Baby Dress

this is my very first ever baby dress design. yay! it's original and pretty but i have yet to test the sizing :P so if anyone feels up for a challenge i would appreciate some feedback if people try to make this one :D
i made it for my cousin's baby girl (who isn't born yet) and i tried to match the size with a commercially made baby dress. which was size 3-6 months.

primarily i used an aluminum size G hook (US). and i also used an aluminum size I hook (US) for the skirt part.
on the right is a closeup of the skirt, the stitches look pretty, drape super easily, and are fast and easy even though they look kinda complicated :D

the dress works up in two pieces (front and back) which are stitched together leaving an opening for the button flap. i decided to try that type of closure instead of at the back because i don't like how sometimes you can have gaps with crochet, and this way the baby wont have to wear a shirt underneath.

here below is a picture of the front detail

And now finally! the Instructions:
*Note- i use the terms CA and CB for color A and color B. you can make yours in any and as many colors as you want, just make sure to keep track of your stitches :)

FRONT:

With G hook and CA
ch 37

Row 1) hdc in 3rd ch from hook and in each across. ch2, turn. (36 hdc)

Rows 2-6) repeat Row 1.

Row 7) hdc in next 11 sts. ch2, turn. (12 hdc)

Rows 8-10) repeat Row 7. At end of Row 10, do not ch 2, do not turn. Fasten off.

Now, making sure WRONG SIDE of work faces you, join yarn like so:

count 12 stitches in, from left to right, of the stitches unworked from Row 6. Join with a sl st to the 13th st and chain 2 (counts as 1st hdc)
hdc across the remaining 11 sts.

Next 3 Rows) ch2, turn, hdc across. (12 hdc)

Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.


2nd PIECE: THE BACK.

ch 37.

Row 1) hdc in 3rd ch from hook and in each across. ch2, turn. (36 hdc)

Rows 2-10) repeat Row 1.

Row 11) hdc in each of next 11 sts, ch2, turn. (12 hdc)

Row 12) BUTTON HOLES ROW: hdc in next st, ch2, sk 1 st. hdc in each of next 6 sts, ch2, sk 1 st, hdc in last 2 sts. ch1, turn.

Row 13) sc in each hdc across, putting one sc in each ch2 space.

Row 14) ch1, turn. sc in each sc across. fasten off and weave in ends.

*Now would be a good time to position and sew on your buttons.

Turn pieces inside out (RIGHT SIDE facing RIGHT SIDE and WRONG SIDE facing air... or you)
and sew the little shoulder seam. Then turn the piece right side out, SWITCH COLORS! RS facing!


THE SKIRT: with G hook and CB

join yarn with sl st to center of back. sc in same st twice. make 2 sc in each st around, except when you get to the unjoined ends.
sc those together (overlapping, not decreasing) to close it up, and put an extra sc in same st. makes sense?:)
join with sl st to top of 1st sc. ch2, do not turn.

the pattern stitch for the skirt is called Crossed Bar Stitch which i first saw on Dot's page Crochet bythehook, in this pattern http://bythehook.blogdrive.com/archive/85.html

in my tiny miniscule slight variation: (since all sts in1st row are sc and none are ch's)

yo, insert hook in same st as joining and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook)
skip 1 stitch, yo, insert hook in next st and pull up a loop (5 loops on hook)
yo and pull through all 5 loops on hook. ch1.

*yo, insert hook in same st as end of previous one and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook)
sk 1 stitch, yo, and insert hook in next st and pull up a loop (5 loops on hook)
yo and pull through all 5 loops on hook. ch1*

repeat from * to * around. The last stitch will be as follows, with only one free "hole" visible:

yo, insert hook in same st as end of previous one, and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook)
sk 1 st, yo, and insert hook in same st as beginning of 1st stitch of ROund.
pull up a loop (5 loops on hook) yo and pull through all 5 loops on hook. ch1.
join with sl st to top of 1st crossed bar stitch.

CHANGE TO I HOOK!!!

continue in this pattern, working in the ch1 spaces of previous Rounds, until you have a total of 16 Rounds of Pattern Stitch.

Next Round: ch1, sc in same st as joining. *ch1, sk 1 st, sc in ch1 sp*
repeat from * to * around, ending with ch1, join with sl st to top of 1st sc. Fasten off color.

Edging: CHANGE COLORS!! CHANGE TO G HOOK!! lol

join yarn with sl st to last ch1 space of previous Round. ch1 and sc in same sp.
(3dc in next ch1 space, sc in next) around, ending with last 3 dc in last ch1 space. join with sl st to top of 1st sc. Fasten off, weave in ends.


THE SLEEVES: with CA and G hook.

Do the sleeve without the buttons first because it's easier and you will get the hang of it.
Join yarn with sl st to anywhere on armhole, RS facing you of course. (join at armpit for no-show seam)

Round 1) sc around evenly, 32 stitches.
Please MAKE SURE there are 32 around evenly or the pattern stitch won't work. And neither will the edging.

Round 2) Work same crossed bar pattern stitch as for skirt.

Rounds 3-4) Repeat Round 2. heh.

Round 5) ch1, sc in same st as joining. ch1, *sk 1 st, sc in next ch1 space, ch1*
repeat from * to * around. join with sl st to 1st sc. Fasten off.

**When doing the sleeve with the buttons, work same as other sleeve EXCEPT:
MAKE SURE NOT TO STICH THE FLAP TO THE SLEEVE or you won't be able to fit the baby's head through.
Work carefully around, unbutton the buttons so you know what ends where, and soforth.
You will be stitching in Rounds, so don't let the Row thing bother you, the stitches will join it into a functional sleeve :)

Sleeve Edging:

1) with CB and G hook, work the same as Skirt Edging.

Neckline Edging:

with CB and G hook
Join yarn (RS facing you) to that left corner of the neck that's hidden under the button flap.
work sc's evenly all around the neck, then work sc's (still evenly) around the button flap.
sl st instead of sc where the last st should be, so that the edging fades nicely into the dress instead of poking out awkwardly.
Fasten off and weave in ends.

This is my original pattern, please do not sell it or copy it to sell it. You may print out a copy for yourself for your own use. If you want to share with friends please direct them to my blog. You may sell what you make, not in mass quantity.

<3 Mari