# Lavender Flower Baby Dress Free Crochet Pattern
Looking for a handmade baby gift that will actually get worn and treasured? This lavender flower baby dress combines classic granny square motifs with delicate lace shell stitches into something truly special. An A-line silhouette with a fitted granny square yoke, a flowing lace shell skirt, a decorative hem border, flutter cap sleeves, and sweet flower embellishments at each shoulder. It slips over the head with no buttons or closures needed.
The construction uses techniques you probably already know — granny squares, basic shells, and simple joining methods — all coming together in a dress that looks far more complicated than it actually is. It fits babies around 12 months old and works up beautifully in soft DK weight yarn. Whether you’re making this for a baby shower, a first birthday, or your own granddaughter, this project delivers impressive results without overwhelming your skills.
What You’ll Need
- DK weight yarn: Main Color (Lavender) approximately 350 yards / 320 m; Color A (Deep Purple) approximately 40 yards / 37 m; Color B (Sage Green) approximately 40 yards / 37 m (avoid fuzzy or brushed yarns that obscure the lace pattern)
- US E-4 / 3.5 mm hook (adjust to match gauge)
- Tapestry needle, scissors, at least 6 stitch markers, rust-proof pins
Finished size:
- Size 12 months
- Chest: 18 in / 46 cm
- Length (shoulder to hem): 14 in / 35.5 cm
- Yoke depth: 3.5 in / 9 cm
- Skirt length: 10.5 in / 26.5 cm
- The dress fits babies approximately 18 to 22 pounds (8 to 10 kg)
The Pattern
Gauge:
- With main color and the E-4 / 3.5 mm hook: 18 single crochet = 4 in / 10 cm
- 20 rows of sc = 4 in / 10 cm
- Granny square motif (blocked) = 2.75 in / 7 cm square
- Lace shell pattern over 18 stitches = 4 in / 10 cm wide, 2 rows of lace = 1 in / 2.5 cm tall
Notes: The dress is constructed in sections: granny square yoke panel (front and back), lace skirt body, hem border of joined granny squares, and scalloped edging. Shoulder flowers are attached last. Block all granny squares before assembly.
Granny Square Motif (Make 15)
Worked in the round, 3 rounds. You need 3 for the front yoke panel, 3 for the back yoke panel, and 9 for the hem border.
Round 1 (Deep Purple): Make a magic ring. Ch 3 (counts as first dc). Work 2 dc into ring. Ch 2. (3 dc, ch 2) 3 times into ring. Sl st to top of beginning ch-3 to join. Pull ring closed. (4 clusters of 3 dc separated by ch-2 corner spaces)
Round 2 (Sage Green): Sl st into corner ch-2 sp. Ch 3 (counts as dc). Work 2 dc in same sp. Ch 1. (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next corner ch-2 sp. Ch 1. Repeat around all 4 corners. End with 3 dc in beginning corner sp. Ch 2. Sl st to top of beginning ch-3. (Eight 3-dc clusters, 4 ch-2 corner sps, 4 ch-1 side sps)
Round 3 (Lavender): Sl st into corner ch-2 sp. Ch 3 (counts as dc). Work 2 dc in same corner sp. Ch 1. 3 dc in ch-1 sp. Ch 1. (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next corner ch-2 sp. Ch 1. 3 dc in ch-1 sp. Ch 1. Repeat around. End with 3 dc in beginning corner sp. Ch 2. Sl st to top of beginning ch-3. Fasten off. (Twelve 3-dc clusters, 4 ch-2 corner sps, 8 ch-1 side sps)
Block each square to 2.75 in / 7 cm.
Small Flower Embellishment (make 3): With lavender, make a magic ring. Ch 1. Work 10 sc into ring. Sl st to first sc to join. (10 sc)
Round 2: Ch 1. (Sc, ch 3, sl st back into same sc, sc in next sc) 5 times. Sl st to beginning. Fasten off leaving a tail for sewing. Two flowers are sewn to the shoulders; the third is optional for a hair clip.
Yoke Panel Assembly
Front yoke panel: Lay 3 granny squares in a horizontal row. Using the flat sc join method and lavender (hold two squares with right sides facing, sc through both layers across), join Square 1 to Square 2 along one side edge, then Square 2 to Square 3. You now have a strip approximately 8.25 in / 21 cm wide and 2.75 in / 7 cm tall.
Back yoke panel: Repeat for 3 more squares.
Shoulder joining: With RS facing out, hold the front and back yoke panels with top edges aligned. Using lavender, sc join the left 1 square width (approximately the first 9 to 10 stitch groups from the left edge) at the top of front and back panels together — this is your left shoulder seam. Leave the center 1 square width open for the neckline (approximately 2.75 in / 7 cm). Sc join the right shoulder. Fasten off. The two side edges remain open to form the armholes, each approximately 2.75 in / 7 cm wide.
Yoke Edge Preparation
With RS facing and lavender, join yarn to the bottom right corner ch-2 space of the front yoke panel. Ch 1. Work 1 sc in each dc and 1 sc in each ch-1 sp across the bottom edge of the front yoke panel; work 2 sc in each corner ch-2 sp. The bottom edge of each square yields 18 sc — for 3 squares across, you get 54 sc per panel. Join front and back into a continuous round by working across the back panel bottom edge the same way.
