Polly Flinders Knitting Pattern

all photos used with kind permission by Linsay Cocker

If "Little Polly Flinders" had this sweet washday outfit, perhaps she would not have gotten into so much trouble for ruining her nice new clothes!

Inspired by the Mother Goose poem, and the many happy hours my daughter and I have spent designing, creating, and caring for her doll's clothes, this sweet dress and pinny, along with a doll-sized washbasket, are a fun playset to add to any doll collection.

Size

Doll outfit sized to fit most 16-18 inch dolls, such as, Waldorf, Bamboletta, American Girl®, and so forth.
Washbasket measures about 8 inches across the width of the oval.

Materials

For the Dress and Pinny
Brown Sheep Company Serendipity Tweed [60% cotton, 40% wool; 210 yards/191 meters per 3.5 ounce/100 gram skein]; MC for dress, 1 skein; Color A for pinafore, 1 skein.

For the Basket

Brown Sheep Company Serendipity Tweed [60% cotton, 40% wool; 210 yards/191 meters per 3.5 ounce/100 gram skein]; Nebraska Wheat [Color C]; 1 skein.

Brown Sheep Company Lamb's Pride Worsted [85% wool, 15% mohair; 190 yards/173 meters per 4 ounce/113 gram skein]; Oatmeal [Color D]; 1 skein.

Recommended needle sizes

US #6 (4 mm) dpns (set of 4)
US #7 (4.5 mm) dpns (set of 4)
US #6 straight or 16-24 inch circular needles
US #7 straight or 16-24 inch circular needles
Crochet hook size J-10 (6 mm)
Crochet hook size K-10½ (6.5 mm)

Notions

One ¾ inch button
16 inch length of ¼ inch ribbon, optional
2 stitch holders

Gauge

For dress and pinny, 20 sts = 4 inches in St st on larger size needles

Pattern Notes

The dress is worked in the round from the neckline down to the hem, then the sleeves are picked up and knit also in the round. Eyelet rows at the neckline and waistline provide a place to thread a length of ribbon to draw in the dress to customize the fit. The pinny is worked from the bottom hem up to the waistband, and then the straps are knit separately and sewn on. The button is sewn onto the back of the pinafore, and can be placed along the band where it allows for the best fit.

The basket is knit holding the two yarns held together throughout, except for the handles.  The basket base is worked first, then, stitches are picked up around the base and the basket is worked in the round.  Lastly, the handles are added using a simple crochet chain stitch and four strands of yarn.

Skills Required

Knitting on dpns, picking up stitches, increasing, decreasing, crochet chain stitch, single crochet.

Instructions

Dress

Bodice

Using smaller size dpns and MC, cast on 60 sts, being careful not to twist sts, place marker and begin working the the round.
Rnds 1-3: [K2, p2] around.
Switch to larger size dpns.
Rnds 4 and 5: Knit 2 rnds.
Rnd 6: * K3, yo; repeat from * around: 20 sts increased, 80 sts.
Rnds 7-9: Knit 3 rnds.
Rnd 10: K15, sl the next 10 sts to a holder, cast on 10 sts to the right hand needle, k 30, sl the next 10 sts to holder, cast on 10 sts to right hand needle, k15: 80 sts.
Switch to circular needle when desired.
Rnds 11-20: Knit 10 rnds.

Skirt

Rnd 21: * K4, yo; repeat from * around: 20 sts increased, 100 sts.
Knit every round for 6 inches more.
Switch to smaller size needles and work in k2, p2 ribbing for 3 rnds.
Bind off all sts loosely in pattern.

Sleeve

Using larger size dpns, slip 10 sts from holder to 2 dpns (5 sts on each needle).
Pick up 12 sts around bottom of armhole opening and place on a third dpn: 22 sts.
Mark beginning of round and begin working in the round.
Rnd 1: [yo, k1] 10 times, k12. 32 sts.
Rnds 2-9: Knit 8 rnds.
Rnd 10: K2; then, k2tog 8 times; k14. 8 sts decreased, 24 sts.
Rnd 11: Knit around.
Switch to smaller size dpns.
Rnds 12 and 13: (K2, p2) around.
Bind off all sts loosely in pattern.
Repeat for second sleeve.

