Craft a sweet and timeless piece for your little one with this lovely crochet baby dress! Inspired by the beautiful solid pink design in the picture, this pattern features a comfortable textured yoke and a flowing skirt made entirely of a classic shell stitch, creating a delicate, lacy texture. This dress is perfect for any occasion, from casual outings to special events.
Skill Level: Intermediate (Familiarity with basic stitches, working top-down, joining in the round, and understanding basic lace/shell patterns is helpful).
Materials:
- Yarn: DK (Light Worsted) weight yarn. A soft baby acrylic, cotton, or blend is highly recommended for baby comfort and drape.
- Main Color (MC): Pink (or your chosen primary color) – approx. 300-500 yards, depending on size.
- Crochet Hook: Size G/6 (4.0 mm) or size needed to obtain gauge.
- Yarn Needle: For weaving in ends.
- Scissors
- Stitch Markers: Very helpful for marking increase points, armholes, and the beginning of rounds.
- Small Buttons: 2-3, for the back closure (optional, but recommended for ease of dressing).
Gauge (Crucial!):
Achieving the correct gauge is essential for the dress to fit properly.
- Yoke Gauge: 4 rows of hdc should measure approximately 1 inch.
- Shell Stitch Gauge: A 4-stitch pattern repeat should measure approximately 1 inch.
- Adjust your hook size if necessary to meet these gauges.
Finished Size (Approximate, 6-12 Months):
- Chest Circumference: 19-20 inches
- Length (Shoulder to Hem): 16-18 inches
- Adjustments for other sizes: Guidance will be provided.
Abbreviations (US Crochet Terms):
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- hdc: half double crochet
- dc: double crochet
- sk: skip
- sp: space
- st(s): stitch(es)
- beg: beginning
- rep: repeat
- inc: increase (work 2 sts in the same st)
- dec: decrease (work 2 sts together)
- Shell: (dc 2, ch 1, dc 2) in same st/sp [This is a common shell pattern. The image shows a slightly different shell, more like a (sc, ch 2, dc 3, ch 2, sc) or similar in a large space. We will use a classic (dc 2, ch 1, dc 2) for simplicity and adapt if needed for the look.]
- MC: Main Color
- ( ): repeat instructions in parentheses a specified number of times
- [ ]: total stitches at the end of the round
Special Stitches (for Yoke Texture – optional variation):
The yoke in the picture has a lovely texture. While a simple hdc will work, you can add texture with stitches like Front Post/Back Post hdc, or by working in the 3rd loop of hdc stitches. For simplicity in a beginner-friendly pattern, we will stick to basic hdc for the yoke, which will still create a nice fabric.
Pattern for Petal Pink Shell Stitch Baby Dress
Part 1: The Yoke (Top Down, Worked in Rows)
Using Main Color (MC – Pink):
Initial Chain: Ch 76 (for 6-12 months). Adjust this number to fit around the widest part of the baby’s head comfortably, ensuring it’s a multiple of 4 plus 4 for symmetry of the yoke divisions.
Row 1 (Neckline/Foundation): Hdc in 3rd ch from hook and in each ch across. [74 hdc] Do NOT join. You’ll work in rows for the back opening.
Row 2 (First Yoke Row – Increases): Ch 2 (counts as hdc). Hdc in first st. Hdc in next 10 sts (Right Back Panel). (Hdc 2 in next st, ch 1, Hdc 2 in next st) in next st (Corner 1). Place stitch marker in ch-1 sp. Hdc in next 15 sts (Right Sleeve). (Hdc 2 in next st, ch 1, Hdc 2 in next st) in next st (Corner 2). Place stitch marker in ch-1 sp. Hdc in next 20 sts (Front Panel). (Hdc 2 in next st, ch 1, Hdc 2 in next st) in next st (Corner 3). Place stitch marker in ch-1 sp. Hdc in next 15 sts (Left Sleeve). (Hdc 2 in next st, ch 1, Hdc 2 in next st) in next st (Corner 4). Place stitch marker in ch-1 sp. Hdc in next 10 sts. Hdc 2 in last st (Left Back Panel). [86 hdc, 4 ch-1 sps] Ch 2, turn.
