Children’s Summer Shell Dress

Free Girl Dress Crochet Pattern

This is a lightweight, lacy children’s summer dress best suited for the hottest summer days. The seamless construction is smooth and easy on sensitive skin.

Skills Required/Techniques Used:
- Basic crochet stitches: chain (ch), single crochet (sc), double crochet (dc),
- Advanced crochet stitches: triple crochet (tr), treble treble crochet (TrTr), back post treble crochet (Bptr)

Size: 2 (4, 6, 8)

Measurements
For chest: 21 (23, 25, 26.5, 28) inches [53 (58, 64, 67, 71) cm]

Materials: Elann (affiliate link).com Limited Edition Lino Pura fingering weight yarn (100% Linen / Flax), 179 yards (164 meters) /50 gr, color Bermuda Sand – 5 (6, 7, 8) balls.

Hook: D (3.25 mm)

Gauge: 2 Triple shells = 2" (5.0 cm)

Abbreviations

ch = chain
st(s) = stitch(es)
sl st = slip stitch
sc = single crochet
hdc – half double crochet
dc = double crochet
hdcV-st – (1 hdc, ch 1, 1 hdc) into ch1.
V-stitch (V-st) - (1 dc, ch 1, 1 dc) into ch 1 of the V-stitch of the prev. row
V-stitch2 (V-st2) - (1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc) into ch of the V-stitch of the prev. row
Shell - (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) into the ch-1 of the prev row shell.
Shell2 - (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) into the ch-1 of the prev row shell.
Shell3 - (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) into the ch-1 of the prev row shell.
Triple Shell - (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) into the ch-2 of the prev row shell.
Triple Shell2 - (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) into the ch-2 of the prev row shell.
Fan Shell - 6 dc into the ch-2 of the prev row shell.


Short Overview of the pattern:

The dress is worked top-down without seams. The yoke is worked in rows, back and forth, with an opening on the back. Then all stitches are divided for 2 back, 2 sleeves and front. To shape the neckline, the back is worked back and forth in 2 parts. Then the dress is worked in rounds.
Finally a round of single crochet sts is worked along the back opening and around the neck.


DRESS

Chain 57 (65, 65, 73.

Row 1 : ch 2, hdcV-st in the next st, *skip 1 ch, hdcV-st in the next ch, repeat from * to the end of the row, there should be 28 (32, 32, 36) hdcV-st, 1 dc into the last st. Turn.

Row 2: ch 3, *V-st in hdcV-stitch, repeat from * to the end of the row, 1 dc into last dc. Turn

Row 3: ch3, *Shell into V-st, repeat from * to the end of the row, 1 dc into last dc. Turn.

Rows 4-6: ch3, *Shell into Shell, repeat from * to the end of the row, 1 dc into last dc. Turn.

Row 7: ch3, *Shell2 into Shell, repeat from * to the end of the row, 1 dc into last dc. Turn.

Rows 8-10 (8-10, 8-11, 8-11): ch3, *Triple Shell into Shell2, repeat from * to the end of the row, 1 dc into last dc. Turn.

Row 11 (11, 12, 12): ch 3, 1 Triple Shell in each of next 4 (5, 5, 6) Triple Shells, *Fan Shell into next Triple Shell, 1 sc between this and next Triple Shells, from * repeat five times, Fan Shell into next Triple Shell, 1 Triple Shell in each of next 8 (10, 10, 12) Triple Shells, *Fan Shell into next Triple Shell, 1 sc between this and next Triple Shells, from * repeat five times, Fan Shell into next Triple Shell, 1 Triple Shell in each of next 4 (5, 5, 6) Triple Shells, 1 dc into last dc. Tie off.

Divide for body and sleeves

Count the stitches and place stitch markers to divide the working piece into back, sleeves and front parts:

for right back [4 (5, 5, 6) shells], for right sleeve 6 Fan Shells, for front 8 (10, 10, 12) shells], for left sleeve 6 Fan Shells,
for left back back [4 (5, 5, 6) shells].