Pinny

Using smaller size needles and Color A, cast on 116 sts.
Working back and forth, work in k2, p2 ribbing for 2 rows.
Switch to larger size needles and begin 4-row eyelet pattern as follows:
Row 1: Knit across.
Row 2: Purl across.
Row 3: K2, * yo, k2tog, k1; repeat from * across.
Row 4: Purl across.
Repeat these 4 rows, working in eyelet pattern until the pinafore measures 5 inches from the cast on edge, ending by working Row 4.
Switch to smaller size needles.
Decrease Row:, * K1, k2tog; repeat from * across to last 2 sts, k2. 78 sts.
Next Row: K2, [p2, k2] across.
Create buttonhole:
Next Row: [P2, k2] across to last 5 sts, bind off next 2 sts, work in patt to end of row.
Next Row: Work in pattern to bound off sts, cast on 2 sts, work in patt to end of row.
Bind off all sts in pattern.

Straps (make 2)

Using smaller size needles, cast on 28 sts.
Work in k2, p2 ribbing for 5 rows.
Bind off all sts.
Neatly sew short edge of each strap to the front of the pinafore, leaving a space between the straps of about 2 inches on the center front. Sew the other edge of each strap to the back of the pinafore, lining up to match the front straps as shown in the photo.
Sew button to back of pinafore waistband to correspond with buttonhole.

Laundry Basket

Note: Work with one strand of Color C and one strand of Color D held together throughout entire pattern.

Basket Base

Using larger size needles, cast on 4 sts.

Row 1: [Kfb, k1] twice: 6 sts.
Row 2: Kfb, k3, kfb, k1: 8 sts.
Row 3: Kfb, k5, kfb, k1: 10 sts.
Row 4: Kfb, k7, kfb, k1: 12 sts.
Row 5: Kfb, k9, kfb, k1: 14 sts.
Rows 6-27: Knit 22 rows.
Row 28: K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1: 12 sts.
Rows 29-32: Repeat Row 28, 4 times: 4 sts. Leave sts on needle.

Basket Sides

Basketweave Pattern worked over 4 rounds:
Rnds 1 and 2: [P2, k2] around.
Rnds 3 and 4: [K2, p2] around.

Using larger size dpns, knit 4 live sts from needle, pick up 32 sts along one side of base, 4 sts from cast on row, and 32 sts from opposite side of base: 72 sts.
Place marker for beginning of the round and begin working in the round.
Rnd 1: Knit around.
Rnd 2: Purl around.
Rnd 3: Knit around.
Rnds 4-7: Work Rnds 1-4 of basketweave pattern.
Rnd 8: Knit around.
Rnd 9: Purl around.
Rnd 10: [M1, k18] 4 times: 76 sts.
Rnds 11-14: Work Rnds 1-4 of basketweave pattern.
Rnd 15: Knit around.
Rnd 16: Purl around.
Rnd 17: [M1, k19] 4 times: 80 sts.
Rnds 18-21: Work Rnds 1-4 of basketweave pattern.
Rnd 22: Knit around.
Rnd 23: Purl around.
Rnd 24: [M1, k20] 4 times: 84 sts.
Bind off all sts purlwise.

Trim

Using smaller size crochet hook and working with one strand each of Color C and Color D held together, work one single crochet in each of the 72 sts picked up around the basket base.

Handles (make 2)

Using larger size crochet hook and working with two strands each of Color C and Color D held together (4 strands total), work a 15 st crochet chain.  Attach each end of the chain securely to the basket for handles as shown in the photo.

Finishing
Weave in ends and lightly steam block.

Originally published in the Summer 2011 issue of Petite Purls.