I was tasked by a customer to knit a dress for her soon to be born baby girl. She wanted something sleeveless or with cap sleeves that could be worn with a shirt underneath or soft for next to the skin wear along. She also asked that it fit from newborn as a dress until about a year as a tunic/shirt. I think I came up with something to fit the bill. It shipped a couple of days ago and I can't wait to see how she likes it and how it fits her new baby girl next month! I did try it on one of my daughter's baby dolls that wears real newborn-3 month baby clothing, and it was a perfect fit as a dress! I also tried it on my 2 year old before I did the finishing work, washing and blocking, and it was just a touch too small, so I think it will be the perfect 12mo tunic!
And quick, the un-pattern. Please feel free to use this pattern as you wish for creating personal, charity, or boutique items to sell. I'd love credit if you knit to sell.
Strisce Felice
Size: One-Size: Newborn (as a dress) - 12 months (as a tunic/shirt). Chest, unstretched, measures 16 1/2". Will fit up to 20" chest with negative ease. Bigger sizes can be knit by knitting with a bulkier yarn and larger gauge, or by adding stitches to your cast on.
Gauge:
5.15 spi in stockinette stitch
Materials:
Knit Picks Felici (75% Superwash Merino Wool, 25% Nylon; 218 yd per 50g ball) 2 balls. Knit holding the yarn doubled. Or, you can substitute any other sock yarn held doubled or approximately 200 yards of a DK-light worsted weight yarn.
Size 7 (or needle size to obtain gauge) 16" circular needle
Size 4.5mm crochet hook (optional)
Darning Needle
Button
BODY
CO 111 stitches. Do not yet join in round.
Rows 1-7: Knit flat for 4 garter ridges
Round 8: Join to work in the round, placing a marker at the beginning of your round. *Knit 20, K2tog* 5 times, K1.
Rounds 9-11: Knit
Round 12: *K19, K2tog* 5 times, K1
Rounds 13-15: Knit
Round 16: *K18, K2tog* 5 times, K1
Rounds 17-19: Knit
Round 20: *K17, K2tog* 5 times, K1
Rounds 21-23: Knit
Round 24: *K16, K2tog* 5 times, K1 (you should now have 86 sttiches on your needles)
Continue Knitting until you are 8 1/2" from cast on edge.
ARMHOLES:
Knit 19, BO 6, K36, BO 6, K19
SLEEVES and YOKE:
Round 1: Knit to 17, k2tog, CO 20, s1k1psso, K32, k2tog, CO 20, s1k1psso, K17 (110 stitches)
Rounds 2-10: Knit
Row 11: Turn work and purl. You will no longer be working in the round, but instead knitting flat
Row 12: Knit
Row 13: Purl
Row 14: Knit
Row 15: Purl
Row 16: Knit
Row 17: Purl
Row 18: K2tog across (you will now have 55 stitches on your needle)
Row 19: BO Purlwise.
Finishing:
Seam up garter edge on bottom of dress that you had worked flat.
Add a slip stitch edge to the back neck slit using a 4.5mm crochet hook. Add a button loop to one side of the edge and sew a button on to the other. (Optional: Add a crochet lace border along bottom edge and add a crochet trim to the sleeves if desired.) Weave in ends. Wash, block and wear.
