Specifications
| Brand: | Valley Yarns |
| Yarn Weight: | Worsted |
| Designer: | Julie Turjoman |
| Craft: | Knitting |
| Format: | Downloadable PDF |
| Languages: | English |
| Number of Patterns: | 1 |
| Pages: | 8 |
| Skill Level: | Intermediate |
| Finished Size: | To Fit Age: 2-4 Years to 10-12 Years |
| Techniques and Construction: | Bottom Up, Lace, Worked In The Round |
| Needles Required: | 4.00mm (US 6) & 4.50mm (US 7) Circular Needles;4.00mm (US 6) & 4.50mm (US 7) Double Point Needles |
| Pattern Code: | 1206 |
| Featured Products: | Valley Yarns Haydenville Yarn - Superwash Merino Worsted |
What you'll need
| To Fit Age: | 2-4 Years | 4-6 Years | 6-8 Years | 8-10 Years | 10-12 Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Valley Yarns Haydenville Yarn - Superwash Merino Worsted
Pink (25)
|
2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
Product Description
Valley Yarns Caelum is a perfect A-line dress for little girls of all sizes knit in Haydenville’s easy-care properties. This piece has a lovely lace pattern on the bodice and hem and is excellent for layering over a long sleeve tee and leggings during the cooler days. Caelum is knit in the round from the bottom up to the armholes. The cap sleeves are knit in a combination of increased shaping at the armholes. Valley Yarns Haydenville is an extraordinarily soft blend of superwash Merino and acrylic microfiber with a slight sheen. The Flowerbud lace pattern is charted and written out.
Skill Level: Adventurous Beginner
Sizes: 2–4 (4–6, 6–8, 8–10, 10–12) years
Finished Measurements: Shown in size 6–8 years with suggested 2–4” positive ease
Chest – 24¼ (26½, 28, 30½, 32)”
Circumference at Hem – 7¼ (28¾, 30½, 33½, 35¼)”
Length – 15 (17¾, 20½, 24½, 27½)”
Yarn Requirements: 2 (3, 3, 4, 4) skeins Valley Yarns Haydenville (60% Superwash Merino Wool/ 40% Acrylic Microfiber; 100g/220yds) shown in 25 Pink
Needles:
US 6 (4.00mm) 16” & 24” circular and DPNs
US 7 (4.50mm) 24–32” circular and DPNs to get gauge
Gauge: 20 sts and 28 rows = 4” in stockinette stitch on US 7 (4.50mm), blocked
This pattern was updated on 06/08/2022. View errata here. If you purchased the PDF version, the newest version is available in your pattern library.
Valley Yarns Caelum: Knitted Children's A-Line Dress with Lace Details
What is Being Made
The Caelum is a versatile knitted A-line dress designed for children, available in sizes 2-4 years through 10-12 years. This festive design features beautiful lace accents on both the bodice and skirt hem, with knitted-in cap sleeves. The dress is designed to be worn as a standalone garment or as a tunic layered over leggings, making it an especially practical choice for active children. The garment fits with 2 to 4 inches of positive ease to accommodate growing bodies and active play.
Techniques Used
The Caelum employs several intermediate knitting techniques that create both visual interest and functional design elements. The dress is worked bottom-up in the round, beginning with a stretchy Old Norwegian cast-on method that provides flexibility at the hem. The construction continues in the round in one piece from the skirt through to the armholes, then transitions to working back and forth in rows to shape the shoulders and upper bodice. The cap sleeves are created through a combination of strategic increase shaping at the armholes and stitches picked up around the armhole opening during the finishing process. Lace stitch patterns are integrated as a decorative hem motif that repeats just below the neckline, adding elegant visual detail to the design.
Stitches Used
The primary stitch structure of the Caelum is stockinette stitch, which creates a smooth, classic fabric suitable for children's wear. The skirt begins with a reverse stockinette stitch edging that is worked for 2 to 3 rounds depending on size, creating a subtle textured border at the hem. The lace border motif introduces lace stitches that repeat throughout the design, appearing both at the skirt hem and as an accent just below the neckline. These lace elements add visual interest and a festive quality to the otherwise straightforward stockinette construction.
Materials and Yarn Specifications
The Caelum is designed to be knitted with Valley Yarns Haydenville, a practical blend of 60% Superwash Merino wool and 40% acrylic microfiber. This fiber composition offers the best of both worlds: the softness and breathability of merino wool combined with the easy-care, durable properties of acrylic microfiber, making it ideal for children's active play. Yarn requirements range from 2 skeins for the smallest size (2-4 years) to 4 skeins for the largest sizes (10-12 years), with each skein providing 100 grams and 220 yards. The pattern shown is worked in Color 25 Pink.
The pattern calls for US 7 (4.5mm) circular needles in 24 to 32-inch lengths, along with US 7 double-pointed needles for smaller circumferences, used as the primary needles for the majority of the construction. US 6 (4.0mm) circular needles in both 16-inch and 24-inch lengths, along with matching double-pointed needles, are used for sections requiring a tighter gauge. The recommended gauge is 20 stitches and 28 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch, blocked, using the larger needle size.
Additional Materials and Tools
- Locking stitch markers to indicate pattern repeats and construction points
- Stitch holders or waste yarn for holding stitches during construction
- Tapestry needle for weaving in ends and finishing
Difficulty Level
The Caelum is rated as Adventurous Beginner difficulty, making it accessible to knitters with some foundational experience who are ready to tackle intermediate techniques. The pattern introduces lace work and circular knitting in the round, which require attention to stitch counts and pattern repeats, while the overall construction method remains straightforward and logical.
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