Thursday 26 May 2016

McKenzie's Dress



McKenzie's Dress

If you’re following my blogs, you’ll know that recently I just made a line of little girls’ dresses. It seems almost coincidental or providence that suddenly so many of the dresses on my “to-do” wish list get done.. yaay

Thanks for joining me once again as we work on and discover this new pattern together.
In case you have just joined me, know that you can access all of my earlier creations by checking under ‘categories’ on the right hand side of this blog under “Labels”.  Then, for your convenience, follow me here or on Facebook, You Tube, Pinterest, Twitter or Instagram. Check out all my social media handles at the bottom of this blog
Oh, and may I add that the fastest way to find any of my blogs is via Pinterest.

Do remember to add my blog URL when you make and show off your creation. 
Cheers.  Enjoy 

To purchase this or similar yarn online, click on the link at the top right of this blog that reads click here to buy your yarns online via Amazon.  While you will still pay the same, I may get paid by Amazon as well.  This is a free blog - so do pay it forward for me.  Cheers.

While I so appreciate all the feedback I receive on my write up and blogs, I would really appreciate if you could go through all my copious notes before you ask questions – as many times, the questions have already been answered here.  
Thanks so much for understanding. 

Inspired by the photo , here are my pattern notes 




Materials usedToday I’ve used a combination of yarns. I have used 100 gms of of blue Red Rose knitting cotton and about 2 skeins (~ 100 gms) of this Ecru Traditional 5 Plus knitting cotton with a 3 mm crochet hook



Optional : Stitch marker

For Indians : The Traditional 5 plus is a little thicker than our Anchor knitting cotton.
I’d suggest using Anchor knitting cotton for this project, if using cotton, else a good 3 or 4 ply acrylic will work too.. with a 3 or 3.5 mm crochet hook, depending on looseness / tension

Size made : Chest : 24” ; Length 22” and I used about 100 gms each in two colours

Difficulty level : Intermediate to Advanced level


Stitches used : Using U.S terminology
Starting slip knot : Here’s how you start with a slip knot.  https://youtu.be/lJcqsVcs8cw

Starting slip knot 1 or the Sloppy Slip knot : This is a neat new way to start your work without a slip knot.  https://youtu.be/YfC7KmGpifs

What is a slip stitch : Here is a neat video tutorial at https://youtu.be/weB3QNbA8Iw

What is a chain stitch ? Here is an easy video tutorial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXx5ukBjKkY

Foundation Single Crochet : fsc : To refresh your skill on the fsc, please view this video https://youtu.be/mcT85fwh4mA 

Single Crochet : Sc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (2 lps on hk); yo, draw through both lps.  One sc made.  Check out the video at https://youtu.be/ghACqBpA-3k

First stitch for Single Crochet : This is how I like to start my row of sc. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/6pVYRfsf4_M 

Double Crochet : dc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk);
[yo, draw through 2 lps] twice.  One dc made. 
Check out the video at https://youtu.be/xdnjB27zpYo

Chainless start for Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 / ch – 3 start, and this is what I do to start my row of dc.
Check out the video at https://youtu.be/wskv3iTjRx0

Here is a sizing chart for general neck sizing

Here is a sizing chart for general body sizing

Abbreviations used :
ch : Chain                           sp(s) : Space(s)
dc : Double crochet            hk : Hook                                                     
st(s) : Stitch(es)                  sl-st : slip stitch
sk : Skip                              sp : space
rep : repeat
fsc : Foundation single crochet  


Instructions
Please note that I start all my rows with a ch 1, turning chain for ease.
Please check the top of this blog for easy video tutorials on all stitches used in today's pattern.
Please read through all my notes before you pick up your hook, so you know just where we're heading in our pattern.
In my patterns I work with the principle of stitch count and body measurement.  This means that you need to work the stitch count in pattern, till you get the measurement (length and/or width) that you need for your project.  

So before we set off on our new creative journey, let’s take a quick look at what we’re creating here today.

We start with the yoke, which is worked like a square.  
Two parts of this square will be the armhole sections, and the other two parts will make the front and back of the yoke.
As usual, here are your choices. You need to decide if you are using a button placket around the back, and if you are, you need to figure out how long that placket is going to be. If you are working it for the full length of the yoke, then you will work back and forth for the yoke.
If however, you want only a single button around the back, then you will work back and forth for the first few rows, join up and then work in rounds.

