How absolutely adorable is this tiered ruffle skirt?! With its playful layers, lovely textures, and contrasting trim, this “Little Sweet Pea Ruffle Skirt” is perfect for twirls and sunny day adventures. It’s sure to become a favorite in any little one’s wardrobe!
This pattern is designed for intermediate beginners or intermediate crocheters. While it involves multiple layers, each layer uses a relatively simple stitch, making it a fun and manageable project.
Let’s get started on creating this delightful skirt!
Skill Level: Easy-Intermediate Yarn Weight: DK (light worsted) yarn in two colors: Main Color (Light Pink) and Contrasting Color (Purple). Hook Size: 4.0mm (G/6) crochet hook (or size needed to obtain gauge) Other Materials:
- Yarn needle for weaving in ends
- Stitch markers (helpful for marking rounds and tier placement)
Gauge: 5 hdc and 3 rows = 1 inch (2.5 cm) in half double crochet (for the waistband). It’s important to check your gauge to ensure the skirt will be the correct size. Adjust your hook size if necessary.
Finished Size (approximate): Toddler (12-24 months) – with notes for adjustments. For larger or smaller sizes, you’ll need to adjust your starting chain for the waistband and the number of stitches/rows for each tier.
Stitches Used:
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- hdc: half double crochet
- dc: double crochet
- V-stitch (V-st): (dc, ch 1, dc) in the same stitch/space (for the drawstring)
- Shell Stitch (Shell): (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in the same stitch/space (for the ruffle body)
Pattern Notes:
- The skirt is worked from the top down. We’ll start with the waistband, then the base structure for the tiers, and then crochet each ruffle layer onto that structure.
- Ch 2 at the beginning of a dc round counts as a dc. Ch 1 does NOT count as a stitch unless specified.
- Always join rounds with a sl st to the first stitch of the round.
- The ruffles are created by working into the Shell stitches of the previous rounds, increasing the stitch count to create fullness.
Let’s Begin! The Waistband (Contrasting Color: Purple)
We’ll start by creating the ribbed waistband where the drawstring will go.
Starting Chain: Ch 60 (Adjust as needed for desired waist circumference, making sure your chain is a multiple of 2.) Join with a sl st to the first ch, being careful not to twist the chain.
Round 1: Ch 1, hdc in each ch around. Join with a sl st to the first hdc. (60 hdc)
Round 2: Ch 1, hdc in the back loop only of the next hdc. Repeat from * to * around. Join with a sl st. Working in the back loop only creates a subtle ribbed effect.
Repeat Round 2 for a total of 3-4 rounds, or until your waistband is approximately 1 inch wide.
Creating the Drawstring Channel (Contrasting Color: Purple)
Now we’ll make the row where the drawstring will be threaded through.
Next Round: Ch 2 (counts as dc), dc in the next hdc. Ch 1, skip 1 hdc, dc in the next hdc. Repeat from * to * around, ending with ch 1, skip 1 hdc. Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch-2. You’ve created small gaps for your drawstring.
Skirt Base (Main Color: Light Pink)
This section will be the hidden “base” onto which we attach the ruffles.
Attach Main Color (Light Pink): Join Main Color yarn to the last stitch of the drawstring channel.
Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as dc), dc in each stitch/space around (work 1 dc into each dc and 1 dc into each ch-1 space). Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch-2. (Approximately 60 dc, or whatever your initial chain count was).
Round 2: Ch 2, dc in each dc around. Join with a sl st.
Repeat Round 2 for approximately 2-3 more rounds. The length of this base will depend on how wide you want the gaps between your ruffles to be.
Tier 1 (Top Ruffle – Main Color: Light Pink)
This tier will be worked directly onto the initial row of the “Skirt Base”.
Attach Main Color (Light Pink): Join yarn to the first dc of Round 1 of the Skirt Base.
Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as dc), dc in the same stitch where you joined. Skip 1 stitch, Shell Stitch (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in the next stitch. Repeat from * to * around. In the very last space/stitch, work 2 dc. Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch-2. Adjust your stitch count slightly on this first round to ensure an even number of shell repeats around the entire circumference. Aim to have the same number of shells as your initial dc count divided by 3 (approx. 20 shells for 60 dc).
Round 2: Ch 2, dc in the same stitch where you joined. Shell Stitch (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in the ch-1 space of the next Shell from the previous round. Repeat from * to * around. Work 2 dc into the last Shell’s ch-1 space. Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch-2.
Repeat Round 2 for approximately 2-3 more rounds, or until the ruffle is the desired height.
Edging (Contrasting Color: Purple): Attach Contrasting Color (Purple): Join yarn to the last stitch of the ruffle. Next Round: Ch 1, sc in the first st. Skip 2 sts, Shell Stitch (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in the next st, skip 2 sts, sc in the next st. Repeat from * to * around. Join with a sl st to the first sc. Fasten off.
Tier 2 (Middle Ruffle – Main Color: Light Pink)
This tier will be worked into a later round of the “Skirt Base”. Count down a few rows from where your first ruffle attaches (e.g., 2-3 rows below it).
Attach Main Color (Light Pink): Join yarn to a stitch in the chosen row of the Skirt Base.
Repeat the instructions for Tier 1, ensuring your initial Shell round has enough stitches to create a full ruffle. You might need to slightly increase your initial shell count compared to Tier 1 if you want the skirt to flare out more. A good rule of thumb is to create approximately 1.5 to 2 shells for every 2 shells in the row above, to create increase for the ruffle. For simplicity, you can just aim to place shells in approximately every 3-4 stitches/spaces.
Edging: Repeat the Purple Edging from Tier 1.
Tier 3 (Bottom Ruffle – Main Color: Light Pink)
This tier will be worked into the last few rows of the “Skirt Base”.
Attach Main Color (Light Pink): Join yarn to a stitch in the chosen row of the Skirt Base.
Repeat the instructions for Tier 1 and 2, ensuring your initial Shell round has enough stitches to create a full ruffle. You’ll likely need to increase the number of initial shells compared to Tier 2 to ensure this bottom ruffle is wide enough and flows well.
Edging: Repeat the Purple Edging from Tier 1.
The Drawstring (Contrasting Color: Purple)
Make a long chain: Ch enough to be about double the circumference of the skirt’s waist (e.g., if waist is 20 inches, chain about 40 inches long). For a thicker cord, you can make a slip stitch cord, or work a row of sc into your chain.
Add the little “beads” (optional, as seen in image):
- At each end of the drawstring, ch 3. Sl st into the 3rd ch from hook to form a tiny ring.
- Work 4-5 dc into the ring. Sl st to the first dc. Fasten off.
Thread the drawstring: Use your yarn needle to carefully weave the drawstring through the “ch 1, skip 1 dc” spaces in the drawstring channel you created earlier. Start from the center front and weave all the way around. Tie a knot at the ends of the drawstring, or secure your little “beads.”
Video tutorial
Finishing
- Weave in all remaining loose ends securely.
And there you have it – a vibrant and playful Little Sweet Pea Ruffle Skirt, ready for twirls and adventures! Don’t forget to share your finished skirts with me on social media – I love to see your beautiful creations!
Happy crocheting!
