purlJam

# Two-Texture Top-Down Dress
### A beginner-friendly seamless raglan dress in Artemis Suri DK (bodice) + Squishy Single & Stratos held together (skirt)

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## Answering Your Question First

**Short answer: Put the Suri DK on top (bodice) and the held-together fingering + lace combo on the bottom (skirt). The other way around will look wonky after washing.**

Here's why:

| Yarn / Combo | Approx. Weight | Drape | Growth After Washing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artemis Suri DK (90% suri alpaca / 10% silk) | DK | Soft halo, moderate drape, **grows lengthwise** when wet | High (suri alpaca blooms & stretches under its own weight) |
| Squishy Single (fingering merino) + Stratos (lace suri/silk/merino) **held together** | Light DK / heavy sport | Very fluid, lots of drape, lustrous | Moderate, but more stable than 100% suri DK |

**Why bodice = Suri DK, skirt = held-together:**

1. **Gravity & growth.** Suri alpaca has very little memory and grows under its own weight. If you put it in the *skirt* (the longest, heaviest section), it will keep stretching every time you wear it and after every wash — you'll end up with a dress that hits your knees the first time and your shins by month three.
2. **The bodice is supported.** The bodice sits on your shoulders and is held in place by the body. Suri DK there will bloom into a beautiful halo without sagging dramatically.
3. **The held-together combo is more stable.** Pairing the superwash merino single with the lace blend gives you a yarn with merino memory + silk strength + just a touch of suri halo — perfect for a skirt that needs to drape but not collapse.
4. **Gauge matching is achievable.** Both can be knit at roughly **20 sts / 4" on US 7 (4.5 mm)**, so the transition will be clean.

**The reverse (held-together top / Suri DK skirt) will be wonky** because the skirt will lengthen unevenly, the hem will get heavy and pull on the bodice seam, and the silhouette will distort.

**Both options will need careful blocking** — always block your swatch *hanging* with a weight clipped to it for at least 24 hours before measuring gauge. This is non-negotiable with suri alpaca.

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## Pattern: Two-Texture Raglan Dress

A simple top-down seamless raglan dress with a fitted bodice and gently A-line skirt. Knit in the round from the neckline down — no seaming.

### Sizes
**XS (S, M, L, XL, 2XL)**
Finished bust: 32 (34, 36, 40, 44, 48)" / 81 (86, 91, 102, 112, 122) cm
Finished hem circumference: 42 (44, 46, 50, 54, 58)" / 107 (112, 117, 127, 137, 147) cm
Total length from shoulder: approx. 34 (34, 35, 35, 36, 36)" / 86 (86, 89, 89, 91, 91) cm

*Sample shown in size M with ~2" negative ease at bust.*

### Materials

**Yarn A — Bodice:**
Artemis Suri DK (90% baby suri alpaca / 10% silk; 225 m / 246 yd per 100 g)
- 2 (2, 3, 3, 4, 4) skeins / approx. 450 (450, 600, 600, 800, 800) m

**Yarn B — Skirt (held together as one):**
- B1: Squishy Single (100% superwash merino, fingering, 365 m / 100 g): 2 (2, 3, 3, 3, 4) skeins
- B2: Stratos (48% baby suri / 30% mulberry silk / 22% merino, lace, 440 m / 50 g): 3 (3, 4, 4, 5, 5) skeins of 50 g

### Needles
- US 7 / 4.5 mm 24" or 32" circular (main needle for both sections)
- US 6 / 4.0 mm 16" circular (neckband; also use as backup for skirt if your held-together gauge is loose)
- US 7 / 4.5 mm DPNs or long circular for sleeves (magic loop)

### Notions
- 4 stitch markers (2 different colors: 4 raglan markers + 1 BOR)
- Waste yarn for sleeve holders
- Tapestry needle

### Gauge (CRITICAL — swatch both!)
- **Yarn A alone:** 20 sts × 28 rows = 4" / 10 cm in stockinette on US 7, after wet-blocking *hanging*.
- **Yarn B (B1+B2 held together):** 20 sts × 28 rows = 4" / 10 cm in stockinette on US 7, after wet-blocking *hanging*.

If your Yarn B gauge is looser, drop to US 6 for the skirt. Stitch counts must match.

