A Dress For All Seasons

http://dearestdebi.com/2013/03/crochet-spring-flower-dress.html

I saw this cute dress the other day and wanted to share this free pattern as well as some ideas about the dress that you might not have thought of.  The pattern indicates that this dress is a size 3 – a perfect size for most 2 or 3 year old girls.  But, since kids of that edge tend to grow up rather than out (at least for a few years), a dress like this can be used for many years.  It is well worth your time to crochet this dress for a little one since it’s so adaptable.

First, the dress can be work as it is or with a shirt of some sort under it.  A long sleeve shirt instantly turns this summer dress into a winter dress.  Since the dress is crocheted in more than one color, length can easily be added to the bottom as the child grows, increasing the number of uses and the value of your crochet hours.  So, when you work up one of these, keep some of the yarn on hand for future reference.  The base color or any of the accent colors will work fine to increase the length.

Later, as your tot grows, the straight lines of this dress allow it to morph painlessly into a tunic top – again for summer or winter depending if it’s worn with a shirt under it or not.  As a shorter dress, it can also function as a pool cover-up.  No changes required.

Since the design of the dress is so simple, your yarn choice will have a lot of impact.  Work it up in Christmas colors and wear a turtleneck shirt under it and it will be perfect for the holidays.  Pass it along like that to little sister or someone else.  If you make it in a neutral solid, you can add edging to the neckline and hemline in any color you want.  As your little girl’s favorite color changes, so can this dress.  Frog the yellow and edge it in pink.  For a prissy tot, edge it in eyelash yarn for a special treat.

Finally, again because the design is simple and the dress works up quickly, you can make one for all your little girls.  Wouldn’t that make a pretty family picture?  Mom and Dad and their little girls (or granddaughters) in matching dresses – or – in one of my favorite color play ideas in the same colors used in different locations on the dress.  A white dress with red trim next to the same dress in red with white trim.  If you have not seen that done, it makes a charming picture.  If you have 3 or 4 girls, then use 3 or 4 colors and vary their placement.  You might be surprised at how a row or two of a contrasting color can make a dress seem so special.

So, can you tell I like this charming little dress?  I’ve made several similar to it.  The go from dress to jumper to tunic to skimpy summer top as the child grows taller.  That’s a lot of bang for a few bucks of your time!

BTW, if you don’t like popcorns, just eliminate them or substitute some other cluster stitch.  Anything that keeps you stitch count even will work.