Carnation Lace Dress for 18-inch Doll

Free Doll Dress Crochet Pattern

I called this the Carnation Dress, because the frilly lace along the edge of the skirt reminds me of the frilly edges on carnation petals. It's a lightweight, elegant, sleeveless dress for relaxing in the garden on a summer day.

I think this dress looks best when using floral colors such as various shades of pink, yellow, red, violet and so on.

Materials: Aunt Lydia (affiliate link)'s Classic Crochet Thread size #10 (100% mercerized cotton), 2 colors - 1 ball each.
Metallic or plastic sew-on snaps.

Steel Hook: 0 (1.75 mm) OR SIZE NEEDED TO OBTAIN GAUGE

Gauge for double crochet: 30 dc x 16 rows = 4” x 4” (10 cm x 10 cm)

Abbreviations:
Dc - double crochet
Sc – single crochet
Ch – chain
sl st - slip stitch
V-st- - dc, ch 1, dc in the same indicated stitch
V-st in V-st - V-st in the ch-1-space of the V-st of the prerious row/round
dc in V-st - dc in the ch-1-space of the V-st
shell - 2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc in the same indicated stitch
shel-in-shell - shell in the ch-1-space of the shell of the previous row/round
RS - right side
WS - wrong side


Dress

The dress is worked top-down side-to-side to the hip line, leaving an opening at the back. Then, you can either continue in rows, or in rounds.

Yoke

With the thread of lighter color, chain 65 sts.

Row 1 (RS): ch 1 and work 1 sc in each chain across. Turn. = 65 sc

Row 2 (WS): ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each of the next 8 sc, *2 dc in the next sc, ch 2, 2 dc in the next sc, 1 dc in each of the next 13 sc, repeat from * 3 times, 2 dc in the next sc, ch 2, 2 dc in the next sc, 1 dc in each of the last 9 sc. Turn.

Rows 3 - 6: ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each dc till the ch-2-space, *2 dc in the ch-2 space, chain 2, 2 dc in the same ch-2-space, 1 dc in each dc till the next ch-2-space, repeat from * 3 times, 1 dc in each dc to the end of the row. Turn. Please note that the number of sts increases by 16 in each row.


Divide for sleeves and bodice:

Row 7 (RS): ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each of the next 18 dc, 1 dc in the first ch-2-space, ch 5, skip the next 33 dc, 2 dc in the next ch-2-space, 1 dc in each of the next 33 dc, 2 dc in the next/third ch-2-space, chain 5, skip the next 33 dc, 1 dc in the next/forth ch-2-space, 1 dc in each of the next 19 dc. Turn.

Row 8 (WS): ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each dc and chain across = 87 dc.

Skirt

Change to darker thread.

Row 1 (RS): ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each of the next 2 dc, *V-st in the next dc, ch 1, skip 3 dc, shell in the next dc, ch 1, skip 3 dc - repeat from * 10 times to last 4 dc, V-st in the next dc, 1 dc in each of the last 3 dc. Turn.

Row 2: (WS): ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each of the next 2 dc, * V-st in V-st, ch 2, shell-in-shell, ch 2 - repeat from * 10 times to last V-st, V-st in the last V-st, 1 dc in each of the last 3 dc. Turn.

Row 3 (RS): ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each of the next 2 dc, *6 dc in V-st (in ch-1-space of the V-st), ch 2, shell-in-shell, ch 2 - repeat from * 10 times to last V-st, 6 dc in the last V-st, 1 dc in each of the last 3 dc. Turn.

Row 4 (WS): ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each of the next 2 dc, ch 1, * 1 dc in each of the next 6 dc, ch 2, shell-in-shell, ch 2 - repeat from * 10 times to the last 9 dc, 1 dc in each of the next 6 dc, ch 1, 1 dc in the last 3 dc. Turn.

Row 5 (RS): ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each of the next 2 dc, ch 1, *(1 dc, ch 1) in each of the next 5 dc, 1 dc in the next dc, ch 2, shell-in-shell, ch 2 - repeat from * 10 times, (1 dc, ch 1) in each of the next 6 dc, 1 dc in each of the last 3 dc. Turn.

