Crochet Baby Dress Pattern, Little Bow Peep Dress

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Whether you’re a seasoned crocheter looking for a new project or a beginner eager to create something special for your little bundle of joy, the Darling Little Bow Peep Crochet Baby Dress Pattern is a perfect choice.

 

 

This crochet baby dress is designed with both style and practicality in mind. The adjustable straps ensure a perfect fit, while the breezy pleated skirt allows for easy movement and maximum comfort.

 

 

The pattern also includes step-by-step instructions, accompanied by pictures where needed, making it suitable for both experienced crocheters and those new to the craft.

 

 

 

So without further ado, let’s start working on this cute baby dress pattern.

 

Crochet Baby Dress Pattern

You can work from the free pattern below or purchase an ad-free PDF for $3.99 here. You will receive a download link once you make payment and click “Return to Merchant”.

 

 

Materials

1. DK weight, size 3 yarn in two colors. The colors used for the samples are White from Bernat Softee Baby Yarn, Cool Baby (Blue), and Candy Pink from Snuggly Wuggly Baby Sport.

2. Hook- F (3.75)mm for the bodice and H (5mm) for the skirt. Use any size hook to attain the gauge.

3. Two ¼ inch buttons for the back closure.

4. Yarn needle to weave in the ends

 

 

Finished Size

To Fit Chest

Newborn: 14″

3 months: 16″

6 months: 17″

12 months: 18″

18 months: 19″

24 months: 21″

Finished Chest of Dress

Newborn: 15-1/2″

3 months: 17-1/2″

6 months: 18-1/2″

12 months: 19-1/2″

18 months: 20-1/2″

24 months: 22-1/2″

 

 

Gauge

Bodice Gauge

With F hook, 14 hdc stitches = 4 inches

The row gauge does not matter. 

 

Lace Pattern Gauge

With H hook:

2 V-sts alternating with 2 Shells = 5 inches

5 Rows= 3 ½ inches

 

 

Stitch Explanations

Shell: 5 dc worked into the same stitch

V-st: (Dc, ch 1, dc) worked into the same st

 

 

Stitch Abbreviations

The pattern is in standard American terms.

sc: single crochet

dc: double crochet

sl st: slip stitch

ch: chain

sk: skip

st: stitch 

tr: triple crochet

 

 

Yardage

Newborn: 210 Yards

3 months: 260 Yards

6 months: 300 Yards

12 months: 360 Yards

18 months: 430 Yards

24 months: 570 Yards

 

 

Pattern

Pattern Note

The instructions are written for the smallest size with stitch counts for bigger sizes given in brackets in the order NB (3 months, 6 months) (12 months, 18 months, 24 months).

 

 

Bodice

The bodice is first worked as a long rectangular piece.

 

With F hook Ch 57 (65, 69) (73, 77, 85)

 

Row 1: 1 hdc in the 3rd ch from hook (ch 2 counts as first hdc), *( skip next chain, 2 hdc in next), repeat from * to end of the chain. Turn. ——-56 (64, 68) (72, 76, 84) hdc

 

 

Note: The ch-spaces mentioned in Rows 2 and 3 are the gaps between hdc pairs or between the beginning and ending st and a hdc pair. Please see Pic 1 below for help with working Rows 2 and 3.

 

 

 

Row 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1st hdc), skip next hdc, 2 hdc into next ch-space, *( 2 hdc in next chain space), repeat from * a total of 26 (30, 32) (34, 36, 40) times until you end in the last ch-space, skip next hdc, 1 hdc in last st (the beginning ch-2 of the previous round). Turn.———–56 (64, 68) (72, 76, 84) hdc

 

 

Row 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1st hdc), 1 hdc in next ch-space as shown in pic 1 above *(2 hdc in next ch-space), repeat from * a total of 26 (30, 32) (34, 36, 40) times, 1 hdc into the last ch-space, 1 hdc on top of last hdc (beginning ch-2 of previous round). Turn.——–56 (64, 68) (72, 76, 84) hdc

 

 

Repeat rows 2& 3 till your work measures 2 ¾ ( 3, 3 ¼) (3 ½, 3 ¾, 4 ¼) inches.

 

Last Row: Ch 1 (does not count as a st), 1 sc in same st as ch 1, 1 sc in each st across. Turn. ——-56 (64, 68) (72, 76, 84) sc

 

Repeat the above sc row one more time. Do not fasten off. Continue to work the buttonhole band as given below.

 

 

Buttonhole Band

A buttonhole band is worked into the back bodice of the dress before you start working the skirt onto it. The ch 1 and skip 1 in row 3 below will form eyelet buttonholes.

 

 

 

Row 1: Ch 1 (not counted as a st) at the corner and start working along the short side of the rectangle as shown in pic 2 above, work sc stitches distributed as evenly as possible across the row ends. I worked 13 (14, 15) (16, 17, 19) sc. Turn.

 

 

Row 2: Ch 1 (not counted as a st), 1 sc in same st as ch 1, 1 sc in each st across. Turn.

 

 

Row 3: (Buttonhole Row): Ch 1, 1 sc in each st till you are halfway up the band, ch 1, skip 1 st, 1sc in each st across till 2 stitches left, ch 1, skip 1 st, 1 sc in last st. Turn.

