If you’re like me, you couldn’t resist snagging some flounce yarn for your stash, the last time it went on sale. Because surely it’ll come in useful some time? :)

If you’re also like me, you’ve discovered that there aren’t that many patterns calling for flounce yarn out there. Fortunately, one of the perks of being a designer is that when there aren’t patterns, you can make patterns. The result is this Southern Belle Dress.

This is a true-blue ball dress, wide, sweeping and many-layered that your doll can wear to the most elaborate of social occasions.

The dress is knitted from the top down in rows with a rear seam. You can knit it in rounds as well, but the seam lets you hide the ends of the frills neatly, and so for this particular pattern, the seamed construction is a better choice. The frills are formed of flounce yarn, and they are knitted into the dress as-you-knit. I’ve prepared a video explaining how to do this.

In order to create that ever-fashionable wasp-waist, the middle of the dress is pulled in with ribbing. The dress has a rear opening which is closed with snaps.

Pattern was updated on October 2, 2018.