This dress is one of my longest projects – I’ve started it somewhere in September 2013 because I wanted to make a knit dress with geometric lace pattern.
All photos are clickable:
Well, somehow the process was moving not very fast. Maybe because of winter, maybe because I lost interest.
I knit this dress in rounds. The part that is now between bust and waist (approx. 27 rows) was completed in 3-4 month : )). Too slow… In the meantime I crocheted lots of different garments and actually was thinking to undo all 27 rows.
My friend said – oh, it was so beautiful, leave it, maybe someday you’ll return to this knit project. After some thinking I took another chart, started knitting upwards over completed part (now it is part over bust). Since I had more yarn that the lace dress was consuming I’ve changed the original chart, added more solid-looking rows and started knitting downwards under cast chains (now it’s skirt). Great thing that I used scrap yarn for casting!
I decided to knit dress downwards until my yarn ends : )) – I had 1600 meters (1750 yards) of mixed yarn of bamboo/rayon/linen and did not want to have any left overs. Not because I didn’t love the yarn – it was fine, soft, with nice shine. I just think that the best project is the one I can use the amount of yarn I have for it : )). Without purchasing more or having lots of leftovers.
Finally I have finished knitting in January 2015! : )) Maybe it’s kind of projects “for keeping it in wardrobe far away from my eyes” because the only place I could wear it is beach resort in the evening. Or perhaps during some beach wedding : ))). It weights 350 gr (12.3 oz) so it takes almost no place in a holiday luggage (I would not be weighed down by huge bags :));
The dark slip dresses are not meant for this dress – I wore them just to show the knit pattern.
Below is the diagram I drew for the skirt (it’s clickable):
HQ chart in PDF format can be sent to your email upon request – this chart in JPG format is a low-resolution version so I still have some upload space remaining in my blog. I kindly ask you not to copy this diagram into your blog or sell it – just give the following link for the diagram https://conceptcreativeblog.wordpress.com/2015/01/31/knit-summer-dress-with-free-chart/
As for the rest of the charts – I made so many remarks in them that they look rather terrible : )). Top is just more “lighter version” of the skirt pattern.
Abbreviations:
All other stitches (squares) you work in garter stitch. This way you will have reversible, ridged fabric.
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Friggin’ WOW!! That’s incredible. And the scary thing is, the chart makes it look not that hard. I get sucked into lace projects by deceptive charts…..
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It takes lots of time, but otherwise it’s doable :)).
Happy knitting!
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This is extremely beautiful! I have been googeling my hands of to try and find a pattern for my wedding dress and here it is! Could I somehow persuede you to add the pattern for the top as well? I will gladly pay you for it! I am just not skilled enough to make the pattern myself even with the charts for the skirt. If not I totally understand! Anyway it is a truly gorgeous dress and I hope you are not as sick of working on it that you can´t stand to look at it, lol 🙂
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Dear Miriell,
Thanks a lot for your compliments! The pattern for the top was made of at least two different charts. I found chart that I used over waist and took a photo for you – http://imgbox.com/axeIROkZ . Over it I knitted several rows from the skirt chart or maybe included some rows from another chart in between (don’t remember) – these were rather experiments because I had not any exact plan in mind and made what would look good (in my opinion : )). Then I undid several upper rows because the dress became too long. I searched for some notes in my papers but could not find any related to the top… except for the above photo-chart for waist level. Hope it’s the one you were interested in. And from there you can experiment with this skirt chart https://conceptcreativeblog.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/skirt-chart.jpg but work more lacy rows (not solid ones). Good luck! Inna
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You can accuse me of biting off more than I can chew but I’ve just bought the maxi dress pattern from your Etsy site … as my first lace knit project. Can you send me the pattern for this dress? If it comes off, my wife will have both a beautiful beach dress and a beautiful evening dress (once I’ve lined it with black silk). I’m now very much looking forward to starting – and finishing – work …
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Dear Mike,
Thank you very much for the purchase. It is a real pleasure that you love my work. I offer this maxi dress as a written pattern and have described it during working on the project.
For grey dress I drew this free skirt chart As I have explained in the previous comment that the pattern for the top was made of at least two different charts. Here is chart that I have used over waist: http://imgbox.com/axeIROkZ Over it I knitted several rows from the skirt chart or maybe included some rows from another chart in between (don’t remember) – these were rather experiments because I had not any exact plan in mind and made what would look good (in my opinion : )). Then I undid several upper rows because the dress became too long. I left no notes in my papers related to the top of the dress … except for the above photo-chart for waist level.
Alas, knit patterns are not very popular in my shop and I prefer to concentrate on crochet patterns. Hope that you will find this free chart for the skirt useful and can make a beautiful dress (or skirt) for your wife. You just need to recognize these chart symbols https://conceptcreativeblog.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/skirt-chart-abbrev.jpg and repeat motifs across the round. Happy knitting!
Kind regards,
Inna
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Hi,
Would it be possible to get this pattern?
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Dear Jemina,
Thank you very much for the interest. This dress was made a while ago and I’m not going to describe it. The pattern for the top was made of at least two different charts. I found chart that I used over waist and took a photo: https://conceptcreativeblog.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/over-waist.jpg Chart symbols: https://conceptcreativeblog.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/skirt-chart-abbrev.jpg Over this piece I knitted several rows from the skirt chart or maybe included some rows from another chart in between (don’t remember) – these were rather experiments because I had not any exact plan in mind and made what would look good (in my opinion : )). Then I undid several upper rows because the dress became too long. I searched for some notes in my papers but could not find any related to the top… except for the above photo-chart for waist level. Hope it helps. And from there you can experiment with this skirt chart https://conceptcreativeblog.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/skirt-chart.jpg but work more lacy rows (not solid ones).
If you are interested in row-by-row knitted lacy patterns, here are a couple of links:
Skirt: https://www.etsy.com/listing/163971221/knit-skirt-pattern-sizes-s-xl-knit
Dress: https://www.etsy.com/listing/154201222/beach-maxi-dress-pattern-detailed
Top: https://www.etsy.com/listing/157352851/knit-halter-neck-top-pattern-
Here is a free charted pattern for my lacy top: https://conceptcreativeblog.wordpress.com/2016/06/19/knit-summer-top-with-free-chart/
Here is a free written pattern for the knit shoulder warmer: https://conceptcreative.store/free-download-knit-wrap-infinity-knit-tutorial/
And if you have purchased any of my tutorials before this sweater pattern would be also free: https://conceptcreative.store/shop/succession-sweater-knit-pattern-knit-tutorial-in-english/
Good luck!
Inna
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