Sweet Sheep Dress

Pattern by Julie Williams.

Notes

These are my modifications for a more full skirt dress based on Little Cotton Rabbits Seasonal Dresses pattern.

You will need the pattern to follow my modifications. I knit the dresses on 2.25mm or 2.5mm needles with fingering weight yarn. The number of cast on stitches for my dresses (96 to 104) changes with the yarn or design of each dress. Below are the directions for both knitting flat and in the round with a cast on of 102 stitches. (Decreases for dresses with cast ons of 96 and 100 stitches are below.)

For a garter stitch hem with single ridges done in different colors, please see my notes here .

Flat knitting modifications:

Row 1- CO 102 stitches on 2.25mm or 2.5mm straight needles

Rows 2-4 Garter stitch hem: knit all rows.

Rows 5- 25 Stocking stitch beginning with a knit row. These rows feature whatever color work design/ chart you choose.

Row 26 Purl 2 tog across (51 stitches)

Row 27 Knit 3, (knit 2 tog, knit 1)15 times, knit 3 (36 stitches)

Row 28 Begin following row 28 of the “Basic Dress with Cap Sleeves” in the Little Cotton Rabbits seasonal dress pattern ( page 3) and complete the dress as indicated. I usually use a trim color for rows 28 and 29 then switch to a bodice and sleeve color. I use the trim color again for the bind off at the neck.

In the round modifications:

I use 12 inch circular needles up to Row 25 of the dress pattern which makes the color work much easier. On row 25, I switch to double pointed needles to finish the dress BUT I use the dpns to knit back and forth as though I am knitting on straight needles. This keeps the back seam of the dress open from Row 25 to the neckline.

Row 1 CO 102 stitches on 2.25mm or 2.5mm 12 inch circular needles 

(or whatever circular needles you prefer for knitting very small items in the round)

Rows 2-4 Garter stitch hem. This is a great tutorial for knitting a garter stitch in the round: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lysW0LFoT_k .

Note: I do prefer to cast on and knit the first 3 rows of the garter stitch hem by knitting flat (back and forth) on long circular needles or straight needles, switching to 12 inch circulars and joining in the round at the start of row 5. The first 4 rows can be sewn together during finishing.

Rows 5- 24 Stocking stitch (All knit rows in the round) These rows feature whatever color work design/ chart you choose.

Row 25 Switch from circular to double pointed needles either as you knit this row or by slipping the stitches onto dpns after you finish it. Continue knitting “flat” beginning and ending at the back seam. See the open seam on the Cherry Pie Dress in the photo on the left.

Row 26 Purl 2 tog across (51 stitches)

Row 27 Knit 3, (knit 2 tog, knit 1)15 times, knit 3 (36 stitches)

Row 28 Begin following row 28 of the “Basic Dress with Cap Sleeves” in the Little Cotton Rabbits seasonal dress pattern ( page 3) and complete the dress as indicated. I usually use a trim color for rows 28 and 29 then switch to a bodice and sleeve color. I use the trim color again for the bind off at the neck.

If you choose to use the in the round cast on and chart given for a dress design on one of my project pages but knit it flat, a bit of the design will be lost when sewing up the back seam. While not the most awful thing, it can be avoided by adding two stitches to the CO number, placing one extra stitch at the beginning and one at end of each row to allow for seaming the back. Just remember to continue adding these to the beginning and end of each row. Remember that your pattern repeat begins on the second stitch of each row.

For a cast on of 100 stitches, the decreases are as follows: 

Row 26 Purl 2 tog across (50 stitches) 

Row 27 Knit 4, (knit 2 tog, knit 1)14 times, knit 4 (36 stitches)

For a cast on of 96 stitches, the decrease rows are as follows: 

Row 26 Purl 2 tog across (48 stitches) 

Row 27 Knit 6, (knit 2 tog, knit 1)12 times, knit 6 (36 stitches)

For a cast on of 90 stitches, the decreases are as follows: 

Row 26 Purl 2 tog across (45stitches) 

Row 27 Knit 9, (knit 2 tog, knit 1) 9 times, knit 9 (36 stitches)

This pattern is modified to fit my bunnies. You may have to make your dress longer or shorter depending on bunny size, and yarn/needles used to knit the dress. Best to do a fitting or two on your bunny as you go. A cast on of 102 stitches works well for me with a finer fingering yarn. You may wish to reduce the cast on stitches if your yarn is bulkier. Smaller cast on and decrease directions are given under in the project pages for my Chocolate Hearts Dress and Red Christmas Dress.

I hope this is a help. I am not a pattern writer so if you attempt to follow these modifications and have a question or find an error, do not hesitate to message me. Usually, I design as I knit unless I have a specific idea which requires a little strategic planning.

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