Sweet Nothings Crochet: BABY’S SHELLED DRESS

BABY’S SHELLED DRESS

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Materials used : Today I’ve used under 100 gms of our lovely Indian Oswal 3-ply acrylic yarn with a 3.5 mm crochet hook ; embroidery needle ; sewing needle ; fabric glue to seal ends ; crochet stitch markers ; buttons; press buttons ; satin ribbon ; headband ; tic-tac clips ; rubber band ; hair comb or barrette ; beads n more

For Indians : You could use Anchor , Red rose , 4-ply knitting cotton , or unbranded knitting cotton or White Rose or bamboo knitting cotton , Milk cotton ; Silk yarns as well as Vardhaman acrylic yarns ; Baby soft acrylic yarn , Ganga Spectrum as well

General yarn info : The yarn used today is not specific to this pattern.

You can use any yarn with a suitable hook to make this project to any size.

International yarns : Among the international yarns I have used in this thickness, I’d suggest Aunt Lydia Cotton 10, Aunt Lydia Bamboo-Viscose 10, DMC Petra, Sullivans knitting cotton (Australia), Milford Soft, Hilaza Rustica Eclat , Alize cotton yarn and Alize bamboo yarn , Lily Sugar n' Cream cotton yarn, Caron Simply Soft , Bernat Softee chunky.

Size made : 0-6 months

You can make this dress to any size.

Size only given for yarn estimation

Difficulty level : Intermediate to advanced level

Stitches used : Using U.S. terminology

How to hold your yarn in crochet : https://youtu.be/FwOlCbGdbqY

Starting slip knot : https://youtu.be/lJcqsVcs8cw

Starting slip knot 1 or the Sloppy Slip knot : https://youtu.be/YfC7KmGpifs

What is a chain stitch ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXx5ukBjKkY

Abbreviations used :

ch : Chain sk : skip

dc : Double crochet sp(s) : Space(s)

st(s) : Stitch(es) sc : Single crochet

hk : hook. lp : loop

rep : repeat

fsc : Foundation single crochet

Instructions :

Please note that I start all my rows with a ch 1, turning chain for ease.

Please check the top of this blog for easy video tutorials on all stitches used in today's pattern. For your convenience, I have also added links for stitches to be used just before the rows.

Please read through all my notes before you pick up your hook, so you know just where we're heading in our pattern.

In my patterns I work with the principle of stitch count and body measurement. This means that you need to work the stitch count in pattern, till you get the measurement (length and/or width) that you need for your project.

So before we set off on our new creative journey, let’s take a quick look at what we’re creating here today.

This cute dress has been made from neck down.

In the original pattern, the designer has started with plain chains.

However, I prefer the foundation chain start as it lends a softer and better finish to “little” clothing, so have changed the pattern a little.

Original charts have been used here, so if you prefer the chain start, do follow the chart.

For your convenience, I have cut the chart into smaller sections and the whole chart is at the end of this blog.

We start with the yoke and then work down to the skirt part of our cute little dress.

Now the yoke is worked in one piece, and we work back and forth so that we leave a 4 dc placket at the back for closure.

How do you calculate how many stitches you would need for a round neck ?

The simplest way would be to keep a well fitting dress of the child you are making this dress for – if unable to do that, then see if you can get a loose round neck measure and then work your first foundation row to that measure.

We will work our yoke in rows, and then our skirt portion in rounds.

Part I : Yoke

Our stitch count is in multiples of 7 + 4, ending with an uneven number.

Foundation Single Crochet : fsc : https://youtu.be/mcT85fwh4mA

Start with fsc in multiples of 7 + 4, ending with an uneven number. Turn

Double Crochet : dc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk);

[yo, draw through 2 lps] twice. One dc made.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/xdnjB27zpYo

Chainless start for Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 / ch – 3 start, and this is what I do to start my row of dc.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/wskv3iTjRx0

Row 1 : dc in the 1^st 4 dc ;

*ch 1, sk next fsc, dc in next fsc* ;

rep from *to* till last 4 fsc ;

dc in last 4 fsc. Turn.

