When I designed the Youth June Dress, my goal was to create a free children’s knitting pattern that was not only beautiful and practical but also connected to the Baby June Dress and Adult June Dress. This top-down raglan dress, with its elastic waistband and elegant picot hem edges, has quickly become one of my favorite pieces. Watching it come together from the neck down, with each section seamlessly flowing into the next, is a satisfying process that any knitter will appreciate.
The June Dresses: A Trio of Free Children’s Knitting Patterns
The Youth June Dress is part of a set of designs that includes the Baby June Dress and Adult June Dress. These dresses are all connected by their shared design elements, such as the picot hem edges and A-line skirts. When I first designed the Baby June Dress, I fell in love with how the delicate picot edge added a gentle and charming finish to the garment. Naturally, I kept this detail in the Youth June Dress free children’s knitting pattern to maintain that same sweetness.
This pattern is perfect for creating matching outfits for families, especially those looking for mommy-and-me sets. My own children love when I knit matching pieces for them, and the Youth June Dress has become a favorite among them. It’s a free children’s knitting pattern that works for a variety of ages, making it a versatile option for all the kids in your life.
The Yarn Choice: Lion Brand Coboo for a Perfect Free Children’s Knitting Pattern
For this free children’s knitting pattern, I knew I needed a yarn that was both soft and breathable. Lion Brand Coboo, a blend of cotton and bamboo, was the perfect choice. This yarn is light and comfortable against the skin, making it ideal for a dress like the Youth June Dress. Since children can be picky about what they wear, I wanted to ensure this pattern would be as cozy as it is beautiful.
Not only is Coboo soft, but it’s also machine washable—a huge bonus for a free children’s knitting pattern intended for active kids. From birthday parties to church or outdoor play, this dress will stand up to any occasion. Plus, parents will appreciate the ease of tossing it into the washing machine when needed.
Raglan Construction for an Easy Fit
The top-down raglan construction is one of my favorite techniques to use, especially in this free children’s knitting pattern. It’s seamless, which means no piecing together at the end, and it allows you to easily adjust the fit as you go. If your child is growing quickly or you want to try it on for size, you can do so without much trouble.
The Youth June Dress, like the Baby and Adult versions, includes an elastic waistband. This feature helps define the dress’s shape and ensures it stays in place without feeling restrictive. The elastic waistband is integrated into the dress, which makes it comfortable and unobtrusive. As with all my designs, practicality is key, and I think you’ll find this feature a welcome addition to this free children’s knitting pattern.
Twirl-Ready A-Line Skirt
The A-line skirt is one of the highlights of this free children’s knitting pattern. Its flattering and comfortable shape allows for maximum movement, making it perfect for little ones who love to twirl. The midi-length gives the dress an elegant, slightly grown-up feel while still being playful and appropriate for a child.
The A-line shape also ensures the dress drapes beautifully, especially when knit with Lion Brand Coboo. This yarn gives the fabric a soft, flowing quality that looks lovely in motion. Whether your child is running around outside or spinning in front of the mirror, this free children’s knitting pattern won’t hold them back.
Picot Hem Edges: The Signature Detail
One of the defining features of the Youth June Dress, and a key element in this free children’s knitting pattern, is the picot hem edging. Found on the neckline, sleeves, and skirt, the picot edge adds a delicate touch to the overall design. It’s a subtle detail that makes the dress feel polished and refined, without adding too much complexity to the knitting process.
In the Youth June Dress, the picot edges are worked as part of the overall pattern, so there’s no need to add them afterward. This keeps the project simple and enjoyable, allowing you to focus on the joy of knitting. The picot hem edges make this free children’s knitting pattern truly stand out, giving it a polished, handcrafted look.
Why I Love This Free Children’s Knitting Pattern
There’s something uniquely satisfying about knitting a dress from the top down, especially with a free children’s knitting pattern like the Youth June Dress. Watching the garment take shape as you work through the raglan increases and transition into the skirt is an experience that I find deeply rewarding.
The Youth June Dress is versatile, which is one of the reasons I love this free children’s knitting pattern so much. It can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. Pair it with sandals for a casual summer look, or add tights and a cardigan for the colder months. The pattern’s simple design allows for customization—whether you want to add stripes, color blocking, or even embroidery.
