A trip back in time

During this summer time my little daughter and me (nearly 6 years old now) are making sightseeing trips. This year she “needed” to see how the Kings, Queens and Princesses used to live in castles in old days. Unfortunately England is too far away for one-day trip, but since Czech Republic was an independent part of the Habsburg Monarchy in past, there are plenty of castles in this little country to visit. I picked local Château Buchlovice, which is only 10km/6 miles from where we live.
Besides the tour through the castle, we also visited the flower exhibition in Castle’s Green/Glasshouse. Part of this beautiful garden is used as “Wild life rescue station” for birds of pray, and it’s open to public as a little zoo.
The Château and its surroundings are often used by movie people as a setting to make historical films and fairy tales.

All this nice feelings and sights gave me the inspiration to find and share with you this summer white dress pattern.

The Dress/Cardigan pattern

Size: 40 (M)  You can vary the size of your top by using different types of material and size of hook.

Chest: 50cm (20’’), length (dress): 114mm (45,5’’) (from the shoulder down), sleeve 40cm (16”)

You need: (for this size dress)

650g of 100% cotton (100g-280m) suitable for E/3,5 mm hook

Yarn Needle, marker

Back of the dress:

Ch 100+3, dc into 4th ch from the hook. Follow the chart back and forth for 77 rows (91cm – 36,4”).

In row 1 you should have 25 V’s. 

For the sleeves finish 5 stitches (ch+dc) from each side – in row 78. Following row (79) finish 3 stitches from each side. You should be left with 21 V’s. Follow the chart for 17 more rows (114cm).

Mark the shoulder parts – 5 V’s from each side. 11V’s will be left for neck.

Front of the dress:

Ch 100+3, dc into 4th ch from the hook. Follow the chart back and forth for 77 rows (91cm – 36,4”).

In row 1 you should have 25 V’s. 

For the sleeves finish 5 stitches (ch+dc) from each side – in row 78. Following row (79) finish 3 stitches from each side. You should be left with 21 V’s. Follow the chart for 6 more rows (row 85 – 100cm/40”). 

In row 86 we start to form the neck – don’t crochet the middle 7 V’s. That will divide your work in two parts. You will finish these separately. In next 6 rows finish two motifs. You should be left with 5 motifs on each side. Continue for up to 96 rows (114cm).

Sleeve:

Ch 52+3, dc into 4th ch from the hook. Follow the chart back and forth for 6 rows (7cm – 2,8”). In row 1 you should have 13 V’s. You add 1 stitch in next 4 rows (10 rows = 15motifs). Next 6 rows keep repeating 15 motifs. Add 1 stitch in next 16 rows (32 rows = 23motifs). Next 2 rows keep repeating 23 motifs. All together 34 rows = 40cm/16”.

Assembling: 

Sew together the shoulder pieces – 5V’s each side. Sew the sleeves together first; attach them to the dress afterwards. You can leave the split on one or both sides of the dress as indicated on the picture. Sc around the neck line, sleeves and the bottom with the split/splits.

And there it is. A very noticeable dress, rather simple and quick to do. Pattern can be used to make top/cardigan as well.

Have a nice week

Clara