How to Knit a Nightie
This knit nightie is halter-style and summery. It can be resized for children, though the style is appropriate for adults. This pattern uses a flat piece knit in stocking stitch as the lower part of the nightie, but to make this nightie into a piece of lingerie, a piece of sheer fabric cut in the same dimensions as the knit piece may be substituted. The fabric can be attached as the fabric is attached in the pattern, and the seam down the middle of the front may be omitted or completed, as desired. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Skeins acrylic yarn, 2
- No. 6 straight needles
- Scissors
- Tapestry needle
- 1/4-inch wide ribbon, 5 yards
- 45-inch wide sheer fabric, roughly 1 1/2 times the wearer’s hip measurement
- Sewing needle
- Thread
Instructions
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1
Measure the nightie measure’s hips. Multiply that measurement by 1 1/2. Knit a rectangle, in stockinette stitch, that is 45 inches long and as wide as 1 1/2 times the wearer’s hip measurement. Set the rectangle aside.
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2
Cast on 4 stitches. Begin with a wrong side (purl) row, and work rows 1 to 3 in stocking stitch, slipping the first stitch of each row onto the needle without actually knitting or purling it.
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3
Slip 1 stitch, knit 1 stitch, twist the yarn around the needle to create another “stitch” and knit 2 more stitches on the fourth row. Finish the row in stocking stitch. Knit the next 3 rows (rows 5 to 7) in stocking stitch, and slip the first stitch in each of those rows – this sequence is the eyelet pattern. Repeat the entire procedure, starting from the first row (not just the eyelet pattern), for the next 16 rows – this is the “back” section of the nightie, and these stitches are still live (not bound off).
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4
Slip the first stitch of the next row, knit 1 stitch, make a yarn over “stitch,” and knit 2 stitches. Turn the work over to continue knitting on this 5-stitch section instead of on the entire row. Work this 5-stitch row in three rows of stocking stitch, beginning with a wrong-side (purl) row. Slip the first stitch on the next row of the 5-stitch section, knit 1 stitch, yarn over, knit the next 2 stitches together, and knit 1 stitch. Knit the next three rows on the section in stocking stitch, slipping the first stitch of each new row. Repeat the eyelet pattern for the next 19 rows. Bind off the 5-stitch section – this is the right front of the nightie, and other than the 5-stitch section, all the stitches should be live.
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5
Return to the live stitches from the back and right front of the nightie. Start on the right (knit) side of the work and use yarn from a new ball to bind off the middle 29 stitches. Knit the remaining 4 stitches in the following pattern: knit 2 stitches, make a yarn over “stitch” and knit 2 stitches. Follow the same pattern worked on the 5-stitch section of the right front of the nightie, beginning with flipping the work over and continuing through working 19 stitches in the eyelet pattern.
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6
Cast on 5 stitches. Slip 1 stitch, then purl the remaining 4 stitches. Slip 1 stitch, knit 1 stitch, make a yarn over “stitch,” knit 2 stitches together and knit the last stitch – this is row 2. Slip 1 stitch and purl the remaining 4 stitches for rows 3 to 5. Slip 1 stitch and knit the remaining 4 stitches for row 6. Repeat rows 2 to 6 until the band fits the wearer around her body directly below her bust. Stop when the band is the correct size, ending on row 4. Bind off.
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7
Sew the triangles to the band at their bound-off edges, and using yarn as the thread. Sew the cast on edge of the third triangle to the back at the center.
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8
Cut 2 pieces of ribbon to a length of 22 inches. Cut 2 pieces of ribbon to a length of 12 inches. Thread the rest of the ribbon through the band’s eyelets. Adjust the ribbon so the ties at the front are even. Sew the ribbon to the band and put the nightie on the wearer. Adjust the ribbon to the desired tightness, and sew the other end in place to the band. Thread the 22-inch long pieces of ribbon through each of the front triangles along the bottom and then the outer edge, through the triangles’ respective eyelet holes and ending so the excess ribbon is on the wrong (purl) side of the triangles. Put the nightie on the wearer, adjust the front triangle ribbons so they’re the desired tension, sew the ribbon in place and trim the excess. Thread the 12-inch long pieces of ribbon through the triangles through their eyelet holes on the inner edge, ending with the ribbon on the wrong side. Adjust the ribbons to the desired tension, sew them in place at the shoulder (the top peak of the triangle) and at the band, and trim.
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9
Hem the rectangular knit piece along one long edge and both its short edges, using a blind stitch. Fold the unhemmed edge 1/2 inch, and iron the crease into the knitting. Hem the unhemmed edge in a running stitch, using large stitches (roughly a 1/4-inch each) – don’t tie off the thread when finished. Lay the knitted nightie flat, and the knit piece below it so the unhemmed side is aligned with the band. Adjust the length of the thread until it’s the same length as the band. Tie off the thread and cut off. Adjust the fabric so it is evenly gathered along the thread. Sew the fabric at the gathered seam to the band, along the wrong side of the band. Sew the two short edges of the rectangular pieces together, using a zigzag stitch.
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Tips & Warnings
This is sized for a small with an 11-inch front length from the top of the shoulder down over the bust to the band. It includes an 11-inch back and 8-inch wide triangles.
The back portion remains the same for all sizes, but to adjust the sizing for a medium the front should increase to 13 inches and the triangle width to 9 1/2, to adjust for a large, the front should be 15 inches and the triangle width 11 and to adjust for an extra large, the front should be 17 inches and the triangle width of 12 1/2 inches.
References
- Photo Credit BananaStock/BananaStock/Getty Images