Perfect for Every Season
Although this free children’s knitting pattern is great for warm weather, it’s also easily adaptable for the cooler months. You can layer it with a long-sleeve shirt and leggings, making it wearable all year round. The Coboo yarn keeps it lightweight and breathable for summer, while layering ensures it stays cozy in winter.
Conclusion: A Free Children’s Knitting Pattern to Treasure
The Youth June Dress is more than just a free children’s knitting pattern—it’s a piece that’s designed to be cherished and worn for years to come. Whether you’re knitting for your own child or gifting it to someone else, this pattern offers the perfect balance of elegance and comfort. It’s part of a trio of dresses that can create lasting memories, and I hope you enjoy knitting it as much as I enjoyed designing it.
If you’re looking for a fun, engaging project that results in a beautiful, wearable dress, the Youth June Dress is the free children’s knitting pattern for you. Happy knitting!
Materials and Info
Size: 3, 4 (5, 6) 7, 8 (9, 10) 11, 12 (13, 14) yrs
Materials: Approximately 5, 5 (6, 7) 7, 8 (8, 9) 9, 10 (10, 11) balls of Lion Brand Coboo 100g/232yds, needle, stitch markers
Needle Size: 4(US) 3.5mm & 5(US) 3.75mm straight and dpn
Gauge (tension): 24sts & 40 rows to make 10cm square, using size 5(US) 3.75mm needles
Chest Measurement: 55, 57 (59, 61) 64, 67 (70, 73) 76, 79 (82, 90) cm
METHOD
This pattern is a top-down raglan that is worked in the round with 5cm of ease. The skirt is worked to knee-length.
PICOT ROUND
[k2tog, yo] around
ABBREVIATIONS
K – knit
P – purl
PM – place marker
SM – slip marker
STS – stitches
YO – yarn over
K2tog -knit 2 stitches together
SSK – slip, slip, knit the slipped sts together
M1R – Insert the left needle under the strand that runs between two stitches from back to front, then knit this strand
M1L – Insert the left needle under the strand that runs between two stitches from front to back, then knit this strand through the back loop
Youth June Dress Pattern
NECK
Cast on 84, 84 (92, 84) 92, 88 (96, 100) 104, 100 (104,104) sts in using smaller needles
Join in the round, placing beginning of round marker.
Work 7 rounds in stockinette stitch
Work a picot round
Work 7 rounds in stockinette
Knit around, each time combining one st from the cast on and one st from your needles
Switch to larger needles.
SET-UP ROUND
Knit 17, 17 (18, 18) 19, 19 (20, 21) 22, 22 (23, 23) (back), pm,
Knit 8, 8 (10, 6) 8, 6 (8, 8) 8, 6 (6, 6) (sleeve), pm,
Knit 34, 34 (36, 36) 38, 38 (40, 42) 44, 44 (46, 46) (front) pm,
Knit 8, 8 (10, 6) 8, 6 (8, 8) 8, 6 (6, 6) (sleeve), pm,
Knit 17, 17 (18, 18) 19, 19 (20, 21) 22, 22 (23, 23) (back)
Raglan shaping and neck shaping are worked AT THE SAME TIME using short rows. You can use the method of short rows that works best for you. I am using wrap and turn short rows and describe those below.
Row 1 (RS): Knit to 1 st before marker, M1R, k1, sm, k1, M1L, knit to 1 sts before next marker, M1R, k1, sm, k1, M1L, k2, wrap the yarn around next stitch.
Turn your work.
Step 2 (WS): Purl to beginning of round marker (mid back).
Step 3 (WS): Purl to 1 st before marker, M1R, p1, sm, p1, M1L, purl to 1 sts before marker, M1R, p1, sm, p1, M1L, p2, wrap the yarn around the next stitch.
Turn your work.
Step 4 (RS): Knit to beginning of round (mid back).
A total of 8 stitches have been increased in these 4 steps (the 4 steps equals 2 rounds – 1 increase round and 1 knit round)
Repeat steps 1-4, but each time working 2 more sts before turning another, knitting the wraps and the next stitch as you pass them, 3 times, so the first 4 raglan increases have been worked.
Next round: knit around, knitting the wraps and the stitch they are wrapped around together.
