Little White Dress

I made this dress to donate to a pregnancy center for charity. It was made with no pattern. I just crocheted what I wanted it to look like, crocheting in the round with graduated shells. I was asked how to make it, so here's what I did. The inspiration for this dress and trim was the Summer Splendor Doily.

I have went through and edited a few things from earlier, if you find an error or typo after April 5, 2011, please let me know. This was not to be a "pattern" but how I made the original dress for charity. :)

Materials:

Approx. 250 yds ww, aran or bulky yarn

Crochet Hook size H or size I if you crochet tightly

Finished Size: NB-Size 3m baby dress or top

Gauge: 5 rounds in pattern stitch are 4”. Crochet loosely. If your dress looks like it will not fit over baby’s head after 2 or 3 rows, try it on for size, if it will not fit you can go up a bigger hook size or add to the beginning chain and follow the same formula. Beginning chain is a multiple of 3 + 2.

Skill Level: Intermediate due to stitches

Special Stitches:

Shell (dc, ch1-3 times, dc) (dc, ch1-5 times, dc) (dc, ch1-6 times, dc)
Cluster: Holding back last loop on each, work 3 dc in same st or sp, yo and pull thru all 4 loops on hook.

Notes:

The number of dc sts per shell change from round to round.

You can make this dress bigger by going up 2 hook sizes or more.

The heart pattern is not included.

Directions:

With MC, ch 62. Join to beginning ch with a slst, being careful not to twist the chain.

R1 Ch1, sc in the 1^st ch sp, *sk2 chs, Shell [dc, ch1-3 times, dc] all in next ch sp, sk2 chs, sc in next sp*. Repeat from * around, join with a slst to first sc. (10 shells and 10sc)

R2 Ch4, (counts as dc, ch1 now and throughout) dc, ch1-4 times, dc in same sp, (shell made with 6dc and 5 ch1 sps), sk next ch1 sp, sc in next ch1 sp (of shell)sk next ch1 sp. *In next sc make [dc, ch1-5 times, dc] Shell made, sk next ch1 sp, sc in next ch1 sp, sk next ch1 sp. * Repeat from * around, join with a slst to 3^rd ch of beg. ch4. (10 shells and 10 sc)

R3 Slst to 3^rd ch1 sp of shell, ch1,* [sc, ch2, sc] in same ch1 sp, sk next 2-ch1 sps, [dc, ch1-5 times, dc] all in next sc, sk next 2-ch1 sps.* Repeat from * around, join with a slst to first sc. (10 shells and 10 sc, ch2, sc sps)

Looks like this after R3...

R4 {Armholes made this round} Slst into ch2 sp, ch4, dc, ch1-4 times, dc, all in same ch2 sp (shell made) sk2, ch1 sps, [sc, ch2, sc] in next ch1 sp, sk next 2, ch1 sps, [dc, ch1-5 times, dc] in next ch2 sp, sk next 2 ch1 sps, [sc, ch2, sc] in next ch1 sp, Ch5, sk next ch2 sp, sk next shell, sk next ch2 sp, on next shell-sk next 2 ch1 sps, [sc, ch2, sc] in next ch1 sp (Armhole space made) sk next 2- ch1 sps, *[dc, ch1-5 times, dc] in next ch2 sp, sk next 2, ch1 sps, [sc, ch2, sc] in next ch1 sp, sk next 2, ch1 sps.* Repeat from * 3 times (3 shells made on front of dress) Ch5, sk next ch2 sp, sk next shell, sk next ch2 sp, on next shell-sk next 2- ch1 sps, [sc, ch2, sc] in next ch1 sp (Armhole space made) sk next 2- ch1 sps, [dc, ch1-5 times, dc] in next ch2 sp, sk next 2- ch1 sps, [sc, ch2, sc] in next ch1 sp. Join with a slst to 3^rd ch of beg. ch4. (6 shells, 8 ch2 sps and 2- ch5 armhole sps)

Looks like this...sorry for the bad photo...

