Pastel Princess Baby Dress

This beautiful sleeveless dress is just perfect for a little girl. The bottom edge of the dress is decorated with a Feather and Fan pattern which is perfect for a new lace knitter. The shoulders are joined with beautiful buttons for easy dressing.

Skill Level: Intermediate 

Size: Chest: 20 (21, 22)” to fit chest 18 (19, 20)”; Armhole depth: 4″, 4½”, 5″; Total length: 18″, 19″, 20″; Shown in size 20”

Gauge: 21 sts and 27 rows =4″ (10 cm) after wet blocking

Materials

Yarn: Bernat Softee Baby (100% acrylic; 362 yards [331 meters]/140 grams): Prettiest Pink (2 (2, 3) balls)
Needles: US size 6 (4.0 mm) needles or size needed to obtain gauge
Notions: Tapestry needle, two 1” buttons, US size F/5 (3.75 mm) hook or size needed to obtain gauge

Special Stitches

One-Row Buttonhole

Slip next 2 sts from left-hand needle onto the right-hand needle.
Pass the first stitch over the second stitch.
Slip the next stitch from left-hand needle onto the right and repeat step 2.
Slip the last stitch back on left-hand needle. Cast on as many stitches as you have bound off. Continue knitting.

Feather and Fan – Multiple of 18 sts +2

Row 1 (RS): Knit.
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3: K1, *(k2tog) 3 times, (yo, k1)6 times, (k2tog) 3 times; repeat from * to last st, k1.
Row 4: Knit.

Pattern

Back

Cast on 110 sts.
Rows 1-6: Knit.
Rows 7-30: Work as Feather and Fan pattern.
Switch to st st and work even until piece measures 14″ (14½”, 15″).
Decrease row: Decrease 55 (49, 43) sts evenly across row. (55 (61, 67) sts)
Work st st for 1″ even.

Armhole Shaping

Bind off 5 sts at the beginning of next 2 rows. (45 (51, 57) sts)
Decrease one st on both sides every other row, 3 (4, 5) times. (39 (43, 47) sts)
Work st st for 1″ even.

Back Neck Opening

K15, with another ball of yarn bind off next 9 (13, 17) sts, k15.
Work both sides at the same time.
On the neck side decrease 1 st every other row 5 times. (10 sts for each shoulder)
Work 3″ (3½”, 4″) in st st.
Decrease 1 st on both sides of the shoulder piece. (8 sts)
Buttonhole row: K3, work one-row buttonhole on next 2 sts, k3.
Next WS Row: Purl.
Next RS Row: Decrease 1 st on both sides of the shoulder piece. (6 sts)
Last WS Row: Purl. Bind off all sts loosely.

Front

Work same as back until Back neck opening.

Front Neck Opening

K15, with another ball of yarn bind off next 9 (13, 17) sts, k15.
Work both sides at the same time.
On the neck side decrease 1 st every other row 5 times. (10 sts for each shoulder)
Work 2″ (2½”, 3″) in st st.
Decrease 1 st on both sides of the shoulder piece. (8 sts)
Next WS Row: Purl.
Next RS Row: Decrease 1 st on both sides of the shoulder piece. (6 sts)
Last WS Row: Purl. Bind off all sts loosely.

Finishing

Sew side seams. With crochet hook and starting at the center back neck, work as follows:
Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc in every st or every other row around.
Rnd 2: Ch 1, reverse sc in every sc around. Fasten off.
Block dress to size.
Sew buttons opposite buttonholes.