Claret Dress in Rowan Kid Classic - Downloadable PDF

Claret Dress in Rowan Kid Classic – Knitting Pattern Summary

The Claret Dress is a beautifully designed knitted dress created by Lisa Richardson and published by Rowan. This intermediate-level pattern produces a stylish, wearable dress featuring elegant raglan armhole shaping and a shaped front neck, making it a rewarding project for knitters who are comfortable with garment construction beyond the basics.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a full dress designed to fit a wide range of bust sizes, from 81–86 cm (32–34 in) up to 122–127 cm (48–50 in), with actual garment bust measurements ranging from 115 cm (45½ in) to 155 cm (61 in). The design features a classic silhouette with carefully worked raglan armhole shaping and a front neck opening, giving the finished garment a polished, tailored appearance.

Construction and Techniques

The Claret Dress is knitted using a combination of techniques suited to an intermediate knitter. Key construction methods include:

• Raglan armhole shaping – decreases are worked symmetrically on both the back and front pieces to create the characteristic raglan sleeve line, requiring careful attention to stitch counts across multiple rows
• Front neck shaping – stitches are divided and each side of the neck is worked separately, with simultaneous decreases at both the neck edge and the raglan armhole edge, demanding confident management of two decrease sequences at once
• Holding stitches – stitches are placed on holders at various stages, including at the back and front, to be rejoined later during finishing
• Two-colour yarn usage – the pattern calls for two distinct colourways of the same yarn, labelled yarn A and yarn B, which are worked together to create the garment's distinctive tonal character
• Patterned stitch work – the body incorporates a stitch pattern (referred to as patt throughout the instructions) alongside plain knit sections, adding textural interest to the fabric

Stitches Used

The pattern makes use of several core knitting stitches and techniques:

• Knit stitch (K) – the foundation of the fabric throughout the garment
• Slip, slip, knit decrease (sl 1, K1, psso) – used to create neat, directional decreases at raglan and neck shaping points
• Stitch pattern repeats – referenced as patt, these are worked consistently across the body sections to maintain the design's texture

Materials

The Claret Dress is worked in Rowan Kid Classic, an aran weight yarn celebrated for its luxurious blend of lambswool, kid mohair, and nylon, which gives it a soft halo and excellent stitch definition. Two colourways are used:

• Yarn A – Cherry Red (shade 847): required in quantities of 8, 8, 9, 10, or 10 x 50 g balls depending on size
• Yarn B – Feather (shade 828): required in quantities of 5, 6, 6, 7, or 7 x 50 g balls depending on size

As an aran weight yarn, Rowan Kid Classic works up at a relatively relaxed gauge, making the fabric feel substantial and warm while retaining a softness and drape appropriate for a dress silhouette. Knitters should refer to the pattern for the recommended needle size and tension swatch details to ensure accurate sizing across all five available sizes.