Saturday, June 19, 2010

Little Summer Dress

IMG_4389.jpg


IMG_4392Summer is finally here so time for easy clothing....

Last year I made small summer dress for M which she really liked. It was easy to wear, not too warm and a simple design with a bit of embroidery. I knitted it in Jaeger Trinity which is discontinued unfortunately. That yarn is like a thinner Rowan Summer Tweed and I really like it. Since I really wanted to make this into a pattern I thought it would be better to make it in a yarn that is available in shops. So I reknitted it in Debbie Bliss Amalfi and made it into a pattern. My first one! And I extended it to 3 sizes! I hope it works out, I feel still nervous about it but it is a nice nervous feeling. Marit is quite small and thin so I really hope the sizing is correct. I used tables (of course) but still... I guess this is just normal for a first pattern also meant to be knit by other people, the jitters I mean.


I just choose the Amalfi because I liked it (it has a bit of a rustic feel, not a dainty yarn) but really any DK yarn with a nice drape will work (think linen, hemp, bamboo, viscose or whatever). It's a pretty easy knit, you only need to know how to knit, purl and decrease. There is a bit of grafting for the underarms and a short-row construction in the yoke, but I think this is advanced beginners level. There are links to tutorials and such within the pattern.



And just to end with a picture: this was the one I knitted last year:





IMG_1585.JPG

I did add an extra scheme to the pdf on the 21-6. Just to clarify how the markers are placed and how the short rows are knitted.


short_rows.tiff





The pattern can be downloaded from:

download now