Now there is a link for a set of charts depending on age of child and I’d suggest we use that as a reference to start on our yoke.
That said, here’s something I discovered with these charts – they may not work for you, as your yarn may be too thick or too thin.  Now I used this chart for this recent dress I made, but at that time I was using a 4-ply yarn for the yoke. This time around, my yarn is a little thinner, and though I am making a dress for the same sized child, those calculations do not work. How do we solve it? My age old idea – keep a well-fitting dress of the person for whom this is intended. This always works.

I am giving you a stitch count repeat – so use the stitch count repeat, keep the chart handy (as the numbers there are a good reference, and they may work for you) and then double check all of this against the well-fitting garment, and you’re good to go.

Once we complete the yoke, we will then work the skirt portion of the dress off this yoke. As usual, two sides of this yoke will form the front and back of the dress and the other two sides will form the armhole.

Now for the yoke, depending on what size chest you’re working with, please use the link for chest sizes (square yoke) given above as a guideline. 

Part I :Yoke


Our yoke stitch count is in multiples of 4

Start:  with fsc in multiples of 4, as per the chart given above for square yokes.  Please place markers to mark the four corners of your yoke, and one marker to mark the centre back.

We’re going to work in rows from the centre back so that there is an opening for the button placket ; and we’re going to start at this centre back portion.

Row 1 : dc in the 1st3 fsc ; 
(ch 1, sk next fsc, dc in the next 3 fsc) ;
rep (to) till the 1st corner marker ;
*[ch 3, dc in the same corner marked fsc ; dc in the next 2 fsc] ;
rep (to) till the next corner marker* ;
rep *to* till the end.  Turn.

We do not need the markers any more, as the ch-3 sps will now mark our four corners, and the back end is also neatly identified.

Row 2 : dc in the 1st dc ; 
ch 1, sk next 2 dc, 3 dc in the next ch-1 sp ;
(ch 1, sk next 3 dc, 3 dc in the next ch-1 sp) ;
rep (to) till the 1st corner ch-3 sp ;
[ch 3, 3 dc in the corner ch-3 sp ; 
ch 3, 3 dc in the same corner ch-3 sp] ;
*rep (to) till the next corner ch-3 sp ; 
rep [to] once* ;
rep *to* all around till the last ch-1 sp ; 
3 dc in that last ch-1 sp ; ch 1, sk next 2 dc, dc in the last dc.  Turn.

Row 3 : dc in the 1st dc ; 2 dc in the next ch-1 sp ;
(ch 1, sk next 3 dc, 3 dc in the next ch-1 sp) ; 
rep (to) till the 1st corner ch-3 sp ;
[ch 3, 3 dc in the corner ch-3 sp ; 
ch 3, 3 dc in the same corner ch-3 sp] ;
*rep (to) till the next corner ch-3 sp ; 
rep [to] once* ;
rep *to* all around till the last ch-1 sp ; 
2 dc in that last ch-1 sp ; dc in the last dc.  Turn.

Rep Rows 2 & 3 till your yoke is at the armhole level or till your yoke is the right shoulder width.

For some of you, the shoulder width and armhole opening will coincide, but if you’re making it for an older child, ensure that you get the shoulder width or armhole level right and then we will work only on two parts of our yoke – the front and the back portion. Then the other two portions of the yoke, will be sides, and will be the armholes, from where we will make the sleeves.

So for older children, please read instructions below the Quick Note. 



Quick note : Instructions given are for working from side to side around the yoke, such that you have an opening around the back, and can work in a button placket. 
Now, if you decide that you do not want an opening that goes all the way down to the back, you can join with a [ch 1, and sl-st] at any time (at that last st, of course) and work in rounds. 
Your instructions though will read a little differently, but then you’ve figured that out as well.

For those of us who are making dresses for older girls, here’s how we carry on.

You have now reached the width needed for the shoulder AND the chest / across front needed for your garment. 