Total stitches in the first working round at the base of the yoke: 108 sc.
Skirt Body (Worked in Joined Rounds)
The skirt uses a lace shell pattern and expands from 108 stitches to 162 stitches. A shell is 5 dc worked into the same stitch or space.
Round 1 (increase, lavender): Ch 3 (counts as dc throughout). Dc in same st. Dc in next 4 sts. (2 dc in next st, dc in next 5 sts) repeat around. Sl st to top of beginning ch-3 to join. (126 sts)
Round 2 (lace shell): Ch 1. Sc in first st. Skip 2 sts. 5 dc (shell) in next st. Skip 2 sts. Sc in next st. Repeat (skip 2, shell of 5 dc in next st, skip 2, sc in next st) around. Sl st to first sc to join. (126 sts)
Round 3: Ch 3 (counts as dc). 2 dc in same sc. Skip 2 dc. Sc in center (3rd) dc of shell. Skip 2 dc. 5 dc shell in next sc. Repeat around, ending with 2 dc in same sc as beginning ch-3. Sl st to top of beginning ch-3 to join. (126 sts)
Round 4: Ch 1. Sc in top of beginning ch-3. Shell of 5 dc in next sc. (Sc in center dc of next shell, shell of 5 dc in next sc) repeat around. Sl st to first sc to join. (126 sts)
Round 5 (increase): Ch 1. Sc in each st around, placing 2 sc in every 7th st. (144 sts)
Round 6 (lace shell): Ch 1. Sc in first st. (Skip 2, shell of 5 dc in next st, skip 2, sc in next st) repeat around. Sl st to first sc. (144 sts)
Round 7: Ch 3. 2 dc in same sc. (Skip 2, sc in center dc of shell, skip 2, shell of 5 dc in sc) repeat around, ending 2 dc in beginning sc. Sl st to top of beginning ch-3. (144 sts)
Round 8: Ch 1. Sc in center of beginning half shell. (Shell in next sc, sc in center dc of next shell) repeat around. Sl st to first sc. (144 sts)
Round 9 (increase): Ch 1. Sc in each st around, placing 2 sc in every 8th st. (162 sts)
Round 10 (lace shell): Ch 1. Sc in first st. (Skip 2, shell of 5 dc in next st, skip 2, sc in next st) repeat around. Sl st to first sc. (162 sts)
Rounds 11-16: Continue alternating the shell pattern as established in Rounds 11 through 16, maintaining 162 sts throughout.
Round 17 (transition): Ch 1. Sc in each dc and sc around, working 1 sc in each of the 5 dc of each shell and 1 sc in each sc. (162 sts)
Hem Border
Join your 9 hem squares into a continuous ring using the flat sc join method: connect square 1 to 2, 2 to 3, continuing through square 9, then join square 9 back to square 1.
With the RS of the skirt and square band both facing up, align the top edge of the square band with Round 17. Using lavender, sc through corresponding stitches all the way around to attach. (162 sc joining round)
Scalloped Hem Edging
Round 1 (lavender): With RS facing, join lavender to any bottom corner ch-2 sp of the square ring. Ch 1. Work 1 sc in each dc, 1 sc in each ch-1 sp, and 2 sc in each corner ch-2 sp around. (162 sts)
Round 2 (scallop edging): Ch 1. (Sl st in first sc, ch 3, 4 dc in same sc, skip 2 sc, sc in next sc, skip 2 sc) repeat around. Sl st to first sl st to join. Fasten off. (27 scallops)
Neckline Edging
Round 1: With RS facing and lavender, join yarn to any stitch along the neckline opening. Ch 1. Sc evenly around the neckline edge, working approximately 1 sc per dc and 1 sc per ch-sp. Aim for 54 sc around. (54 sts)
Round 2 (scallop neck edging): Ch 1. (Sl st in sc, ch 2, 2 dc in same sc, skip 2 sc, sc in next sc, skip 2 sc) repeat around. Sl st to join. Fasten off. (9 mini scallops)
Cap Sleeve Edging
Left armhole:
Round 1: With RS facing and lavender, join yarn at the underarm point. Ch 1. Sc evenly around the armhole opening. Estimated 24 sc around. (24 sts)
Round 2 (flutter edge): Ch 3 (counts as dc). 2 dc in same sc. Dc in next sc. (3 dc in next sc, dc in next sc) repeat around. Sl st to top of beginning ch-3. (36 sts)
Round 3: Ch 1. Sc in each dc around. Sl st to first sc. Fasten off. (36 sts)
Repeat for the right armhole.
Shoulder Flowers
Sew one small flower firmly to the left shoulder seam area, centered over the seam on the RS. Sew the second flower to the right shoulder in the same position, using the lavender yarn tail and a tapestry needle.
Sophie’s Tips
- Wet block the finished dress and pin the lace sections stretched out so the shell pattern shows clearly — it makes all the difference in the final look.
- Swatch your substitute yarn to verify gauge before you begin. Getting gauge right is critical for this garment.
- Block all granny squares before assembly for even, accurate sizing. Future-you will thank present-you.
Approximately 12 to 18 hours of happy stitching for a dress she’ll be photographed in forever. What a lovely project!
