Simple Dress

This dress started as a simple cute tank dress for my girl, but then latter evolved into something else. It all happened because of the yarn i chose for this project. It was supposed to be a fingering weight yarn, and i had hopes for the dress to turn out to be nice, thin and light. But because of the so much stretchiness in the yarn, the knitted up fabric felt like it was made form the worsted yarn. If you have used Esprit yarn from Elann, you will know what i am talking about. We also haven't had much warmth this summer. so the long sleeved cotton dress seemed like a good idea to me.
If you are going to use any other yarn for this project, i would suggest you get twice as much yarn (Esprit in relaxed form is about 100 yards per ball and stretched it is 170 yards)

Materials:

Yarn: Esprit from Elann.com (3 balls of pink lavender color and 2 balls of African violet)
4 mm circular needles (60 cm and 40 cm)
Markers






Gauge: 22 sts per 4 inches

Size: 2-3 years old
 

Method:

Using main color, cast on 150 sts
Place marker, join in a round.
Knit
Purl
Knit
Switch to contrast color and knit next 10 rounds in seed stitch.
Switch to main color and knit till piece measures 4 inches from cast on.
*Knit 19, k2tog*, repeat * till last 3 sts, knit. (143 sts)
Knit till piece measures 5 inches from cast on.
*Knit 15, k2tog*, repeat * till last 7 sts, knit. (135 sts).
Knit till piece measures 8 inches from cast on.
*Knit 14, k2tog*, repeat * till last 7 sts, knit. (127 sts).
Knit till piece measures 11 inches from cast on.
*Knit 16, k2tog*, repeat * till last st, knit. (121 sts).
Next round k2tog, knit to the end of the round.
Switch to contrast color.
Knit 1 round.
Start working in 2x2 rib (ie knit2, purl2) for the next 17 rounds.
Knit 1 round.
Switch to main color.
Knit for 4 rounds.
Place a second marker 60 sts away from the first one.
Bind off 3 sts before the first marker, 3 sts after the marker. Then knit to the last 3 stitches before second marker, bind off 6 sts (3 before and 3 after), knit to the end.
Now back and front are worked separately. Each side has 54 st.
Piece measures about 15 inches from the cast on.

Front:

Decrease 1 st at each end every other row (ie on rs) for the next 6 rows (48 sts)
Knit in stockinette stitch till armhole measures 3 inches.
Start shaping neckline.
Knit 18, bind off 12, knit 18.
Decrease 1 st at neck edge every row for 3 rows ( 15 sts)
Then decrease 1 st at neck edge every other row. (10 sts)
Knit in stockinette stitch till armhole measures 5 inches.
Bind off

Back:

Decrease 1 st at each end every other row (ie on rs) for the next 6 rows (48 sts)
Knit in stockinette stitch till armhole measures 4.5 inches.
Start shaping neckline.
Knit 15, bind off 18, knit 15.
Decrease 1 st at neck edge every row for 5 rows ( 10 sts)
Knit in stockinette stitch till armhole measures 5 inches.
Bind off

Putting together:

Sew the shoulder straps together.
Using contrast color and 4 mm circular needles (40 cm), and right side facing pick up 76 sts.
Place marker and work in 2x2 rib for 7 rounds.
Bind off loosely.

Sleeves:

Using main color and shorter circular needles (40 cm), and right side facing pick up 60 sts along the armhole.
Knit in stockinette stitch for 3 inches.
Switch to contrast color.
Knit 1 round.
Knit in 2x2 rib for 8 rounds.
Knit 1 round.
Switch to main color.
Knit 1 round.
Next round, knit 6, make 1 to the end of the marker (70 sts)
Knit in stockinette stitch for about 2 inches.
Next round, knit 14, make 1 to the marker (75 sts)
Knit in stockinette stitch for about 2 inches.
Next round, knit 14, make 1 to the marker (80 sts)
Switch to contrast color and knit next 10 rounds in seed stitch.
Bind off.

Weave in any loose ends.

If you don't want long sleeves and would rather have a tank top dress, then pick up 60 sts along the armhole edge using contrast color and work them in 2x2 rib for 7 rounds, then bind off.