Now work each raglan increase round as follows:
Inc round/row – [knit to 1 sts before marker, m1r, k1, sm, k1, m1l] repeat across
Work raglan increases as described above
Every other round/row 7, 7 (6, 9) 8, 8 (9, 8) 8, 11 (9, 12) times (the first 4 of these were worked in the neck shaping short row rounds)
Then work increases every 4th round 9, 10 (10, 10) 11, 12 (12, 13) 14, 13 (15, 14) times.
For a total of 16, 17 (17, 19) 19, 20 (21, 21) 22, 24 (24, 26) raglan increase rounds.
Work 3 rounds without any raglan increases.
STITCH COUNT CHECK
Total stitches: 212, 220 (228, 236) 244, 248 (264, 268) 280, 292 (296, 312)
Front/Back: 66, 68 (70, 74) 76, 78 (82, 84) 88, 92 (94, 98)
Sleeve: 40, 42 (44, 44) 46, 46 (50, 50) 52, 54 (54, 58)
DIVIDE FOR BODY AND SLEEVES
Work across 33, 34 (35, 37) 38, 39 (41, 42) 44, 46 (47, 48 back stitches, remove marker,
place 40, 42 (44, 44) 46, 46 (50, 50) 52, 54 (54, 58) sleeve stitches on stitch holder,
cast on 4, 7 (5, 6) 4, 7 (8, 6) 7, 8 (11, 6) remove marker,
work across 66, 68 (70, 74) 76, 78 (82, 84) 88, 92 (94, 98) back stitches, remove marker,
place 40, 42 (44, 44) 46, 46 (50, 50) 52, 54 (54, 58) sleeve stitches on stitch holder,
cast on 4, 7 (5, 6) 4, 7 (8, 6) 7, 8 (11, 6) sts
[140, 150 (150, 160) 160, 170 (180, 180) 190, 200 (210, 210) sts]
BODY
Continue in stockinette until your work measures 10, 11 (12, 13) 14, 15 (16, 16) 17, 17 (17, 17) cms from measuring from under arm cast on.
ELASTIC CASING
Outside casing is worked as follows:
Knit 4 rounds
Do not break the yarn.
Inside casing is worked as follows:
From a new ball of yarn, pick up and knit 140, 150 (150, 160) 160, 170 (180, 180) 190, 200 (210, 210) sts from the WS of the work using larger size circular needle from 4 rounds below the current round on the needles.
Knit 3 rounds
Place the sewn elastic in between the layers of the casing then join the inside and outside sections of the casing by knitting 1 stitch from the outside section together with 1 stitch from the inside section around.
SKIRT
Knit 1 round.
Skirt increase round – [K10, m1, pm] around
[154, 165 (165, 176) 176, 187 (198, 198) 209, 220 (231, 231) sts]
Knit 8 rounds
Skirt increase round – [knit to marker, m1]
[168, 180 (180, 192) 192, 204 (216, 216) 228, 240 (252, 252) sts]
Knit 8 round
Repeat the above 9 rounds for a total of 13, 14 (15, 16) 17, 18 (19, 20) 21, 22 (23, 24) times [14, 15 (16, 17) 18, 19 (20, 21) 22, 23 (24, 25) total increase rounds]
Work a picot round.
In smaller needle, knit 7 rounds
DO NOT BIND OFF, cut enough yarn to sew all the way around (always err on the side of extra!), fold the hem at the picot round and sew the hem in place.
SLEEVE (REPEAT FOR BOTH SLEEVES)
Using larger needles (you may need to use dpn or magic loop),
pick up and knit 3, 4 (3, 3) 3, 4 (4, 4) 4, 4, (6, 4) sts from underarm,
knit the 40, 42 (44, 44) 46, 46 (50, 50) 52, 54 (54, 58) sts from stitch holder,
pick up and knit 3, 4 (3, 3) 3, 4 (4, 4) 4, 4 (6, 4) sts from underarm, pm.
[46, 50 (50, 50) 52, 54 (58, 58) 60, 62 (66, 66) sts]
Knit 7 rounds
Work a picot round.
Knit 6 rounds.
DO NOT BIND OFF, cut a long tail of yarn (enough to sew all the stitches down), fold the hem at the picot round and sew the hem in place.
FINISHING
Weave in all ends and block according.
Youth June Dress PDF
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