Noro Lace Maxi Dress Knitting Pattern

Noro Lace Maxi Dress

What Is Being Made

The Noro Lace Maxi Dress is an intermediate-level knitted garment designed as a floor-length dress with lace patterning throughout. This piece features a sophisticated construction with finished bust measurements of 38 (41, 50) inches and a length of 47 (47¾, 49½) inches, making it a versatile maxi silhouette suitable for various occasions. The dress includes optional decorative embellishment with a 2-inch button or brooch.

Techniques Used

This dress is constructed using several key knitting techniques that create both structure and visual interest:

• Bottom-up construction: The dress is worked from the lower edge upward, beginning with cast-on stitches and progressing toward the neckline and armholes.
• Lace patterning: The design incorporates a 12-row chart pattern that is repeated multiple times throughout the garment, creating openwork details characteristic of lace knitting.
• Ridge eyelet inset: Decorative eyelet sections are strategically placed within the lace pattern, created through yarn overs and decreases that form small holes in the fabric.
• Seamed construction: Pieces are worked flat on straight needles and then seamed together, allowing for precise shaping and professional finishing.
• Raglan armhole shaping: The armholes are shaped using raglan decreases, which create diagonal lines from the underarm toward the neckline for a fitted silhouette.

Stitches Used

The Noro Lace Maxi Dress employs fundamental knitting stitches combined to achieve its lace effect:

• Knit and purl stitches: The foundation of the fabric, alternated to create texture and pattern definition.
• Yarn overs (yo): These create the characteristic openings in the lace pattern, worked by bringing the yarn forward before knitting the next stitch.
• Decreases: Both k2tog (knit two together) and SKP (slip, knit, pass slipped stitch over) are used to balance yarn overs and shape the garment, particularly in the armhole and raglan shaping.
• Purl two together (p2tog): Used in the ridge eyelet inset sections to create decreases on the wrong side of the work.

Materials

The Noro Lace Maxi Dress is worked in luxurious yarn and requires specific needle sizes to achieve proper gauge:

• Yarn: 7 (8, 10) balls of Noro Silk Garden Lite in colorway #2072. This yarn choice provides a refined drape suitable for a maxi dress silhouette.
• Needles: One pair of size 10 (6mm) needles for the main fabric, a size 9 (5.5mm) circular needle measuring 24 inches long for ribbing or finishing, and one extra size 10½ (6.5mm) needle reserved for casting on only.
• Notions: Stitch markers to track pattern repeats and shaping, plus one optional decorative 2-inch button or brooch for embellishment.

Gauge and Finishing

Achieving proper gauge is essential for this project. The pattern specifies 15 stitches and 17 rows equal 4 inches over the chart pattern after blocking. Knitters are advised to take time to check gauge before beginning, as this ensures the finished dress will meet the specified measurements. After blocking, the piece length adjusts to 37 inches, with an upper arm measurement of 12¼ (13½, 16) inches depending on size.