Fasten off and re-attach your yarn for the front part of the yoke at the ch-3 sp for the front yoke.  We will now work back and forth in pattern just for this front part of the yoke.

Once we’re done with this front, we will re-attach your yarn at the ch-3 sp for the back part of the yoke and continue in pattern for the back of the dress.

I will continue numbering with Row 4 (though this is not technically your 4th row)

Now in the following row/round, we will attach the front and back yokes at the armhole.  So put your yoke down flat, and mark the corner ch-3 sps that mark the two armhole bases.

Row 4 : dc in the 1st dc ; 
ch 1, sk next 2 dc, 3 dc in the next ch-1 sp ;
(ch 1, sk next 3 dc, 3 dc in the next ch-1 sp) ; 
rep (to) till the 1st corner ch-3 sp ;
[ch 1, 3 dc in the next marker corner ch-3 sp] ,
{and this will join the front and back creating our first armhole} ;
*rep (to) till the next corner ch-3 sp ; 
rep [to] once* ;
rep *to* till end, 
and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Row 5 :dc in the 1st dc ; 2 dc in the next ch-1 sp ;
(ch 1, sk next 3 dc, 3 dc in the next ch-1 sp) ;
rep (to) till the 1st corner ch-3 sp ;
[ch 3, 3 dc in the corner ch-3 sp ; 
ch 3, 3 dc in the same corner ch-3 sp] ;
*rep (to) till the next corner ch-3 sp ; 
rep [to] once* ;
rep *to* all around till the last ch-1 sp ;
2 dc in that last ch-1 sp ; dc in the last dc.  Turn.

Rep Rows 4 & 5 till your yoke is at the waist level.


Part 2 :Skirt


Our skirt pattern stitch count is in multiples of 8, so check that the last row of your yoke has the stitch count, else add the required stitches with a sc round first.

Start :  with dc in the 1st 3 dc ; dc in the next ch-1 sp ;
*dc in the next 3 dc ; dc in the next ch-1 sp* ;
rep *to* all around 
and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Round 1 : Belt row : dc in the 1st 2 dc , 
ch 1, sk next 2 dc, dc in the next 2 dc ;
* ch 1, sk next 2 dc, dc in the next 2 dc* ;
rep *to* all around ; 
ch 1 and join with a sl-st to the 1st dc.

Note : This row has cinched or tightened the waist band a bit. So stop and check that this measure is ok for your little girl else please go back and make all those ch-1 sps into ch-2 sps, thus not decreasing around this round.
Please note however, that instructions for the next round will read ch-1 sps, so if you have changed, remember that change.

From the following row on, we will use a “V”-st which is (2 dc ; ch 1, 2 dc) all in the same st or ch-sp

Round 2 : sl-st in the 1st 2 dc ; “V”-st in the 1st ch-1 sp ;
*ch 1, sk next 2 dc, “V’-st in the next ch-1 sp* ;
rep *to* all around ; 
ch 1 and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Round 3 :  sl-st in the 1st ch-1 sp of the 1st “V”-st  ; “V”-st in the 1st“V”-st ;
*ch 2, “V’-st in the next “V”-st* ;
rep *to* all around ; 
ch 1 and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

And I’m back again with choices, decisions and suggestions.

So we will basically be repeating the pattern of Round 3 all the way down till we are a few inches away from the final length required and then we will do this lovely pineapple at the end of the “V”-sts.

Each pineapple pattern is about 10 rows, so you need to work on the following
1.     Calculate how many inches you are adding per “V’-st
2.     Calculate how many inches you are adding per 10 rows of work
3.     Decide how many pineapples patterns you want – per chart, there are two pineapples, and then a border design
4.     Decide the length of your skirt

Now what do we do with all these numbers ?
You know the length of final finished product / dress you want, and you know how much you have already worked thus far, plus now you know how much you are adding per 10 rows of work per pineapple and then there’s one row of border – so working back, you can now calculate how many rows of simple Round 3 you need to work to get the final end result of dress length.

Great.. that was not that hard, was it?

So continue Rep Round 3 till you have the skirt part of your dress of the length needed.

For the final rows of pineapple, just for convenience, I am going to continue numbering with Round 4. 
Remember though that this is not technically Round 4.



