Cocktail Dress with Beads for 18-inch Doll

Free Doll Dress Crochet Pattern

Materials:
Red Heart (affiliate link) Fashion Crochet Thread, 93% mercerized cotton/7% metallic 100 yards (91 meters), size 5. Color Gold - 1 ball
Beads: Matsuno seed beads size 8 (about 250 beads), 6 small buttons, a strip of tulle measuring 7" x 40" for lining.

Hook 1.75 mm

Gauge: 12 dc = 2" (5 cm)

Special Abbreviations:

bhdc = bead half double crochet. To work this, slide a bead up to the loop on the hook, wrap yarn over the hook, insert the hook into the back of the st, put the yarn over the hook and draw a loop through - you now have 3 loops on the hook. Put the yarn over the hook and draw the yarn through all 3 loops. The bead will be fixed to the back side of the crocheted work.

Directions

The dress is worked top down without seams. The round yoke is embellished with beads. However, you can work this outfit without beads.

Set up: String beads on yarn.

TIP: The best way to string the beads is to cut the end of the thread at an angle (making it pointy) and stiffen it with nail polish or super glue and let dry. Use the stiffened end as a needle.

Chain 35 sts without beads.

Yoke:
Row 1 (Wrong Side): ch 2 (counts as the first hdc), bhdc 34, turn.
Row 2 (right side): ch 2 (counts as the first hdc), * hdc 2 in the same st, hdc 1* repeat from * across the row, turn. (= 52 sts)
Row 3: ch 2 (counts as the first hdc), bhdc in each st., turn. (= 52 sts)
Row 4: ch 2 (counts as the first hdc),*hdc 2, hdc 2 in the same st * repeat from * across the row to the last 3, hdc 3, turn (= 68 sts)
Row 5: ch 2 (counts as the first hdc), bhdc in each st, turn.(= 68 sts)
Row 6: ch 2 (counts as the first hdc), *hdc 3, hdc 2 in the same st* repeat from * across the row till the last 5 sts, hdc 5, turn. (= 84 sts)
Row 7: ch 2 (counts as the first hdc), bhdc in each st, turn. (=84 sts)
Row 8: ch 2 (counts as the first hdc), hdc 1, *hdc 4, hdc 2 in the same st* repeat from * across the row till the last 5 sts, hdc 5, turn. (= 100 sts)
Row 9: ch 2 (counts as the first hdc), bhdc in each st (100 sts)

After this row, flip the working piece so that the beads face you (the wrong side becomes the right side), divide the stitches as follows (place markers): 16 sts (left back) - 19 sts (left armhole) - 30 sts (front) - 19 sts (right armhole) - 16 sts (right back).

Bodice:
Back left:
Row 1: ch 3, dc 15, till the 1st marker, turn;
Row 2: ch 3, dc 15, turn;
Row 3: ch 3, dc 15, tie off and cut the yarn, leaving 1" tail

Front, start at the second marker:
Row 1: ch 3, dc 29 till the third marker, turn;
Row 2: ch 3, dc 29, turn;
Row 3: ch 3, dc 29, tie off and cut the yarn, leaving 1" tail

Back right, start at the fourth marker:
Row 1: ch 3, dc 15, turn;
Row 2: ch 3, dc 15, turn;
Row 3: ch 3, dc 15, turn.
Row 4: ch 3, dc 15 of the back right, ch 3 (for the underarm), dc 30 of the front, ch 3 (for the underarm), dc 16 of the back left, turn;
Row 5: ch 3, dc 67, turn;
Rows 6 through 13: like row 5.
Row 14: join with a slip st and continue to work in rounds, ch 2, sc in each st.

Skirt:
Row 15: *ch 5, sc in the second st* repeat across the round till the last 1 st, ch 3, dc in the 1st st.
Row 16: *ch 5, sc in the third st of the 5-chain* repeat across the round till the last 2 sections remain unlinked, ch 3, dc in the 1st st.
Rows 17 and 18 like row 16.
Row 19: *ch 7, sc in the third st of the 5-chain*, repeat across the round till the last 2 sections remain unlinked, ch 3, tr in the 1st st.
Rows 20 and 21: *ch 7, sc in the fourth st of the 7-chain* repeat across the round till the last 2 sections remain unlinked, ch 3, tr in the 1st st. Tie off.

To finish the armholes, make 2 rows of sc underarms, do not crochet on yoke.

To finish the back opening, start at the lower point of the left back, make sc up along the edge, around the neck line and down the right back edge. Turn, *4 sc, 2 ch, for a buttonhole* repeat up along the right back edge, turn, make sc down.

Finishing:
Sew on the buttons to the left back edge, under the buttonholes.

Press the skirt.

Lining:
Cut a strip of tulle measuring 7" x 40".

Fold it lengthwise, baste the long edges together. Pull the ends of the thread to make ruffles.

Sew the lining to the wrong side of the dress under the net skirt.

Enjoy!