1120 Rivulet - Dress Knitting Pattern for Kids in Valley Yarns Valley Superwash Sport

Pattern #1120 Rivulet – Kids' Dress Knitting Pattern by Julie Turjoman

The Rivulet dress is a charming, full-skirted knitted dress for little girls, designed by Julie Turjoman and published by Valley Yarns. With its sweeping, twirl-worthy skirt, delicate eyelet lace bodice, and thoughtfully placed shaping details, this pattern creates a wardrobe staple that works across seasons — worn alone in warmer months or layered over a long-sleeved tee when the temperature drops. The design is available as a downloadable PDF and is rated Advanced Beginner, making it an ideal next step for knitters who have mastered the basics and are ready to explore simple lace and seamless construction.

Sizes and Finished Measurements

The pattern is written in four sizes to fit babies and toddlers: 0–6 months, 6–12 months, 1–2 years, and 2–4 years. The sample shown in the pattern is knitted in size 6–12 months. The dress is intentionally designed with 2–4 inches of positive ease to give active, growing children plenty of room to move comfortably.

• Chest circumference: 18½ (20¼, 22¼, 24) inches
• Hem circumference: 31¼ (35, 38¾, 42½) inches

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a seamless, one-piece knitted dress for children sized newborn through toddler. The silhouette features a very full skirt that transitions into a fitted bodice through strategic decrease shaping, creating a gathered effect at the waist. The bodice is worked with a front scoop neckline and an eyelet lace pattern that complements the lace hem of the skirt. The result is a polished, heirloom-quality garment that balances visual interest with practical wearability.

Construction and Techniques

The Rivulet dress is constructed bottom-up, beginning at the skirt hem and working upward to the underarms in a single seamless piece. Understanding the overall construction helps knitters plan their project confidently:

• Bottom-up construction: The dress begins at the hem with a cast-on of 204 (228, 252, 276) stitches using the Long-Tail Cast-On method, then progresses upward toward the bodice.
• Worked in the round: The body of the dress is knitted seamlessly in the round on circular needles, eliminating the need for side seams and creating a smooth, comfortable fabric.
• Lace knitting: The full skirt hem features a lace pattern, which then transitions to stockinette stitch as the skirt rises. A complementary eyelet lace pattern is introduced again on the bodice, tying the design together visually.
• Decrease shaping: At the top of the full skirt, decreases are worked to create gathers, transitioning the voluminous skirt into the closer-fitting bodice — a clever technique that gives the dress its distinctive silhouette.
• Worked flat: Once the dress is divided at the underarms, the front and back bodice sections are worked separately and flat, allowing for independent shaping of the front scoop neckline.

Stitches Used

Knitters working the Rivulet dress will practice and reinforce several foundational and intermediate stitch techniques:

• Stockinette stitch — the primary fabric of the skirt body and bodice structure
• Lace stitch pattern — used at the skirt hem for decorative effect
• Eyelet lace pattern — worked across the bodice as a complementary decorative detail
• Decrease stitches — used to shape the transition from the full skirt to the fitted bodice, creating the gathered effect

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for Valley Yarns Valley Superwash Sport, a