SWEET AND EASY LITTLE GIRL DRESS ENSEMBLE

I made several of these before I knew a pattern or instructions for doing so existed. This is the easiest toddler or little girl dress you’ll ever make. Here’s Candi Jensen’s version as shown on HGTV.

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/cr_needlework_crochet/article/0,,HGTV_3260_2820290,00.html (original link)

http://www.hgtv.com/handmade/how-to-crochet-a-childs-dress/index.html (current link 02/12) (Thanks, Barbara!)

You can make this dressy or not. You can easily add a sleeve or even crochet a little shrug to top it.

How about this one by Cristina?

http://www.christinascrochethaven.com/summer_bright_dress_and_shrug.htm

One really nice thing about taking the time to make a dress for this age child is the amount of wear she’ll get out of the dress. Since kiddies from age 2 to 8 or even 10 mostly grow up rather than out, if you leave a deep hem in this dress, you can let the hem out more than once, allowing the dress to be worn year after year or by several children.

Another idea is to edge the dress with a crocheted hem. Why not? There are so many pretty edgings with free patterns online, you can easily find one that will match your crochet stitches or the print on the fabric.

So, get busy! You have time to make a cute dress and shrug like this for that special little girl in your life before Easter. You can even apply a little flower to the kerchief above to create a special easter bonnet! Here’s a freebie from Adorn Magazine’s website:

http://www.adornmag.com/node/22

I HAVE TO SHARE A GREAT IDEA FOR THIS LITTLE DRESS THAT WAS EMAILED TO ME BY SHARON BOLTON.  Here’s what she wrote:

How about using a pretty pillowcase for the dress portion with the
crocheted yoke?  They often have pretty hems.

Sharon in Phoenix

That got me really thinking!  Wow!  What about one of those Crinoline Lady pillowcases?  Oh, I think I have to go find me one of those and see what I can do with it!

Thanks, Sharon!

[tags]CROCHET GIRL DRESS SHRUG FLOWER[/tags]

8 Comments so far

1. dianne on March 11, 2008 8:40 pm

   Saw your post on CP. These are adorable! Thanks for posting.

2. cathy on March 11, 2008 10:32 pm

   I have seen similar dresses in the Philippines for adults too. why not make one for ourselves too??

   GREAT IDEA, CATHY! jd

3. Patti on January 27, 2009 6:45 am

   If someone has this pattern sweet and easy girls dress esemble (Candi Jensen) please foreward.

   Thanks in advance.

4. Amber Price on June 9, 2009 1:14 am

   I am after someone in New Zealand that could Crochete 3 flower girl dresses for my December the 12th wedding in colour charcoal. Could anyone help me.
   Thanks Amber

5. peggy on January 1, 2011 10:02 am

   am looking for pattern for Candi Jensen’s crochet dress shown at top of this site.
   when I click on website, can’t get.
   can anyone help me?

6. jd wolfe on January 1, 2011 10:07 pm

   Peggy,
   I have made several of these with no pattern. However, if you find a free pattern for a simple tank top, you can make it easily. Crochet the tank top as the bodice. Make it as long as you’d like. The one pictured is not very long. With a piece of coordinating polycotton fabric (typically about a half yarn of 44 inch wide fabric), you prepare the skirt. Baste a deep hem into what will become the lower edge of the skirt. Sew up the side the create a cylinder. That leaves the raw top edge which can be treated several ways. You can use a basting stitch to gather the top, leaving the top edge raw. Then use a blanket stitch all around the fabric top and crochet evenly into that with a row of single crochets. Then do the math to match up the # of stitches in your bodice to the # of available stitches in the skirt and sew the bodice onto the skirt. This is my preferred way to finish it off. Others might like to crochet directly into the fabric with a steel hook, but I don’t care for that. It works for many tho’. HTH
   jd

7. Barbara on February 22, 2012 6:05 pm

   Try this
   http://www.hgtv.com/handmade/how-to-crochet-a-childs-dress/index.html

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