Elizabeth Elaine

Elizabeth Elaine Knit Dress by Taiga Hilliard Designs

What is Being Made

Elizabeth Elaine is a top-down knit dress designed for babies and toddlers that grows with your child. The garment transitions from a dress to a tunic as the wearer grows, featuring a sophisticated silhouette with a rich lace yoke and a full ball gown princess skirt. The design includes a wide neck opening and is available in four sizes ranging from 0-3 months through 2-3 years, with chest measurements of 14", 19", 21", and 23" respectively. Two ½" buttons are incorporated into the design for functional detail.

Knitting Techniques Used

This intermediate-level knitting project employs several key techniques to achieve its elegant aesthetic. The garment is constructed using a top-down design, which allows for easy fitting adjustments and the ability to try on the piece as you work. The yoke features charted lace patterns that create visual interest and delicate texture, while the skirt incorporates additional charted and written-out lace details. A buttonhole row is worked into the ribbed band using yarn overs and purl two together decreases to create functional openings for the buttons. The pattern provides both charted instructions and written-out rows, giving knitters flexibility in how they prefer to follow the pattern.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

• Ribbing: Knit 1, purl 1 ribbing creates the structured band at the neckline
• Lace Yoke: Charted lace pattern with yarn overs and decreases for the decorative yoke section
• Lace Skirt: Charted lace pattern for the full ball gown princess skirt
• Buttonhole: Yarn over (YO) combined with purl two together (P2tog) decreases to create functional buttonholes

Materials and Gauge Information

Elizabeth Elaine is designed to be knit with OOAKKnits Merino Light Sock yarn in the colorway Soft Dusty Pink, a sport weight yarn that provides a delicate drape suitable for a lace garment. The pattern calls for US 4 (3.50 mm) needles, though you should use the needle size necessary to achieve the specified gauge. The gauge is 24 stitches and 28 rows over 4 inches, which is essential to achieve the correct finished measurements and fit for this growing garment.

Yardage Requirements by Size

• 0-3 months: 350 yards
• 6-12 months: 400 yards
• 18-24 months: 500 yards
• 2-3 years: 600-800 yards

The yardage range allows for customization based on how much length you wish to add to the skirt, making this a versatile project that can be personalized for your preferences. The sport weight yarn and intermediate skill level make this an achievable project for knitters with some experience who are ready to work with lace patterns and shaping techniques.