Gauge above is for bodice. For skirt it was 27st, 40r in 4”.

My daughter outgrew the knit dress I made for her two years ago and begged for another. These yarns are what she chose from my stash, and I designed the dress.

I used the contiguous method for the sleeves, and the bodice shaping in particular was heavily borrowed from her previous favorite dress, Goldilocks. I used nearly every last inch of yarn, saving only enough to make a matching version for her monkey.

I am thrilled with the results. It will certainly fit her for two years, which was my goal.

Knitting a dress at 7.5spi is an act of maternal love. And it is appropriate because the bodice skein was a gift from someone who felt I deserved a little love. Now my girl is all wrapped up in it and will be for a long time.

Marlowe monkey’s version:
Long-tail CO 40 st
P 1 row
K8, pm, m1r, k6, m1l, pm, k12, pm, m1r, k6, m1l, pm, k8
P 1 row
Repeat increases 5x, then pop out sleeves and join in the round, adding 2 stitches at each underarm and knitting together each of the last and first 2 stitches.
K 8 rounds.
Switch to skirt color, kfb all around.
K 4 rounds.
Incr round: Incr 1 stitch at each side of skirt.
Repeat previous 4 rounds 2x.
Switch to bodice color, P 1 round, K 1 round, BO P-wise.
Put sleeve stitches on needle and pick up 2 CO underarm stitches. P 1 round, K 1 round, BO P-wise.