Caron x Pantone Newborn Dress, Free Crochet Pattern and Video Tutorial

I discovered Caron x Pantone yarn just recently even though it’s been around for a while! 

I must say this yarn is somewhat pricey at $7.99, but there are always options to buy it with a coupon or on sale/clearance. I bought three braids on clearance for $4 each. 

I am fascinated with this yarn! The colors are beautiful and the texture is soft!

I challenged myself to come up with a crochet project idea that would only require one braid of this yarn! 

And this is the result!

This newborn dress requires only one braid! Because it’s a chunky yarn (category 5), it works up quickly and the entire dress can be made in about an hour! 

I made it in two color variations - Bright Orchid and Wistfully!

I filmed a very detailed video tutorial! I only recently started my YouTube channel and I have lot’s of ideas for upcoming videos. 

If you enjoy this pattern and my video, please take a moment to subscribe to my channel and/or leave me a comment! Knowing that my patterns and videos are useful to other crocheters is a huge motivation and encouragement for me!

The free written pattern is available on my website olgapoltava.com

Happy crocheting! 

I'm linking this post to Crafting Sunday at Creative Jewish Mom 

Fairy of Roses Baby Dress Pattern by Preetha Jeyaram Mohan

This adorable baby dress was designed by Preetha Jeyaram Mohan, and I had the pleasure of testing it. 

I used Caron Simply Soft Light yarn and a hook size E/4 (3.5 mm). 

The pattern is well written and easy to follow. The instructions for the headband are also included in the pattern. 

The pattern is written for size 0-3 months. I was delighted to see that it fit my dolly Lucy (Marie Osmond Baby Ashley collectible doll) perfectly. 

As a little girl, I loved it so much playing with my dolls, making them outfits, dressing them up, making their hair. 

And with the crochet work that I do now, I still sort of get to do that! It was such a delight to dress up my doll in this adorable dress and take these photos!

Fairy of Roses Baby Dress Pattern is available for purchase on Ravelry for only $2.00

Watermelon Toddler Summer Dress

I designed this toddler dress a year ago, but I've made some slight changes/improvements to the pattern and had a great team of crocheters to test my pattern! 

I made the dress shown below with Cotton Fair yarn by Premier Yarns, which is 52% cotton and 48% acrylic. 

And this one I made with Dreambaby DK yarn by Plymouth Yarn, which is 50% acrylic and 50% nylon. 

Both dresses turned out lovely! 

When one of my testing team members sent me photos of her dress, I was absolutely stunned at her creativity. 

She turned this dress into a true watermelon one! Isn't it just gorgeous? 

Ravelry (c) Preetha Jeyaram Mohan of Pretty Expressions 

And here are some other variations of this dress pattern. 

Ravelry (c) jovetted

Ravelry (c) Ashita-Husbana 

Ravelry (c) Jonash2004

A huge thank you to all of my wonderful crochet testers! You gals are amazing!

The pattern for my Watermelon Toddler Dress is available in my shops: Etsy, Craftsy, and Ravelry!

Shells Baby Dress Crochet Pattern, More Sizes

The Shells Baby Dress in one of the most popular patterns in my pattern shop. 

I created it back in 2014, but I've been getting requests to adjust it for more sizes. I finally did it!

The pattern now comes in threes sizes: 

0-3 months, about 15 inches around chest, 11 inches long;

3-6 months, about 16 inches around chest, 12.5 inches long;

6-12 months, about 18 inches around chest, 14 inches long. 

The pattern is available in my Etsy, Craftsy, and Ravelry shops. 

Crochet Baby Dresses by Karen

Today I would like to present you a beautiful collection of baby dresses made by Karen Staley. 

Even though they all were made from the same basic pattern, each dress is unique and beautiful in its own way. 

This one is called Sugar Plum! 

I love the yellow and pink striping at the hem line.

This one is Spring Blossom!

Pink and green color combination is so delicate. 

This is Trendy! 

Another great color combo - yellow and grey! 

This one has the cutes name ever - Baby Elephant Walk!

I love the name and the dress! 

This one is called Sweetheart!

Wouldn't it be perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas?

I love the colors and the heart button. 

This one is Beach Baby!

The tiny shells and seahorse beads make such cute accents. 

This is Buttercup! 

It has a fun fur around the collar. 

Cotton Candy also has a bit of fluffy fur. 

