Let's do this again!

Do you remember this dress? I do. I made it to be an everyday dress and I drafted the pattern as a copy of a vintage design that appeared in Vogue's New Book for Better Sewing. I didn't get the neckline and shoulder area exactly correct and the neckline gaped and pulled open. I was constantly adjusting the dress as it pulled back over my shoulders. After a couple of wearings, the dress went back into my fabric stash.

Then I found this pattern as a good substitute for self drafted dress.  It's a reprint from Simplicity and I liked the coat option that came with the pattern.

So I recut the old dress and made a new one. The back has an invisible zipper and you can see the horizontal yoke seam that goes across both the front and back.

This is the front view and it's not a particularly flattering photo for the dress. It is better than that. I've recycled the self-fabric belt from the old dress. I can wear this chemise two ways. I prefer a bit of a defined waistline.

This is the dress with my new sweater. This is how I would normally wear this during the normal work week at home. Is the dress a stunner fashion and fit wise? I would say no. It is a simple, easy to make dress for daily housework. Would I make the dress again? Yes, probably would give it a try in ponte knit. I might be able to make a smaller size with a knit and hopefully have a slightly slimmer silhouette. 

The Katia Yarn Sweater

This is the sweater I knit from the frogged yarn from the Bluebell sweater. I found the pattern in a Katia Yarns magazine called Special - Fils Basiques #10 Automme/Hiver. (#10 Autumn/Winter - Yarn Basics)

I chose Modele #09 on page 8. The original sweater has three colors. I chose to simplify the look by using the teal yarn from the frogged sweater for the body and the sleeves and then I chose a mousy, mole colored brown for the cuffs and collar.

Gauge Swatch

 The gauge was 19.5 stitches and 29 rows knitted in the pattern makes a 10cm x 10cm square. I managed this with US#7 needles.  I used US#5's for the rib knit and US#7's for the main pattern. The pattern calls for 3.5mm and 4.0 mm needles. I am a very tight knitter...much to uptight...really I shouldn't be knitting. It's not good for me.

The back

Here is the completed back. The pattern calls for the back to be knitted to 43cm before the armhole shaping. I am short in the torso and I know this yarn stretches. The fabric is fairly dense and weighty with this stitch pattern. I knit the smallest size (38-40) and shortened the length to 37cm. Will I get a sweater that's too small? Or have I accounted for the unnatural growth of this yarn?

Finished!

 There's the finished sweater. I chose some brown petersham ribbon for the back side of the front band and some wooden buttons.

 Here's the back on my dress form. It is much to warm to model this garment. Trust me it fits well and it grew a size during blocking! I had a lot of misgivings as I knit this. It really looked too small and I had to trust the planning and guessing I did about the yarn.

And here is the front of the sweater. This is going to be appreciated this fall.