# Buttercream Wildflower Dress Free Crochet Pattern
This is the dress that made my group chat lose its mind. A butter yellow cotton dress with a fitted single crochet bodice, a diamond lace skirt that moves like a dream, and three-dimensional wildflowers scattered along the neckline and hem like you walked through a meadow and it just stayed with you. Vintage garden party energy, entirely handmade.
I’ll be straight with you: this is an advanced project. The bodice is precise, the lace skirt takes concentration, and then there are all those flowers — expect 80 to 120 hours for the dress plus another 20 to 30 for the blooms. But if you’ve finished at least one fitted garment before, you have the skills. And here’s the part I love most: the pattern gives you quantities and placement guidance, but the final flower arrangement is entirely yours. No two dresses will ever look the same.
What You’ll Need
- DK weight (CYCA 3) smooth cotton yarn — avoid fuzzy or textured yarns so the lace and flowers show:
- Main color: butter yellow, approximately 1,800 (2,000, 2,200, 2,400) yards
- Dusty rose pink: approximately 60 yards
- Blush pink: approximately 50 yards
- White: approximately 80 yards
- Cornflower blue: approximately 60 yards
- Sage green (leaves and stems): approximately 80 yards
- Pale lavender (optional accent): approximately 30 yards
- Bright yellow (daisy centers): approximately 20 yards
- US D-3 (3.25 mm) hook for the bodice and flowers
- US E-4 (3.5 mm) hook for the skirt lace sections
- Stitch markers (at least 6), tapestry needle, scissors, rust-proof pins for blocking
- Sewing thread and needle for attaching flowers
- Fabric lining or slip in a matching color (recommended)
- 1 yard of 1/4-inch elastic (optional, for waist comfort if adding a lining)
Finished size: Four sizes — Small (Medium, Large, Extra Large). Bust 32 (36, 40, 44) inches; waist 26 (30, 34, 38) inches; hip 34 (38, 42, 46) inches; total length shoulder to hem 42 (42.5, 43, 43.5) inches; bodice underarm to waist 6 (6, 6.5, 6.5) inches; skirt waist to hem 30 (30.5, 31, 31.5) inches.
Gauge: bodice in sc with the D-3 hook — 22 sc x 26 rows = 4 inches, blocked. Skirt lace with the E-4 hook — one 14-stitch repeat = about 2.5 inches wide; 4 lace rows = about 1 inch, blocked. Cotton grows after washing, so measure your swatch after it dries completely.
The Pattern
Special stitches: Picot — ch 3, sl st into the first ch of the ch-3. Shell — 5 dc in the same stitch or space. V-stitch — (dc, ch 2, dc) in the same stitch or space. Beginning shell — ch 3, then 4 dc in the same stitch or space.
Part 1: Front Bodice
Worked flat in rows of sc, shaping a sweetheart neckline. With main color and D-3 hook, ch 21 (23, 26, 28).
Row 1 (RS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. [20 (22, 25, 27) sc]
Row 2 (WS): Ch 1, turn. Sc across. [20 (22, 25, 27) sc]
Row 3: Ch 1, turn. Inc in first st, sc to last st, inc in last st. [22 (24, 27, 29) sc]
Row 4: Ch 1, turn. Sc across. [22 (24, 27, 29) sc]
Row 5: Ch 1, turn. Inc in first st, sc to last st, inc in last st. [24 (26, 29, 31) sc]
Row 6: Ch 1, turn. Sc across. [24 (26, 29, 31) sc]
Row 7: Ch 1, turn. Inc in first st, sc to last st, inc in last st. [26 (28, 31, 33) sc]
Row 8: Ch 1, turn. Sc across. [26 (28, 31, 33) sc]
Fasten off and set the right cup aside. Work the left cup exactly the same through Row 8, but do not fasten off.
**Join cups —
Row 9:** Ch 1, turn. Sc across the left cup [26 (28, 31, 33) sc], ch 4 for the center V bridge, sc across the right cup beginning at its first st. [60 (64, 70, 74) sc]
Row 10: Ch 1, turn. Sc across all sts and chains. [60 (64, 70, 74) sc]
Rows 11–12: Ch 1, turn. Sc across. [60 (64, 70, 74) sc]
Part 2: Back Bodice
With main color and D-3 hook, ch 61 (65, 71, 75).
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch and each across [60 (64, 70, 74) sc].
Rows 2–12: sc across each row.
Part 3: Joining the Bodice in the Round
With the right sides of the front and back both facing outward, join main color to the beginning of the front bodice Row 12 with a sl st.
Round 1: sc across the front [60 (64, 70, 74) sc], sc across the back [60 (64, 70, 74) sc], join with sl st. [120 (128, 140, 148) sc] Place a stitch marker at each side seam.
Part 4: Bodice Body
Rounds 2–6: Sc in each st around, join with sl st. [120 (128, 140, 148) sc]
Part 5: Waist Shaping
Round 7: (Sc to 2 sts before side marker, sc2tog, sc2tog after marker) twice. [116 (124, 136, 144) sc]
Round 8: Sc around. [116 (124, 136, 144) sc]
Round 9: (Sc to 2 sts before side marker, sc2tog, sc2tog after marker) twice. [112 (120, 132, 140) sc]
Round 10: Sc around. [112 (120, 132, 140) sc]
Round 11: (Sc to 2 sts before side marker, sc2tog, sc2tog after marker) twice. [108 (116, 128, 136) sc]
Round 12: Sc around. [108 (116, 128, 136) sc]
Round 13: (Sc to 2 sts before side marker, sc2tog, sc2tog after marker) twice. [104 (112, 124, 132) sc]
Round 14: Sc around. [104 (112, 124, 132) sc]
Part 6: Waistband
Rounds 15–18: Working in back loops only, sc in each st around, join with sl st. [104 (112, 124, 132) sc] The back-loop ridge defines the waistband visually.
