Welcome to a post dedicated to Darling Dress, one of the design from my Sydney Summer Knits ebook! If you need extra help in making your own version or want to know more about summer knits in general, it’s an article for you!
Once my first summer knitalong ended, I decided to gather all the valuable tips, videos and tutorials I shared with the event’s participants and put it in one post to provide advice and help to all the knitters. I hope you will find it useful!
You can find detailed information on how to make, style and even modify this summer knit in the ebook (100 pages full of valuable and interesting content!), which you can buy in my Ravelry or Payhip store. But in this post I will share all the extra resources that may help you work with Darling Dress pattern and make your knitting smooth and trouble-free. Enjoy!
Article content:
- Yarn and fabric properties.
- How to modify.
- Blocking.
Yarn and fabric properties
Using a plant-based and non-elastic fiber is key to success when working on a summer dress. Such a dress should meet different criteria than a dress made for winter or autumn. We don’t want the fabric to wrap around and stick to our bodies as is the case for a comfy woolen one – this is what makes winter clothes such warm and comforting pieces of garments.
But to feel comfortable during hot days, the fabric should always remain dry and airy. There is no doubt that all of us sweat during summer and our clothes absorb that moisture, changing properties depending on the fiber. Wool tends to stretch out and become heavier. It also clings to the body when wet and, unfortunately, dries quite slowly.
Linen is a highly breathable fabric. It is more stiff and that’s why it doesn’t cling to our skin, absorbs moisture and dries quickly.
Another important factor that makes plant-based fibers better than wool when working on a summer dress is their lack of elasticity. Watch this video to see the difference between yarn made from pure wool and 100% linen, in my case: Antigone from De Rerum Natura.
The thread on the left is wool. You can see how much it stretches when pulling and changes its thickness. It means that a big piece of fabric made from such a spongy yarn, will definitely stretch out significantly, losing its shape and nice look. Now take a look at the linen thread. You may notice it barely keeps the twist. That is good! This, combined with a linen durability, makes the thread hard to stretch out. This tells us that after the first, rather light, stretching (after blocking and first wearing), the thread reaches its maximum length and will not surprise us at the end of the day by doubling it.
Watch this video to see the fabric made from linen and its properties:
The fabric stretches only slightly downwards. At the same time, it can be easily stretched sideways, and this is really useful for all projects requiring negative ease.
Stiffness of the linen also allows us to finish projects in a very minimalistic way, like the picot edge in Darling Dress. The edges do not curl!
Remember that stiffness does not mean lack of softness. Antigone is a truly nice and soft yarn. As I described it in detail on page 40 of the ebook, linen loves to be worn. It is very harsh after washing, but once you rub/hug/wear it, it becomes soft and smooth.
And last, but not least – the smoothness of the thread. To highlight lace straps, use a smooth yarn with slight shine. Stockinette st always look fabulous, but lace requires a special approach. Avoid non-solid colours and textures.
How to modify
My idea for this project was to create a dress that is both a bit fancy and incredibly easy for knitters to adjust! Dresses can be tricky – we have different heights and body shapes, and what is comfortable for one person might not be for another.
The key features here are the lace straps and open, square necklines. Then, there is a sea of beautiful stockinette stitch, which allows us to modify it easily!
Even the top part (straps and necklines) are designed to be easily customized for your body! I assure you, following my tips will result in a great-looking garment.
Before you start the Darling Dress, consider how deep you like your necklines. For the square neckline, I prefer a deeper cut, especially in the back.
But remember, everyone’s proportions and needs are different. Always measure yourself or a similar dress in your wardrobe before deciding. Once your straps are ready, hold them up to the mirror, fold them in half, and see where they sit on your chest. Keep in mind that the finished dress will weigh them down slightly, so when blocking them, focus on length first and avoid stretching them too much sideways.
Once the necklines are done and the front and back are joined, you can think about the dress’s body shape. The original pattern provides a classic A-line silhouette, but don’t be afraid to adjust it! If you like a truly oversized look, simply decrease the space between increases (add stitches more often). If you prefer something more fitted, space out increases more than provided. No matter what distance you choose, maintain it consistently throughout the project!
Note
These modifications might require changing the split placement and the number of stitches picked up for the picot edge.
You can make your dress any length you desire! You can create a crop top, a knee-length dress, or even an ankle-length maxi dress. If you are making a crop top, skip the split altogether. For a maxi dress, consider adding a long, feminine slit that starts above your knee.
Blocking
Read my article The gist of blocking your knits to learn more about the purpose and general rules of blocking. I believe it will help you to understand the process.
Watch this short video to find out how to block your Darling Dress successfully:
Blocking instruction:
Block it with the back facing you so you can see both necklines and sides of the straps.
Arrange the dress so it folds exactly at the sides.
Start by aligning the slit edges and pin it in place through both layers.
Arrange the necklines and the straps.
Pin the armpits.
Start pinning from the back neckline. Pin at least every second picot. Pin directly through the picots. Repeat for the front neckline.
Arrange the straps and check their measurements. Pin in place at the top.
Pair the corresponding picots and pin them together the same way as the neckline. The back neckline is narrower than the front one, which means that the back straps, right below the front neckline, will lay slightly diagonal when blocking. No worries – it does not affect the final effect, but it is much better to pin both layers of the straps together. This way you can ensure all the picots are flat and nicely highlighted.
Pin the armpit picots.
Pair the corresponding hem picots and pin them together exactly the same way as the necklines and the straps. Read more about blocking of picot edges in this article: Blocking of picots.
You may secure the sides to get the nice and straight line.
About Sydney Summer Knits collection
Sydney Summer Knits collection contains four brand-new, unique summer patterns inspired by my new home – Sydney. You will find here three tops and one dress, each design mirroring a different feature of the city. All the designs are made in style closest to my heart, which I dare to name modern romanticism.
Read articles about Filigree Cami, Seasalt Tank and Woollahra Tee:
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