Although I do not have children of my own, I can surely count on my friends to exercise my knitting and crochet skills for babies! I love making clothes for babies because they’re cute and small and they’re finished in a jiffy!

Another one of my friends is expecting and this time, instead of making something from someone else’s pattern, I decided to make a pattern myself! It turned out so adorable that I decided to share the pattern with you.

Baby Sundress – Free Crochet Pattern

Material:
1.5 skeins (150 g) of Bamboo/Cotton Tropical Color Yarn
4 mm crochet hook

Gauge: 10dc worked on back loops only over 5 rows = 5.5 x 5.5 cm

Makes size up to 6 months

Abbreviations (US terms):
ss – slip stitch
ch – chain
sc – single crochet
hdc – half double crochet
dc – double crochet

Instructions:

This dress is made sideways working always on back loops. The chest is made in single crochet (sc) and the skirt in double crochet (dc) separated by 1 half-double crochet (hdc).

Foundation: Chain 56
Row 1: 24 sc, 1 hdc, 30 dc. Ch3 (counts as first dc in next row), turn.
Row 2: dc in each dc (30 dc), 1 hdc, sc in each sc (24 sc). Ch1, turn.
Row 3: sc in each sc (24 sc), 1 hdc, dc in each dc (30 dc). Ch3, turn.
Rows 4 to 80: continue working as rows 2 and 3 until chest measures around 40cm.

Join the two sides together and slip stitch down through both sides or sew both sides together. From here on, work on both loops.

Skirt Hem:
Row 1: attach yarn at hem of skirt, on the first stitch right after the seam you just made. Work evenly 162 sc around hem of skirt. Slip stitch (ss) on first sc. Do not turn.
Rows 2 and 3. : ch1, sc in each sc around. Do not turn.
Row 4: work shell stitches around – ch 1, [skip next 2 stitches, 3 dc in next, ch 1, 3 dc in same, skip next 2 stitches, sc in next]*. Repeat * around (27 shells).

Chest trim and straps:
Row 1: working on right side of dress, attach yarn on the edge of the chest close to the seam. Work evenly 80 sc around. Ss on first sc. Do not turn.
Row 2: ch1, sc in each sc around. Do not turn.
Row 3: ch1, sc in next 10 sc, ch41 (this will form a strap) sc in the 2nd chain from hook and down the other chains until you reach the chest trim again. Continue working around the chest trim, sc in the next 20 sc and make another strap (chain 40, sc down chains back to trim). Repeat 20 sc around chest trim + strap another 2 times (4 straps made), sc 10, ss in first sc. This will make 4 straps separated by 20 sc each. Tie each 2 straps on either side of dress, making sure the side seam stays at the middle back of dress.

That’s it! You’re done! Great job! 🙂

Why not complement it with a lovely pair of Mary Jane Baby Shoes?

Click here to add this pattern to your Ravelry Queue

Update: thanks to Debby, who did the translation, this pattern is now also available in German! You can download the German version here.

Can’t wait to see all your lovely creations!

Copyrights:
You may distribute this pattern freely among your friends, you can translate it in your own language, you can use it as material for crafts lessons or crochet groups and you can also sell the finished items. You MAY NOT sell this pattern or a similar pattern with minor alterations that can be considered corrections.  Please credit The Knitting Scientist with a link to this blog. Thank you!