Empire Waist Dress with Ruffles for 18-inch Doll

Free Doll Dress Crochet Pattern

This retro-style empire-waisted doll dress features ruffles at the sleeves and hemline.

Materials: Knitpicks Telemark sport weight yarn 100% wool 103 yards (94 m) / 50 gram color Deep Navy- 2 balls (A).
Knitpicks Telemark sport weight yarn 100% wool 103 yards (94 m) / 50 gram color Fjord Heather- 2 balls (B).

Crochet hook E (3.50 mm) OR SIZE NEEDED TO OBTAIN GAUGE

Gauge for double crochet: 22 dc x 16 rows = 4" x 4" (10 x 10 cm)

Skirt
Skirt crocheted in the rounds from the waist down.
With yarn A chain 76 and connect to make a circle.
Row 1: ch 3, 75 dc.
Row 2: with yarn B ch 3, 4 dc, (ch 1, skip 1, 3 dc) repeat 18 times.
Row 3: with yarn A ch 1, 4 sc, (FPdc (front post double crochet) over the dc from the row 1, 3 sc) repeat 18 times.
Rows 4-5: repeat rows 2-3.
Row 6: with yarn B ch 3, 5 dc, (ch 1, skip 1, 4 dc) repeat 18 times.
Row 7: with yarn A ch 1, 5 sc, (FPdc (front post double crochet) over the dc from the row 5, 4 sc) repeat 18 times.
Rows 8-11: repeat rows 6-7
Row 12: with yarn B ch 3, 6 dc, (ch 1, skip 1, 5 dc) repeat 18 times.
Row 13: with yarn A ch 1, 6 sc, (FPdc (front post double crochet) over the dc from the row 1, 5 sc) repeat 18 times.
Rows 14-33: repeat rows 12-13.
Row 34: with yarn A all dc.
Row 35: 2 dc over 1 dc to the end of the row for the ruffle.
Rows 36-40: all dc.
Row 41: (ch 2, skip 2, 1 dc, 1 c h, 1 dc in the same loop, ch 2, skip 2, 1 sc) repeat 38 times. Tie off.

Bodice Back and front of the bodice is crocheted as one piece up to armholes, then front and back are crocheted separately.
Row 1 (right side): crochet 68 dc over the top of the skirt leaving 8 dc of the skirt to make a pleat on the back.
Row 2: 68 dc.
Divide the dcs as follows: 13 dc for the left back, 9 dc for the armhole, 24 dc for front, 9 dc for the armhole, 13 dc for the right back.

Bodice Right Back
Rows 3-7: 13 dc.
Row 8: To shape a neckline skip 5 dc, continue on the remaining 8 dc
Row 9: skip 2 dc, 6 dc.
Rows 10-11: 6 dc. Tie off.

Bodice Left Back
Crochet as right back.

Bodice Front
Rows 3-7: 24 dc.
Row 8: To shape a neckline skip 8 sts in the middle and continue left and write sides separately.
Row 9: skip 2 dc, 6 dc.
Rows 10-11: 6 dc. Tie off.

Finishing:
Join shoulder seams.

Arm Bands:
Row 1: crochet 44 dc along the armholes, connect to the 1st dc to work in the round.
Row 2: 2 dc over 1 dc over the 34 dc (along the edges of the back and front) for the ruffle, 10 sc over the rest of the dcs.
Rows 3-6: 68 dc, 10 sc.
Row 6: (ch 2, skip 2, 1 dc, 1 c h, 1 dc in the same loop, ch 2, skip 2, 1 sc) repeat 10 times.
Tie off.

Neckline and Back closure: (see photo below).
Row 1: sc along the left back, (ch 2, skip 2, 1 dc, 1 c h, 1 dc in the same loop, ch 2, skip 2, 1 sc) repeat 8 times along the neckline, (3 sc, ch 4, skip 2) repeat 3 times along the right back.
Tie off.

Sew on 3 buttons.

Enjoy!