I love making crochet dresses for toddlers; it has been one of my favorite past times ever since I learned making clothes when I was fifteen years old. Back then, I used to make garments for my younger sisters, and later in life, for my daughters. I also like mixing between my hobbies, by combining sewing with crochet, for example, when making dresses.
The dress in this post is not actually a new design; I made it several years ago. And as I mentioned in a previous post, what prevents me from sharing similar designs is the sewing/crocheting mix in the tutorial instructions, and how not every person who excels in crocheting/knitting can also sew and vice versa.
Nevertheless, if you like the yokes I make, and you are familiar with making crochet dresses, then feel free to finish the dress with whatever crochet skirt design you like. The yoke is simple, and its instructions are both written and illustrated. I hope you find it suitable for your beloved little missies.
Intermediate level
Materials:
- Yarn: Catania Schachenmaer Fine, 100% cotton, 50g, 125m in Black 00110 (3 skeins), White 00106 (1 skein), Red 00115 (1 skein), and Green 00419 (1 skein).
- Hook, size 3.5 mm/ US 4.
- Yarn needle
- Three buttons, 1.5 cm diameter.
Gauge:
28 sts x 27 rows in 4 x 4 inches
sc stitch pattern.
Yardage:
- 250-300 m/ 280-350 yards (size 3 years) approx.
- 300-350 m/ 330-385 yards ( size 5 years) approx.
Dimensions/ size:
- 3 years old: 58 cm/23" under arm bust circumference, 20 cm/ 8" height from shoulder.
- 5 years old: 65 cm/25.5" under arms bust, 25 cm/ 10" height from shoulder.
Crochet terms (US):
- ch: chain.
- ss: slip stitch.
- sc: single crochet.
- dc: double crochet.
How to make Popcorn stitch:
- Work 5 double crochet (dc) stitches in the same stitch.
- Drop the loop from your hook.
- Insert your hook from front to back under the top 2 loops of the first double crochet of the group.
- Grab the dropped loop with your hook and pull it through the stitch.
Instructions:
Notes:
- ch 1 at the beginning of rows is not a countable st.
- When the popcorn row is finished on right side, the next sc row in black yarn is also worked on right side.
- The instructions between parentheses are for the large size.
Back:
With black yarn and 3.5 mm hook, make 66 (78) chains
Row 1 (right side): sc in second ch and every ch, turn. (65, 77 sts)
Row 2: ch 1, sc to end, turn.
Row 3: repeat row 2. cut yarn.
Tulip flower pattern
With green yarn, work next row:
Row 4: make a standing dc, (or ch 3 in first st), skip st, *(dc, ch 1, dc) in st, skip 2 sts, repeat from * to last 3 sts, (dc, ch 1, dc) in st, skip st, dc in last st, cut yarn, turn.
With red yarn, work next row:
Row 5 (right side): make a standing dc and ch 1, (or ch 4 in first st), skip dc, * popcorn st in ch 1 space, skip 2 dc, ch 2, repeat from * to last ch 1 space, popcorn in ch 1 space, skip dc, ch 1, dc in last dc (or in third ch of ch 3), cut yarn, don’t turn.
With black yarn:
Row 6 (right side): make a standing sc, (or ch 1 and sc in first st), sc in ch 1 space, *sc in popcorn st, sc 2 in ch 2 space, repeat from * to last popcorn, sc in popcorn, sc in ch 1 space, sc in last dc, turn.
Row 7 and 8: repeat row 2.
Row 9: with green yarn, repeat rows 4.
Row 10: with white yarn, repeat row 5 .
Row 11: with black yarn, repeat row 6.
With black yarn, repeat row 4 three times.
Right backside:
Arm line shaping and back opening:
Row 1: Ss 4, ch 1, sc 31 (37), turn. 31 (37) sts
Row 2: ch 1, sc 28 (34) turn.
Row 3: ss 2, ch 1, sc 26 (32), turn.
Row 4: ch 1, sc to end, turn.
Repeat row 4 (27, 35) times.
Right Neckline shaping:
Row 1: ch 1, sc 15 (21), turn.
Row 2: ss 3, ch 1, sc to end, turn.
Row 3: ch 1, sc 10 (16), turn.
Repeat row 3 twice, cut yarn leaving 6 inches for shoulder seem sewing.
Left backside:
Arm line shaping and back opening:
With black yarn, bind on in fifth st of the first row of right backside center end (see the photo), work as follows:
Row 1: ch 1, sc 31(37), turn. 31(37) sts
Row 2: ss 3, ch 1, sc 28 (34), turn.
Row 3: ch 1, sc 26 (32), turn.
Repeat row 3 once more.
Making first buttonhole:
Row 5: ch 1, sc 2, skip 2 sts, ch 2, sc to end, turn.
Row 6: ch 1, sc to ch 2 space, sc 2 in ch 2 space, sc to end, turn.
Row 7: ch 1, sc to end, turn.
*Repeat row 7 eleven (thirteen) times, repeat rows 5 and 6 to make second button hole, repeat from * once more time (making third button hole within), repeat row 7 once (three) times.
Left Neckline shaping:
Row 1: ss 11, ch 1, sc 15 (21), turn.
Row 2: ch 1, sc 12 (18), turn.
Row 3: ss 2, ch 1, sc (10, 16), turn.
Row 4: ch 1, sc to end, turn.
Repeat row 4 once, cut yarn leaving 6 inches for shoulder seem sewing.
Front:
Work the same as back until arm lines shaping:
Row 1: Ss 4, ch 1, sc to last 4 sts, turn. 57 (69) sts
Row 2: ss 3, ch 1, sc 63, turn. 51 (63 sts)
Row 3: ss 2, ch 1, sc 59, turn. 47 (59 sts)
Row 4: ch 1, sc to end, turn.
Repeat row 4 eighteen (twenty two) times, then make right side neckline shaping as follows:
Right neckline shaping:
Row 1: ch 1, sc 15 (21), turn.
Row 2: ss 3, ch 1, sc to end, turn.
Row 3: ch 1, sc 10 (16), turn.
Repeat row 10 times, cut yarn.
Left neckline shaping:
Leave 17 center sts, bind on yarn, work as follows:
Row 1: ss 11, ch 1, sc 15 (21), turn.
Row 2: ch 1, sc 12 (18), turn.
Row 3: ss 2, ch 1, sc (10, 16), turn.
Row 4: ch 1, sc to end, turn.
Repeat row 4 nine times, cut yarn.
Finishing instructions:
Sew back and front side seams together, sew shoulder seams together, sew buttons in place, work a sc row into the necklines and arm left and right openings. Weave in loose ends.
Make a skirt from a poplin cloth with matching dimensions, and sew it to the bust.
Lastly, feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions or find something confusing in the pattern.
Happy crocheting/knitting! follow me on Instagram @wiams_crafts and Twitter @wiamscrafts to see my upcoming projects.