The last row of the yoke is the RS row.


Back Neck Shaping

With RS row facing, secure the yarn from another ball at the beginning of the left back (before the last 4th (5th, 5th, 6th) shell from the end of the row 11 (11, 12, 12).

Partial row 1: ch 3, 1 Triple Shell2 into next Triple Shell to the end of the row, 1 dc into last dc. Turn.

Partial row 2: ch 3, 1 Triple Shell2 into each of next 4 (5, 5, 6) Triple Shell2, 1 dc into ch-3. Tie off.

With RS facing, secure the yarn at the beginning of the last row:

Partial row 1: ch 3, 1 Triple Shell2 into each of next 4 (5, 5, 6) Triple Shells, 1 dc between this and next Triple Shell. Turn

Partial row 2: ch 3, 1 Triple Shell2 into next Triple Shell2 to the end of the row, 1 dc into ch-3. Turn.

Body

Row 12 (12, 13, 13) (RS): ch 3, 1 Triple Shell2 in each of next 4 (5, 5, 6) Triple Shell2, ch 15, skip 6 Fan Shells, 1 Triple Shell2 in each of next 8 (10, 10, 12) Triple Shell2, ch 15, skip 6 Fan Shells, 1 Triple Shell2 in each of next 4 (5, 5, 6) Triple Shell2, 1 dc into last dc. Turn.

Row 13 (13, 14, 14): ch 3, 1 Triple Shell2 in each of next 4 (5, 5, 6) Triple Shell2, skip 2 ch, (1 Triple Shell2 into next ch, skip 4 ch) twice, 1 Triple Shell2 into next ch, skip 2 ch, 1 Triple Shell2 in each of next 8 (10, 10, 12) Triple Shell2, skip 2 ch, (1 Triple Shell2 into next ch, skip 4 ch) twice, 1 Triple Shell2 into next ch, skip 2 ch, skip 6 Fan Shells, 1 Triple Shell2 in each of next 4 (5, 5, 6) Triple Shell2, 1 dc into last dc. Turn. Total 22 (26, 26, 30) shells.

Row 14 (14, 15, 15) Round 1: ch 3, *Triple Shell2 into next Triple Shell2, repeat to the end of the row, sl st to the ch-3 of the beginning of the row. Continue to work in rounds.

Round 2: ch 3, *Triple Shell2 into next shell, 1 dc between this and next shell, from * repeat to the end of the round, sl st to ch-3.

Round 3: ch 3, *Triple Shell2 into next shell, 2 dc into 1 dc, from * repeat to the end of the round, sl st to ch-3.

Round 4: ch 3, *Triple Shell2 into shell, V-st between 2 dcs, repeat from * to the end of the round, sl st to ch-3.

Round 5: ch 3, *Triple Shell2 into shell, V-st into V-st, repeat from * to the end of the round, sl st to ch-3.

Round 6: ch 3, *Triple Shell2 into shell, V-st2 into V-st, repeat from * to the end of the round, sl st to ch-3.

Round 7: ch 3, *Triple Shell2 into shell, Shell2 into V-st2, repeat from * to the end of the round, sl st to ch-3.

Rounds 8-14: ch 3, *Triple Shell2 into shell, Shell2 into Shell2, repeat from * to the end of the round, sl st to ch-3.

Round 15: ch 3, *Triple Shell2 into shell, Shell3 into Shell2, repeat from * to the end of the round, sl st to ch-3.

Round 15: ch 3, *Triple Shell2 into shell, Triple Shell2 into Shell3, repeat from * to the end of the round, sl st to ch-3.

Round 16: ch 3, *Triple Shell 2 into Triple Shell2, repeat from * to the end of the round, sl st to ch-3.

Repeat round 16 15 (17, 19, 25) times or to desired length. Tie off.


Finishing

With RS facing, secure yarn at the lower edge of the left back opening. Work a round of sc up along the left back opening edge, around the neckline, and down along the right back opening edge.

Weave in ends. Block. Sew four small buttons onto the left back opening.

Enjoy!