Rows 6-9: ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each of the next 2 dc, ch 1, *( 1 dc in the next dc, ch 1 over ch-1-space) 5 times, 1 dc in the next dc, ch 2, shell-in-shell, ch 2 - repeat from * 10 times, (1 dc in the next dc, ch 1 over ch-1-space) 5 times, 1 dc in the next dc, ch 1, 1 dc in each of the last 3 dc.


Joining the work into round

In row 9 you can join the work into the round, as described below, or you can continue to work in rows, always making ch3, 1 dc in each of the 2 dc in the beginning, and ending with 3 dc (1 dc in each of the last 3 dc), and then overlap the button bands and sew the opening closed from the hem to the hip line.

To join into a round: In row 9, work to the last 3 sts. Fold the dress, right side facing, and overlap the button bands (3 sts in the beginning and 3 sts in the end of the row), 1 dc in the next dc, connect with a slip stitch into the upper chain of the right button band, work dc in the next dc and connect with a slip stitch into the second dc of the right button band, 1 dc in the last dc of the left button band, connect it with a slip stitch with the second dc of the right button band. Then with a slip stitch return to the second dc.

Round 1: ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), work (1 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in the same st. (photo Round 1), ch 2, *(1 dc in the next dc, ch 1 over ch-1-space) 5 times, 1 dc in the next dc, ch 2, shell-in-shell, ch 2 - repeat from * 10 times, ( 1 dc in the next dc, ch 1 over ch-1-space) 5 times, 1 dc in the next dc, ch 2, join with slip stitch into round.

Round 2: with 2 slip stitches move to the ch-1-space of the shell, ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), (1 dc, ch 1, 2 dc, in the same ch-1-space), *ch 2, (1 dc in the next dc, ch 1 over ch-1-space) 5 times, 1 dc in the next dc, ch 2, shell-in-shell - repeat from * 10 times, ch 2, (1 dc in the next dc, ch 1 over ch1-space) 5 times, 1 dc in the next dc, ch 2. Join with sl.st.

Repeat round 2 thirteen times or to desired length. Tie off.


Ruffle

Worked with the thread of lighter color. Attach thread to the ch-1-space of the first shell.

Round 1: ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), (1 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in the same ch-1-space, * ch 2, 1 V-st in each of the next 6 dc, ch 2, shell-in-shell - repeat from * 10 times, ch 2, V-st in each of the next 6 dc, ch 2, join into round with sl. st.

Round 2: With 2 sl sts move to the ch-1-space of the shell, ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), (1 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in the same ch-1-space, ch 2, V-st in each of the next 6 V-sts, ch 2, shell in shell - rep from * 10 times, ch 2, V-st in each of the next 6 V-sts, ch 2, join into round with sl st.

Round 3: with 2 sl sts move to the ch-1-space, ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), (1 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in the same ch-1-space, * (ch 3, sc in the first dc of the V-st) 5 times, ch 3, sc in the second dc of the last V-st, ch 3, shell-in-shell - repeat from * 10 times, (ch 3, sc in the first dc of the V-st) 5 times, ch 3, sc in the second dc of the last V-st, ch 3, join into round with sl st.

Round 4: with 2 sl sts move to the ch-1-space, ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), (1 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in the same ch-1-space, *ch 3, (shell in ch-3-space) 6 times, ch 3, shell-in- shell repeat from * 10 times, ch 3, (shell in ch-3-space) 6 times, ch 3, join into round with sl st.

Round 5: with 2 sl sts move to the ch-1-space, ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 4 dc in the same ch-1-space, *ch 3, (5 dc in ch-1-space of the shell) 6 times, ch 3, 5 dc in ch-1-space of the next shell - repeat from * 10 times, ch 3, (5 dc in ch-1-space of the shell) 6 times, ch 3, join into round with sl st.

Round 6: *ch 3, skip 1 st, sc in the next st - repeat from * across the round. Finish with the sc in the same st with which you began the round. Tie off.


Belt

Chain a string about 18”. Turn. Work 1 sc in each chain. Tie off.

Sleeve:

Tie thread of a darker color into ch-2-space of the raglan line. Work a row of sc: ch 1, 1 sc into each dc of the sleeve, 1 sc in the ch-2-space of the next raglan line. Turn. Row 2: *chain 3, skip 1 sc, 1 sc in the next sc - repeat to the end of the row.


Finishing

Weave in thread ends. Sew snaps on the button band. Insert the belt into openings between the skirt and the bodice.

Have fun!