Juliet's Summer Dress

I've worked out the pattern for this based on a summer dress I already own. It may well be subject to change as I knit it up - certainly, I've not finished working out where & how I'm going to stop at the top yet (will try it on when I get to that stage). Nor have I worked out what I'm going to do at the back, where it'll need a zip or similar (the cotton's not stretchy enough to do without).

It has a panel up the front, in Baby Cable Rib (BCR) and Chalice Cable, and a lace section around the front, just under the bustline (see below for instructions for lace section).

Fits one me. Knitted in the round in thin slubby charcoal cotton I got cheap from Texere, on 3.25mm circular needles. Gauge: 32 rows, 25 st to 4".

Pattern

  • Find markers in 3 different colours: 2 x A (to mark the 'seams' where the front & back meet at each side), 2 x B (to mark the start and finish of the front panel), 4 x C (to mark 1/4 and 3/4 through front and back).
  • Cast on 440 st. Place markers as follows: 55st, C, 41st, B, 28st, B, 41st, C, 55st, A, 55st, C, 110st, C, 55st, A. Join the row, being careful not to twist it.
  • First 3 rounds: k to B marker, p2, k2, p2, k1, *p2 k2* 3 times, p2, k1, p2, k2, p2, (reached second B marker) k rest of round.
  • 4th round (decrease round): k1, ssk, k to last 2 st before C marker, ssk, k to B marker, pattern between B markers as first 3 rounds, k to C marker, k2tog, k to last 3 st before A marker, k2tog, k2, ssk, k to last 2 st before C marker, ssk, k to next C marker, k2tog, k to last 3 st of round, k2tog, k.
  • Continue as above, with decrease row every 4th row 6 more times, then every 5th row 20 times. However, pattern between B markers is from 5th round as follows: * P2, BCR, P2, Chalice Cable, P2, BCR, P2 *. BCR alternates between 4 row and 6 row version. This panel continues throughout.
  • Remove C markers. Note: something will need to be done about back opening at this point.
  • Decrease on each side of A markers every 6th row 4 times.
  • One row stst (with panel).
  • Next section as follows: lace pattern, P2, BCR, P2, lace pattern, central panel, lace pattern, P2, BCR, P2, lace pattern, marker A, P2, BCR, P2, lace pattern, P2, BCR, P2, lace pattern, P2, BCR, P2, K4, P2, BCR, P2, lace pattern, P2, BCR, P2, lace pattern, P2, BCR, P2. Lace pattern below: one repeat of these 16 rows.
  • Continue 2P, BCR, 2P sections and central panel as established. Rest in stst. Knit 9 rows, increase once each side of A markers on 10th row, knit further 34 rows.
  • ? top & straps?

Lace pattern (Links of Lace)

From http://knitting.miningco.com/library/blbook.htm. Note: this is the back-&-forth version; make obvious change to even-numbered rows to knit in the round.

skpo: slip 1, K1, pass slipped stitch over. sk2tpo: slip 1, K2tog, psso.

  • row 1: (RS) k5, yo, skpo, k2, yo, skpo, k5
  • row 2 and every alternate row: purl
  • row 3: k3, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, skpo, k2, yo, skpo, k4
  • row 5: k2, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, skpo, k2, yo, skpo, k3
  • row 7: k1, k2tog, yo, k2, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, skpo, k2, yo, skpo, k2
  • row 9: k2tog, yo, k2, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, skpo, k2, yo, skpo, k1
  • row 11: k2, yo, skpo, k2, yo, skpo, yo, k2tog, yo, k2, k2tog, yo, k2tog
  • row 13: k3, yo, skpo, k2, yo, sk2tpo, yo, k2, k2tog, yo, k2
  • row 15: k4, yo, skpo, k2, yo, skpo, k1, k2tog, yo, k3
  • row 16: purl
Last edited 2007-06-05 15:30:48 (version 5; diff). List all versions.