Row 1 detail of chart for yoke of baby's shelled dress

V-stitch : V-st : (dc, ch 1, dc) all in the same st or ch sp

Row 2 : dc in the 1^st 4 dc ;

V-st in next ch-1 sp,

*sk next dc, V-st in next ch-1 sp*;

rep from *to* till last ch-1 sp ;

dc in last 4 dc. Turn.

Row 2 chart detail for the yoke of baby's shelled dress

Shell stitch or Shell st : (dc ; ch 1, dc ; ch 1, dc) all in the same st or ch sp

Row 3 : (Increase) :

dc in the 1^st 4 dc ;

Shell st in the 1^st ch-sp (of V-st) ;

*V-st in next two ch-1 sps ;

Shell st in the next ch-1 sp* ;

rep from *to* till last 4 dc ;

dc in last 4 dc. Turn.

Row 3 chart detail for the yoke of baby shelled dress

Row 4 : dc in the 1^st 4 dc ;

V-st in each ch-1 sp till last 4 dc ;

dc in last 4 dc. Turn.

Row 4 detail chart for baby's shelled dress

Row 5 : (Increase) :

dc in the 1^st 4 dc ;

*V-st in next three ch-1 sps ;

Shell st in the next ch-1 sp* ;

rep from *to* till last 4 dc ;

dc in last 4 dc. Turn.

Row 5 chart detail for baby's shelled dress

Row 6 : dc in the 1^st 4 dc ;

V-st in each ch-1 sp till last 4 dc ;

dc in last 4 dc. Turn.

Row 7 : (Increase) :

dc in the 1^st 4 dc ;

V-st in the 1^st two ch-sps ;

*Shell st in the next ch-1 sp ;

V-st in next four ch-1 sps* ;

rep from *to* once ;

Shell st in the next ch-1 sp ;

V-st in next two ch-1 sps ;

dc in last 4 dc. Turn.

Row 8 : dc in the 1^st 4 dc ;

V-st in each ch-1 sp till last 4 dc ;

dc in last 4 dc. Turn.

Right so depending on how large / wide you want your yoke, rep an Increase row followed by the next row of just V-sts, but with every increase row, add one more V-st between shell sts.

i.e. In our last increase row (Row 7) we have 4 V-sts followed by one Shell st ; so for the next increase row, you will have 5 V-sts followed by one Shell st.

Once you have the yoke you are happy with, do the border shelled row (below) for the yoke.

So the next question .. how does one calculate the yoke sizing?

Well, I usually take the easy way out and use a well-fitting dress of the person for whom this is intended as a marker, but the thumb rule is also that the yoke is just about 1/3^rd of the whole dress length, for younger kids (i.e till Age 1).

For older kids, the yoke should come just under the armhole, so that the skirt portion of the dress starts just under the armhole.

Border shell : 7 dc in the same st or ch sp

Next Row : dc in the 1^st 4 dc ;

sk 1^st ch-1 sp, Border shell over next 2 dc ;

*sk next ch-1 sp, sc in next dc ;

sk next ch-1 sp, Border shell over next 2 dc* ;

rep from *to* till last 4 dc ;

dc in last 4 dc. Turn.

chart of the yoke for the baby's shelled dress

close up photo showing detail of yoke, with the satin ribbon woven in

Part 2 : Body of dress

We work the body or skirt portion of the dress in rounds.

So remember to join with a sl-st at the end of the round.

When working with the lower skirt portion, you could either overlap the 4 dc border / placket (for older children) or you work in a loop along one edge and add the button on the other placket edge.

If overlapping, do remember that you need to do that before you work the bottom skirt bit (i.e overlap it and then work the stitches over both plackets.

See chart below.

bird's eye view chart of how the yoke is worked

The other thing we need to mark off is the armhole openings.

Depending on the round arm measure of your child, let’s mark this off.

So we fold the yoke ; mark the centre front and two sides.

Then mark off the round arm measure from the two side and place markers along the back and front of your yoke.

Our stitch count is in multiples of 6 – so after marking off the armholes, ensure you have this stitch count.

The hardest part is now calculating how many shells you need on this first round of the skirt.