### Abbreviations
- k = knit
- p = purl
- st(s) = stitch(es)
- BOR = beginning of round
- M1L / M1R = make 1 left / right (lifted increase)
- kfb = knit front and back (1 st becomes 2)
- pm = place marker
- sm = slip marker
- RS / WS = right side / wrong side

### Pattern Notes
- The dress is worked top-down in the round. Bodice in Yarn A; skirt in Yarn B held together.
- Raglan increases are worked every other round.
- **Always block your swatch hanging.** Suri alpaca lies about its gauge until gravity has a word with it.
- The transition between yarns is marked with a single garter ridge as a design feature — it disguises any tiny gauge variation.

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## Pattern Instructions

### Neckband (Yarn A, US 6 / 4.0 mm)
With Yarn A and smaller 16" circular, cast on **80 (84, 88, 92, 96, 100)** sts. Join in the round, place BOR marker.
Work k1, p1 ribbing for 1" / 2.5 cm.

### Set Up Raglan (switch to US 7 / 4.5 mm)
Setup round: K **12 (13, 14, 14, 15, 16)** [back], pm, K **8 (8, 8, 9, 9, 9)** [sleeve], pm, K **40 (42, 44, 46, 48, 50)** [front], pm, K **8 (8, 8, 9, 9, 9)** [sleeve], pm, K **12 (13, 14, 14, 15, 16)** [back to BOR].
*Verify: 12+8+40+8+12 = 80 ✓ (XS); 16+9+50+9+16 = 100 ✓ (2XL).*

Wait — front should equal back × 2 = 24 sts back total split across BOR. Let me restate clearly:

**Setup (clarified):** the BOR sits in the middle of the back. So:
- K **6 (6½→7, 7, 7, 7½→8, 8)** = use **6 (7, 7, 7, 8, 8)** sts [half-back], pm (raglan), K **8 (8, 8, 9, 9, 9)** [sleeve], pm, K **40 (42, 44, 46, 48, 50)** [front], pm, K **8 (8, 8, 9, 9, 9)** [sleeve], pm, K **18 (20, 22, 22, 24, 26)**... 

To keep this beginner-simple, **use these exact setup numbers:**

| Size | Half-back | Sleeve | Front | Sleeve | Half-back | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 12 | 8 | 40 | 8 | 12 | 80 ✓ |
| S | 13 | 8 | 42 | 8 | 13 | 84 ✓ |
| M | 14 | 8 | 44 | 8 | 14 | 88 ✓ |
| L | 14 | 9 | 46 | 9 | 14 | 92 ✓ |
| XL | 15 | 9 | 48 | 9 | 15 | 96 ✓ |
| 2XL | 16 | 9 | 50 | 9 | 16 | 100 ✓ |

BOR is at center back; markers are placed at the four raglan lines.

### Raglan Yoke
**Increase round:** *K to 1 st before marker, M1R, k1, sm, k1, M1L; repeat from * 3 more times, k to end. (8 sts increased — 2 at each raglan line.)
**Plain round:** Knit.

Repeat these 2 rounds **24 (25, 26, 28, 30, 32)** times total.

Stitch count after raglan increases: 80 + (24 × 8) = **272** sts (XS) … through 100 + (32 × 8) = **356** sts (2XL).

| Size | Increase rounds | Total sts after yoke |
|---|---|---|
| XS | 24 | 272 |
| S | 25 | 284 |
| M | 26 | 296 |
| L | 28 | 316 |
| XL | 30 | 336 |
| 2XL | 32 | 356 |

### Separate Sleeves from Body
Knit to first raglan marker. Remove marker. Place next **56 (58, 60, 65, 69, 73)** sleeve sts on waste yarn. Cast on 4 sts (underarm), pm new BOR... 

**Simpler beginner instructions:**

Round 1 (separation):
- K across back-right and front to second sleeve marker
- Place all sleeve sts (the 8+24+8 increased section = **56 (58, 60, 65, 69, 73)** sts) on waste yarn
- CO **4 (4, 6, 6, 8, 8)** sts under arm
- Continue around, placing the second sleeve on waste yarn and casting on **4 (4, 6, 6, 8, 8)** sts under that arm
- Knit to BOR

**Body stitch count after separation:**
| Size | Body sts |
|---|---|
| XS | 168 |
| S | 176 |
| M | 184 |
| L | 198 |
| XL | 216 |
| 2XL | 228 |

*Math check (M): back-half 14 + 14 + front 44 + (26×2 increases on each back/front section over yoke = front grew to 44+52=96, each back-half grew to 14+26=40) = 40+40+96 = 176 + 8 underarm CO = 184 ✓*

### Bodice (Yarn A continues)
Work even in stockinette in the round until bodice measures **5 (5, 5½, 5½, 6, 6)" / 13 (13, 14, 14, 15, 15) cm** from underarm.

