm). 

Optional set of single point needles, size 6 or 7 for sleeves.

Notions:  Three or four buttons

Gauge:  19 sts and 24 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in stockinette st on size 6 needles. (If you use a worsted weight yarn with gauge of 18sts = 4” (10 cm), I suggest size 7 needles.  The dress sizes will be slightly larger than indicated above).

PATTERN NOTES

Picot Stitch:

(multiple of 8 sts, worked on circular needle) Eight rounds.

Rnd 1:  *K1, yo, k2, sl next 2 sts tog as if to k2tog, k1, pass the slipped sts over the k st (SK2P), k2, YO.  rep from * around.

Rnd 2 and every other (even) round:  Knit.

Rnd 3:  Rep round 1:   *K1, yo, k2, sl next 2 sts tog as if to k2tog, k1, pass the slipped sts over the k st (SK2P), k2, YO.  rep from * around.

Rnd 5: *K2, yo, k1, SK2P, k1, yo, k1; rep from * around.

Rnd 7:  *K3, yo, SK2P, yo, k2; rep from * around.

Rnd 8:  Knit.

Lace panel Insert:

(I use a table for keeping track of lace patterns)

BODY

With longer circular needle (29 or 24 inch -73.5 or 61 cm), cast on 176 sts (184, 192).

Join and place marker for beg of round.  Work 8 rounds of picot st.

Change to a knit round, adding lace panel insert [knit 49 (57, 65) PM, work 7 st, of 4 row lace pattern, PM, knit to end of round]. Continue working the skirt in stockinette – knit rounds with lace insert - until piece measures 10 (10.5, 11) inches – 25.5 (26.5, 28) cm.

Next round:  (*K2 tog) around - 88 (92, 96) sts.   Change to 24 inch (61 cm) circular needle.

Waist:  twisted rib stitch in the round

Round 1:  K2b (knit in back loop of next two stitches), P1.

Round 2:  K2, P1

Repeat rounds 1 & 2 for waist and lower bodice portion

Work twisted rib pattern in the round for 2 ½ (2 ¾) inches – 6 (7) cm, ending with  round 1. Place markers at right and left underarm sides as follows:  from back marker, count 22 (23, 24) sts, PM, count 44 (46, 48) sts, and PM.

Underarm portion of bodice:

Round 2:  Starting at back marker, work in (K2, P1) pattern to 3 sts before first (righthand) marker.  Bind off 6 sts, remove marker.  Work in pattern to 3 sts before second (lefthand) marker, bind off 6 sts, remove marker.  Work in pattern to end of round, leaving back marker in place.  Set dress aside to work on sleeves.  Do not cut yarn.

SLEEVES

With size 6 single point needles or long circular, cast on 34 (35, 36) sts for first sleeve.  With a second ball of yarn, cast on 34 (35, 36) sts for second sleeve.  The object is to work both sleeves at the same time.  Work in twisted rib pattern (back and forth) for 1/2 (1) inch – 1 (2.5) cm.

(*RS) **Inc 1 stitch each end of RS rows, every other RS row – 6 times. 48 (49,50) stitches. 

*Rib pattern for WS is P2, K1.

**For increases, K into the front and back of first stitch, work in pattern to next to last stitch, M1, k1.

Work even until sleeve measures 5 (5, 5 1/4) inches – 12.5 (12.5, 13) cm.  Starting on RS, bind off 3 stitches at the beginning of next two rows. 42 (43, 44) stitches.  Cut yarn, leaving a 20” tail.

JOINING BODY AND SLEEVES

With the 16” circular needle, start at bodice back marker and slip 19 (20, 21) sts of left back bodice onto needle.  PM and slip the 42(43, 44) sts of first sleeve onto needle.  PM.  Now slip the 38 (40, 42) sts of bodice front onto the needle.  PM.  Next, slip the 42 (43, 44) sts of second sleeve onto needle and PM.  Last, slip the 19 (20, 21) sts of right back bodice onto needle.

  You now have 160 (166, 172) stitches on the long circular needle.  The starting point is the back opening.

Next row:  Turn, and work reverse rib pattern.

From this point you will work back and forth as follows:

Row 1 (RS) Slip 1^st st, and work in pattern with established raglan decreases (*work twisted rib patt to 3 sts before marker.  , K 2 tog, K1 slip marker, K1, SSK)

Row 2 (WS) slip first st, then – knit all knit sts and purl all purl sts.

Work rows 1 & 2 until 56 (62, 68) sts remain on needle – 21 decrease rows.  On RS, Bind off all sts.  Work single crochet around back opening.  

Make 3 loops for buttons on left side of back opening:  *single crochet in 3 sts, chain 2, single crochet in next 3 sts. Repeat from *.

FINISHING

  Sew sleeves and underarms. Weave in loose ends.  Sew three buttons on right side of back opening.  Block picot hem lightly.