Round 4 :  sl-st in the 1st ch-1 sp of the 1st “V”-st  ;
“V’-st in the same “V”-st ;
*ch 3, (2 dc in the next “V”-st ; ch 3, 2 dc in the same “V”-st) ;
ch 3, “V’-st in the next “V”-st* ;
rep *to* all around ; 
ending with a rep (to) and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Round 5 :  sl-st in the 1st ch-1 sp of the 1st “V”-st  ; 
“V’-st in the same “V”-st ; 
*(ch 3, 8 dc in the next ch-3 sp) ; 
ch 3, “V’-st in the next “V”-st* ; 
rep *to* all around ; 
ending with a rep (to) 
and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Round 6 :  sl-st in the 1st ch-1 sp of the 1st “V”-st  ; 
“V’-st in the same “V”-st ;
*[ch 3, dc in the 1st dc ; (ch 1, dc in the next dc) ; 
rep (to) 6 times] ;
ch 3, “V’-st in the next “V”-st* ;
rep *to* all around ; 
ending with a rep [to] 
and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Round 7 :  sl-st in the 1st ch-1 sp of the 1st “V”-st  ; 
“V’-st in the same “V”-st ;
*[ch 3, sk next dc ; sc in the next ch-1 sp ;
(ch 3, sc in the next ch-1 sp) ; 
rep (to) 5 times] ; 
ch 3, “V’-st in the next “V”-st* ;
rep *to* all around ; 
ending with a rep [to] 
and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Round 8 :  sl-st in the 1st ch-1 sp of the 1st “V”-st  ; 
“V’-st in the same “V”-st ;
*[ch 3, sk next ch-3 sp ; sc in the next ch-3 sp ; 
(ch 3, sc in the next ch-3 sp) ;
rep (to) 4 times] ; 
ch 3, “V’-st in the next “V”-st* ;
rep *to* all around ; 
ending with a rep [to] 
and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

In the following row, we will ‘split’ our “V”-st in preparation to make the next pineapple. Remember this step – because if you decide to add the third pineapple, here’s where you need to  add that extra set of dcs.

Round 9 :  Increase round
sl-st in the 1st ch-1 sp of the 1st “V”-st  ;
“V’-st in the same “V”-st ; 
ch 1, 2 dc in the same “V”-st ; 
*[ch 3, sk next ch-3 sp ; sc in the next ch-3 sp ;
(ch 3, sc in the next ch-3 sp) ; 
rep (to) 3 times] ;
{ch 3, “V’-st in the next “V”-st ; 
ch 1, 2 dc in the same “V”-st }* ;
rep *to* all around ; 
ending with a rep [to] 
and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Round 10 :  sl-st in the 1st ch-1 sp ; 
“V’-st in the same ch-1 sp ;
{ch 1, “V”-st in the next ch-1 sp} ; 
*[ch 3, sk next ch-3 sp ; sc in the next ch-3 sp ;
(ch 3, sc in the next ch-3 sp) ; 
rep (to) 2 times] ;
ch 3, “V”-st in the next ch-1 sp ; 
rep {to} once* ;
rep *to* all around ; 
ending with a rep [to] 
and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Round 11 :  sl-st in the 1st “V”-st ; “V’-st in the same “V”-st ; 
{ch 3, “V”-st in the next “V”-st } ;  
*[ch 3, sk next ch-3 sp ; sc in the next ch-3 sp ; 
(ch 3, sc in the next ch-3 sp) ; 
rep (to) once] ; 
rep {to} 2 times* ; 
rep *to* all around ; 
ending with a rep [to] 
and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Round 12 :  sl-st in the 1st “V”-st ; “V’-st in the same “V”-st;
{ch 1, “V”-st in the next ch-3 sp ; ch 1, “V”-st in the next “V”-st } ; 
*[ch 3, sk next ch-3 sp ; sc in the next ch-3 sp ; 
(ch 3, sc in the next ch-3 sp)] ;
ch 3, “V”-st in the next “V”-st ; 
rep {to} once* ;
rep *to* all around ; 
ending with a rep [to] 
and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

See that extra “V”-st that we’ve just added in the ch-3 sp? We’re going to start our next pineapple from that “V”-st.  Neat, huh?