Row 3 (Yoke Increases): Hdc in first st. Hdc in each hdc until you reach the first ch-1 sp. (Hdc 2 in ch-1 sp, ch 1, Hdc 2 in ch-1 sp) in ch-1 sp (Corner 1). Hdc in each hdc until you reach the next ch-1 sp. (Hdc 2 in ch-1 sp, ch 1, Hdc 2 in ch-1 sp) in ch-1 sp (Corner 2). Hdc in each hdc until you reach the next ch-1 sp. (Hdc 2 in ch-1 sp, ch 1, Hdc 2 in ch-1 sp) in ch-1 sp (Corner 3). Hdc in each hdc until you reach the next ch-1 sp. (Hdc 2 in ch-1 sp, ch 1, Hdc 2 in ch-1 sp) in ch-1 sp (Corner 4). Hdc in each hdc until last st. Hdc 2 in last st. Ch 2, turn.
Repeat Row 3 for approximately 2-4 more rows, or until the yoke (measured across the widest part of the baby’s chest) reaches the desired width. Typically, 5-7 total yoke rows are sufficient for this age group.
Joining for Armholes & Body:
Next Row (after final yoke increase row): Ch 2. Hdc in each hdc until you reach the first corner ch-1 sp. Hdc 1 in corner ch-1 sp. Ch 2 (this creates the armhole space). Sk ALL sts between this corner and the next corner. Hdc 1 in the next corner ch-1 sp. Hdc in each hdc across the Front Panel until you reach the next corner ch-1 sp. Hdc 1 in corner ch-1 sp. Ch 2 (this creates the second armhole space). Sk ALL sts between this corner and the next corner. Hdc 1 in the next corner ch-1 sp. Hdc in each hdc until the end of the row. [Number of sts will depend on yoke size, approx. 60-70 hdc plus 4 chs for armholes]. Sl st to the first hdc of the row to join. You will now work in rounds for the skirt.
Part 2: The Lacy Skirt (Working in Rounds)
The skirt is the main feature, with a beautiful all-over shell pattern. The specific shell in the picture looks like a ‘V-stitch shell’ or similar. We will adapt the classic shell to give a similar look.
Using Main Color (MC – Pink):
Round 1 (Foundation for Lace): Ch 3 (counts as dc). Dc in each st around. Sl st to join. Ensure your stitch count is a multiple of 6 for the skirt pattern.
Round 2 (First Lace Row – Shells): Ch 1. Sc in first st. *Sk 2 sts, (dc 3, ch 1, dc 3) in next st (Large Shell made). Sk 2 sts, sc in next st.* Repeat from * to * around. Sl st to first sc to join. This stitch forms the prominent wavy shell pattern in the image.
Round 3 (Shells in Shells): Sl st into the ch-1 sp of the first Large Shell. Ch 1. Sc in same ch-1 sp. *Sk all dc sts, (dc 3, ch 1, dc 3) in the ch-1 sp of the next Large Shell. Sk all dc sts, sc in the next sc.* Repeat from * to * around. Sl st to first sc to join.
Repeat Round 3 of the Skirt Lace Pattern until the skirt reaches your desired length. The picture shows a good number of repeats for a flowing skirt with a natural scalloped edge created by the shell pattern.
Fasten off MC.
Part 3: Finishing Touches
Neckline Edging (using MC – Pink): Join MC yarn to the top right corner of the back opening. Row 1: Ch 1. Sc evenly around the entire neckline opening. Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off MC and weave in ends.
Sleeve Edging (using MC – Pink): Join MC yarn to the bottom of one armhole. Round 1: Ch 1. Sc evenly around the armhole opening. Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off MC and weave in ends. Repeat for the second sleeve.
Back Closure: The image does not show buttons on the front, implying they are on the back opening of the yoke.
- Button Loops: On one side of the back opening (e.g., the right side when looking at the back of the dress), join MC yarn at the top. Ch 3 (to form a loop), sl st into a nearby stitch to create a small button loop. Make 2-3 loops evenly spaced down the back opening.
- Buttons: Sew 2-3 small buttons onto the opposite side of the back opening, aligning them with the button loops.
Final Touches:
- Weave in all remaining yarn ends securely.
- Block the dress gently to open up the lace pattern and ensure evenness.
Video tutorial
Adjusting for Different Sizes:
- Initial Chain: Adjust the initial chain to fit the head circumference, always ensuring it works with your yoke increase formula (e.g., a multiple of 4 + 4 for the hdc rows).
- Yoke Rows: Add or subtract yoke increase rows (Row 3 repeats) to achieve the desired chest circumference and armhole depth. Measure regularly!
- Armhole Chain: For larger sizes, you might need to chain 3-4 stitches for the armhole bridge instead of 2.
- Skirt Length: Add or subtract repeats of the lace pattern rounds to achieve the desired length.
- Gauge Swatch: ALWAYS make a gauge swatch for garments to ensure the correct fit!
Enjoy crocheting this beautiful and elegant little dress! It’s a wonderful project that results in a cherished handmade item.
