Kelsey Dress

Kelsey Dress
Free Knitting Pattern

Kelsey is a beautiful little raglan dress with a lace detail skirt.

The dress is knitted from top down in one piece with no seaming. It’s a simple but beautiful design and one of my most popular.

Kelsey can be worn over any season. Pair it with sandals in the summer or with thick tights and a long-sleeved vest in the winter. Your little girl will be over the moon.

PIN NOW AND KNIT IT LATER!

WATCH THE STEP BY STEP VIDEO

Details

Sizes

Sizes (approx): 12m, (18m, 2yrs, 3yrs, 4yrs, 5yrs, 6yrs)
To Fit Chest (cm): 45.5, (48, 53.5, 56, 58.5, 61, 63.5)
To Fit Chest (in): 18, (19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
Actual Chest (cm): 47, (50, 54, 57, 59, 62, 64)
Actual Chest (in): 18.5, (19.5, 21.25, 22.5, 23.25, 24.5, 25.25)
Back Length (cm): 32.5, (34.5, 36.5, 38.5, 40.5, 42.5, 44.5)
Back Length (in): 12.75, (12.75, 14.25, 15, 16, 16.75, 17.5)

NEEDLES

Circular Knitting Needles 4mm / US 6
Double Pointed Needles 4mm / US 6

NOTIONS

Stitch markers (4)
Yarn needle
Row counter (optional)

YARN

DK weight
Shown in Jenny Watson Pure Merino DK, shade WM12 Purple
100% merino
2, (3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5) 50g balls
approx 248, (372, 372, 372, 496, 496, 620) meters
270, (405, 405, 405, 540, 540, 675) yards

GAUGE

10×10 cms (4” x 4”) = 22 sts x 30 rnds stocking st

ABBREVIATIONS

• k – knit
• p – purl
• pm – place marker
• sm – slip marker
• rm – remove marker
• kfb – knit into the front of the stitch and again into the back of the stitch to create an extra stitch yo yarn over the needle
• k2tog – knit two stitches together
• ssk – slip slip knit
• m1 – make 1 st by picking up the strand of yarn between the two sts and knitting it through the back loop
• rep – repeat
• cm(s) – centimeters
• in / “ – inches
• rnd(s) – round(s)
• st(s) – stitches
• meas – measure

Pattern

Note: Kelsey is knitted in the round from the top down.

DIRECTIONS

Using 4mm circular needle cast on 66 (70, 76, 80, 84, 88, 92) sts, pm and join in the rnd being careful not to twist.

Rnd 1: k, pm after each set of sts as follows: 7 (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) sts for first sleeve, pm, 26 (27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33) sts for front, pm, 7 (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) sts for second sleeve, pm, 26 (27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33) sts for back.
Rnd 2: p

RAGLAN EDGING

Rnd 3: *kfb, k to one st before marker, kfb, sm, rep from * to end. 74 (78, 84, 88, 92, 96, 100) sts
Rnd 4: p
Rnds 5-8: rep Rnds 3 and 4 twice more. 90 (94, 100, 104, 108, 112, 116) sts

Change to stocking st

Rnd 9: *k1, yo, k to one st before marker, yo, k1, sm, rep from * to end. 98 (102, 108, 112, 116, 120, 124) sts
Rnd 10: k Rep Rnds 9 and 10 a further 9 (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 14) times. 170 (182, 196, 208, 220, 232, 236) sts

ARMHOLES

Place the next 33 (36, 39, 42, 45, 48, 49) sts on holder, rm, k52 (55, 59, 62, 65, 68, 69), rm, rep from * to end, but do not remove final marker. 104 (110, 118, 124, 130, 136, 138) sts

BODY

Note: final marker will be at the start of each rnd. This should be in the underarm, with the front being the first section you knit each round.

K seven rnds
P one rnd
K one rnd
P one rnd
Next rnd: k52 (55, 59, 62, 65, 68, 69), pm, k to end

INCREASE ROUND

NOTE: Read through the increase round for your size carefully. You will be working the increases across the front to the opposite underarm, then you will repeat the increase again for the back, to your start of round marker.

Size 12m: *m1, k2, (m1, k3) until to 2 sts, before m, m1, k2, rep from * to end. 140 sts

Size 18m: *(m1, k4) twice, (m1, k3) until 8 sts before m, (m1, k4) twice, rep from * to end. 144 sts

Size 2yrs: *k2, (m1, k3) until 3 sts before m, k3, rep from * to end. 154 sts

Size 3yrs: *m1, k5, (m1, k4) until 5 sts before m, m1, k5, rep from * to end. 154 sts

Size 4yrs: *m1, k5, (m1, k4) until m, rep from * to end. 162 sts

Size 5yrs: *k4, m1, rep from * to end. 170 sts

Size 6yrs: *(k5, m1) twice, (k4, m1) six times, k6, m1, (k4, m1) six times, k5, m1, rep from * to end. 170 sts

PATTERNED SECTION

NOTE: The side marker can now be removed. You now only need a start of round marker.

Rnd 1: * k1, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k2 (1, 3, 3, 1, 2, 2) rep from * to end
Rnd 2: k
Rnd 3: * k2, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k3 (2, 4, 4, 2, 3, 3) rep from * to end
Rnd 4: k

Rep Rnds 1 – 4 of pattern until work meas 30 (32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42) cm / 11.75 (12.5, 13.25, 14, 15, 15.75, 16.5) in or 2.5cm / 1” shorter than your desired length, ending after Rnd 4

Work eight rnds in garter st (k one rnd, p one rnd)
Cast off loosely

SLEEVES

Place the 33 (36, 39, 42, 45, 48, 49) sleeve sts on 4mm dpns to work in the rnd
Work eight rnds in garter st
Cast off loosely

Rep for second sleeve

FINISH

Weave in loose ends.
Using a darning method, sew up holes in the underarms.
Block lightly to open up the patterned section.

Download the printer friendly PDF version here –

Warning – this link takes you to Ravelry which is currently causing some people migraines, sickness and seizures. As soon as I can get a free pattern download link away from Ravelry, I will fix this.

I hope you enjoyed making the Kesley dress.

Please take a moment to upload your projects to Ravelry (see the above warning) and don’t forget to PIN this pattern on Pinterest so you can make it again next time. Share your Kelsey Dress on Instagram with hashtag #KesleyDress, then drop by the RowRow and Kades Knitty Gang on Discord and share it there too!