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Hi, I'm Amanda! Teacher, naturalist, wife, DIY lover, and home cook.  Thank you for checking out my blog!

DIY Fair Isle Sweater Dress


Prepping for my sweet angel I looked everywhere for a Christmas outfit for her first Christmas. Found some I liked okay, but nothing I loved that was in her size. I decided to raid Pinterest for ideas and found this beautiful sweater dress with matching ski boots. The knitted pattern was made from a book this woman had, but me being too cheap to buy a pattern I decided to make my own. I tracked down several patterns I liked and combined them to make what I needed. I used Caron Simply Soft Yarn because I like how soft it feels, but it's also pretty lightweight, machine washable, and cheap.

This is how I made this incredibly adorable outfit!

0-3 Month Old Fair Isle Sweater Dress

Supplies:

Size 8 circular knitting needle

Size 10 double pointed needles

2 skeins of main color in a size 4-medium yarn

1 skein of secondary color in a size 4-medium yarn

Darning needle

Size H crochet hook

Gauge:

20 stitches=4 inches

13 rows in stockinette=2 inches

Abbreviations:

CO=cast on

st=stitches

MC=main color

k=knit

p=purl

k2tog=knit two together

SC=secondary color

bo=bind off

sc=single crochet

ch=chain

ss=slip stitch

inc=increase

sc2tog=single crochet 2 tog

slst=slip stitch

dc=double crochet

Directions:

Create a small swatch to check your gauge against mine.

Dress:

CO 108 st using MC. Place a stitch marker and join in the round.

1. k 4, p 4, repeat until the end.

2. k round

3-6. Repeat row 1 for each odd numbered row and row 2 for each even numbered row.

7-17. knit

18. k2tog, k 25 st, repeat to end

19-26. knit

27. k 12 st, k2tog, k 24 st, repeat to end

28-32. knit

33. k2tog, k 23 st, repeat to end

34-38. knit

39. k 12 st, k2tog, k 47 st, k2tog, knit to end

40-69. knit pattern using SC for the pattern

70. knit

71. bo 10 st (sleeve), k 8 st (shoulder) and place on cabling hook, bo 30 st (chest), k 8 st (shoulder) and place on cabling hook, bo 10 st (sleeve), knit to end (back)

72-77. k even rows, p odd rows--stockinette stitch

78. k 8 st (shoulder) and place on cabling hook, bo st to last 8 st (neck), k 8 st (shoulder)

79-84. stockinette stitch

85. bo all stitches

Take other back shoulder st from cable hook and place on needles. Repeat rows 79-85.

Add one of the front shoulder st from cable hook and place on needles. Stockinette stitch for 13 rows, bo. Repeat for other should strap.

Join shoulder straps.

Neck:

1. Using size H hook sc 10 st across chest, ch 1, turn.

2-?. sc back and forth until you've worked your way around the collar, ss at end of row to join collar to shoulder and back.

bo, use darning needle to sew onto chest other side.

Sleeves (make 2):

CO 20 st using MC.

1. k 4 st, p 4 st, repeat to end.

2. k

2-6. Repeat row 1 for all odd rows and row 2 for all even rows

7-22. k with cabling

23. inc, k 18 st, inc

24-26. k with cabling

27. inc, k 20 st, inc

28-30. k with cabling

31. inc, k 22 st, inc

32-34. k with cabling

35. inc, k 24 st, inc

36-38. k with cabling

39. inc, k 26 st, inc

40-42. k with cabling

43. inc, k 28 st, inc

44. bo all

Sew onto main sweater and join sides up sleeve.

Fair Isle Ski Booties (make 2):

Using size H hook ch 7 in SC.

1-10. sc, ch 1, turn

11. 2 sc in first st, sc 5 st, 2 sc, ch1, turn

12-18. sc, ch1, turn

19. sc, ch1

20. sc around

21. sc inside loops only

22-23. sc both loops

24. sc inside loops only across toes, sc both loops around rest of shoe

25-28. sc both loops across toes only, sc2tog, ss 2 st, turn

29-30. sc around entire shoe

Using size 10 double pointed needles CO 28 st, place stitch marker, join round.

1. k

2-15. k snowflake pattern using MC for pattern

16. k

17. bo

Sew to base of shoe.

Using size H hook ch 70 in MC, bo.

Weave long chain around top of bootie and tie a pom pom in MC to both ends, tie in a bow.

Flower Headband:

Using size J hook ch 50 in MC, slst to make round.

1. ch 2, dc, slst, ch 1, turn

2-6. sc, slst, ch 1, turn

7. sc, slst, ch 2, turn

8. dc, sl st, bo

Using size J hook ch 3 in SC 1. 6 dc into the first chain. slst to the top of the first dc. (6) 2. ch 2, 3 dc into the same stitch, ch 2, sl st into the same stitch. *ch 1, sl st in next stitch. ch 2, 3 dc into the same stitch, ch 2, sl st into the same stitch* around. (6 petals made). 3. ch 3. You will bring this chain behind the first petal on the previous round and sl st into ch 1 space between the petals. Do this behind each petal. Behind the last petal, sl st into the first ch 3 space you made. (6 ch 3 spaces made) 4. ch 2, 5 dc into the same ch 3 space, ch 2, sl st into the same space. *ch 1, sl st in next ch 3 space. ch 2, 5 dc into the same stitch, ch 2, sl st into the same space* around. (6 petals made behind first set of 6 petals) 5. ch 4. You will bring this chain behind the first petal on the previous round and sl st into the ch 1 space between the petals. Do this behind each petal. Behind the last petal, sl st into the first ch 4 space.

6. ch 2, 6 dc into the same ch 4 space, ch 2, sl st into the same space. *ch 1, sl st in the next ch 4 space. ch 2, 6 dc into the same stitch, ch 2, sl st into the same space* around. (6 petals made behind the second set of 6 petals).

Sew onto headband.

Hope you enjoy this super adorable pattern and the super adorable child wearing it. This was my first experience knitting in fair isle and I think it turned out pretty good. Have any tips when you knit in fair isle? This was also my first time making pom poms, had to get my mother to help me. Switched to crocheting periodically because it's much faster for me to complete the outfit in time for Christmas.


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