Summer Dress for 18-inch Doll

Free Doll Dress Crochet Pattern

This classic summer dress features flared sleeves, a wide skirt and lace details at the hem, cuffs and bodice.

Materials: Aunt Lydia (affiliate link)'s crochet thread Size #3, color pink - 2 balls.
Aunt Lydia (affiliate link)'s crochet thread Size #3, color off-white - 1 ball.
6 small buttons.

Crochet hook C (2.75 mm) OR SIZE NEEDED TO OBTAIN GAUGE

Gauge: 24 dc x 12 rows = 4" x 4" (10 x 10 cm) ?

Abbbreviations:
ch - chain
dc - double crochet
sc - single crochet
BPdc - back post double crochet
FPdc - front post double crochet
RS - right side
WS - wrong side


Dress

The dress consists of the skirt, which is worked top-down, back and forth. The bodice is started from the top of the skirt and crocheted bottom up, back and forth, as one piece to the underarms. Then the backs and the front are worked separately. There are seams at the sides and shoulders. The front of the dress is decorated with contrasting lace using a surface crochet technique. The same lace motif is used to decorate the hem and sleeves.


Skirt

Skirt is crocheted back and forth from the waist down. Chain 3 in the beginning of the row counts as 1 dc.

Chain 61.

Row 1 (RS): ch 3(counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in the forth ch from the hook, 1 dc in each chain across (60 dc) = 61 sts.

Row 2 (WS): ch 3,*BPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in the next dc, FPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in the next dc*, repeat from * to the end of the row. = 61 sts

Row 3: ch 3, *BPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in the next dc, FPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in the next dc*, repeat from * to the end of the row. = 61 sts

Row 4: ch 3, *BPdc in the next dc, 2 dc in the next dc, FPdc in the next dc, 2 dc in the next dc*, repeat from * to the last 4 sts: BPdc in the next dc, 2 dc in the next dc, FPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in the last dc = 90 sts

Rows 5-8: ch 3, *BPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next 2 dc, FPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next 2 dc*, repeat from * to the last 5 dc: BPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in each the next 2 dc, FPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in the last dc = 90 sts

Rows 9: ch 3, *BPdc in the next dc, 2 dc in the next dc, 1 dc in the next dc, FPdc in the next dc, 2 dc in the next dc, 1 dc in the next dc*, repeat from * to the last 5 dc: BPdc in the next dc, 2 dc in the next dc, 1 dc in the next dc, FPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in the last dc = 119 sts

Rows 10-18: ch 3, *BPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next 3 dc, FPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next 3 dc*, repeat from * to the last 6 dc: BPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in each the next 3 dc, FPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in the last dc = 119 sts

Row 19: ch 2 (counts as 1 sc), 1 sc in each of the next 118 dc.

Row 20 with off-white thread: ch 2 (counts as 1 sc), 1 sc in each of the next 118 dc.

Row 21: ch 1, sc in the first sc, *ch 3, skip 1 sc, sc in the next sc*, repeat from * to the end of the row.

Row 22: ch 3, *sc in the ch-3-space, ch 3*, repeat from * to the end of the row.
Tie off.

Bodice

The back and front of the bodice are worked as one piece up to the armholes, then the front and backs are crocheted separately.

Holding the work with RS facing, tie the yarn to the first upper right stitch of the skirt.

Row 1 (RS): ch 3 (counts as 1 dc, 1 dc in each chain = 61 sts (place a marker on the 31st stitch)

Row 2 (WS): ch 3, 1 dc in each of the next 28 dc, BPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in the next (marked) dc, BPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next 29 dc.

Row 3: ch 3, 1 dc in the next 27 dc, skip 1 dc, FPdc in the next dc, 3 dc in the next (marked) dc, FPdc in the next dc, skip the next dc, 1 dc in the next 28 dc.

Row 4: ch 3, 1 dc in each the next 27 dc, BPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next 3 dc, BPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next 28 dc.