 

 

Row 4: Ch 1 (not counted as a st), 1 sc in same st as ch 1, 1 sc in each chain space, and st across. Do not fasten off.

 

 

Skirt

Pattern Notes

1. The shorter sides of the bodice (rectangle) are joined at the base of the buttonhole band. Then the lacy skirt is worked in the round directly onto the bodice. The explanation for a shell and V-st is given under ‘Stitch Explanations’ given at the beginning of the pattern.

 

 

2. The skirt is meant to be ruffly and not A-line.

 

 

 

 

Round 1 (sc round): Overlap the buttonhole band over the other shorter side of the bodice, keeping 4 stitches under it (beginning ch 2 is also a st), insert your hook through the tip of the buttonhole band and the 4th stitch behind to work a sl st, ch 1, 2 sc into the same st. See pic 3 above.

 

 

2 sc in each st till you reach back near the buttonhole band, insert your hook into the buttonhole band and the 3 stitches behind and work 2 sc into each of them, sl st to first sc of the round. ————-112 (128, 136) (144, 152, 168) st in the round

 

 

Round 2: Switch to H (5mm) hook. Ch 3 and 1 dc in same st (forms the first V-st), sk 3 st, shell in next st, *(sk 3st, V-st in next, sk 3 st, shell in next st), repeat from * a total of 13 (15, 16) (17, 18, 20) times, sl st to top of beginning ch 2 of the first V-st. Do not turn.———-14 (16, 17) (18, 19, 21) repeats of V and Shell stitches

 

 

Round 3: Sl st into the ch-1 space of the V-st, ch 3 and 4 dc into the to the same space (first shell made), *(V-st in the 3rd dc of the next shell, shell in the ch-1 space of next V-st), repeat from * till you end in a V-st on top of the last shell, sl st to top of beginning ch 3 of the first shell. Do not turn. ———-14 (16, 17) (18, 19, 21) repeats of V and shell stitches

 

 

Round 4: Sl st into the next two stitches on the shell to reach the 3rd dc of the shell, ch 3, 1 dc into the same st, first V-st made, *(shell into the ch-1 space of the next V-st, V-st in the 3rd dc of the next shell), repeat from * till you end with a shell in the last V-st, sl st to top of beginning ch-2 of the first V-st. Do not turn.———-14 (16, 17) (18, 19, 21) repeats of V and shell stitches

 

 

 

See Pic 4 above for a close-up of the skirt. Repeat rows 3 and 4 till the skirt is 7 (7-1/2, 8) (10, 11, 13)”

 

 

Bodice Top Picot Edging

 

 

Note: The stitches are not made into the free loops of the foundation chain but the hook is inserted into the ch-1 space or between the posts of the two hdc stitches to avoid leaving holes in your work. See pic 5 above.

 

Using the F hook, sl st the contrasting color yarn into the top corner of the buttonhole band at the back of the dress, ch 1, and work 4 sc until you reach near the first ch-1 space *(1sc into the ch-1 space, ch 3, sl st to the 3rd ch to make a picot, 1 sc between the next 2 hdc sts, 1 sc in next ch-1 space, 1 sc between next 2 hdc sts), repeat from * till you reach the end of the bodice. Fasten off.

 

 

Shoulder Strap

Note: The two shoulder straps are stitched to the dress on the front and tied at the back to make the shoulder straps adjustable. 1 ¼ inches will be reduced from the strap length after you stitch them up. The finished length of the strap before sewing is 18 ½ to 20 inches

 

 

 

 

 

 

With F hook, chain 75 (77, 79) (81, 83, 85), sl st to 4th chain from hook, first petal made, *(ch 4, sl st to 4th chain from hook), repeat from * a total of 4 times, sl st to the base of the first petal to complete your tiny flower as shown in Pic 6 above, sl st into each chain across and fasten off leaving a 7-inch tail. Make one more strap. From the back side of the bodice, insert the non-flower end of the straps through the gaps between the stitches. Sew the non-flower end of the strap behind the front side of the bodice inserting at least 1 ¼ inches inside the dress. The straps should be placed 3-1/4 (3-1/4, 3-1/2) (3-1/2, 4, 4)” away from each other. You can now tie the shoulder straps at the back of the bodice as shown in pic 7 above. See pic 8 below for a measurement diagram. 

 

 

 

Bow (optional)

Row 1: Using H hook and contrasting color yarn, ch 42 (42, 44) (44, 46, 46), 1 sc in 2nd ch and each ch across——— 41(41, 43) (43, 45, 45)sc

 

 

Row 2: Ch 1, 1 sc in same st as ch 1, *(1 tr in next, 1 sc in next), repeat from * till the end.——-21 sc and 20 tr

 

 

Row 3: Ch 1, 1sc in same st as ch 1, 1 sc in each st across.————–41 sc

 

 

Repeat rows 2 & 3 four more times for sizes up to 6 months and 5 more times for sizes 12 months and up. Now fold the long strip in half and sl st the shorter sides together on the wrong side. Bring the seam to the middle back, gather the middle of the bow, and use the yarn to wrap around it a few times. Make a couple of knots to secure. Fasten off with a long tail and use the tail to sew it onto the front of the dress.

 

 

Finishing the Dress

1. Weave in the tails

2. Sew on the buttons for the back closure.

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