Sweet Nothings Crochet: LOVELY SHELLED GIRL’S DRESS

modeled photo of the Lovely shelled girls dress

LOVELY SHELLED GIRL’S DRESS

After a spate of ladies clothes, here’s something really cute for a little lady.

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Thanks for joining me once again as we work on and discover this new pattern together.

Materials used : Today I’ve used ~ about 120gms of our lovely Indian Oswal 3-ply acrylic yarn with a 3.25 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.

Difficulty level : Intermediate to Advanced

Abbreviations used :

ch-sp : chain space ch : chain

rep : Repeat sp : space

dc : Double crochet

dc 3-tog : Double crochet 3-together

fsc : Foundation single crochet

Stitches used :

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

Foundation double crochet (fdc) : This is a unique way of starting a project directly with a row of double crochet stitches. Here is an easy video tutorial https://youtu.be/hjNUYVvyU9k

Instructions : Using U.S terminology

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.

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.

Quick analysis of what we’re going to do here today.

We start this lovely dress from the yoke and work in rounds.

We will then divide for armhole, and continue working the skirt portion of our dress, once again, in rounds. I’d suggest that you work the skirt portion depending on the length you wish and the gauge of the yarn – and not necessarily on the number of repeats shown in the picture or this write up.

The designer has worked the pattern in two colours – I just preferred a single colour for this lovely creation – so now you can see which one works best for you.

Right.. so let’s get started.

PART 1 : YOKE :

I’m attaching page links for sizing of the yoke, one of the major deciding factors on which size you’re making. Using this, you can make this dress for almost any sized child.

Note : Now if you decide to add a small opening along the back, then you will work the first few rows back and forth without joining at the end. Once you feel you have an opening that is large enough, join and start working in rounds.

Yoke sizing chart links : http://www.circulo.com.br/blog/prof-a-simone-tabela-de-tamanhos-para-casaquinhos/ OR

http://modeles-bebe-crochet.overblog.com/top/10

Here is a sizing chart for general neck sizing

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/470063279838234527/ OR

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/470063279842061521/

Here is a sizing chart for general sizing https://in.pinterest.com/pin/470063279837597366/ or https://in.pinterest.com/pin/470063279837560772/ and

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/470063279838533503/

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

Start with fsc and with the number of stitches you need (for round neck) for the person intended. Check the yoke chart links given above.

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

What is a chain stitch ? https://youtu.be/pXx5ukBjKkY

What is a crochet slip stitch : https://youtu.be/weB3QNbA8Iw

Row / Round 1 : dc in the 1^st fsc ;

(ch 1, dc in the next 3 fsc) ;

rep (to) 4 times ;

*ch 3, dc in next 3 dc ;

rep (to) 5 times* ;

rep *to* 2 times ;

ch 3, dc in last 2 dc.

Join with sl-st to the 1^st dc.

Read note above re joining at end

Row / Round 2 : sl-st into the 1^st ch-1 sp ;

3 dc in the same ch-1 sp ;

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

rep (to) 3 times till corner ;

3 dc in the corner ch-3 sp ;

*ch 3, 3 dc in the corner ch-3 sp ;

rep (to) 6 times ;

ch 3, 3 dc in corner ch-3 sp* ;

rep *to* 2 times ;

ch 3, 3 dc in last corner ch-3 sp ;

ch 1 and join with an sl-st to the 1^st st.

Row / Rounds 3 - 6 : Rep Round 2, adding one 3 dc set in each end of the corners.

Please follow chart below.

If making this dress for a larger size, please continue yoke increases according to length needed for yoke (and not just for 6 rounds).

Before you work that last round, please read the note below for the body of the dress. So keep this note in mind and try to get the stitch count if possible.

Note : Our stitch count for the first round of the body/skirt portion of dress is in multiples of 8.

Now we will fold the yoke down ; the side sections of the yoke will become the armhole and the front and back are clearly now defined.

Now count the number of stitches you have, and ensure that you will be able to get them neatly divided by the repeat count.

Depending on how much of a flare or gathered a dress you desire, increase stitches evenly within the front and back sections of the dress, and add a chain length from the ch-3 sps that define the two armhole ends.

So in the last round of the yoke, we will add a chain length (for bottom of armhole) from the two corner ch-3 sps each end ; and in the following round (i.e first round of the body part), we will be adding (if needed) stitches along the front and back of the yoke to give you a fuller bodied dress.

photo of the yoke portion for the Lovely Shelled girls dress

Calculations : Yes this is always the foxing bit of our pattern – so here’s what I’ve done. I’ve worked one st in every dc, and then 3 sts in the ch-1 sps ; and 2 sts each in the corner ch-3 sps.

I then worked out how many pattern repeats I wanted for the body section, and accordingly worked out the number of stitches I’d need for the armhole section. Hope this works for you too.

The reason I am keeping this general is so that one can work any sized dress using this one general pattern.

