Crochet an Adorable Baby Romper: Video tutorial

Hello, joyful crafters!

Get ready to create the most enchanting outfit for your little one – this absolutely charming pink crochet baby romper! With its delicate lace body, sweet puffed sleeves, and delightful daisy appliques, it’s perfect for spring and summer days, special occasions, or simply adding a touch of handmade love to any baby’s wardrobe.

The soft pink in the picture is wonderfully classic, but imagine this romper in a soft pastel, a cheerful bright, or even white for a truly timeless look!

Before we begin this delightful project, here are some important notes:

Skill Level: Intermediate. This pattern involves shaping the yoke, working an open lace stitch, creating puffed sleeves, and attaching small appliques.
Yarn Choice: For baby items, softness and comfort are key! Opt for a soft, lightweight baby yarn (Sport weight #2 or DK weight #3) in cotton, a cotton blend, or a high-quality baby acrylic.
Hook Size: This will depend on your chosen yarn. Aim for a hook size that creates a fabric with nice drape for the body and a neat finish for the details. (e.g., 3.0mm – 4.0mm).
Gauge is Crucial! Especially for garments, achieving the correct gauge ensures the romper fits the intended size. Make a swatch for the yoke and the body lace stitch!

Let’s Gather Our Supplies!

Materials You’ll Need:

Approx. 150-250 grams of baby yarn in your main color (e.g., light pink)
Small amounts of yarn in yellow and white (for daisies)
Crochet hook (e.g., 3.5mm, adjust for gauge)
Stitch markers (helpful for marking increase points and armholes!)
Yarn needle
Scissors
Approx. 1 yard of thin pink satin ribbon (for drawstring)
2-3 small snaps or tiny buttons (for crotch closure)
Sewing needle and thread (to attach snaps/buttons)

Crochet Language Decoder (Abbreviations):

ch: chain
st(s): stitch(es)
sl st: slip stitch
sc: single crochet
hdc: half double crochet
dc: double crochet
sk: skip
sp: space
dc2tog: double crochet 2 stitches together (decrease)
Shell: (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in indicated stitch or space
MR: Magic Ring (or adjustable ring)
[ ]: repeat instructions within brackets
( ): number of stitches at the end of the round/row

Gauge:

Hdc Swatch (Yoke): 16 hdc and 12 rows = 4 inches (10 cm).
Shell Stitch Swatch (Body): 3 Shells and 4 rows = 4 inches (10 cm).
Adjust hook size to match gauge.

Pattern Instructions (Top-Down Construction)

Size: 0-6 Months (Adjustments for Newborn / 6-12 Months in notes) (This pattern creates a comfortable fit. Adjust starting chain and increase rates for different sizes.)

Part 1: The Yoke (Pink Yarn)

We’ll work the yoke in continuous rounds.

Ch 50 (46 / 54) (for Newborn / 0-6 Months / 6-12 Months). Sl st to first ch to form a ring, being careful not to twist.
Rnd 1: Ch 2 (counts as first hdc). Hdc in each ch around. Join with sl st to top of beg ch 2. (50 / 46 / 54 hdc)
Rnd 2 (Increase): Ch 2. [2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 4 (3 / 4) sts]. Repeat [ ] around. Join with sl st. (60 / 58 / 66 hdc)
Rnd 3: Ch 2. Hdc in each st around. Join with sl st.
Rnd 4 (Increase): Ch 2. [2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 5 (4 / 5) sts]. Repeat [ ] around. Join with sl st. (70 / 70 / 78 hdc)
Rnd 5-X (Continue Increasing): Continue increasing in this manner (e.g., adding 10-12 hdc evenly each increase round) until the yoke measures approx. 4.5 (4 / 5) inches from the neckline to the bottom edge. It should lay flat and be wide enough to form armholes.
- Aim for a final yoke circumference that will comfortably fit around the baby’s chest plus the armholes. Total stitches after yoke: approx. 80-100.

Part 2: Dividing for Body & Sleeves

Next Rnd (Divide): Ch 2. Hdc in next 12 (10 / 14) sts (Front).
- Skip stitches for armhole: Ch 3 (for underarm). Sk next 16 (14 / 18) sts (for first sleeve).
- Hdc in next 24 (20 / 28) sts (Back).
- Skip stitches for armhole: Ch 3. Sk next 16 (14 / 18) sts (for second sleeve).
- Hdc in last 12 (10 / 14) sts (Front). Join with sl st to top of beg ch 2. (54 / 44 / 64 hdc + 2 ch-3 sps)

Part 3: The Body (Lace Pattern – Pink Yarn)

We’ll now switch to the main body lace pattern.

