purlJam

# TITLE: ENCHANTED GARDEN TEXTURED DOLL DRESS
**Difficulty Level**: Intermediate
**Scale**: Designed for 18-inch dolls (e.g., American Girl, Our Generation)

---

### MATERIALS
*   **Yarn**: DK Weight (Category 3). Approx 180 yards (165m). 
*   **Needles**: 
    *   US 6 (4.0 mm) circular needles (16" / 40 cm length)
    *   US 6 (4.0 mm) double-pointed needles (DPNs) or long circular for Magic Loop (for sleeves/armholes)
*   **Notions**: 
    *   Stitch markers (one unique for Beginning of Round)
    *   Cable needle (cn)
    *   Stitch holders or scrap yarn
    *   Tapestry needle
    *   Three 3/8" (10mm) buttons
    *   Blocking mat and pins

---

### GAUGE
*   **Textured Gauge**: 24 sts and 32 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in Honeycomb Cable Pattern (Chart B) after light blocking.
*   **Lace Gauge**: 20 sts = 4 inches (10 cm) in Overlapping Leaves (Chart A) after wet blocking.
*   *Note: Ensuring gauge is critical for doll clothes as 1/2 inch error significantly impacts fit.*

---

### FINISHED SIZE
*   **Chest Circumference**: 11 inches (28 cm)
*   **Total Length**: 9.5 inches (24 cm)
*   **Hem Circumference**: 20 inches (51 cm)

---

### ABBREVIATIONS
*   **k**: knit
*   **p**: purl
*   **yo**: yarn over
*   **k2tog**: knit 2 stitches together (right-leaning decrease)
*   **ssk**: slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease)
*   **sl2-k1-p2so**: slip 2 sts together as if to k2tog, k1, pass 2 slipped sts over (centered double decrease)
*   **C4F (Cable 4 Front)**: Slip 2 sts to cn, hold in front, k2, k2 from cn.
*   **C4B (Cable 4 Back)**: Slip 2 sts to cn, hold in back, k2, k2 from cn.
*   **RS / WS**: Right Side / Wrong Side
*   **pm / sm**: place marker / slip marker
*   **st(s)**: stitch(es)

---

### NOTES
1.  **Construction**: The dress is worked from the bottom up. The skirt is worked in the round. At the waist, the work is split to be worked flat (back and forth) to create a closure.
2.  **Edge Stitches**: When working flat, the first and last 3 stitches are worked in Garter Stitch (knit every row) to create a built-in button band.
3.  **Math Check**: The skirt uses a 10-stitch repeat. 100 sts / 10 = 10 repeats. The bodice uses a 4-stitch repeat. 60 sts / 4 = 15 repeats.

---

### CHARTS

**Chart A: Overlapping Leaves (10 sts × 8 rows)**
```
Row 8: | | | | | | | | | |  (Knit)
Row 7: | o | | | \ | | o |  (k1, yo, k3, sl2-k1-p2so, k3, yo)
Row 6: | | | | | | | | | |  (Knit)
Row 5: | | o | | \ | o | |  (k2, yo, k2, sl2-k1-p2so, k2, yo, k1)
Row 4: | | | | | | | | | |  (Knit)
Row 3: | | | o | \ o | | |  (k3, yo, k1, sl2-k1-p2so, k1, yo, k2)
Row 2: | | | | | | | | | |  (Knit)
Row 1: | | | | \ | | | | |  (k4, sl2-k1-p2so, k3) - *Note: see written for YO placement*

Key:
| = Knit
o = YO
\ = sl2-k1-p2so (Centered Double Decrease)
```

**Chart B: Honeycomb Cable (4 sts × 8 rows)**
```
Row 8: - - - - (Purl)
Row 7: [ C4B ] (Work C4B across)
Row 6: - - - - (Purl)
Row 5: | | | | (Knit)
Row 4: - - - - (Purl)
Row 3: [ C4F ] (Work C4F across)
Row 2: - - - - (Purl)
Row 1: | | | | (Knit)

Key:
| = Knit on RS, Purl on WS
- = Purl on RS, Knit on WS
[ C4F ] = Cable 4 Front (over 4 sts)
[ C4B ] = Cable 4 Back (over 4 sts)
```

---

### PATTERN

#### 1. THE HEM & SKIRT
Cast on **100 sts**. Join for working in the round, being careful not to twist. PM for beginning of round (BOR).

