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Archive entry for July 2020

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July 2020

Camisole party frock

PartyDress.jpg

A very pretty strappy knitted dress which is styled for the summer, but, as usual, would work well for the winter, perhaps with a sparkly yarn, and worn with a bolero, tippet, or stole - if we are ever allowed to go out in public any time soon....

Instructions

The pattern panel for the dress is worked over 5 stitches as follows:

1st row: yfwd, k2togtbl, k1, k2tog, yfwd.
2nd row: purl.
3rd row: k1, yfwd, sl1, k2tog, psso, yfwd, k1.
4th row: purl.

Back

**
Using No 7 (4½mm) needles, cast on 135 stitches and knit one row.

Work in Pattern A as follows:

1st row (right side facing): k1, (k2tog, yfwd) 5 times, k3, * (yfwd, k2togtbl) 4 times, yfwd, sl1, k2tog, psso, yfwd, (k2tog, yfwd) 4 times, k3; repeat from * to last 11 stitches; (yfwd, k2togtbl) 5 times, k1.

2nd row: k1, purl to last stitch, k1

3rd row: k2, * (k2tog, yfwd) 5 times, k1, (yfwd, k2togtbl) 5 times, k1; repeat from * to last stitch, k1.

4th row: as 2nd.

These 4 rows form Pattern A.

Repeat them until back measures 15 inches, ending with 4th pattern row.

Shape as follows:

Next row: k1, (k2tog) twice, (yfwd, k2tog) 3 times, yfwd, sl1, k2tog, psso, * (yfwd, k2togtbl) 4 times, sl1, k2tog, psso, (k2tog, yfwd) 4 times, sl1, k2tog, psso repeat from * to last 11 stitches, (yfwd, k2togtbl) 4 times, k2togtbl, k1. [111 sts]

Continue in Pattern B as follows:

1st row (wrong side facing): k1, purl to the last stitch, k1.

2nd row: k1, (k2tog, yfwd) 4 times, k3, *(yfwd. k2togtbl) 3 times, yfwd, sl1, k2tog, psso, yfwd, (k2tog, yfwd) 3 times, k3; repeat from * to last 9 stitches, (yfwd, k2togtbl) 4 times, k1.

3rd row: as 1st row.

4th row: k2, * (k2tog. yfwd) 4 times. k1, (yfwd, k2togtbl) 4 times, k1; repeat from * to last stitch, k1.

These 4 rows form Pattern B.

Repeat them until back measures 20 inches, ending with 1st pattern row.

Shape as follows:

Next row: k1, (k2tog) twice, (yfwd, k2tog) twice, yfwd, sl1, k2tog, psso, * (yfwd, k2togtbl) 3 times, sl1, k2tog, psso, (k2tog, yfwd) 3 times, sl1, k2tog, psso; repeat from * to last 9 stitches , (yfwd, k2togtbl) 3 times, k2togtbl, k1. [87 sts]

Continue in Pattern C as follows:

1st row (wrong side facing): k1, purl to last stitch, k1.

2nd row: k1, (k2tog , yfwd) 3 times, k3, * (yfwd, k2togtbl) twice, yfwd, sl1, k2tog, psso, yfwd, (k2tog, yfwd) twice, k3; repeat from * to last 7 stitches; (yfwd, k2togtbl) 3 times, k1

3rd row: as 1st row.

4th row: k2, * (k2tog, yfwd) 3 times, k1, (yfwd, k2togtbl) 3 times, k1; repeat from * to last stitch, k1.

These 4 rows form Pattern C.

Repeat them until back measures 22 inches.

Place a marker at each end of last row.

Change to No 10 (3¼mm) needles and continue in Pattern C until back measures 4 inches from markers, ending with right side facing.

Next row: cast off 21, k8 (this includes the stitch on the needle from casting off), slip these 8 stitches on a safety-pin, cast off 29, k8, slip these 8 stitches on a safety-pin, cast off remaining 21 stitches.

Work shoulder strap as follows:
With wrong side facing and No 10 needles, rejoin yarn to 8 stitches on safety-pin and work in stocking-stitch, starting with a p. row, until strap measures 16 inches. Cast off.
Work 2nd strap in the same way.