So what I usually do is just work the basic number of shells per pattern count, see if I am happy with the result, and if not, then add shells to give it the ‘body’ / flared skirt that I want.

Once this first round is done, we are ‘stuck’ with the number of shells we have.

So how do I add shells / or body to the skirt portion .. well…

You can either work in extra shells reducing the number of skipped stitches (i.e if the pattern says sk 3 sts, then you sk 2 sts instead and add in one shell)

… or you do a row of sc along the edge first, adding scs in a way that will easily give you the pattern repeat and keep the distance between shells (i.e you add in sc’s in multiples of 6, for this pattern, such that you get the number of shells you want for the body of the dress).

You could also add a chain length under the armhole ensuring that you keep the pattern stitch count.

Round 1 : dc in the 1^st dc ;

*ch 2, sk 3 sts, 5 dc in the next st ;

ch 2, sk 3 sts, sc in next st* ;

rep from *to* all around,

and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

Round 2 : dc in the 1^st dc ;

*dc in the next dc ;

(ch 1, dc in the next dc) ;

rep (to) 3 times ;

dc in next sc* ;

rep from *to* all around,

and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

Round 3 : sl-st into the 1^stch-1 sp, sc in the same ch-1 sp ;

*(ch 3, sk next dc, sc in the next ch-1 sp) ;

rep (to) 2 times ;

ch 4, sk next 3 dc, sc in next ch-1 sp* ;

rep from *to* all around,

and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

Round 4 : 2 dc in the 1^st ch-4 sp ;

*ch 2, sc in the next ch-3 sp ;

ch 4, sk next ch-3 sp, sc in the next ch-3 sp ;

ch 2, 2 dc in the next ch-4 sp* ;

rep from *to* all around,

and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

Round 5 : sc in the 1^st dc ;

ch 2, sc in the next dc ;

*ch 3, 5 dc in the next ch-4 sp ;

ch 3, sc in next dc ;

ch 3, sc in the next dc* ;

rep from *to* all around,

and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

Round 6 : sl-st into the 1^st ch-3 sp ;

2 dc in the same 1^st ch-3 sp ;

*dc in the next dc ;

(ch 1, dc in the next dc) ;

rep (to) 3 times ;

2 dc in next ch-2 sp* ;

rep from *to* all around,

and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

Round 7 : sl-st into the 1^stch-1 sp, sc in the same ch-1 sp ;

*(ch 3, sk next dc, sc in the next ch-1 sp) ;

rep (to) 2 times ;

ch 4, sk next 4 dc, sc in next ch-1 sp* ;

rep from *to* all around,

and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

Round 8 : 2 dc in the 1^st ch-4 sp ;

*ch 3, sc in the next ch-3 sp ;

ch 4, sk next ch-3 sp, sc in the next ch-3 sp ;

ch 3, 2 dc in the next ch-4 sp* ;

rep from *to* all around,

and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

Round 9 : sc in the 1^st dc ;

ch 3, sc in the next dc ;

*ch 3, 6 dc in the next ch-4 sp ;

ch 3, sc in next dc ;

ch 3, sc in the next dc* ;

rep from *to* all around,

and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

Round 10 : sl-st into the 1^st ch-3 sp ;

2 dc in the same 1^st ch-3 sp ;

*dc in the next dc ;

(ch 1, dc in the next dc) ;

rep (to) 4 times ;

2 dc in next ch-2 sp* ;

rep from *to* all around,

and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

I am sure you’ve figured that we’ve done the same four rounds twice now – so that’s Rounds 3-6 and Rounds 7-10 that are similar – the only difference is that we’ve increased one dc in the second set of rounds.

So using this repeat as a basic idea, go ahead and make as many repeats as you need to get the desired length that you need for your baby’s dress, ending with Round 8.

Now I found that I was pretty happy with the ‘flared’ shape after Round 10, and did not make any increases, but then I’m also making this dress for a younger child.

Right then.. as usual, once done, fasten off.. weave in all ends…

full chart for the skirt of the baby's shelled dress

close up photo showing detail of the stitch on body of dress

Detail of shell pattern

photo of the border of the baby's shelled dress

Detail of edging / finish round

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