Ladies’ Dress with Relief Pattern in Schachenmayr Universa - S6903 - Downloadable PDF

Ladies' Dress with Relief Pattern in Schachenmayr Universa – S6903

This free downloadable knitting pattern from Schachenmayr (pattern code S6903) provides instructions for a ladies' dress featuring a textured relief pattern. The design is worked in Schachenmayr Universa, a DK weight yarn, and is intended for knitters who are comfortable reading stitch charts and working structured pattern repeats. The finished garment is a classic, elegant dress with a decorative front panel that sets it apart from a simple stockinette construction.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a ladies' dress with a sophisticated relief or structural stitch pattern (Strukturmuster). The dress is constructed in separate pieces — a back piece (Rückenteil) and a front piece (Vorderteil) — which are later seamed together. The front piece features a more elaborate charted pattern than the back, giving the dress a visually striking focal point at the front while keeping the overall silhouette clean and wearable.

Construction and Techniques

• Flat knitting worked in separate pieces (back and front) and seamed
• Cast-on method: A crossed or twisted cast-on (Kreuzanschlag) is used to begin both pieces, providing a firm and neat foundation edge
• The back piece is cast on with 106 stitches using 4 mm needles and begins with one wrong-side row worked in purl before transitioning into the main pattern
• The front piece features a charted pattern worked over 46 rows (worked once through), with only the right-hand front half charted — the left half is worked as a mirror image
• The main background pattern (Grundmuster) uses a 12-row repeat that is worked continuously throughout the back and portions of the front
• Stitch charts show right-side (RS) rows only; wrong-side (WS) rows are worked by knitting stitches as they appear

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

• Rib stitch (Rippenmuster): A 2×2 rib — two knit stitches alternating with two purl stitches — used for borders and edging sections to provide elasticity and structure
• Main background pattern (Grundmuster): A textured stitch pattern worked from a chart, with a 12-row repeat that creates the all-over relief texture on the back and portions of the front
• Front panel pattern (Vorderteilmuster): A more complex charted pattern worked over 46 rows (worked once), creating a decorative relief design that forms the visual centerpiece of the dress front
• Both charted patterns rely on combinations of knit and purl stitches to build up the three-dimensional, raised (relief) surface texture that gives the dress its name

Gauge and Needle Information

The pattern specifies a gauge (Maschenprobe) of 22 stitches and 28 rows = 10 cm × 10 cm in the main background pattern (Grundmuster), worked on 4 mm knitting needles. Achieving this gauge is important for ensuring the dress fits correctly, and knitters are encouraged to swatch before beginning.

Materials

• Yarn: Schachenmayr Universa, a DK weight yarn — a smooth, versatile yarn well suited to stitch definition, making it an excellent choice for relief and textured patterns where stitch clarity is essential
• Needles: 4 mm knitting needles (straight or circular used flat) as specified for both the main pattern and gauge swatch

Pattern Format and Availability

Pattern S6903