Part 7: Skirt Transition
Adjust the stitch count so it’s divisible by 14 (the lace repeat width). Size S: (sc 12, inc) 8 times [112 sc]. Size M: sc around, no increases [112 sc]. Size L: (sc 62, inc) twice [126 sc]. Size XL: (sc 16, inc) 8 times [140 sc].
Part 8: Skirt Lace
Switch to the E-4 hook.
**Lace
Round 1:** Beginning shell in first st, (sk 2, sc in next, sk 2, shell in next, sk 2, sc in next, sk 2) around for 8 (8, 9, 10) repeats. Join.
**Lace
Round 2:** Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1). Dc in first ch-sp between shell and sc, ch 1, (dc in sc, ch 3, sc in center dc of shell, ch 3, dc in sc, ch 1, dc in sp between shells, ch 1) around. Join to 3rd ch of beginning ch-4.
**Lace
Round 3:** Sl st to ch-1 sp, ch 3, 4 dc in same sp, (sc in ch-3 sp, ch 3, sc in next ch-3 sp, shell in ch-1 sp between dc clusters) around. Join.
**Lace
Round 4:** Ch 1, sc in center dc of first shell, (ch 3, dc in sc, ch 1, dc in next ch-3 sp, ch 1, dc in sc, ch 3, sc in center dc of shell) around. Join.
**Lace
Round 5:** Ch 1, sc in first st, (ch 3, shell in ch-1 sp, ch 3, sc in next sc) around. Join.
Rounds 6–8: Repeat Rounds 2, 3, and 4. Rounds 1–8 make one complete diamond lace tier.
Skirt increase rounds (worked with the D-3 hook after every 2 complete lace tiers, i.e. every 16 lace rounds):
After 16 lace rounds — S and M: (sc 7, inc) 14 times [126 sc]; L: (sc 8, inc) 14 times [140 sc]; XL: (sc 9, inc) 14 times [154 sc].
After 32 lace rounds — S and M: (sc 8, inc) 14 times [140 sc]; L: (sc 9, inc) 14 times [154 sc]; XL: (sc 10, inc) 14 times [168 sc].
After 48 lace rounds — S and M: (sc 9, inc) 14 times [154 sc]; L: (sc 10, inc) 14 times [168 sc]; XL: (sc 11, inc) 14 times [182 sc].
Work 3 complete lace tiers with the increase rounds between them.
Part 9: Hem Border
Switch to the D-3 hook. Hem transition: sc in each st around [154 (154, 168, 182) sc]. **Scallop
Round 1: ch 1, (sc in next 2 sts, sk 2, shell in next st, sk 2) around [22 (22, 24, 26) shells]. Join. Scallop
Round 2: sl st to center dc of first shell, ch 1, sc in same st, (ch 3, sc in center dc of next shell) around. Join. Scallop
Round 3:** sl st into first ch-3 sp, ch 1, (sc, hdc, dc, picot, dc, hdc, sc) in each ch-3 sp around. Join. Fasten off.
Part 10: Straps (Make 2)
With main color and D-3 hook, ch 121 (121, 125, 125).
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch and each across [120 (120, 124, 124) sc].
Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc across. Picot edging (both long edges): join main color at a corner, (sc in next st, sk 1, picot, sk 1) across. Fasten off. Sew the straps to the inside of the bodice at the front sweetheart corners and back top corners, spanning about 9 (9, 9.5, 9.5) inches over the shoulder.
Part 11: Flower Appliqués
Small rose: Ch 31.
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch and each across [30 sc].
Row 2: ch 1, turn, inc in each st [60 sc].
Row 3: ch 3 (counts as dc), turn, dc in same st, (sk 1 st, (dc, ch 1, dc) in next st) across. Fasten off with a long tail. Roll into a spiral with Row 3 facing out, sewing the base as you roll.
Large rose (for the hem): Ch 51.
Row 1: sc across [50 sc].
Row 2: inc across [100 sc].
Row 3: ch 3, turn, dc in same st, (sk 1, (dc, ch 1, dc) in next) across. Roll and seam the same as the small rose.
Daisy: With white, make a magic ring, ch 1, work 6 sc into the ring, join [6 sc]. For each of the 6 petals: sl st into the next sc, ch 8, tr into the 4th ch from hook, dc in the next ch, hdc in the next ch, sc in the next ch, sl st into the last ch, sl st into the base sc. Fasten off. Sew a bright yellow bobble to the center.
Forget-me-not cluster: With cornflower blue, make a magic ring, ch 2, work 5 hdc into the ring, join [5 hdc]. Fasten off. Work 3 to 5 together in little clusters.
Leaf: With sage green, ch 10. Sl st in 2nd ch, sc in next, hdc in next, dc in next 3, hdc in next, sc in next, sl st in last, ch 1. Working along the opposite side: sc, hdc, dc 3, hdc, sc, sl st in last. Join with sl st. Fasten off.
Arrange the flowers along the sweetheart neckline and the hem however makes your heart happy — cluster the roses, dot the daisies between them, tuck forget-me-nots into the gaps, and let the leaves peek out everywhere. Sew each one on with matching thread. Step back often. This part is pure play.
Sophie’s Tips
- Block the bodice and skirt before you attach a single flower — cotton relaxes, and you’ll place everything more accurately on the true shape.
- Sew flowers on with thread, not yarn — it’s nearly invisible and holds those 3D blooms securely through wear and washing.
- Lay the whole dress flat and arrange every flower before sewing the first one. Take a photo of the layout. Future-you says thanks.
This one is a labor of love, and it shows in every petal. Wear it somewhere wonderful.
