Few things prompt knitters into action more than the arrival of a new baby. The opportunity to express our love and excitement with something that we’ve made by hand is just too tempting!

Clean + Simple Baby Dress | Purl Soho

Equally tempting is our newest yarn, our soft and supple Cotton Pure. One hundred percent cotton in an impressive array of 43 inspiring colors, I knew that it was time to think babies!

Clean + Simple Baby Dress | Purl Soho

Using the homespun, woven look of Linen Stitch to craft the bodice, I designed our Clean + Simple Baby Dress with ease and comfort in mind. Constructed from the top down, this Dress knits up with little fuss, including a long stretch of satisfying stockinette for the skirt. It also opens in the back with three of Purl Soho’s delicate mother-of-pearl buttons, the perfect finishing touch!

Clean + Simple Baby Dress | Purl Soho

Soft, cozy, and a breeze to launder, our Clean + Simple Baby dress is truly just that! -Kristy

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Kristina McGowan. Click here to see even more of Kristina’s designs!

Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoCleanAndSimpleBabyDress, and #PurlSohoCottonPure. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Materials

Clean + Simple Baby Dress | Purl Soho

Note: For our size 0-6 month sample, we used almost all of 1 skein, so if you want to be sure you have enough, consider ordering an extra skein. If you don’t end up needing it, you can return unwound yarn for a refund within 30 days of purchase, or within 6 months, for store credit. Our Return Policy has all the details!

Gauge

24 stitches and 28 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

28 stitches and 40 rows = 4 inches in Linen Stitch

Sizes

0-6 (6-12, 12-18) months

  • Finished Chest Circumference: 18 (20 ¼, 22 ½) inches
  • Finished Length from Bottom Edge to Underarm: 8 ½ (11, 12) inches
  • Finished Length from Bottom Edge to Shoulder: 13 (15 ¾, 17) inches
Clean + Simple Baby Dress | Purl Soho

SAMPLE: Size 0-6 months is pictured here.

Notes

Linen Stitch Flat

Worked over an odd number of stitches…

Row 1 (right side): *K1, slip 1 (purlwise) with yarn in front (wyif), repeat from * to last stitch, k1.

Row 2 (wrong side): P1, *p1, slip 1 (purlwise) with yarn in back (wyib), repeat from * to last 2 stitches, p2.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 for pattern.

Linen Stitch in the Round

Worked over an odd number of stitches…

Round 1: *K1, slip 1 with yarn in front (wyif), repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Round 2: *Slip 1 wyif, k1, repeat from * to last stitch, slip 1 wyif.
Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 for pattern.

K1fbf (Knit one front, back, and front): Knit into the front of the stitch, but do not take the stitch off the left needle; knit into the back of the same stitch, still without taking the stitch off the left needle; then knit into the front of the same stitch and take it off the left needle. [2 stitches increased]

Pattern

Front

Right Front Shoulder

Cast 11 (11, 13) stitches onto 24-inch circular needles. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Do not join to work in the round. Work 8 rows in Linen Stitch Flat (see Notes), ending with a wrong side row.

Right Front Neck

Increase Row (right side): *K1, slip 1 wyif, repeat from * to last stitch, k1fbf (see Notes). [2 stitches increased]

Continue in Linen Stitch Flat, while working an Increase Row every 4th row one (2, 2) more time(s) and while incorporating the new stitches into the pattern. [15 (17, 19) stitches]

Beginning and ending with a wrong side row, work 3 rows even in Linen Stitch Flat.

Next Row (right side): Work in Linen Stitch Flat to end, turn the work so the wrong side is facing you, cable cast on 25 stitches. [40 (42, 44) stitches]

Cut yarn.

Left Front Shoulder

With wrong side still facing you and Right Front Shoulder stitches on left needle, cast 11 (11, 13) stitches onto right side of same needles.

Slide Right Front Shoulder stitches off left needles and onto the cable. Turn work.

Note: As you work the Left Shoulder, the Right Shoulder stitches will cohabitate on the cable of the circular needles. Just ignore those stitches for now!

Work 8 rows in Linen Stitch Flat, ending with a wrong side row.

Left Front Neck

Increase Row (right side): K1fbf, *slip 1 wyif, k1, repeat from * to end. [2 stitches increased]

Continue in Linen Stitch Flat, while working an Increase Row every 4th row one (2, 2) more time(s) and while incorporating the new stitches into the pattern. [15 (17, 19) stitches]

Beginning with a wrong side row, work 4 rows even in Linen Stitch Flat, ending with a right side row.

Do not cut yarn.

Front Yoke

Clean + Simple Baby Dress | Purl Soho

Row 1 (wrong side): Work in Linen Stitch Flat across all stitches, thus joining the Left and Right Shoulders. [55 (59, 63) stitches]

Work even in Linen Stitch Flat until piece measures 3¾ (3½, 3½) inches from shoulder cast-on edges, ending with a wrong side row.

Shape Armholes

Increase Row (right side): K1fbf, *slip 1 wyif, k1, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, sl 1 wyif, k1fbf. [4 stitches increased]

Continue in Linen Stitch Flat, while working an Increase Row every 4th row one (2, 3) more time(s) and while incorporating the new stitches into the pattern. [63 (71, 79) stitches]

Beginning and ending with a wrong side row, work 3 rows even in Linen Stitch Flat.

Clean + Simple Baby Dress | Purl Soho

Cut yarn and place stitches on a piece of scrap yarn.

Back Right

Back Right Shoulder

Clean + Simple Baby Dress | Purl Soho

With 24-inch circular needles and right side of Front Right Shoulder facing you, pick up and knit 11 (11, 13) stitches from cast-on edge.

