Crochet Baby Dress & Headband Set: Video tutorial

Hello, dear crochet friends! Get ready to whip up an absolutely charming set for a precious little one – this beautiful pink and white baby dress with a matching headband! The two-tone design creates a lovely “peppermint swirl” effect, and the delicate ruffles add a touch of sweetness. It’s perfect for a baby shower gift, a first photo shoot, or any special occasion.

This pattern is designed for an average 0-3 month size, but I’ll provide tips for adjusting it for other sizes.

Skill Level: Intermediate

Materials You’ll Need:

Yarn:
- DK weight (Light Worsted / #3) yarn in Main Pink (approx. 200-250 yards)
- DK weight (Light Worsted / #3) yarn in White (approx. 150-200 yards)
Crochet Hook: 4.0 mm (G/6) or size needed to obtain gauge
Tapestry Needle
Scissors
Stitch Markers (helpful for marking the beginning of rounds)
Ribbon: Approx. 1 yard of 1/4 – 1/2 inch (0.6 – 1.25 cm) wide white satin ribbon

Gauge: Working in double crochet: 18 stitches x 10 rows = 4 inches (10 cm)

Abbreviations (US Terms):

ch: chain
sl st: slip stitch
sc: single crochet
hdc: half double crochet
dc: double crochet
sk: skip
st(s): stitch(es)
sp: space
rep: repeat
Shell: (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in same stitch or space
Picot: Ch 3, sl st into first ch.

Pattern Notes:

Ch 2 at the beginning of a row/round counts as a hdc.
Ch 3 at the beginning of a row/round counts as a dc.
The bodice is worked from the top down, then the skirt is added.
Join rounds with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch unless otherwise specified.
Remember to check your gauge! This is crucial for getting the correct sizing.
The color changes for the skirt create the striped effect.

The Dress

Bodice (Main Pink Yarn)

Yoke:

Start with Main Pink Yarn. Ch 56 (this creates the neckline). Sl st to the first ch to form a ring, being careful not to twist the chain.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as hdc), hdc in each ch around. Join with sl st to top of beg ch-2. (56 hdc)

Round 2: Ch 2, hdc in next 6 sts, (hdc, ch 2, hdc) in next st (corner), hdc in next 12 sts, (hdc, ch 2, hdc) in next st (corner), hdc in next 14 sts, (hdc, ch 2, hdc) in next st (corner), hdc in next 12 sts, (hdc, ch 2, hdc) in next st (corner), hdc in next 6 sts. Join with sl st. (64 hdc, 4 ch-2 corners)

Round 3: Ch 2, hdc in each st to first ch-2 sp, (hdc, ch 2, hdc) in ch-2 sp, hdc in each st to next ch-2 sp, (hdc, ch 2, hdc) in ch-2 sp. Rep from * to * 3 more times. Hdc in remaining sts. Join with sl st. (80 hdc, 4 ch-2 corners)

Round 4 & 5: Repeat Round 3. You should have 16 stitches increasing each round.

After Round 4: 96 hdc
After Round 5: 112 hdc

Divide for Sleeves and Body:

Round 6: Ch 2, hdc in each st to first ch-2 sp. Hdc in ch-2 sp. Ch 2, sk all stitches across the “sleeve” section to the next ch-2 sp (approximately 28 hdc stitches). Hdc in ch-2 sp. Hdc in each st across the “back” section to the next ch-2 sp. Hdc in ch-2 sp. Ch 2, sk all stitches across the next “sleeve” section to the next ch-2 sp (approximately 28 hdc stitches). Hdc in ch-2 sp. Hdc in each st across the “front” section. Join with sl st to top of beg ch-2. (Counts approx. 28 hdc for front, 28 hdc for back, 2 ch-2 spaces under arms). Total stitches around the body: 56 hdc + 4 ch from underarms = 60 sts.

Bodice Body:

Round 7: Ch 2, hdc in each hdc and 2 hdc in each ch-2 sp under the arms. Join with sl st. (60 hdc + 4 hdc in ch-2 sps = 64 hdc).

Round 8: Ch 2, hdc in each st around. Join with sl st. (64 hdc)

Fasten off Main Pink yarn.

Bodice Edging (White Yarn)

Attach White Yarn with a sl st to any hdc on the neckline. Round 1 (Neckline Ruffle): Ch 1, sc in next st, ch 2, sk 1 st, sc in next st. Rep from * around. Join with sl st to first sc. Round 2: Ch 1, 5 dc in ch-2 sp, sc in next sc. Rep from * around. Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off.

