Pattern of the Month

Instructions.

A tweed dress in 3 sizes (small/medium/large).

Back

**
Using No 8 (4mm) needles lighter tweed colour (L), cast on 129/135/141 stitches, and begin working in the two-colour pattern as follows:

1st row (right side facing): Purl in L - do not break yarn L.
2nd row: Join in darker contrast D, p1, * with wool at front, sl1, p1; repeat from * to end.
3rd row: Using D, p1, * wool back, sl1, wool forward, p1; repeat from * to end - do not break yarn D.
4th row: Purl in L.
5th row: Purl in L - do not break yarn L.
6th row: Using D, p2, * with wool at front, sl1, p1; repeat from * to last stitch, p1.
7th row: Using D, p2, * wool back, sl1, wool forward, p1; repeat from * to last stitch, p1 - do not break yarn D.
8th row: Purl in L.

These 8 rows form the pattern.

Work straight until back measures 3 inches, ending with a 4th or 8th pattern row.
With right side facing, shape skirt as follows:
1st decrease row: p42/44/46, p3tog, p39/41/43, p3tog, p42/44/
46. [125/131/137 sts]

Work straight until back measures 6 inches, ending with a 4th or 8th pattern row.
2nd decrease row: p41/43/45, p3tog, p37/39/41, p3tog, p41/43/45. [121/127/133 sts]

Work straight until back measures 9 inches, ending with a 4th or 8th pattern row.
3rd decrease row: p40/42/44, p3tog, p35/37/39, p3tog, p40/42/44. [117/123/129 sts]

Work straight until back measures 12 inches, ending with a 4th or 8th pattern row.

Continue in this way, decreasing 4 stitches on every 1st or 5th pattern row at 3 inch intervals, until 97/103/109 stitches remain.

Work straight until back measures 29½ inches down centre, ending with 2nd or 6th pattern row.
With right side facing, shape armholes, by casting off 5 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows, then decrease 1 stitch at each end of the next and every alternate row until 75/79/83 stitches remain.
**

Work a few rows straight until back measures 31/31½/32 inches, ending with right side facing.

Here divide for back opening:
Next row: pattern 37/39/41, turn, and leave remaining 38/40/42 stitches on a spare needle.

Continue straight on these 37/38/41 stitches for first side, until back measures 36½/37/37½ inches.
With right side facing, shape shoulder by casting off 6/7/8 stitches at the beginning of the next row, then 7/7/7 stitches at the beginning of the following 2 alternate rows.
Cast off remaining 17/18/19 stitches.

With right side facing, rejoin wool to remaining stitches, cast off the centre stitch, then finish to correspond with first side, reversing shapings.

Front

Work as for back from ** to ** .
[75/79/83 sts]

Work straight until front measures 34/34½/35 inches, ending with right side facing.

Here divide for neck:

Next row: pattern 28/29/30, turn, and leave remaining 47/50/53 stitches on a spare needle.
Next row: work straight in pattern.

Continue on these stitches for first side, decreasing 1 stitch at the neck edge on the next and every alternate row until 20/21/22 stitches remain.

Work a few rows straight until front matches back at armhole edge, ending with right side facing.

Shape shoulder as given for back.

With right side facing, rejoin wool to the remaining stitches, cast off the centre 19/21/23 stitches, and pattern to end.
Finish to correspond with the first side.

To Make Up

Press parts or block lightly on the wrong side under a damp cloth.
Join the shoulder seams.

Neck Facing:
With right side facing, using No 10 needles and D colour, work as follows:
Pick up and knit 20/21/22 stitches across left side of back, 17 down left side of front, 19/21/23 from the centre front, 17 up right side of front, and 20/21/22 across right side of back.
[93/97/101 sts]
Work backwards and forwards in stocking stitch for 5 rows, starting with a purl row. Cast off loosely using a bigger needle.

Armhole Facing:
With right side facing,
Using No 10 needles and D colour, pick up and knit 88/94/100 stitches all round each armhole.
Work 5 rows stocking-stitch, starting with a purl row.
Cast off loosely using a bigger needle.

Join side seams.
Join armhole facing.
Fold neck and armhole facings to wrong side and slip-hem lightly in position all round, so that the stitches do not show through on the right side.
Insert zip into back opening, allowing edges to meet to conceal it.
Press all seams lightly on wrong side.

Materials

Double knitting:
15/17/19 x 1oz balls in lighter coloured tweed ;
8/9/10 balls in darker solid colour.

Pair each of
No 8 (4mm), and
No 10 (3¼mm) needles.

6 inch zip.

Tension

22sts to 4 inches on 4mm needles over pattern.

Size matters

To fit chest:
34-35 / 36-37 / 38-39 inches;
length from top of shoulders:
36½ / 37 / 37½ inches.

Abbreviations

k: knit
p: purl
p3tog: purl 3 stitches together
stocking stitch: knit one row, purl one row
L: lighter tweed
D: darker contrast

A word on the wool.

Original yarn was pure wool in a standard DK weight.
Yardage is not given but I would not expect it to be longer than average for a pure wool.
Given the requirement for tweed I might use Rowan felted tweed for both colours as it is a favourite of mine, and not too heavy a weight, which I might be concerned about with a dress made in a textured stitch.

Disclaimer
(well...almost)

In transposing any patterns 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.