Pinwheel Dress

Short-row construction and side-to-side knitting give this skirt its unique striped look. The bodice is picked up and knitted from the side of skirt. The sleeves and neck border are finished with attached I-cord.

SIZES

3/6 months (12 months, 18 months, 2T) (3T, 4T, 5T) (6, 6X, 7/8) 10/12

Instructions are written for size 3/6 months; all other sizes are in parentheses. Note: This pattern has an extended size range for younger girls.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest: 20 (21, 22, 23) (24, 25, 26) (27, 28, 29) 30 in. / 51 (53.5, 56, 58.5) (61, 63.5, 66) (68.5, 71, 73.5) 76 cm

Length: 16 (17, 18, 19) (20, 21, 22½) (23½, 25, 27) 28 in. / 40.5 (43, 45.5, 48) (51, 53.5, 57) (59.5, 63.5, 68.5) 71 cm

YARN

Cascade Yarns Ultra Pima; 100 g each approx. 220 yd. / 200 m; 100% pima cotton

• 1 (1, 1, 2) (2, 2, 2) (2, 3, 3) 3 skeins #3728 White (Main Color)

• 1 skein #3773 Sky Blue (A)

• 1 skein #3711 China Pink (B)

• 1 skein #3758 Pale Seafoam (C)

• 1 skein #3757 Dark Seafoam (D)

MATERIALS

• Size US 4 / 3.5 mm 16 in. and 24 in. / 40.5 and 61 cm circular needles (or size to obtain gauge)

• Tapestry needle (sharp yarn darner works best for tucking cotton ends)

• Waste yarn

• Stitch markers

GAUGE

26 sts and 32 rows to 4 in. / 10 cm in St st

PATTERN NOTE

• Skirt is worked sideways in one piece with easy short-row shaping. Body is picked up and worked in the round, front and back worked separately at armholes, with three-needle bind-off at shoulders. Attached I-cord finish.

SKIRT

Note: When picking up wraps, insert needle into the wrap first, then knit it together with the stitch on the left needle.

With A, cast on 60 (62, 66, 70) (74, 78, 82) (86, 92, 98) 104 sts.

Begin short-row shaping as follows:

Row 1 (WS): With Color A, purl; do not cut yarn.

Row 2: Change to MC and knit 45 (47, 50, 53) (56, 59, 61) (65, 69, 74) 78 sts, w&t, purl back; do not cut yarn.

Row 3: With Color A, knit to end, picking up wrap when you come to it.

Row 4: Purl; cut Color A, leaving a tail to weave in.

Row 5: With MC, knit 41 (43, 46, 49) (52, 55, 57) (61, 65, 69) 74, w&t; purl back.

Row 6: With Color D, knit to end, picking up wrap when you come to it.

Row 7 (WS): Purl, do not cut yarn.

Row 8: With MC, knit 37 (39, 42, 45 (48, 51, 53) (57, 61, 65) 70, w&t; purl back.

Row 9: With D, knit to end, picking up wrap when you come to it.

Row 10: Purl; cut yarn.

Row 11: With MC, knit 33 (35, 38, 41) (44, 47, 49) (53, 57, 61) 66, w&t; purl back.

Row 12: With Color B, knit to end, picking up wrap when you come to it.

Row 13: Purl; do not cut yarn.

Row 14: With MC, knit 29 (31, 34, 37) (40, 43, 45) (49, 53, 57) 62, w&t; purl back.

Row 15: With B, knit to end, picking up wrap when you come to it.

Row 16: Purl; cut yarn.

Row 17: With MC, knit 25 (27, 30, 33) (36, 39, 41) (45, 49, 53) 58, w&t; purl back.

Row 18: With Color C, knit to end, picking up wrap when you come to it.

Next row: Purl; do not cut yarn.

Beginning with Row 17, work backwards to Row 2, but add 4 sts to each number before the “w&t”, changing colors as before.

Repeat this sequence forward and backward until waist-band (narrow end, no MC here) has 40 (42, 44, 46) (48, 50, 52) (54, 56, 58) 60 four-row color changes.

