Easy Crocheted Top Dress Tutorial with Pics

[Rdesonia]

This is an Easy dress for someone that already crochets and has basic sewing skills. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. This has no yarn gauge because you are going to make it fit in inches(so no counting!). It is a general pattern that can be adapted for the child you are making it for. I'm making it for a 10 month old. My measurements are specific to my child. (It has stretch so later she can wear it as a shirt with leggings. )

Step one: Gather your supplies
You will need yarn ( at least 1/2 a skein or more), fabric, thread to match your yarn, crochet hooks, scissors, elastic, a sewing machine (or you could hand sew)


Use your yarn to decide what size hook you want to use. I thought F was good for my yarn. You want your initial chain to be "loose". The easiest way... Use a hook one size up. The initial chain was made with an G. You make your chain the length of your child's chest (unstretched chain). I made mine 20 inches... stretched it was 24. Then connect the last loop to the first making sure the chain is not twisted.
Do a basic single crochet using only the top loop of each chain stitch.

When you come to the end attach the last stitch to the first.

The next row is the only "tricky part". Not tricky to do but tricky for me to explain! (Did I mention that I don't usually work from patterns because I hate counting and can't figure out what they are talking about. I don't have the crochet "lingo")
Instead of going through the loops on top of the stitches you made... you are going to go around the actual stitches.


So you go around the back one first and do 2 chain to build up. The next stitch you go around the front.



You alternate going around front to back. After a few it should look like this
Then you just keep going. When you get to the end of a row.. you attach and repeat. If it ends up with 2 backs at the end don't worry. You will put the seam to the side so it will be hidden under an arm. Plus it will hardly be noticeable. Next row make sure to go through the fronts of the ones you already went through the fronts and the backs of the ones that you already went through the backs. It will be ridged (kinda a faux ribbed look) so it is easy to tell. I did 5 rows (not including the chain. That is 2 1/2 inches wide perfect for empire style on my dd ).


I also put one with alternating colors. I thought that might help you to see. Next step is to add the straps. (You could skip this and us a ribbon in a v style to keep the dress up or 2 ribbons as straps. If you made the bodice part longer you could even weave a ribbon at the bottom as a "belt" between every 4 stitches or so to tie the ribbon look in. I'm doing a more empire style so I didn't do that. I also am making the straps V in the back. The reason is I want this to "grow" with my daughter. If I placed the straps exactly to fit... there would be no grow room)

I just put my "seam" to a side. I found the back. I started a new set of stitches. I did the front to back thing for the first row then went to just going through the loops at the top like normal crocheting so the straps don't have ridges. I made the straps a little too long for grow room.


When I came to the end, I made a 1/2 stitch, 1 full stitch, a double stitch (Between the 2) a full stitch and then a 1/2 . So it has a rounded end.

Then I did the second strap right next to it. Weaved in all my ends.

I cut my fabric 13 inches long. (11 inches hits my daughter 10 months old just above the knee. I added 1 inch for the top seam and 1 inch for the bottom) I cut my fabric the width of the fabric (selvedge to selvedge 42 inches). You will want to measure and cut your fabric so it fits your child. You also want to keep in mind how the print will look. (So ... length x width. Length was determined by the height of my kiddo and width is 2 times the chest measurement. You could obviously use 2 pieces of fabric instead of one.)


I cut a piece of elastic 20 inches long. (The same as the initial chain stitch/child's chest). Next I ironed 1/2 inch on the top, turned and ironed another 1/2 inch. Repeat on the bottom. I sewed both seams very close to the edge. The top seam I threaded 1/4 inch elastic through with a safety pin.


Then I sewed the edges of the elastic together. I trimmed any little bits of excess elastic. I then sewed a french seam on what will be the side of the dress. (Sew the fabric together facing you 1/4 inch seam. Turn it inside out sew 1/2 inch seam. ) Make sure the top edge and bottom edges line up.

