Dancing Queen V - Neck Tunic Dresses in Juniper Moon Farm Findley and Findley Dappled

Dancing Queen V-Neck Tunic Dress

What Is Being Made

The Dancing Queen V-Neck Tunic Dress is a woven diagonal patterned knit dress from the Pondicherry Collection, designed by Karen Boykin. This tunic-length dress features a sophisticated v-neck opening with contrasting intarsia detailing and coordinating sleeves. The garment is available in seven sizes ranging from XS to 3X, offering finished chest measurements from 28½ inches (72.5 cm) to 49½ inches (125.5 cm). The dress is designed to be worn above or below the knee, with two length options provided: Length A measures above the knee at approximately 38 to 41 inches (96.5 to 104 cm), while Length B extends below the knee at approximately 42 to 45 inches (106.5 to 114.5 cm).

Techniques Used

This knit dress employs several advanced knitting techniques to create its distinctive appearance. The primary construction method uses the woven diagonal stitch, a textured stitch pattern that creates a visually interesting diagonal weave effect across the body of the dress. The woven diagonal stitch is worked in the round and requires careful attention to slipped stitches and their orientation.

The dress also incorporates intarsia colorwork, a technique where different colored yarns are used to create a contrasting design element. In this design, intarsia is specifically applied to the v-neck opening and sleeves, allowing the deep pink contrast color to stand out against the main color body. Intarsia differs from stranded colorwork in that each color section uses its own yarn supply, preventing excessive bulk from carrying unused yarn across the back of the work.

Additional shaping techniques include m1 increases (make one stitches) for gradual garment expansion and ssk decreases (slip, slip, knit) for refined decreasing. The dress is constructed in the round using circular needles, which creates seamless fabric and allows for continuous pattern work. An optional belt can be created using double-pointed needles.

Stitches Used

The foundation stitch for gauge and portions of the dress is stockinette stitch, which produces the classic smooth, v-shaped column appearance characteristic of knit fabrics. Stockinette stitch in this pattern achieves a gauge of 27 stitches and 34 rows per 4 inches (10 cm).

The signature stitch is the woven diagonal stitch, a multi-stitch pattern worked over a 6-stitch repeat. This stitch combines knit stitches with slipped stitches worked with yarn in front (wyif), creating a diagonal visual effect that shifts across the rounds. The woven diagonal stitch pattern spans 12 rounds to complete one full pattern repeat and produces a denser fabric with a gauge of 32 stitches and 38 rows per 4 inches (10 cm). The slipped stitches in this pattern are the key to creating the woven appearance, as they float across the surface and interact with adjacent knit stitches to form the diagonal lines.

The pattern also uses standard abbreviations and techniques including knit (k), purl (p), bind off (bo), and pattern (patt) work, allowing for clear instruction following throughout the garment construction.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Dancing Queen V-Neck Tunic Dress is designed to be knit with Juniper Moon Farm Findley yarn in two colors. The main color (MC) is Findley Dappled in color #117 (pink/purple), with yardage requirements varying by size: XS, S, and M sizes require 3 balls, L and 1X sizes require 4 balls, and 2X and 3X sizes require 5 or 6 balls respectively. The contrast color (CC) is Juniper Moon Farm Findley in color #38 (deep pink), with 2 balls required for all sizes.

The recommended needles are US 4 (3.5 mm) circular needles, available in either 24-inch (60 cm) or 32-inch (80 cm) lengths depending on the size being knit and personal preference for working in the round. Circular needles of this size accommodate the stitch counts required for each size while maintaining proper tension and ease of work. For the optional belt, US 4 (3.5 mm) double-pointed needles are suggested.

Additional notions required for completing the dress include a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends and seaming if necessary, a tape measure for checking finished measurements and gauge, stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and shaping points, and sc