Round 13 :  sl-st in the 1st “V”-st ; “V’-st in the same “V”-st;
{(ch 3, 2 dc in the next “V”-st ; 
ch 3, 2 dc in the same “V”-st) ; 
ch 3, “V”-st in the next “V”-st } ;
*[ch 3, sk next ch-3 sp ; sc in the next ch-3 sp] ;
ch 3, “V”-st in the next “V”-st ; 
rep {to} once* ;
rep *to* all around ; 
ending with a rep [to] 
and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Round 14 :  sl-st in the 1st “V”-st ; 2 dc in the same “V”-st ;
{ch 3, sk next ch-3 sp, 8 dc in the next ch-3 sp} ;
*[ch 3, 2 dc in the next “V”-st] ;
(ch 1, sk next two ch-3 sps and sc, 
2 dc in the next “V”-st) ; 
rep {to} once* ;
rep *to* all around ; 
ending with a rep [to] 
and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Round 15 :  sl-st in the 1st ch-1 sp, “V”-st in the same ch-1 sp ;
*[ch 3, dc in the 1st dc ;
(ch 1, dc in the next dc) ; rep (to) 6 times] ;
ch 3, “V’-st in the next “V”-st* ;
rep *to* all around ; 
ending with a rep [to] 
and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Round 16 - 22 :  Rep Rounds 7 - 13

Round 23 :  sl-st in the 1st “V”-st ; “V”-st in the same “V”-st ;
{ch 3, sk next ch-3 sp, 8 dc in the next ch-3 sp} ;
*[ch 3, “V”-st in the next “V”-st] ; 
(ch 3, “V”-st in the next “V”-st) ;
rep {to} once* ;
rep *to* all around ; 
ending with a rep [to] 
and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Round 24 :  sl-st in the “V”-st, “V”-st in the same “V”-st ;
*[ch 1, “V”-st in the next “V”-st ; 
ch 3, dc in the next dc ;
(ch 1, dc in the next dc) ; 
rep (to) 6 times] ;
ch 3, “V’-st in the next “V”-st* ;
rep *to* all around ; 
ending with a rep [to] 
and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.


The next round is our final round. 
For my dress, I opted to use a tiny little ch-3 picot instead of the dc 3-tog. But as the chart shows a dc 3-tog here’s what you could do too.

Double crochet 3-tog : dc 3-tog :   Here is an easy video tutorial at https://youtu.be/qlnqXDB3OUM

Round 25 :  sl-st in the “V”-st, 2 dc in the same “V”-st ; 
*ch 1, “V”-st, 2 dc in the next “V”-st ; 
ch 3, dc 3-tog in the next ch-1 sp ;
[ch 2, dc 3-tog in the next ch-1 sp] ; 
rep [to] 5 times ;
ch 3, 2 dc in the next “V’-st* ;
rep *to* all around, 
ending with 2 dc in the last “V”-st.  
Join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Optional So as I’ve chosen the picot stitch for my border / last round, all I did was add in the picot in those ch-1 sps instead of the dc 3-tog and my lil dress just rocked.


So have fun tweaking and creating.  

Fasten off and weave in ends.. and Voila ! Yet another beautiful dress made for your young lady.

and I love how the little girl is totally enjoying her dress, and I am so overjoyed with the superb quality of these photographs. 


and I love that these photographs in B&W too, don't you? 


Ta da.. isn’t this just beautiful ?? 

Enjoyed this ?? I sure did.. come back right here for more freebie patterns

If you're visiting me here for the first time, and have liked the experience, do add me to your mailing list (for your convenience) , and all my future free patterns will come straight to your mail box.  

I’d appreciate if you could credit my blog (and link the original pattern link) when you make your own creation.  Thanks.

Check out my awesome pins on Pinterest at https://in.pinterest.com/shyamanivas/


Join me on YouTube at https://youtube.com/shyamanivas

And on my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Sweet-Nothings-Crochet/ for more patterns.

Do follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/ShyamaNivas


Find me on Ravelry at ravelry.com/projects/shyamanivas/


Have a great day and see you soon. 
  
I have a few girls dresses already made, and just in case you want a dekho at those free patterns … here you go