How to Knit a Bamboo Nightdress

A nightdress can be knit in the round with only a few increases and decreases to give it shape. You can easily add decorative details to this distinctive bamboo take on the fashion, so it can be simple or frilly. Choose bamboo yarn that will give you a sturdy fabric with a little stretch. You will need circular needles for this project, so make sure that your needles are long enough.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bamboo yarn
• Circular knitting needles
• Scissors
• Tapestry needle
• Measuring tape

Start the Bamboo Nightdress

1. Measure the person who will wear the dress for chest, bust, waist, hips and length.

2. Sketch the measurements. This will give you a good visual for how the nightdress will fit. You must know all the measurements that go around the body but also the lengths between those areas for an accurate sketch.

3. Knit a gauge swatch. This will give you an idea of how the finished nightdress will look and give you the number of stitches per inch.

4. Add 3 or more inches to your sizing measurements. You want the fabric to be able to move and fit. It shouldn't be skintight.

5. Multiply the number of inches you need in the hip measurement times the number of stitches per inch. This will give you the number of cast-on stitches.

Knit the Bamboo Nightdress

6. Cast on the number of stitches that you need for the bottom edge of the nightdress. This is the number of inches needed for the hip requirement times the number of stitches per inch.

7. Join the stitches in the round. Make sure that the stitches don't become twisted.

8. Place two stitch markers on the needles. One at the point where the stitches are joined and another at the point where the stitches are divided in half. This will mark the two sides of the nightdress.

9. Knit in stockinette until you reach the length you want the bottom of the nightdress to be. This is the length measurement from the hip down to where you want the edge of the nightdress to be.

10. Decrease the number of stitches down to the waist measurement. You will want to decrease the number of stitches gradually so that the nightdress curves inward gently. Only decrease 4 stitches, 2 stitches on each side of the stitch markers, every other row.

11. Increase slowly to the bust measurements once you have decreased down to the waist and the waist section is the length that you want it to be. Again, disperse the increases on each side of the two stitch markers and doing the increases every other row.

12. Continue knitting in stockinette once you have reach the bust measurement until the chest area of the nightdress is the length that you want it. Cast off all stitches.

Finish the Bamboo Nightdress

13. Weave in all the ends into the inside of the nightdress.

14. Add straps using i-cord to the nightdress. You can also braid straps or knit up wider straps with extra yarn. The ways to decorate the nightdress are really endless.

15. Knit accent pieces. You can knit up borders for your nightdress or leave it plain. Use the same measurements that you used to knit your nightdress to make the edgings.

16. Attach the edgings to the nightdress with a tapestry needle.

[Velana]

on 11/24/2008 I'd love to see a picture of a finished Bamboo Nightdress. Pictures seem to help give me inspiration. Thanks!