Repeat this edging for the armholes. Attach white yarn to the bottom of each armhole, work around the opening for two rounds as described above.

The Skirt

Attach Main Pink Yarn with a sl st to any hdc from the last round of the bodice.

Round 1 (Main Pink): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next st. Ch 1, sk 1 st, dc in next 2 sts. Rep from * around. Join with sl st to top of beg ch-3. (32 groups of 2 dc, 32 ch-1 sps). This round creates the holes for the ribbon.

Round 2 (White Yarn): Attach White yarn to a dc of Round 1. Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next dc. Work 2 dc into ch-1 sp, dc in next 2 dc. Rep from * around. Join with sl st to top of beg ch-3. (96 dc)

Round 3 (White Yarn – Shell Stitch): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in same st. Sk 3 sts, Shell (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in next st. Rep from * around. Join with sl st to top of beg ch-3. (24 Shells)

Round 4 (Main Pink Yarn): Sl st into the first ch-1 space of the first shell. Ch 3, dc in same ch-1 sp. Shell (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in next ch-1 sp. Rep from * around. Join with sl st to top of beg ch-3. (24 Shells)

Round 5 (Main Pink Yarn): Sl st into the first ch-1 space. Ch 3, dc in same ch-1 sp. Shell (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in next ch-1 sp. Rep from * around. Join with sl st. (24 Shells)

Round 6 (White Yarn – Increase Round): Sl st into the first ch-1 space. Ch 3, dc in same ch-1 sp. (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in next ch-1 space. (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in next ch-1 space. Rep from * around, alternating the regular shell with an increased shell (essentially, adding an extra ch 1, 2 dc into every other shell space). Join with sl st. (This will increase your shell count and add fullness to the skirt. You should have approx. 36 shells).

Round 7 (White Yarn): Sl st into the first ch-1 space. Ch 3, dc in same ch-1 sp. Shell (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in next ch-1 sp. Rep from * around. Join with sl st. (36 Shells)

Round 8 (Main Pink Yarn): Sl st into the first ch-1 space. Ch 3, dc in same ch-1 sp. Shell (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in next ch-1 sp. Rep from * around. Join with sl st. (36 Shells)

Round 9 (Main Pink Yarn): Sl st into the first ch-1 space. Ch 3, dc in same ch-1 sp. Shell (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in next ch-1 sp. Rep from * around. Join with sl st. (36 Shells)

Round 10 (White Yarn – Increase Round): Repeat Round 6 to increase the shell count again. (Approx. 54 shells).

Round 11 – 18 (or desired length): Continue alternating between Main Pink and White yarn for each pair of rounds (e.g., 2 rounds Pink, 2 rounds White) and repeating the shell stitch pattern (Sl st into ch-1 sp, Ch 3, dc in same sp, Shell in each next ch-1 sp). Continue increasing every 3-4 rounds as needed to maintain the flare. To increase, you can add an extra (ch 1, 2 dc) into every 3rd or 4th shell space, similar to Round 6.

Last Round (Edging – White Yarn): Ch 1, sc in first dc, (sc, Picot, sc) in ch-1 sp of shell, sc in next 2 dc. Rep from * around. Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off.

The Headband (Main Pink Yarn)

Start with Main Pink Yarn. Ch 70 (or desired length to fit baby’s head, minus a few inches for stretch).

Row 1: Hdc in 3rd ch from hook and in each ch across. (68 hdc) Turn.

Row 2: Ch 2 (counts as hdc), hdc in each st across. Turn. Repeat Row 2 until the headband is your desired width (approx. 2-3 rows). Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Sew the ends of the headband together to form a loop.

Headband Flowers (Make 3 – White Yarn)

Start with White Yarn. Ch 4, sl st to first ch to form a ring.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as hdc), 9 hdc into the ring. Join with sl st to top of beg ch-2. (10 hdc)

Round 2 (Petals): Ch 3, dc in same st, tr in same st, dc in same st, ch 3, sl st in same st. Sl st into next hdc from Round 1. Rep from * 4 more times (5 petals total). Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Finishing:

Weave in all ends neatly using your tapestry needle.
Add Ribbon to Dress: Thread your white satin ribbon through the ch-1 spaces created in Skirt Round 1. Weave it in and out. Tie a pretty bow at the front.
Attach Flowers to Headband: Arrange the three white flowers across the top of the headband. Sew them securely in place using the long tails you left. You can add a small pearl or bead to the center of each flower if desired.
Block your dress and headband gently if desired to help them lay nicely and open up the stitches.