Sorry I didn't get pictures of this part. You should have a tube of fabric with enclosed elastic at the top and a hem at the bottom and one seam running up a side. Next pin the yarn bodice to the dress. The yarn should be on top of the fabric. The yarn should cover your previous stitch line.

(I used white thread to hem and you can see it in the photo. I used orange to sew on the bodice.) It should not line up perfectly. I pin the sides first. Find the middles of the dress and then the middle of the bodice and pin those together.

Make sure your thread at this point matches your yarn. As you sew you stretch the bottom of the yarn bodice.

You sew on the very bottom of the bodice and take care to "hide" your previous sew line from the top hem. The fabric should have a gathered look.

(***note*** You could skip the elastic if you wanted to add pleats or use a ruffler or just gather the fabric. IF you do that make sure the top of the dress is the exact size of the yarn bodice when it is fully stretched. I find the elastic to be the easiest method as you have a little fudge room that way.)

This is what the inside looks like when you are finished sewing.


Next step add 2 cute buttons. (make sure the buttons will fit between the stitches on the straps.) Sew then securely to the bodice evenly spaced. (Please make sure your buttons are secure! If this is for a small child keep in mind.... buttons can be a choking hazard if they can pull them off!)


Now spend the next 30 minutes trying to convince your 10 month old to stay still so you can take a photo of her in the dress and then give up and hope a semi-blurry will do.

[Rdesonia]

I guess I didn't figure out how to post the pictures right!

[Rdesonia]

I followed these instructions for the photos...
http://www.diaperswappers.com/forum/...25&postcount=6
I don't know why they are links and why those don't show photos....??

[DillyDay]

you used the bbcode settings? the [ img] ones?

[Rdesonia]

Oh you are awesome! I'll have to fix it! Thank You! Thank You !

[HRM's MOM]

oh please fix I would love to try this, thanks.

[3boys_mom]

Awesome.....Thanks for sharing.....

Might try this for the littlest one!

[Rdesonia]

I mentioned ironing the hems. I wanted to quickly share my method for quick perfect hems. I use to measure and chalk... Or measure and use a washable pen. (Sometimes when I was lazy... I'd "eyeball" it.)
One day, I was in a hurry. I had a ton of hems to iron that needed to be exact. So I took some archive quality blank scrapbook cardstock (Thick/non-glossy like a business card) and made a line with a thin sharpie across it at the size of hem I wanted so like at 1/2 inch along one edge. I folded my fabric over the cardstock to the line and ironed. (On high because my fabric was cotton. I iron over the cardstock itself as I dragged it tucked inside the hem and it is not a problem. I've done this for years and it has never burned.) I just move the cardstock along as I ironed and they always come out perfect. I never have to measure the fabric to turn it or mark the fabric in anyway to have perfect hems that always line up exactly! This saves a ton of time!

[irishmama2]

Originally Posted by Rdesonia I mentioned ironing the hems. I wanted to quickly share my method for quick perfect hems. I use to measure and chalk... Or measure and use a washable pen. (Sometimes when I was lazy... I'd "eyeball" it.) One day, I was in a hurry. I had a ton of hems to iron that needed to be exact. So I took some archive quality blank scrapbook cardstock (Thick/non-glossy like a business card) and made a line with a thin sharpie across it at the size of hem I wanted so like at 1/2 inch along one edge. I folded my fabric over the cardstock to the line and ironed. (On high because my fabric was cotton. I iron over the cardstock itself as I dragged it tucked inside the hem and it is not a problem. I've done this for years and it has never burned.) I just move the cardstock along as I ironed and they always come out perfect. I never have to measure the fabric to turn it or mark the fabric in anyway to have perfect hems that always line up exactly! This saves a ton of time!

What a GREAT piece wisdom to share. I despise ironong hems. This will make it much easier so Thank you

[DillyDay]

no you are amazing for the tip on the hems. i *hate* doing hems. love them!!!!!