Right then, once done with that, we’ll carry on with the body of our dress

PART 2 : BODY / SKIRT PORTION OF DRESS :

In the chart below, the first round has 192 sts, and then to add body, the designer has added 48 more to make it 240 sts.

I feel our first addition of 3 sts per ch-1 sp will give us a full enough body, and am working the pattern now according this, without further increases.

Round 1 : dc in the 1^st 3 dc ;

*ch 3, sk next dc, sc in the next dc ;

ch 2, sk next dc, sc in the next dc ;

ch 3, sk next dc, dc in the next 3 dc* ;

rep *to* all around (including in the ch-section under armhole)

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

Round 2 : 2 dc in the 1^st dc ;

dc in the next dc ; 2 dc in the next dc ;

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

ch 3, sk next ch-3 sp, (2 dc in the next dc ;

dc in the next dc ; 2 dc in the next dc)* ;

rep *to* all around

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

Round 3 : dc in the 1^st 3 dc ;

*ch 5 , dc in the same 3^rd dc (of that 5 dc set) and next 2 dc ;

sk both ch-sps and sc, dc in the next 3 dc* ;

rep *to* all around

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

Round 4 : sc in the 1^st dc ;

*ch 1 , sk next 2 dc, dc in the ch-5 sp ;

(ch 1, dc in the same ch-5 sp) ;

rep (to) 4 times ;

ch 1, sk next 2 dc, sc in the next 2 dc* ;

rep *to* all around

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

dc 3-tog : Double crochet 3-tog : [yo, insert hk in st or ch-sp, yo and pull up a lp ; yo and draw through 2 lps] 3 times (4 lps on hk) ; yo, draw through all lps on hk. One dc 3-tog made.

Here is an easy video tutorial at https://youtu.be/qlnqXDB3OUM

Round 5 : sl-st into the 1^st ch-1 sp ;

dc 3-tog in the same ch-1 sp ;

*(ch 2, dc 3-tog in the next ch-1 sp) ;

rep (to) 3 times ;

sk next 2 sc and ch-1 sp, dc-3 tog in the next ch-1 sp* ;

rep *to* all around

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

Round 6 : sl-st into the 1^st ch-2 sp ;

dc in the same ch-2 sp ;

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

rep *to* all around

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

photo of the pattern for the skirt portion of the Lovely Shelled Girls dress

Round 7 : dc in the 1^st dc ;

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

rep *to* all around

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

Round 8 : sc in the 1^st dc ;

*ch 3, sk next 3 dc ; sc in the next 2 dc ;

ch 3, sk next 3 dc , sc in the next dc* ;

rep *to* all around

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

Round 9 : sc in the 1^st ch-3 sp ;

ch 3, sc in the same ch-3 sp ;

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

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

rep *to* all around

and for that last ch 3, join with dc to the 1^st st.

This ensures that you are just where you need to be.

In case you find this too hard, please work ch 3 and join to the last st.

Then you will need to sl-st to get to where you need to be.

Round 10 : 2 dc in the 1^st ch-sp ;

ch 3, sc in the same ch-3 sp ;

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

ch 3, ( 2 dc in the next dc ; dc in the next dc ; 2 dc in the next dc)* ;

rep *to* all around till the last dc-set ;

2 dc in the next dc ;

dc in the last dc

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

Round 11 : dc in the 1^st 2 dc ;

*sk both ch-sps and sc, dc in the next 3 dc ;

ch 5 , dc in the same 3^rd dc (of that 5 dc set) and next 2 dc * ;

rep *to* all around till last dc-set ;

dc in the next 3 dc ;

ch 5 , dc in the same 3^rd dc (of that 5 dc set) and next dc

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

Round 12 : sl-st in the 1^st dc ; sc in the next 2 dc ;

*ch 1 , sk next 2 dc, dc in the ch-5 sp ;

(ch 1, dc in the same ch-5 sp) ;

rep (to) 4 times ;

ch 1, sk next 2 dc, sc in the next 2 dc* ;

rep *to* all around

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

Round 13 : sl-st into the 1^st ch-1 sp ; dc 3-tog in the same ch-1 sp ;

*(ch 2, dc 3-tog in the next ch-1 sp) ;

rep (to) 3 times ;

sk next 2 sc and ch-1 sp, dc-3 tog in the next ch-1 sp* ;

rep *to* all around

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

Using rep Rounds 6 – 13 as basic idea, work till you get the dress length you wish. There will be minor changes in where you start the round, but as we’ve worked 13 rounds, you’ll know.

Of course, you also have the chart below to follow up with.

photo of the border of the shelled girls dress, https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2015/06/lovely-shelled-girls-dress.html

PART 3 : FINISHING : Just for a difference, I added a round of picot around the dress border.

How to work a picot stitch : Traditionally for a ch-3 picot, you work (ch 3, sl-st in 3^rd ch from hook). For a ch-5 picot, you will do (ch 5, sl-st in 5^th ch from hook).

Here’s a great video https://youtu.be/8s3zVaBcn4s

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