The Hearty Dress is worked top down, starting with the folded front part. Then the front is worked flat and shaped with increases. The back is started the same way, with twisted ribbing on the sides. When the desired length is reached, the twisted rib is worked with all the stitches before the hem increases. You can add an elastic thread to the rib if you want. The hem is worked in stockinette stitch and bound off using the I-cord bind off, with a folded hem or with the method you prefer. There are I-cord straps, that are thread through the wrong side of the front piece’s fold & sewn to the wrong side of the back piece.

The top part of the dress is designed with a 0 - 10 cm / 0 - 4” of negative ease. If you’re between sizes, I recommend choosing the bigger one, so it’s more comfortable to put on & you can adjust the body circumference at the waist with the elastic thread :)

The sample is made in size 3, and my bust is approx. 80 cm / 31½“ & my waist circumference is approx. 70 cm / 27½”.

Finished Garment’s Measurements:
Front width before increases (A):
20.7 (22.2, 24, 25.9) 27.4, 29.3, 31.1 (33, 34.4, 36.3) 38.1, 40, 41.5 (43.3, 45.2, 46.7) cm

8⅛ (8¾, 9½, 10¼) 10¾, 11½, 12¼ (13, 13½, 14¼) 15, 15¾, 16⅜ (17, 17¾, 18⅜)”

Front length (B):
15 (16.1, 17.2, 18.3) 18.9, 20, 21.1 (21.7, 22.8, 23.9) 24.4, 25.5, 26.7 (27.2, 28.3, 28.3) cm

5 (6⅜, 6¾, 7¼) 7½, 7⅞, 8⅜ (8½, 9, 9⅜) 9⅝, 10, 10½ (10¾, 11⅛, 11⅛)”

Back width:
31.9 (34.8, 37.4, 40) 43, 45.6, 48.1 (50.7, 53.7, 56.3) 58.9, 61.5, 64.4 (67, 69.6, 71.5) cm

12½ (13¾, 14¾, 15¾) 17, 18, 19 (20, 21⅛, 22⅛) 23⅛, 24¼, 25⅜ (26⅜, 27¼, 28⅛)”

Length from underarm to where the skirt starts (C):
15 (15, 16, 16) 17, 18, 18 (19, 20, 21) 22, 23, 24 (25, 26, 27) cm
6 (6, 6¼, 6¼) 6¾, 7, 7 (7½, 7⅞, 8¼) 8⅝, 9, 9½ (9⅞, 10¼, 10⅝)”, or desired length

Body circumference without stretching (D):
62.2 (67.4, 72.6, 77.8) 83, 88.1, 93.3 (98.5, 103.7, 108.9) 114.1, 119.3, 124.4 (129.6, 134.8, 138.5) cm
24½ (26½, 28½, 30⅝) 32⅝, 34¾, 36¾ (38¾, 40⅞, 42⅞) 45, 47, 49 (51, 53, 54½)”

Hem circumference (after all increases) (E):
147 (157.5, 171.5, 182) 196, 206.5, 220.5 (231, 245, 255.5) 269.5, 280, 294 (304.5, 318.5, 343) cm
57⅞ (62, 67½, 71⅝) 77⅛, 81¼, 86⅞ (91, 96½, 100⅝) 106⅛, 110¼, 115¾ (119⅞, 125⅜, 135)”

Hem length (F):
67 (68, 70, 72) 73, 74, 76 (77, 78, 79) 80, 81, 82 (83, 84, 86) cm
26⅜ (26¾, 27½, 28⅜) 28¾, 29⅛, 30 (30⅜, 30¾, 31⅛) 31½, 31⅞, 32¼ (32⅝, 33, 33⅞)”, or desired length

Gauge:
27 sts x 36 rnds = 10 x 10 cm / 4 x 4” in 3 mm / US 2.5 needles, in stockinette stitch, after blocking
36 sts x 36 rnds = 10 x 10 cm / 4 x 4” in 3 mm / US 2.5 needles, in twisted rib, after blocking
20 sts x 25 rnds = 10 x 10 cm / 4 x 4” in 4 mm / US 6 needles, in stockinette stitch, after blocking

Needles:
3 mm / US 2.5 & 4 mm / US 6 circular needles with a 60 - 100 cm / 24 - 40” cable, choose length based on the size you make.
4 mm / US 6 DPNs for I-cords (optional). Adjust needle size to match gauge.

Yarn:
The dress is worked with a sport / fingering -weight yarn.

The sample is made with Drops Safran (100% cotton, 160 m / 175 yds per 50 g) in unicolor 05 Lavender.

Other exact matches, or very similar yarns are for example Sandnes Garn Mandarin Petit, Drops Loves You 7, Lana Grossa Elastico, Lotus Yarns Autumn Wind, Viking Garn Bambino.
You can browse for more options here: https://yarnsub.com

450 (500, 550, 600) 650, 700, 750 (800, 850, 900) 1 000, 1 100, 1 150 (1 250, 1 300, 1 400) grams

Other supplies:
Stitch markers, scrap yarn or a stitch cable, crochet hook (optional), tapestry needle, elastic thread (optional)

Techniques:
Long tail or provisional cast on, knit & purl stitches, working in stockinette stitch flat & in the round, increasing & decreasing stitches, sewing or knitting a fold, working a twisted rib flat & in the round, I-cord, I-cord bind off.