I fell in love with the Rio dress, but it didn’t come in a large enough size. I was still wrestling with the stitch math in my bee sweater and couldn’t face any more, so I took the easy way out and bought the quite similar Anakhoreo from the same designer. I’m just changing the details to make it look like Rio. It’s working out just as I’d hoped! It’s an excellent pattern, easily adaptable, that results in a nicely proportioned pinafore-style dress! I can see this becoming a staple baby gift.

This is the first time I’ve used this yarn. It is AMAZING. Plump and springy with amazing color. A new favorite. The two skeins were not a great match, however, and I probably should have alternated. But the colors are busy enough that I suppose it really doesn’t matter.

Note about gauge: Row gauge varies depending on how you handle it. After laying flat to dry until just damp, row gauge was 32 rows/4 inches. After machine-drying, row gauge was 38 rows/4 inches. This could have been manipulated by taking it out of the dryer sooner, giving it a stretch, and letting it finish drying flat.

Mods:

1. The 28-st center section is worked in seed stitch instead of the cable pattern as written.

2. The waist “band” is worked in rows of seed stitch instead of garter stitch.

3. The sleeves are worked in all stockinette stitch.

4. I wanted it longer than the recommended 21”, but ran out of yarn, so I added solid color stripes at the bottom. The final inch or so is worked in seed stitch.

5. Picked up stitches at the edges of the sleeves and worked two solid color stripes to match the hem, also in seed stitch. I really like how this came out!

6. Because I’m just not happy if I can’t cut holes in my knitting, I added afterthought pockets. Worked pocket border on US1 needles to help keep it from gaping, and pocket interior with US0 needles for a very firm fabric.