Worked in 3 parts: The bandeau, the skirt, and the yoke. The skirt is tapered at the waist using a pleating technique where stitches go back and forth 3 times on the same stitches. A classic little girl dress that will will surely make her the life of any party.

YARN: 6 ply sport weight cotton yarn. Shown: Color A- 6 ply sport weight cotton yarn by Hiraya Crafts, bubble pink, 600 meters. Color B- 6 ply sport weight cotton yarn by Hiraya Crafts, cherry red, 80 meters

HOOKS: 3.5 mm and 4 mm

GAUGE: Using 3.5 mm hook. 13 rows of 22 hdc = approximately 4″x4″ square

SIZE: 2T – 21″ Chest, 20″ Length. (Use 3mm & 3.5 mm for 18-24 months. Use 4mm & 4.5 mm for 3T)

SKILL: Intermediate

STITCHES (US TERMS):

dc- double crochet

hdc- half double crochet

cl- cluster stitch (yo, insert hook in st, yo, pull through st, yo, pull through 2 loops. *yo insert hook in same st, yo pull though st, yo, pull through 2 loops. Repeat * one more time. Pull through all remaining 4 loops)

sl st- slip stitch

rsc- reverse single crochet

v-stitch- dc, ch 2, dc

blo- back loop only

flo- front loop only

RS- right side

WS- wrong side

MATERIALS

Tapestry Needle, Pins, 4 small buttons, stitch Markers, Scissors, Tape Measure

Let’s Start!

BANDEAU

The bandeau is worked from the bottom up. Each row of hearts will contain a total of 16 full hearts and 2 half hearts. The side with the flatter hearts is the RS.

Foundation: Using the smaller hook and Color A. Ch 102+3. dc in the 4th chain from hook, 1 dc in every ch, Turn your work (Total of 103 dc)

Row 1: Change to Color B. ch 2, 1 cl in the same st. * ch 2, skip 5 sts, (1 cl, ch 2, 1 cl) in the next. Repeat from * all across. ch2, skip 5 sts, 1 cl in the next. Turn your work.

Row 2: Change to Color A. ch 1, sc in the same st. ch 1, * 1 hdc in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th skipped sts from the previous row, working around the ‘ch2’. ch2, skip next cl, 1 sc in the next ‘ch2’ space. ch2, skip next cl. repeat from the * all across. 1 hdc in the 2nd,3rd, 4th skipped sts from the previous row, working around the ‘ch 2’. ch 1, sc in the next cl. Turn your work.

Row 3: ch2 (counts as 1 dc). 1 dc in the next ‘ch 1’ space. * 1 dc in the next 3 sts. 1 dc in the next ‘ch2’ space, 1 dc in the next st, 1 dc in the next ‘ch2’ space. Repeat *. 1 dc in next 3 sts. 1 dc in the next ‘ch1’ space, 1 dc in the next st. Turn your work.

Row 4: ch 1, sc in the same st. 1 sc in every st. Turn your work.

Repeat row 1-4 two more times. Do not fasten off as we are going to continue creating half of the button band along the bandeau.

BUTTON BANDS

Button Side

Rotate work sideways, working along the short side of the bandeau. This is where you are going to sew the buttons later.

Row 1: Ch 1 and sc 16 evenly across. ch 1 and turn your work.

Row 2: sc in the same st, and the next 15 sts. ch 1 and turn your work.

Repeat Row 2 two times. Fasten off.

Button Hole Side

Attach yarn on the other side and lower part of the bandeau. This is where the button holes will be created.

Row 1: ch 1 and sc 16 evenly across. ch 1 and turn your work.

Row 2: sc in the same st, and the next 15 sts. ch 1 and turn your work

Row 3: sc in the same st. * ch 2, skip 2 sts, sc in the next 4 sts. Repeat * one more time. ch 2, skip 2 sts, sc in the last st. ch 1 and turn your work.

Row 4: sc in the same st. sc in the next 15 sts. Do not fasten off. We will continue working on the skirt.