So sweet!

This is Party Mint! 

It has fur and also picots at the hem. 

This one is called Red Velvet!

It has bead at the change of color (see a detailed picture below).

I love all of Karen's dresses, but if I had to choose a favorite I would go with the Sweetheart and Beach Baby. 

Which one is your favorite?

A few more pictures with details!

I hope you enjoyed seeing all these gorgeous baby dresses.

They might serve as inspiration! Christmas is not that far away; it's time to start crocheting gifts.

But they are also available for purchase directly from Karen. 

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Watermelon Toddler Summer Dress, My New Crochet Pattern

It's summer time! 

Time for bright sun dresses! 

This one is for a toddler girl, 12-18 months old. 

It's made of light cotton and acrylic blend yarn (Cotton Fair by Premier Yarns).

It's made of ripples and lace shells in between. Quite easy!

And quick!

My new pattern is available in my shops:

Etsy

Craftsy 

Ravelry

Thank you for stopping by. Enjoy the summer!

I'm linking this post to

Craft Schooling Sunday @ Crative Jewish Mom

Cooking and Crafting with J & J

Shells Newborn Dress Free Crochet Pattern

I constantly add new pattern to my shop, and I also "retire" some. Here is one such pattern! I hope you'll enjoy making this newborn dress!

Olga Poltava © December, 2015

This pattern may not be redistributed in any form. You are very welcome to sell the finished items that you make using this pattern.

This pattern is written using US crochet terminology.

Size: Newborn

Skill Level: Beginner

Materials:

US Hook size E/4 (3.50 MM)

Super fine yarn, about 150 yards in each color

For the dress shown above I used Woolike by Loops & Threads

Small button

Gauge: 9 dc = 2 inches, 3 rows = 1 inch in height

Abbreviations:

ch chain

sl st slip stitch

sc single crochet

dc double crochet

* * Instructions between asterisks should be repeated as many times as there are stitches to accommodate them or as many times as stated.

When changing color yarn, don’t cut off the yarn after each round, let it hang until you use it again in the next round.

Ch 53.

Row 1: dc in 4^th ch from hook (first 3 skipped ch count as 1^st dc), dc in each ch across. (51 dc).

Row 2: ch 3, turn (counts as 1^st dc), dc in next 2 dc, *2 dc in next dc, dc in next 3 dc* across. (63 dc).

Row 3: ch 3, turn (counts as 1^st dc), 2 dc in next dc, *dc in the next 2 dc, 2 dc in next dc* across, dc in last dc. (84 dc).

Row 4: ch 3, turn (counts as 1^st dc), 2 dc in next dc, *dc in the next 3 dc, 2 dc in next dc* across, dc in last 2 dc. (105 dc).

Row 5: ch 3, turn (counts as 1^st dc), 2 dc in next dc, *dc in the next 4 dc, 2 dc in next dc* across. (126 dc).

Join with sl st to 3^rd ch of beginning ch-3 and continue crocheting in rounds.

Round 6: ch 3, 2 dc in same beginning space, skip next dc, sc in next dc, *skip next dc, 3 dc in next dc, skip next dc, sc in next dc* around, join with sl st to 3^rd ch of beginning ch-3. (32 shells).

Round 7: sl st to 2^nd dc of dc-3 group, change color, ch 1, sc in same dc, 5 dc in next sc, *sc in 2^nd dc of next dc-3 group, 5 dc in next sc* around; join with sl st to 1^st sc. (32 shells).

Round 8: sl st to 3^rd dc of next dc-5 group, change color (do not cut off the second color yarn, let it hang along until you use it again in the next round), ch 1, sc in same dc, *5 dc in next sc, sc in 3^rd dc of next dc-5 group* four times, ch 5, skip next 6 shells, sc in 3^rd dc of next shell, *5 dc in next sc, sc in 3^rd dc of next dc-5 group* nine times, ch 5, skip next 6 shells, sc in 3^rd dc of next shell, *5 dc in next sc, sc in 3^rd dc of next dc-5 group* five times; join with sl st to 1^st sc. (18 shells, two ch-5 spaces)

Round 9: sl st to 2^nd dc of dc-5 group, change color, ch 1, sc in same dc, *7 dc in next sc, sc in 3^rd dc of next dc-5 group* four times, sc in 3^rd ch of next ch-5, 7 dc in next sc, *sc in 3^rd ch of next dc-5 group, 7 dc in next sc* nine times, sc in 3^rd ch of next ch-5, 7 dc in next sc, *sc in 3^rd ch of next dc-5 group, 7 dc in next sc* five times; join with sl st to 1^st sc. (20 shells)

Round 10: sl st to 4^th dc of dc-7 group, change color, ch 1, sc in same dc, 7 dc in next sc, *sc in 4^th dc of next dc-7 group, 7 dc in next sc* around; join with sl st to 1^st sc. (20 shells)

Rounds 11-32: repeat Round 10. You can also make the dress longer if you wish.