R5 Slst to 3^rd ch1 sp, ch1, sc in same sp, ch2, sc all in same sp. Sk next 2-ch1 sps, Shell [dc, ch1-5 times, dc] in next ch2 sp, sk next 2-ch1 sps, [sc, ch2, sc] in next ch1 sp, sk next 2-ch1 sps, Shell [dc, ch1-5 times, dc] in next ch2 sp, sk 2 chs on Armhole, [sc, ch2, sc] in next ch, sk next 2 chs. *[dc, ch1-5 times, dc] in next ch2 sp, sk next 2- ch1 sps, [sc, ch2, sc] in next ch1 sp, sk next 2- ch1 sps* Repeat * 3 times total, Shell [dc, ch1-5 times, dc] in next ch2 sp, sk 2 chs on Armhole, [sc, ch2, sc] in next ch, sk next 2 chs. [dc, ch1-5 times, dc] in next ch2 sp, sk next 2 ch1 sps, [sc, ch2, sc] in next ch1 sp, sk next 2- ch1 sps, [dc, ch1-5 times, dc] in last ch2 sp. Join with a slst to 1^st sc. (8 shells and 8-ch2 sps)

R6 Slst into ch2 sp, ch4, [dc, ch1-5 times, dc] all in same space (Shell made using 7dc and 6-ch1 sps) *sk next 2-ch1 sps, [sc, ch2, sc] in next ch1 sp, sk next 2-ch1 sps, [dc, ch1-6 times, dc] in next ch2 sp (Shell made),* Repeat from * around. Join with a slst to 3^rd ch of beg. ch4.

Now it gets easier,

R7 Slst into 3^rd ch1 sp, ch1, sc in same sp, ch2, sk next dc, sc in next ch1 sp. Sk next 2-ch1 sps, Shell [dc, ch1-6 times, dc] in next ch2 sp, sk next 2-ch1 sps, *sc in next ch1 sp, ch2, sk next dc, sc in next ch1 sp, sk next 2-ch1 sps, Shell [dc, ch1-6 times, dc] in next ch2 sp, sk next 2-ch1 sps,* Repeat from * around, join with a slst to 1^st sc.

The ch2 space is made differently in R7, here's a photo...

R8 Slst into ch2 sp, ch4, [dc, ch1-5 times, dc] all in same space (Shell made using 7dc and 6-ch1 sps) *sk next 2-ch1 sps, sc in next ch1 sp, ch2, sk next dc, sc in next ch1 sp, sk next 2-ch1 sps, [dc, ch1-6 times, dc] in next ch2 sp (Shell made),* Repeat from * around. Join with a slst to 3^rd ch of beg. ch4.

R9-14 Repeat R7 and R8 for a total of 3 more times.

Begin Trim

R15 Slst into 3^rd ch1 sp, ch1, sc in same sp, ch3, sk next dc, sc in next ch1 sp. Sk next 2-ch1 sps, Shell [tr, ch1-6 times, tr] in next ch2 sp, sk next 2-ch1 sps, *sc in next ch1 sp, ch3, sk next dc, sc in next ch1 sp, sk next 2-ch1 sps, Shell [tr, ch1-6 times, tr] in next ch2 sp, sk next 2-ch1 sps,* Repeat from * around, join with a slst to 1^st sc.

R16 Slst into ch3 sp, ch1, sc in same sp, * cluster (See Stitches) in next ch-1 sp, (ch 2, cluster in next ch1 sp) 5 times, sc in next ch3 sp* Repeat from * around, ending with a slst in first sc.

R17 Ch1, sc, ch3, sc all in same sp. *[Sc, ch3, sc] in next ch2 sp, 5 times, [sc, ch3, sc] in next sc* Repeat from * around, join with a slst to first sc. Fasten off.

Make a super cute little pocket from a heart or flower and sew it to the dress and enjoy! These are so quick, make a few and donate them to a charitable organization. Mine are going to a charity listed in a thread on Crochetville.