SKIRT

Measure the width of your bandeau including the button bands. Divide the entire width by 6, and place a stitch marker on every divide. Be sure your third stitch marker is centered. Use the hearts as guide.

Rotate your work upside down so you’re now working on the bottom side of the bandeau.

Row 1: ch 3. Work 4 dc evenly along the button band. *dc on every st until you reach 5 sts before your stitch marker. dc 5 sts blo. dc 5 sts flo going back on those same sts in the reverse direction. dc 5 sts flo returning to your regular direction. Repeat * two more times.

Half of your skirt pleating is now done. On the 2nd half of the skirt, the pleats will now face the opposite direction.

*dc 5 sts flo. dc 5 sts blo going back on the same 5 sts in the reverse direction. dc 5 sts blo returning to your regular direction. dc on every st until you reach your next marker. Repeat * 2 more times.

Continue to dc in every st. make 5 dc evenly across the button band. ch 3 and turn your work.

Row 2: Working on the RS. dc on every st. ch 3 and flip your work.

Row 3: Working on the WS. dc on every st. ch 3 and flip your work.

Row 4: Working on the RS. dc on every st, sl st on the 1st dc you made.

We will now be working on the RS in the round. No more turning your work.

Switch to the larger hook.

Row 5: ch 3. dc in every st. Sl st on the 1st dc you made.

Row 6-21 (16 rows): Repeat Row 5.

Netting Detail (base of the skirt)

Row 22: ch 4. * skip the next st, dc on the next st. ch 1, Repeat * across. sl st on the 3rd chain you made.

Row 23-25 (3 rows): Repeat Row 22.

Row 26-27 (2 rows): Repeat row 5

Skirt Edging

Row 28: ch 1, rsc on every st. Sl st to the first ch. Fasten off.

YOKE

You may refer to either the diagram below or follow the words.

Using your smaller hook and Color A.

Foundation: Chain 76

Row 1: 1 dc in 4th chain. dc in the next 8 sts, v-stitch in the next st. dc in the next 15 sts, v-stitch in the next st. dc in the next 19 sts, v-stitch in the next st. dc in the next 15 sts, v stitch in the next st. dc in the next 10 sts.

Row 2: Chain 4 and turn your work. * skip 1 st, dc in the next st, ch 1. Repeat * till corner (end with a dc on the last st). v-stitch in the corner space. *dc in the next st, ch 1, skip next st. Repeat * till corner (end with a dc on the last st). v-stitch in the corner space. Repeat * two more times. End with a dc on the last st.

Row 3: Chain 3 and turn your work. dc in every st and chain space. V-stitch in every corner space. End with a dc.

Row 4-5 (2 rows): Repeat Row 2-3

Fasten off. Leave tail for sewing. Now we will increase only the width of the yoke by just working on the sides of the piece. There should be more rows on the sleeve part of the yoke than the front and back.

Attach yarn to the corner v-stitch ‘ch 2’ space as shown in the illustration above.

Row 6: Chain 3. * dc in the next st. ch 1, skip next st. Repeat *. End with a dc. 1 dc in the corner space.

Row 7: Chain 3 and turn your work. dc in all sts and chain spaces.

Fasten off. Leave tail for sewing.

Attach yarn to the other side of the corner v-stitch ‘ch 2’ space as shown in the illustration above.

Row 8-9 (2 rows): Repeat Row 6-7

SEW SEW SEW

Pin the yoke to the bandeau at the front and back. The back should align with the button bands you made. Sew the pieces together using all the tails you fastened off with running stitch using a tapestry needle. Count the stitches or simply use the hearts as guide, and sew on the WS so your stitches won’t show. Sew the buttons on your dress for closure.

And you’re done. Please share your work by tagging me @5chubbyfingers with the hash tag #bestillmyheartdress and #5chubbyfingers. I would love to see your finished product. For clarifications or corrections, please e-mail me at adette83@gmail.com.