Beginning and ending with a wrong side row, work 7 rows in Linen Stitch Flat.

Back Right Neck

Increase Row (right side): K1fbf, *slip 1 wyif, k1, repeat from * to end. [2 stitches increased]

Continue in Linen Stitch Flat, while working an Increase Row every 4th row one (2, 2) more time(s) and while incorporating the new stitches into the pattern. [15 (17, 19) stitches]

Beginning and ending with a wrong side row, work 3 rows in Linen Stitch Flat.

Next Row (right side): Cable cast on 16 stitches, and then starting with the new stitches, *k1, slip 1 wyif, repeat from * to last stitch, k1. [31 (33, 35) stitches]

Work even in Linen Stitch Flat until piece measures 3¾ (3½, 3½) inches from beginning of Back Right Shoulder, ending with a wrong side row.

Back Right Armhole

Increase Row (right side): *K1, slip 1 wyif, repeat from * to last stitch, k1fbf. [2 stitches increased]

Continue in Linen Stitch Flat, while working an Increase Row every 4th row one (2, 3) more time(s) and while incorporating the new stitches into the pattern. [35 (39, 43) stitches]

Beginning and ending with a wrong side row, work 3 rows in Linen Stitch Flat.

Clean + Simple Baby Dress | Purl Soho

Cut yarn and place stitches on spare needle.

Back Left

Back Left Shoulder

With 24-inch circular needles and right side of Front Left Shoulder facing you, pick up and knit 11 (11, 13) stitches from cast-on edge.

Beginning and ending with a wrong side row, work 7 rows in Linen Stitch Flat.

Back Left Neck and Back Left Armhole

Increase Row (right side): *K1, slip 1 wyif, repeat from * to last stitch, k1fbf. [2 stitches increased]

Continue in Linen Stitch Flat, while working an Increase Row every 4th row one (2, 2) more time(s) and while incorporating the new stitches into the pattern. [15 (17, 19) stitches]

Beginning and ending with a wrong side row, work 3 rows in Linen Stitch Flat.

Next Row (right side): Work Linen Stitch Flat to end, turn so wrong side is facing you, cable cast on 16 stitches. [31 (33, 35) stitches].

Beginning with a wrong side row, work even in Linen Stitch Flat for 4 (2, 4) rows, ending with a right side row.

**Buttonhole Row 1 (wrong side): P4, pass second stitch on right needle over first stitch, p1, pass second stitch on right needle over first stitch, *p1, slip 1 wyib, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, p2. [2 stitches bound off]

Buttonhole Row 2 (right side): Work in pattern to buttonhole gap (2 stitches remain in row), turn so wrong side of work is facing you, cable cast on 2 stitches, turn so right side is facing you, slip 1 wyif, k1. [2 stitches cast on]

Beginning with a wrong side row, work 8 rows even in Linen Stitch Flat, ending with a right side row.

Repeat from ** once more, then work Buttonhole Rows 1 and 2 again (three total buttonholes made). AT THE SAME TIME, when armhole measures 3¾ (3½, 3½) inches from beginning of Back Left Shoulder, shape Back Left Armhole as follows:

Increase Row (right side): K1fbf, *slip 1 wyif, k1, repeat from * to end. [2 stitches increased]

Continue in Linen Stitch Flat, while working an Increase Row every 4th row one (2, 3) more time(s) and while incorporating the new stitches into the pattern. [35 (39, 43) stitches]

Beginning and ending with a wrong side row, work 3 rows in Linen Stitch Flat.

Clean + Simple Baby Dress | Purl Soho

Join Left and Right Backs

Clean + Simple Baby Dress | Purl Soho

Next Row (right side): Knit to last 7 stitches of Left Back. With right side facing you, hold spare needle with 35 (39, 43) Right Back stitches behind last 7 stitches of Left Back. [K 1 stitch from Left Back together with 1 stitch from Right Back] 7 times, knit to end of Right Back stitches. [63 (71, 79) stitches]

Slip on-hold 63 (71, 79) Front stitches from waste yarn to spare needle.

Place marker for beginning of round, and with the Front’s right side facing you, join to Back by continuing with yarn attached to Back and knitting across 63 (71, 79) Front stitches, place marker for side, knit to end.

Skirt

Increase Round: [K1, m1r, knit to 1 stitch before next marker, m1l, k1, slip marker] 2 times. [4 stitches increased]

Next Round: Knit.

Repeat the last 2 rounds three more times, removing side marker on the last round. [142 (158, 174) stitches: 71 (79, 87) stitches for each Front and Back]

Continue in stockinette stitch, knitting every round, until piece measures 8 (10½, 11½) inches from Front and Backs join

Next Round: K2tog, knit to end. [141 (157, 173) stitches]

Work Linen Stitch in the Round (see Notes) for ½ inch.

Bind off all stitches.

Finish

Armhole Edgings

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With right side of armhole facing and beginning at center of underarm, pick up 2 stitches using working yarn, *pass the second stitch on right needle over the first stitch, pick up 1 more stitch, repeat from * until you return to the center of underarm.

Repeat for other armhole.

Back and Neck Edging

With right side of Left Back facing you and beginning where Left and Right Backs were joined, work Back and Neck Edging as for Armhole Edging, working first up Left Back edge, then around Neck opening, and then down Right Back edge, ending where Backs were joined.

Last Touches

Sew on a button opposite each buttonhole. Weave in ends and block as desired.

Clean + Simple Baby Dress | Purl Soho