Rnd 1 (Lace Set-up): Ch 3 (counts as dc). Dc in same st. [Sk 2 sts, Shell (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in next st]. Repeat [ ] around, working into the hdc stitches and the ch-3 underarm spaces. Adjust skips as needed to maintain pattern. Join with sl st to top of beg ch 3.
- You should have an even number of Shells around the body.
Rnd 2: Ch 3. Shell in each ch-1 sp of Shell from previous round. Join with sl st.
Rnds 3-X: Repeat Rnd 2 until the body reaches the desired length before the leg shaping (e.g., approx. 5-7 inches from underarm).
- Optional: For extra flare, every 5-7 rounds, you can add an extra (dc, ch 1) in one of the Shells, or occasionally work an extra shell into a space, distributing increases evenly.
Next Rnd (Ribbon Casing): Ch 1. Sc in each st around (working sc in dc and ch-1 sps). Join with sl st.
Next Rnd: Ch 1. Sc in BLO of each sc around. Join with sl st.
Next Rnd: Ch 1. Sc in each st around. Join with sl st.
- These three sc rounds create the casing for the ribbon drawstring. The BLO row creates a subtle ridge for the ribbon to pass through.

Lower Body/Diaper Area Shaping:

We’ll now work flat for the back and front panels to create the leg openings and crotch area.

Divide for Front/Back: Lay the romper flat. Place stitch markers to divide the total stitches into 2 equal halves (Front and Back).
Front Panel:
- Row 1: Attach yarn to the center of the first Front panel. Ch 3. Work Shells across the front panel (e.g., 6-8 Shells, or half the total Shells from previous round). Ch 3, turn.
- Row 2-X: Continue working Shells across the front panel, decreasing by sk an extra st or using a dc2tog at the start/end of a row every 2-3 rows to narrow the panel for the leg opening. Work until the panel reaches desired length (e.g., 2-3 inches from drawstring casing). Fasten off.
Back Panel:
- Row 1: Attach yarn to the center of the Back panel. Ch 3. Work Shells across the back panel. Ch 3, turn.
- Row 2-X: Continue working Shells across the back panel, decreasing to narrow the panel as for the front. Make this panel slightly longer than the front for the crotch closure (e.g., 3-4 inches). Fasten off.

Part 4: The Sleeves (Puffed – Pink Yarn)

Attach yarn with a sl st to the center of one underarm ch-3 sp.
Rnd 1 (Puff Set-up): Ch 2. Work 15-20 hdc evenly around the armhole opening (including the ch-3 sp). Join with sl st to top of beg ch 2.
Rnd 2 (Decrease for Puff): Ch 2. [Hdc2tog, hdc in next st]. Repeat [ ] around. Join with sl st. (Approx. 10-14 hdc)
Rnd 3 (Cuff): Ch 1. Sc in each st around. Join with sl st.
Fasten off. Weave in ends.
Repeat for the second sleeve.

Part 5: Leg Openings & Crotch Closure

Leg Edging: Attach pink yarn to one leg opening. Ch 1. Sc evenly around the leg opening. Join with sl st. Fasten off. Repeat for the second leg opening.
Crotch Closure: Overlap the front and back panels at the crotch. Use your sewing needle and thread to securely sew 2-3 snaps or tiny buttons evenly spaced along the crotch for closure.

Part 6: Daisy Appliques & Ribbon

A. Crochet Daisies (Make 3-4, 1 for chest, 1-2 for each sleeve)

Center (Yellow Yarn):
- MR. Ch 1, 6 sc in MR. Sl st to first sc. Fasten off yellow.
Petals (White Yarn):
- Attach white yarn to any sc on the yellow center.
- [Ch 2, 3 dc in same sc, ch 2, sl st in same sc (forms a petal)]. Sl st in next sc. Repeat [ ] 5 more times. You should have 6 petals.
- Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing. Cinch up MR.

B. Assembly:

Using your yarn needle, thread the pink satin ribbon through the sc casing you created at the empire waist of the romper. Tie a neat bow at the front.
Position the daisies on the chest and sleeves as desired. Using the tails from the daisies, securely sew them onto the romper.

Video tutorial

Your Sweet Daisy Romper is Ready!

Congratulations! You’ve just created an absolutely charming and delightful crochet baby romper. This beautiful piece is sure to be a treasured addition to any little one’s wardrobe!

Feel free to personalize your romper by choosing different yarn colors, adding more embellishments, or using a different type of ribbon!

Don’t forget to share your finished romper! I’d love to see your unique creations. Tag me on social media or send me a picture!

Happy crocheting!