Dresses & Hats in King Cole Cherished DK - 4650 - Downloadable PDF

Dresses & Hats Knitted in King Cole Cherished DK – Pattern 4650

This King Cole pattern 4650 is a downloadable PDF offering instructions for knitting baby and children's dresses and matching hats. Sized to fit chest measurements of 46–66 cm (18–26 inches), the designs cover ages 6 months through to 7 years, making this a versatile pattern set that grows with a child. The pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty, making it well suited to knitters who are comfortable with basic shaping and stitch variety but are ready to develop their skills further.

King Cole donates to the Pink Ribbon Foundation with every pattern purchase, so buying this PDF also supports a charitable cause.

What Is Being Made

The pattern covers two distinct project types:

• Dresses – Knitted garments designed for babies and young children, shaped to fit the stated chest sizes across multiple age groups from 6 months to 7 years.
• Hats – Coordinating knitted hats designed to be worn alongside the dresses, creating a complete, matched outfit.

Having both a dress and a hat within a single pattern makes this an excellent choice for gifting, as the finished set presents beautifully as a handmade baby or toddler gift.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern is written specifically for King Cole Cherished DK, a double knit weight yarn. As the name suggests, Cherished DK is a yarn from King Cole's range designed with softness and gentleness in mind, making it particularly appropriate for items worn next to a baby or young child's delicate skin.

• Yarn: King Cole Cherished DK
• Weight: Double knit (DK)
• Recommended needle size: 4 mm needles, or the size required to achieve the correct tension

As with all knitting patterns, achieving the correct tension is essential to ensure the finished garment matches the stated measurements. The pattern specifies 22 stitches and 28 rows to 10 cm over stocking stitch, and 20 stitches and 40 rows to 10 cm over garter stitch, both measured on 4 mm needles. Knitters are advised to check their tension swatch before beginning: if fewer stitches are produced, switch to thinner needles; if more stitches appear, switch to thicker needles.

Stitches and Techniques Used

The pattern makes use of two foundational knitting stitch patterns, each producing a distinctly different fabric texture and appearance:

• Stocking stitch (st-st) – Formed by knitting on right-side rows and purling on wrong-side rows, stocking stitch creates the classic smooth, flat fabric most commonly associated with knitwear. It is used in sections of the dresses and hats to give a neat, tailored finish.
• Garter stitch (g-st) – Formed by knitting every row, garter stitch creates a ridged, textured fabric with good elasticity. It lies flat naturally without curling, making it ideal for borders, hems, and decorative bands on children's garments.

Key Techniques

• Increasing and decreasing – Used to shape the dresses through the body, armholes, and neckline, as well as to shape the crown of the hats.
• Slipping stitches – Referenced in the abbreviations (sl 1 – slip one stitch), used in conjunction with decrease methods such as psso (pass slipped stitch over) to create neat, directional decreases.
• Yarn forward (yfwd) – A technique used to create a decorative eyelet or to increase a stitch count, often used in lace-effect detailing or decorative features on children's knitwear.
• Working in pattern (patt) – Sections of the garment require the knitter to continue established stitch patterns while simultaneously working shaping, a skill that marks this as an intermediate level project.
• Right side and wrong side awareness