**Optional waist shaping (intermediate — skip for true beginner straight bodice):** *omit for simplest version.*

For a beginner, work straight to underbust length above. Bodice will skim the body.

### Transition Round
**Cut Yarn A, leaving a 6" tail.** Join Yarn B (B1 + B2 held together).

**Round 1 (transition):** Purl all sts.
**Round 2:** Knit all sts.

This single garter ridge marks the yarn change cleanly.

### Skirt Increase Setup (Yarn B held double)
On the next round, increase evenly across to flare into A-line.

**Increase round:** *K **A**, kfb; rep from * around.

| Size | Body sts in | A | Increases | Sts after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 168 | 13 | 12 | 180 |
| S | 176 | 13 | 12 | 188 |
| M | 184 | 14 | 12 | 196 |
| L | 198 | 15 | 12 | 210 |
| XL | 216 | 17 | 12 | 228 |
| 2XL | 228 | 18 | 12 | 240 |

*Math check (M): 184/14 ≈ 13 reps with rem; using "k14, kfb" 12 times = 14×12 + 12 + remaining 4 = 184 → 184+12 = 196 ✓ (round out by knitting the remainder plain).*

### Skirt A-line Shaping
Work A-line skirt with 4 evenly-spaced increases every 2" / 5 cm.

Place 4 markers, evenly spaced (every quarter of the round).

**Increase round:** *K to 1 st before marker, M1R, k1, sm, M1L; rep from * 3 more times, k to end. (8 sts increased.)

Work increase round every **2" / 5 cm**, **5 times total.**

After 5 increase rounds: 196 + 40 = **236 sts** (size M).

| Size | Sts after skirt incs |
|---|---|
| XS | 220 |
| S | 228 |
| M | 236 |
| L | 250 |
| XL | 268 |
| 2XL | 280 |

*Hem circumference (M): 236 sts ÷ 5 sts/inch = 47.2" — close to target 46". ✓*

### Skirt Length
Continue in stockinette in the round until skirt measures **20" / 51 cm** from transition row, or **2" / 5 cm** less than desired length.

### Hem
Work k1, p1 ribbing for 2" / 5 cm.
Bind off loosely in pattern (use a stretchy bind-off — Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy is great).

### Sleeves (Yarn A, optional — or leave as cap-sleeve and bind off)
For a sleeveless dress: with Yarn A, pick up sleeve sts from waste yarn + 4-8 underarm sts, work k1 p1 ribbing for 1", bind off.

For short sleeves: pick up sleeve sts + underarm sts, work in the round in stockinette for 4" / 10 cm, then ribbing 1", bind off.

| Size | Sleeve sts (from holder + underarm CO) |
|---|---|
| XS | 60 |
| S | 62 |
| M | 66 |
| L | 71 |
| XL | 77 |
| 2XL | 81 |

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## Finishing
1. Weave in all ends, especially the Yarn A → Yarn B transition (work the tails into the garter ridge).
2. **Wet block hanging.** Soak in cool water with wool wash for 20 min. Squeeze out (no wringing). Roll in a towel. Hang the dress on a padded hanger over a tub for 24+ hours, *with a small weight clipped to the hem* (a clothespin works) to pre-stretch the suri growth out *before* you wear it.
3. Once dry, lay flat to even out, then re-measure length. Trim hem ribbing if it's grown too long (rare, but possible — bind-off can be redone if needed).

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## Pro Tips for This Yarn Combination
- **Knit and block both swatches before casting on.** If your Yarn B gauge is off by even ½ st/inch, drop to US 6 for the skirt.
- **Wind Stratos and Squishy Single together** by holding both on your swift / winding into one cake — saves tangling.
- **The garter transition ridge** hides minor gauge mismatch; don't skip it.
- **Suri halo will fluff more after the second wash.** It always looks better worn-in.
- If after blocking the bodice still grows more than the skirt, you can take in the side seams of the bodice slightly with mattress stitch (yes, even though it's seamless — a 1/4" tuck on each side hides invisibly in the halo).

Enjoy your dress! 🧶