A Military Wife's Tale: Petal Ruffle Dress

Petal Ruffle Dress

Original Design

by:

Kayla Anderson

Size:

Ages 3-6 yrs.

For chest size 20-23 in.

Supplies:

crochet hook size H

Dk yarn (3)

I used Bernat softee baby

Main color: soft peach

Accent color: soft red

Darning needle

3 buttons

Measuring tape

Gauge:

12 dc=4 inches

6 rows=4 inches

Stitches:

ch=chain

sc=single crochet

hdc=half double crochet

dc=double crochet

sl st=slip stitch

shell stitch=2dc, ch1, 2dc in same stitch

petal stitch=sc,ch1,9dc,ch1,sc in ch 6 space

blo=back loop only

flo=front loop only

_=skip a stitch

Top of dress:

Ch 63

row 1: (Starting with one side of the back of the dress) dc into 4th ch from hook. Dc into next 12 ch, 3dc in next ch, (shoulder) dc into next 10 ch, 3 dc into next stitch, (front) dc into next 12 stitches, 3dc into next stitch, (shoulder) dc into next 10 ch, 3dc into next stitch, (other back piece) dc into next 13 stitches.

row 2: turn, ch 3. (Stitches placed in flo). Dc across to middle stitch of previous 3dc sequence. 3dc into that middle stitch. Dc across until you get to the next previous 3dc sequence and do the same. Repeat until the end.

row 3: Repeat row 2 placing stitches into blo.

row 4: Repeat row 2 placing stitches into flo.

row 5: Repeat row 2 placing stitches into blo.

row 6: Repeat row 2 placing stitches into flo.

The ridges will be on the outside when you join the dress to work in the round. You will be doing your stitches as if you are on the inside. The outside of the dress will always be facing out and the dress will be worked from neck to skirt holding it upside down.

row 7: (joining: will begin to work in the round now) Slip Stitch to about the 4th stitch over from the end of the other back piece. Be sure not to twist the garment. Ch 3 and begin dc in front loop only.

Once you get to the first 3dc sequence dc2tog (the middle stitch of the first 3dc sequence to the middle stitch of the next 3dc sequence). DO NOT dc in the stitches in between, this is the armhole. Dc across the front of the dress and join the 3rd and 4th 3dc sequences together with a DC2tog. Again, DO NOT dc in the stitches in between, this is the other armhole. After joining Dc around to the end of the round and join with a slip stitch to the end of the other back side(these are the four stitches you left unstitched).

(You have created the overlay for the button edge. The back pieces will cross evenly now) and ch 3.

Before starting row 8 you will finish the joining of the garment. Dc the three stitches that you skipped in the previous round by (yo, insert hook through front and back loops and front loop only of the first stitch that overlaps). Do this to all three stitches that overlap.

row 8: dc around into front loops only. (You are working in the round. The ridges will be on the outside.

Continue for as many rounds to make as long as you want the top of the dress to

be. Here is the part where you can modify it if you need it a little longer. You can also make it longer in the skirt part.

I continued dc through rows 9 & 10.

Petal ruffles:

row 11: ch 6, skip stitch, sc into next stitch, ch 6, skip stitch, sc into next stitch...repeat to end. after last ch 6 slip stitch into first ch stitch of beginning of the last row.

row 12: (sc, ch 1, 9dc, ch1, sc)* into ch 6 space. Repeat * in every ch 6 space around. sl st into space where first petal begins.

Underside ruffles:

row 13: ch3, 2 dc in same stich as ch3, ch 1, 3dc in next stitch, ch 1, 3dc in next stitch...etc...The base where the petal stitches and underside ruffle stitches start will be the same spot.

Skirt of Dress:

Slip stitch to base of dress and sc into each dc post from row 10 (or whichever row you ended with before you started the petal row. This will create a base to start the stitch pattern that will create the body (or shirt) of the dress.

Dc in each sc.

ch3, dc, ch1, 2dc all in the first stitch. (shell stitch), (ch1, skip a stitch, dc)* (*3 times),skip a stitch.

_ means skip a stitch.

The pattern sequence will look like this:

Shell stitch _dc_dc_dc_

Repeat this sequence around. Slip stitch into top of ch3 on the first shell stitch. Slip stitch to middle of same shell stitch.

Repeat this row 3 more times, starting a shell stitch in the ch 1 space of the previous shell stitch. If for some reason the number of stitches is off it shouldn't make too much difference as long as you create a shell stitch below a shell stitch, and a dc under a dc, etc so the design is made.

Next row: You will do everything the same as the last rows, but this time create a shell stitch in the middle dc of the last round. So the pattern would be (shell, dc,shell, dc, shell, etc..)

Next row: Will be the same except create three separate dc from the shell stitch you created in the previous row. There should be 5 stitches on the top of the shell stitch. You will create a dc into the first, middle and last stitch, with a ch 1 in between each stitch.

The new repeating pattern for this row will be

shell_dc_dc_dc_dc_dc_shell

Repeat this 5 more times.

Next row: Create a shell stitch in the middle dc.

Next row:Same pattern, but make three dc from the shell stitch you just made. There should be 5 stitches on the top of the shell stitch. You will create a dc into the first, middle and last stitch, with a ch 1 in between each stitch.

repeat 7 more times.

Change to accent color. (sc,ch, hdc, 3dc, hdc, ch 1) * repeat all the way around. Hdc in every stitch around except the middle dc in the previous row's 3dc. Here you will 2hdc in the stitch. Continue all the way around.

Finish off and weave in ends.

Border on armholes: Attach accent color to sleeve and sc around. Then sc,ch, hdc, 3dc, hdc, ch 1, * repeat all the way around. Do this to other sleeve.

Border on neckline: Attach yarn to one end in back. Sc all around, turn ch1 sc back. sl st to end. Do not sc down button edge. Finish off and weave in ends.

Sew on three buttons to the back. The space in between double crochets should be sufficient for a button hole.