Women's Knitted Dress in Novita Venla - 04 - Downloadable PDF

Women's Knitted Dress in Novita Venla – Pattern Summary

About This Design

This elegant women's knitted dress was designed by Lea Petäjä for Novita, worked in the brand's own Novita Venla yarn. The pattern is available as a downloadable PDF at no cost, making it an accessible project for dedicated knitters. The finished dress is a full-length garment featuring a beautifully textured lace panel combined with classic stockinette and ribbing details, creating a sophisticated silhouette suitable for a range of occasions.

Sizing and Finished Measurements

The pattern is written across five sizes: XS/S, M, L, XL, and XXL. Key finished measurements include:

• Body circumference: 86 (94) 102 (110) 118 cm
• Back length at midpoint: 102 (104) 106 (108) 110 cm
• Inner sleeve length: 46 (47) 48 (48) 49 cm

Materials Required

The pattern calls for Novita Venla yarn in shade 010 Off-white. Novita Venla is a 4-ply weight yarn, making it ideal for creating fine, drapey fabric with excellent stitch definition — particularly important for the lace sections of this dress.

• Yarn quantity: 400 (450) 500 (550) 600 g depending on size
• Needles: Novita 3½ mm circular needles in 40 cm, 60 cm, and 80 cm lengths, or the size needed to achieve gauge
• Sleeve needles: 3½ mm double-pointed needles

Gauge

Achieving the correct gauge is essential for this project, particularly given the length and fitted nature of the dress. The stated gauge is 26 stitches and 34 rows in stockinette stitch = 10 cm. Knitters are strongly encouraged to swatch before beginning.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated advanced. It requires confidence working with multiple stitch patterns simultaneously, managing increases and decreases within a lace repeat, working both in the round and flat, and handling a large number of stitches across a long garment. It is best suited to knitters who are already comfortable with circular knitting, lace charts, and shaping techniques.

Stitch Patterns and Techniques Used

The dress incorporates several distinct stitch patterns, each contributing to the overall texture and structure of the garment:

• Ribbing in the round: Worked as a *k2, p2* repeat. Used at the body hem and as a finishing detail, the ribbing adds elasticity and a neat, structured edge.
• Stockinette stitch in the round: All stitches are knitted every round. This forms the main body fabric, providing a smooth, clean surface that complements the lace sections.
• Stockinette stitch flat: Right-side rows are knitted and wrong-side rows are purled. Used for the sleeves, which are worked back and forth.
• Lace pattern in the round: Worked from both a chart and written instructions. The lace pattern relies on a careful balance of yarn-overs and decreases to maintain a consistent stitch count throughout. Knitters must ensure that every decrease is paired with a corresponding increase within the lace repeat.

Construction Method

The dress is constructed using a combination of in-the-round and flat knitting techniques. The front and back sections are worked separately at the bottom, then joined onto the same circular needle to be worked together in the round. Side seam stitches are marked, and waist and hip shaping is achieved through a series of increases worked on both sides of the side seam markers. Increases are added every 5 cm, repeated a total of eight times, building from the initial joined stitch count up to the full hip circumference.

The body is worked in stockinette stitch in the round for approximately 80–85 cm depending on