Join skirt into a circle by either binding off and stitching sides together or picking up sts from the cast-on edge and using the three-needle bind-off (from the WS).

With MC, beginning at center back, from the RS, pick up and knit 3 out of every 4 sts across color bars of waistband to 120 (126, 132, 138) (144, 150, 156) (162, 168, 174) 180 sts. Place a marker and join into a round.

Knit 30 (31, 33, 34) (36, 38, 39) (41, 42, 44) 45 sts, place different color marker for side seam, knit 60 (64, 66, 70) (72, 74, 78) (80, 84, 86) 90, place marker, knit to beginning marker at center back.

Knit in the round for 3 in. / 7.5 cm (or desired length to underarm), ending at side marker.

Divide for armholes: Knit across 60 (64, 66, 70) (72, 74, 78) (80, 84, 86) 90 sts and place them on a holder or waste yarn and set aside for front.

BACK

(worked back and forth in St st rows)

Bind off 6 sts at the beginning of the next 2 rows (bind off in purl on the WS).

Begin stripe pattern: 4 rows Color D, 2 rows MC, 4 rows Color A, 2 rows MC, 4 rows Color C, 2 rows MC, 4 rows Color B, 2 rows MC.

Continue in stripes and work even until bodice from armhole bind-off measures 3½ (4, 4½, 5) (5, 5½, 6½) (7, 7½, 8) 8½ in. / 9 (10, 11.5, 12.5) (12.5, 14, 16.5) (18, 19, 20.5) 21.5 cm, end having completed a WS row.

Back Neck Shaping

Next row (RS): Work across 33 (34, 37, 38) (41, 44, 46) (49, 51, 54) 55 sts, place last 18 (18, 20, 20) (22, 24, 26) (28, 30, 32) 32 sts just worked on holder or waste yarn for center neck, and work to end of row.

Next row: Purl.

Next row (RS): K1, ssk, knit to end.

Repeat last 2 rows twice more to 12 (13, 14, 15) (16, 17, 17) (18, 18, 19) 20 sts rem. Place on a holder or waste yarn.

Join new yarn to WS at neck edge and purl across.

Next row (RS): Knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.

Next row: Purl.

Repeat last 2 rows twice more to 12 (13, 14, 15) (16, 17, 17) (18, 18, 19) 20 sts rem. Place on a holder or waste yarn.

FRONT

Place sts from holder on needle and work same as for front (including bind-offs for armhole).

Continue in stripes and work even until bodice from armhole bind-off measures 3 (3, 3, 3½) (3½, 4, 4½) (5, 5½, 6) 6 in. / 7.5 (7.5, 7.5, 9) (9, 10, 11.5) (12.5, 14, 15) 15 cm. End having completed a WS row.

Front Neck Shaping

Next row (RS): Work across 30 (33, 34, 37) (38, 39, 43) (44, 48, 49) 50 sts, place last 12 (14, 14, 16) (16, 16, 20) (20, 24, 24) 26 sts just worked on a holder or waste yarn for center neck, and work to end of row.

Next row: Purl.

Next row (RS): K1, ssk, knit to end.

Repeat last 2 rows 5 times more to 12 (13, 14, 15) (16, 17, 17) (18, 18, 19) 20 sts.

Work even if necessary until piece measures same as back, place sts on a holder or waste yarn.

Join new yarn to WS at neck edge and purl across.

Next row (RS): Knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.

Next row: Purl.

Repeat last 2 rows 5 times more to 12 (13, 14, 15) (16, 17, 17) (18, 18, 19) 20 sts.

Work even if necessary until piece measures same as back.

Use the three-needle bind-off to connect the shoulder sts together from the wrong side.

ARMHOLE EDGING

Beginning at underarm, from the RS with 16 in. / 40.5 cm needle and MC, pick up and knit 3 out of 4 sts around armhole. Turn work and cast on 3 sts.

[K2, ssk, slip 3 sts to left needle] repeat around for attached I-cord.

Bind off and stitch cord ends together at underarm.

NECK BORDER

Begin at center back and work same as for armholes.

FINISHING

Sew side and underarm seams, weave in all ends, and steam lightly or block according to directions on ball band.