Knitting a dress

The challenge: to design and knit a dress from scratch, preferably by the end of the year

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I wanted a big project – something to really get my teeth into. I’ve knitted sweaters; I’ve knitted lace shawls; I’ve knitted big cabled pieces. So I needed something else. I decided it was time to design and knit a dress. This was back in July, so how have I done so far?

The completed front. I really like the
colour changes and wide neckline.
Photo by Idoru Knits.

First up I had to come up with the style. After making a few sketches I settled on a flared or A-line skirt just above the knee, coming in to a fitted waist then out for the bust and up to a round neckline. Long flared sleeves would finish the look.

Next choice was yarn. I wanted a variagated colour, though nothing too bright. Ideally it would also change thickness. I was thinking something from Noro. But a dress takes a lot of yarn and Noro isn’t cheap. I’m lucky enough to have some very good friends, though, and one of them had a whole load of Rowan Damask, a linen blend, bought in the sale that she was willing to give me. Yes, give it to me. For free. I did say I was lucky.

Lattice cable pattern test. Using some spare yarn I tested
out how the cable pattern would look. I really liked the
effect and thought it would work well, even with a
variagated yarn. Photo by Idoru Knits.

Some measuring and maths later and I was ready to cast on. I’d already decided to knit it in stocking stitch, partly because there would be so much of it I didn’t want anything too complicated and partly because I thought the rolled-up effect that stocking stitch gives would create a nice effect at the bottom of the skirt and sleeves. By the time I’d got to the body of the dress, however, I was ready for a change. The dress was shaping up well, but knitting so much stocking stitch was dull and the piece itself would benefit from some variety.

Because of the yarn’s differences in colour and thickness, nothing too fancy was required and I decided that a lattice pattern on the bodice would be ideal. So how to create it? The simplest method would be to use a combination of knit and purl stitches. But that wasn’t the look I was going for. So it was time to trawl the internet and my stitch pattern books. I found the perfect cable pattern in a book I found in a charity shop.

That lattice pattern on 'the real thing'. Patterns can
easily be lost in variagated yarns, but because
this is so simple it works well. Photo by Idoru Knits.

I’ve now nearly finished the back. Then it’s just the two sleeves to do. I don’t know if I’ll finish the whole thing by the end of the year. I’m also crocheting a blanket and sewing up the crossover tank top I designed. But I’m nearly there and so far I’m very pleased with what I’ve produced.