Franklin Habit Dolores Spring Lamb Ensemble Knitting Pattern

Franklin Habit Dolores Spring Lamb Ensemble

Project Overview

The Dolores Spring Lamb Ensemble is a charming knitted doll outfit designed by Franklin Habit, featuring a complete three-piece set perfect for spring dressing. This retro-inspired ensemble captures the whimsy of classic theatrical costume design, with the dress as the centerpiece accompanied by a matching hat and purse. The design celebrates the arrival of spring through abundant ruffled details that create movement and visual interest throughout the entire ensemble.

What Is Being Made

• Dress: A fitted doll dress with a bust circumference of approximately 14 inches and a dramatically flared hemline reaching approximately 19.5 inches unstretched. The front length measures approximately 4.5 inches while the back extends to approximately 5.75 inches, creating an elegant silhouette. The dress features 4-inch straps and is adorned with ruffles from the neckline to the hem.
• Hat: A spring-ready hat measuring 5 inches wide and 3 inches from front to back, secured with an included floral hatpin to keep it in place on the doll's head.
• Purse: A small coordinating accessory measuring 3.5 inches high when open and approximately 1.75 inches when closed, with a 6-inch total strap length for carrying.

Techniques Used

The Dolores Spring Lamb Ensemble employs a combination of fundamental knitting construction methods to create its charming silhouette. The garment is worked top-down, allowing the knitter to begin at the neckline and progress downward toward the hem, which facilitates fitting adjustments and the strategic placement of design elements. Portions of the ensemble are worked flat on straight needles, while others are worked in the round using circular needles and double-pointed needles, enabling seamless construction and the creation of tubular sections without seaming.

Stitches and Construction Details

The primary stitch used throughout the ensemble is stockinette stitch, which is worked by knitting all rounds when working in the round. This classic stitch creates a smooth, refined fabric with a distinctive V-pattern texture on the right side. The pattern incorporates strategic increases and decreases to shape the garment, with picked-up stitches used to create the ruffled details that define the ensemble's aesthetic. The ruffles are created by picking up approximately 3 stitches for every 4 cast-on stitches along edges, producing the signature flouncy effect that adorns the hat, dress, and other design elements.

Materials Required

The Dolores Spring Lamb Ensemble is designed to be worked with Tahki Yarns Coronado, a luxurious blend of 90% cotton and 10% silk that provides both breathability and subtle sheen. The yarn is available in Color 04 Lavender, a soft purple tone perfectly suited to the spring aesthetic. The pattern requires 2 balls of yarn, with each ball containing 50 grams and 121 yards of yardage.

Needles specified include US size 4 (3.5 mm) circular needles in 16-inch length and a set of 5 double-pointed needles in the same size, allowing for both circular and small-circumference in-the-round knitting. The gauge is established at 16 stitches and 24 rows per 4 inches in stockinette stitch when blocked, which is essential for achieving the correct finished measurements.

Additional materials needed for completion include locking stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and construction points, a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends and seaming if necessary, and scissors for cutting yarn. The pattern was designed in 2020 by Valley Yarns and is intended for personal use only.