Fasten off.

Attach yarn to top right corner of the back opening and continue crocheting into ends of rows: (sc, ch 4, sc) in first end of row (this creates a button loop), 2 sc in each end of row down and up the opening. Fasten off, weave in end. Sew the button on the other side of the opining.

Whipped Cream Dress, Free Pattern from Leisure Arts

When I saw the free pattern for this dress, I instantly dropped all the other crochet projects that I was working on. I just knew I must make it! 

It only took me a few days. I posted my progress in Crochet Gate group on Facebook and I got lots of compliments and positive feedback. Thank you! I also got some questions. 

So I thought I should make a post and address some of the most trickiest parts of this pattern. 

The free pattern comes from Free Pattern Friday Crochet, a free online newsletter by Leisure Arts. I loved this pattern so much, that I actually signed up for this newsletter, and I'm looking forward to more patterns from Leisure Arts.

Click here for the free Whipped Cream Dress Pattern 

The pattern comes in size 12-18 months. 

It calls for baby fingering weight yarn and hooks size D (3.00 mm) and E (3.5 mm).

I used Woolike yarn by Loops & Threads.

I can't say exactly how much yarn I used (my yarn came from another project that I wasn't happy with and had to unravel. Yep, things like that happen to me often).

Here are some notes that might be useful:

After I completed the first four rows, I realized that my piece is not symmetric. Somehow I had more dc(s) on one side than on the other. "Arhh, I thought, I must've made a mistake!" So I unraveled my work and started over, just to realize that once again my piece is not symmetric.

So I took a careful look at the pattern, glancing at rows and rounds ahead, and I realized that this dress has a placket, and those extra double crochets on one side are precisely for that. 

So, don't unravel your work when you realize the piece is not symmetric. That's how it's supposed to be!

When you get to Round 1, you will leave those extra 6 dc unworked. And that's your placket. 

One of crochet friends from Crochet Gate group asked me about Round 14. At the beginning of the round, the pattern says "dc in next 3 dc" and later in the same round it says "dc in next 4 dc." She was confused where those 3 dc and 4 dc come from. 

Perhaps it will be easier if you read that round this way:

Round 14: Ch 3, dc in next dc, skip next ch-3, sc and ch-3, dc in next 2 dc, ch 1, (dc in next dc, ch 1) 7 times, * dc in next 2 dc, skip next ch-3, sc and ch-3, dc in next 2 dc, ch 1, (dc in next dc, ch 1) 7 times; repeat from * around; join with slip st to first dc.

I also tried to show it in the picture bellow. See how 4 dc come together (Sorry for the quality of the photo. I took it last night past the sunset, so the lighting is bad.)

I had a bit of confusion at Round 35 (last round). In this round clusters are used. And I always think of crochet clusters as something like dc3-tog or some sort of variation of it. But in this pattern, clusters are different. Make sure to carefully read the instructions for special stitches used in this pattern. 

Now back to the placket. Seems like some people had trouble with it. So perhaps some visual help will be useful. 

Here is what it looks like. 

When working on finishing, after completing Row 2 of buttonhole band, leave a tail long enough to sew the bottom of the placket to inside of the buttonhole band. I used a tapestry needle for that. 

Here is what the back of the dress looks like when bottom of the placket is sewn in place and buttons added. (I didn't have white buttons on hand, so I went with pink ones. White ones would probably look better.)

I think this is it! I love the way my Whipped Cream Dress turned out, and I enjoyed making it. 

I hope my notes and suggestions will be useful to my crochet friends who are working on this pattern too. 

Happy Crocheting! 

Olga

P.S. If you have any other questions, you can ask me in the comments bellow. But hurry, while this pattern is fresh in my head :)

I'm linking to

Crafting Along @ Be a Crafter