This festive, fun little dress with pretty little bobble stitches was inspired by Fleur …a free shawl pattern by Espace Tricot (linked above). The pattern features two versions of the shawl. I fell in love with the colors of version 1 and used the bobble stitches featured in version 2 for the dress.

Each bobble stripe has is made up of two rows in this dress…a knit row where the bobbles are made and a purl row. You can find the version 2 bobble stitch clearly explained in the pattern found here I used only the silk cloud for the bobble rows. I kept the pink yarn attached throughout but cut the silk cloud after finishing each of the bobble stripes.

I usually switch to 12 inch circular needles after the garter stitch hem. However, for this dress, I continued using straight needles. The bobbles were easier to knit this way.

I started with a long tail cast on of 90 stitches in white yarn and knit rows 2-5 on straight needles to create a garter hem. The long tail cast on is row 1.

I switched to the variegated pink yarn for row 6. Starting with a knit row, I knit in stocking stitch for 4 rows then switched to the white silk cloud for the first bobble row keeping the pink yarn attached. For the bobble row, I knit 5 stitches and made a bobble on the sixth stitch and continued this pattern to the end of the row. I purled the next row. I cut the silk cloud and picked the pink up again knitting 4 more stocking stitch rows.

Keeping the pink yarn attached, I attached the silk cloud for another bobble stripe. For this second bobble row, I made a small change at the start to offset the bobbles. I knit 3 stitches then knit a bobble stitch. For the remainder of the row, I knit 5 stitches and then a bobble for the sixth stitch to the end. I purled the next row. Then I cut the silk cloud and picked up the pink yarn to finish the dress.

I followed my usual dress modifications found here using the reduction given for 90 stitches beginning on row 26.

The bunny was knit on 2.75mm neeedles using Sublime extra fine merino DK in caramel.