The New Dress – crochet

It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do with Alize Miss Batik yarn I’ve bought earlier this year. I fell in love with the colour combination, but could not see a stylish way to use it. But seeing some lacy summer dresses from similar yarns, I thought I might risk the stripes. I’m very excited about the fact that this time I did minimum ripping and the dress came out practically as I wanted it from the first try. I did have in mind something with a bit more of ease, but I do not mind it this way either (lovely motivation to keep looking after my weight). I may stretch out a bit as well. I used up a bit less than 5 skeins of Alize Miss Batik (100% cotton, 50g/279m). 1mm hook for the ribbing and 1.25 mm for the mesh pattern). Finished size is a bit difficult to measure as the mesh can be stretched differently. But approximately 47 cm wide at the bottom, 38 cm at the chest level, 80 cm long. Fits 96 cm hips, 85 cm bust. I used front and back post dc’s for the ribbing. The mesh is 5 chains with a single crochet. (US terms). All the rounds end with joining the round, turning the work, and continuing in the opposite direction. Most of the dress patterns I’ve seen with similar neckline/armhole instruct making the body and then picking up stitches for the ribbing. I wasn’t sure that picking up the stitches across the mesh might look messy, so I did mine the other way round. The following is not a full pattern, more like brief notes. If any of you would like to attempt the dress, and have difficulties decoding them, do not hesitate to get in touch. I have started with the neckline. 285 stitches, 6 rounds. Then I created armholes, joining in for 50 stitches in the first round to the neckline part. I tried to place the joining of the round under arm, but they are a bit skewed. 83 stitches of the neckline are left for the back, 102 for the front. The armholes are 190 dcs each, also 6 rounds. The bottom ribbing is 369 stitches, 6 rounds. The continue in the mesh – 92 arches, sc in the every 4th stitch. the last arch is always ch 2, dc in the same stitch as the first arch of this round. Turn, ch 1, sc in the same place, ch 5 – you start the arch at the top of an arch from the previous round. After 8 rounds, 23 arches, sc in the next arch, 44 arches, sc in the next arch, continue to the end. 9 more decreases after 13 rounds each. After the last decrease round, one more round straight. Next round. Join 2 arches to each armhole part. Finish the round, break the yarn. Join to continue working the front straight. 1st row – join 2 arches to each of the underarms. After that, on each side at the end do last arch as usual, ch 1, sl into the 4th dc from the last join, ch 2 turn, sc in the first arch = 1 arch decreased. After 8 rows join 4 midle arches to the neckline. Work two sides separately. 1 more decrease on the armhole side, then work straight. To do that, at the end of the round, after the last sc, ch 2, sl st into the 4th dc of the ribbing, ch 2, sl st in the 2nd dc of the ribbing, ch 2, turn, sc in the first arch. On each side of the neck line, nest row join 1 arch, 3 arches next row, 2 arches next row. Fill the rest of the space. For the back, begin like the front, 14 row with decreases, 21 rows straight, last row join the remaining arches to the back of the neckline (every 5th dc). I love how this dress can be worn as a beach cover up with a bikini, or as a city dress if you use a light underdress.