FREE CROCHET PATTERN: Vintage Style 12" Baby Doll Dress

I had been scouring the internet for free baby doll patterns, and was not finding much that didn't look old fashioned and drab. My daughter has the Melissa and Doug 12"doll, and her outfit was just atrocious! That doll deserves to look fabulous!

So... I had a late night crochet on the fly session and came up with what I think is a fairly snazzy (and easy!) vintage inspired doll dress. 

I have only made this once, if you find any issues with the pattern please let me know!


Due to multiple requests, I made a printable PDF for this pattern! You can find the link at The Yarnheads Project HERE. Please take a look around while there and consider making a hat or scarf for a homeless man, woman, or child!



Materials/Notes:

• Red Heart Classic or Super Saver (or any worsted weight yarn) in hot pink (color A), yellow (color B), and I used Caron Simply Soft in Grey (color C). This pattern uses very little yarn, way way less than a skein. I would definitely call this a scrap buster!
• 5 mm hook. I used my new light up hook, which was quite handy since I made this at night.
• Optional: A pearl or other embellishment for the flower
• A yarn/tapestry needle 
• Beginning chain counts as first stitch unless otherwise noted.
• You will not be turning for this. You will slip stitch each round, but after chaining, do not chainge direction.
• You may have "hanging stitches" at the end of a round - either due to my pattern or something on your end. This is a forgiving pattern - so please do not unravel and start over! Just fill in with whatever stitch you are doing in that round and ss to join.  
• Abbreviations:
• ss = slip stitch
• sc = single crochet
• hdc = half double crochet
• dc = double crochet
• tc = triple crochet (American)
• ch = chain
• sk = skip

The collar after row 3, creating the poufs.

Pattern:

Top Collar

• With Color B, ch 32, join to form a circle, ch 2, DON'T TURN
• Row 1: Hdc in next 31, ss (32 total, including the starting ch 2)
• Row 2: Ch 2, dc in same st, *dc, 2 dc, dc, 2 dc* and repeat around, ss (48 total)
• Row 3: Ch 3, dc 4 in same st, skip 2 st, *sc, sc, dc 5 in same st, skip 2*, repeat around, forming 9 waves/ruffles, ss into first ch 3 to join
• Row 4: Ch 2, hdc around, ss and tie off/weave in

 Dress Body

• Ch 35, join to form circle, ch 2
• Row 1: (lattice stitch, this will serve as the "belt row") dc in 4th st (meaning skip 3, dc in 4th), ch 1, skip 1, *dc, ch 1, skip 1*, repeat around, ss to join
• Row 2: Ch 3, tc around, ss 
• Row 3: Ch 2, dc in same, dc, 2 dc in next, *dc, 2 dc in next*, repeat around and ss to join
• Row 4: Ch 3, tc around, ss to join
• Row 5: Ch 2, dc around
• Row 6: Ch 2, dc in same, dc, 2 dc, *dc, 2 dc*, repeat around and ss to join
• Row 7: Repeat row 6 to desired length. I stopped here. 

 

Dress body.

To sew together: line up and sew 3 ruffles/poufs to the top lattice stitch row for the front, starting at  the begining of the first pouf and ending and tying off at the end of the 3rd pouf.  

Line up poufs.

Sew collar's hdc last row to the top lattice stitch row of the dress body.

Line up the back of the dress, and do the same, but with only 2 poufs. Make sure to sew along the last hdc row of the top collar and work as you go to keep that "pouffy" ruffled look. I may have made up a new word there. This will leave 2 armholes. 

Belt/Flower

• Cut 7 or 8 pieces of the Color C, approx 18 inches each
• Thread then through the top row of the dress body lattice, skipping and weaving it to your taste
• Tie off. I tied this tight, I plan on leaving this dress on for as long as possible. I figured I could cut the "belt" if needed in the future, it's an easy thing to re-do. Trim the bottom to desired length.



Isn't my new light up hook cool?

• Flower is a basic spiral. Ch 32 holding 2 strands of Color C. Then dc in 3rd ch from hook, dc in next, 2 dc in next, *dc, 2 dc*, repeat to form a spiral, tie off and leave a long tail for sewing.    
• Then form your flower, and sew through the back to secure. Wrap the spirals starting with the end that is not tied off, forming the middle of the flower, and use your tails to sew. 
• Add a bead or something sparkly if you like in the center of the flower. I used a glass pearl, to match the coordinating headband I made for my daughter.  

  

 

Spiral flower

  
   Sew the flower on, and you are finished!

Here are a few pics of the finished dress, and the headband I made that coordinates with it. And my munchkin modeling everything :) Hope you enjoy the pattern, would love to see pictures of any finished work!

 HAPPY HOOKING!
---Claire 

 ***Feel free to use your work from my free patterns for whatever purpose you like of course (you legally can sell your work from ANY pattern in the US according to copyright law, you just can't take someone's pattern and claim it as your own), but please link back to my post (not when selling, just re-posting). Please do not copy and post this pattern and claim it as your own. You may share photos that include the Horizontal Designs text only.