**Border Rows**:
Rows 1-4: Knit all sts. (Garter effect in round: Row 1 K, Row 2 P, but for this hem, K 4 rows is fine for a flat edge).

**Skirt Main Body**:
Work Chart A (Overlapping Leaves) a total of 5 times vertically (40 rows).
*Written Instructions for Chart A (In the Round):*
*   **Rnd 1**: *k1, yo, k3, sl2-k1-p2so, k3, yo; rep from * to end.
*   **Rnds 2, 4, 6, 8**: Knit.
*   **Rnd 3**: *k2, yo, k2, sl2-k1-p2so, k2, yo, k1; rep from * to end.
*   **Rnd 5**: *k3, yo, k1, sl2-k1-p2so, k1, yo, k2; rep from * to end.
*   **Rnd 7**: *k4, yo, sl2-k1-p2so, yo, k3; rep from * to end.

#### 2. WAIST DECREASE
In this round, we reduce the volume of the skirt to fit the doll's waist.
**Decrease Rnd**: *k3, k2tog; rep from * to end. (**80 sts remain**)
**Next Rnd**: *k2, k2tog; rep from * to end. (**60 sts remain**)

#### 3. THE BODICE (Worked Flat)
*Note: We now switch to working flat to create the back opening. Turn work.*

**Row 1 (WS)**: k3 (edge), p to last 3 sts, k3 (edge).
**Row 2 (RS)**: k3, work Row 1 of Chart B (Honeycomb) to last 3 sts, k3.
*Math Validation: 60 total sts - 6 edge sts = 54 sts. Honeycomb is a multiple of 4. 54 is not divisible by 4. Adjust: Row 2 (RS): k3, k1, work Chart B 13 times, k1, k3.*

Continue in Chart B as established for 2 inches (5 cm), ending with a WS row. 
**Buttonhole Row (RS)**: k1, yo, k2tog (buttonhole created), work in pattern to end. 

#### 4. ARMHOLE DIVISION
**Next Row (RS)**: 
1.  Work 13 sts (Left Back), bind off 4 sts.
2.  Work 26 sts (Front), bind off 4 sts.
3.  Work 13 sts (Right Back).
*Place Back sections on holders; work Front first.*

**Front**: 
Work even in pattern on 26 sts until armhole measures 1.5 inches.
**Neck Shaping**: Work 8 sts, bind off center 10 sts, work 8 sts.
Finish each shoulder (8 sts) by working 3 rows even. Bind off.

**Back Sections**:
Work each side (13 sts) even in pattern until armhole matches Front. Bind off. 
*Note: Remember to repeat the Buttonhole Row every 1 inch (2.5 cm) on the right back edge.*

---

### BORDER
**Neckline**: With RS facing, pick up and knit 36 sts around the neck.
Rows 1-3: Knit (Garter stitch).
Bind off loosely.

---

### FINISHING
1.  **Blocking (CRITICAL)**: Pin the skirt out to open the "Overlapping Leaves" lace. Steam the bodice lightly but do not flatten the Honeycomb cables.
2.  **Seaming**: Sew shoulder seams using mattress stitch.
3.  **Closures**: Sew 3 buttons onto the left back band opposite the buttonholes.
4.  **Ends**: Weave in all yarn tails on the WS.

**Technical Editor's Note**: The transitions between 100 sts (skirt) and 60 sts (waist) creates a 1.6:1 gather ratio, which provides a classic "doll dress" silhouette without excessive bulk at the waist.