Front

Work as for back from ** to **.

Next row: cast off 44, place a marker in the last of these stitches, cast off remaining stitches.

Join side seams of skirt.

Bodice

With No. 10 needles, cast on 34 stitches and work in rib as follows:

Next row: k1, * p2, k2; repeat from * to last stitch, k1.

This row forms rib pattern. Repeat it until strip, when slightly stretched, fits along upper edge of skirt from outer side of shoulder straps to marker at centre front.
Place a marker in "k3." edge of strip.
Rib 4 more rows.
Place a 2nd marker in opposite end.

Now continue in rib until length from 2nd marker matches length from cast-on edge to 1 st marker.
Cast off loosely in rib.

To Make Up

Starting at outer side of shoulder strap, sew first half of bodice strip in position, first marker matching centre marker of front.
Now fold under upper edge of strip, bringing 2nd marker also to centre marker of front, thus twisting the strip, then sew 2nd half of strip in position, ending at outer edge of other strap (thus leaving back edge between straps free).
Sew side edges Of bodice strips to approximately 4 inches of shoulder straps, then sew straps to front. Face straps with ribbon on wrong side
[Editor's Note: The bodice only goes around the front of the dress; it might be easier to see how you are intended to sew it to the straps if you look at the picture of the back of the dress below.]

Cut lining the full width of skirt but 2 inches longer than skirt when lying flat. Allow ½ inches for seams and 1 inch for hem.
Join side seams, then catch top of lining in position all round top of skirt.

Pin hem in position, then try dress on before stitching, to be certain lining is the correct length.

Materials

Dress: 6 x 50g balls of a light weight double knitting. (See"a word on the wool").

Pair each No 10 (3¼mm) and No 7 (4½mm) needles.

1¼ yards (about 1.2m) of 1 inch (2.5cm) wide facing ribbon.

1¾ yards (about 1.6m) of 36 inch (90cm) wide lining material in a matching shade.

Tension

25 sts and 32 rows to 4 inches measured over pattern on No 7 needles.

Size matters

The pattern is given in one size to fit bust 34 - 36 inches. Length (excluding shoulder strap) measured flat is 30 inches. (The dress drops to 32 inches when worn)

Abbreviations:

k2tog or p2tog: knit or purl 2 stitches together (decrease one stitch).
stocking stitch: one row knit and one row purl, ("stockinette").
tbl: through back loops. [k2tog tbl also known as "ssk" or slip, slip, knit]
yfwd: yarn forward
sl1: slip one stitch
psso: pass the slipped stitch over

A Word on the Wool:

Original knitted in Patons Kismet which which was 80% acrylic and 20% mohair; it was a fairly light weight yarn, and it was the fluffiness that caused it to knit to something like a DK equivalent (on the right needles).

This pattern emphasises the light weight nature of the yarn with an open-work pattern knitted on large needles.

The other thing to note is that it had an exceptional yardage - about 225m to 50g which is about double that of a normal DK, so you need to take all that into account when considering substituting.

Disclaimer (well...almost)

In transposing any pattern it is always a risk that errors will be introduced, in spite of dedicated proof reading. If you have any problems with this pattern, please and I will try and assist.

Altering the size

Unusually for this era, we have only the one size - perhaps they think those more well-endowed would not suit this style - and maybe they are right - certainly I don't think I could make it work for me.
However, if you did want to make it larger, I really think the only option is to work out the repeats in the pattern and add some extra width in the skirt - then knit the bodice section (it's knitted sideways) longer, and workout where to reposition the straps.
On top of that, if were knitting this, I would try using a delicate lace-weight yarn (there are some lovely ones around), swatching the pattern, and experimenting with different needles to get the right tension.
But then I never did like an easy life.

PartyDress-back.jpg

I'm putting this photo in to show you the back of the dress, but I can't let it pass without commenting that to me it's very vaguely sleazy - I think "come to bed eyes" would be the description. It's almost as if the photographer were more used to using his skills for a different kind of audience altogether...

© Christina Coutts 2007

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