“Littlest Gardener’s Dress” is a baby’s Fair Isle pinafore dress in three sizes - 3 (6-to-9, 12) months - knit from the bottom up using four colors of fingering-weight yarn. Finished chest = 17 1/8 (18 7/8, 20 1/2)’ / 43.5 (47.9, 52.2) cm. The stranded skirt is knit circularly; the solid-colored bodice is knit flat. One optional round of simple crochet finishes the buttoned straps.

This knitting pattern is suitable for intermediate knitters familiar with stranded knitting worked from charts. The simple, but optional, crochet trims requires knowledge of “chain”, “single crochet stitch” and “slip stitch”. Instructions for an easy garter stitch alternative trim are also provided.

NEEDLES:

If you knit loosely, try US #1 / 2.50 mm for your TRIM needle and US #3 / 3.25 mm for your MAIN needle.

If you knit tightly, try US #2 / 3.0mm for your TRIM needle and US #4 / 3.50 mm for your MAIN needle.

As always, do a gauge swatch to know which needles work best for you.

YARN:

I used four different shades of Madelinetosh “Tosh Sock” superwash merino, 1 skein each in Elizabeth Taylor, Paper, Undergrowth and Cardigan, but you could do the same dress using only 2 colors…or 3…or plenty more, if you’d like. I can’t wait to see your rendition!

If you’re interested in the same yarn I used, I do have several yarn packs of it available through my maryannstephens.com website.