1950s Ribbed Knitted Dress Pattern – Top-Down, Bust 33–38

This 1950s knitted dress pattern has a raised rib texture through the body, with a single-rib waistline giving definition to the fitted shape.

Unusually for a vintage dress pattern, it is knitted from the neck down, making the finished length easier to adjust to suit your height. The three-quarter sleeves are also worked from the top down, so their length can be altered if preferred.

The pattern comes in three sizes to fit bust measurements of 33–34, 35–36 and 37–38 inches. You’ll need approximately 31–33 oz (880–936 g) of yarn, depending on the size.

Originally knitted in Wendy Double Knitting Nylonised yarn, the pattern uses 3.75 mm (No. 9) and 4.5 mm (No. 7) needles.

The stated tension is two repeats of the pattern (8 stitches) to approximately 1¼ inches.