Row 5: ch 3, 1 dc in each of the next 27 dc, FPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next 3 dc, FPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next 28 dc.


Bodice Right Back

Row 6 (WS): ch 3, 1 dc in the next 12 dc. Turn.

Rows 7-10: ch 3, 1 dc in the next 12 dc. Turn.

Rows 11-12: ch 3, 1 dc in each of the next 7 dc. Turn. Tie off.

Bodice Front

Holding the work with wrong side facing, count 6 dc from the right back, insert the hook into the 7th dc, tie the yarn

Row 6 (WS): ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each of the next 8 dc, BPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in the next dc, 3 dc in the next dc, 1 dc in the next dc, BPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next 9 dc,

Row 7: ch 3, 1 dc in each of the next 7 dc, skip 1 dc, FPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next 2 dc, 3 dc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next 2 dc, FPdc in the next dc, skip the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next 8 dc.

Row 8: ch 3, 1 dc in each of the next 7 dc, BPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next 7 dc, BPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next 8 dc

Row 9: ch 3, 1 dc in each of the next 6 dc, skip 1 dc, FPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next 3 dc, 3 dc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the the next 3 dc,
FPdc in the next dc, skip the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next 7 dc.

Row 10: ch 3, 1 dc in each of the next 6 dc, BPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next 9 dc, BPdc in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the next 7 dc

Left shoulder

Row 11: ch 3, 1 dc in each of the next 7 dc, turn

Row 12: ch 3, 1 dc in each of the next 7 dc. tie off.

Right shoulder

Row 11: skip 9 dc, tie yarn, chain 3, 1 dc in each of the next 7 dc.

Row 12: ch 3, 1 dc in the next 7 dc.


Bodice Left Back

Holding the piece with right side facing, attach yarn.

Row 6 (RS): ch 3, 1 dc in the next 12 dc. Turn.

Rows 7-10: ch 3, 1 dc in the next 12 dc. Turn.

Rows 11-12: ch 3, 1 dc in each of the next 7 dc. Turn. Tie off.

Sleeves

Sew shoulder seams. Fasten yarn in the center of the underarm stitches, work a row of 36 sc along the armholes. Join in the round with a slip stitch.

Rounds 2-3: ch 2 (counts as 1 sc), 1 sc in each sc of the round. Join with slip stitch. = 36 sts

Round 4: *skip 1 st, shell of 5 dc in the next st, skip 1 st, 1 sc in the next st* repeat from * to the end of the round. Tie off.

Fasten off-white yarn.

Round 5: *ch 3, sc in the 3rd dc of the shell, ch 3, sc in the sc - repeat from * to the end of the round.

Row 6: *ch 3, sc in the ch-3-space, ch 3*, repeat from * to the end of the round.
Tie off.


Button Bands:

Sew the back seam, from the hem up about 5" (13 cm).

Fasten yarn at the lower point of the left back. Work along the edge up a row of 32 sc, turn, work the second row of sc down, turn, work the third row of sc up.

Make 2 sc in the last sc of the third row and continue working sc along the neckline edge to the right back edge. Work 2 sc in the corner to turn and continue down along the right back edge till the seam. Work 32 sc along the right back edge.

Turn, work another of row of sc, making buttonholes as follows: ch 1, *1 sc in each of the next 3 sc, ch 3, skip 2 sc*, from *repeat 5 more times. Work to the end of the row, finish with 1 sc. Tie off.


Bodice Ruffle


With the RS facing, attach yarn over the left upper front post.
Row 1: sc, *ch 3, sc in the space under next FPdc, repeat from * moving along the left FPdc ridge down the bodice, then work the same pattern along the right FPdc up the bodice. Finish with sc under the last FPdc. Turn.

Row 2: ch 4, *sc in the ch-3-space, ch 3*, repeat from * to the end of the row.
Tie off.

Finishing:

Weave in all yarn ends. Sew the buttons to the button band.

Enjoy!