Baby Dress

In between farm chores and our daily routine, I do find a little time in the evenings for some knitting. I usually find it relaxing while I watch some television.

I started this little dress several months ago, set it down for a week at a time and then picked it up again. When I finally finished, I wasn't sure it was still going to be big enough for the little girl. Thankfully, I decided to make the largest size (12-18 month).

The pattern came from PurlSoho and if you're interested can read more about it here. I viewed the entire project as a challenge, since it included a new stitch combination called linen stitch, and unmercerized cotton yarn typically used for dishcloths.

It forced me to learn more about the differences in cotton: mercerized, unmercerized, and combed.

Cotton fibers are typically short, and yarns produced from them are fuzzy because the ends stick out in all directions. Unmercerized yarns have the greatest amount of fuzziness which produces softness against the skin. Because they are so soft and absorbent they make excellent dish cloths, but are also duller in color, and not very durable. Mercerization is a treatment that strengthens cotton fibers, making them smooth and able to accept dye better. The technique involves running cotton yarn through an alkaline bath under tension, which changes the structure of the fibers. The process gives the yarn a luster or sheen. Most cotton thread used for sewing is mercerized. Combed cotton has had the shorter fibers "combed" out, leaving longer fibers of the same length which are soft and silky to the touch. It is a nice compromise between the other two.

I chose combed cotton that GarnStudio sells called Drops Safran, in a pink color.