There are ordinary baby buntings, and then there are baby buntings that turn a tiny newborn into the sweetest little star you have ever seen.

This free baby star bunting crochet pattern creates a five-pointed, hooded cocoon with a practical side opening and button closure. It is made from two pentagon-shaped panels, with the star points, hood, sleeve and front opening worked separately before everything is joined with a decorative crochet seam.

It may look complicated when you first lay out all the pieces, but the shaping becomes quite repetitive once you understand how each point is formed. After the first couple of points, you will probably find yourself working through the rest without nearly as much pattern-checking—and that is always a good moment in any crochet project.

The finished crochet star bunting makes an adorable baby-shower gift, keepsake or supervised newborn photography prop.

This pattern uses US crochet terminology.

The star is constructed from:

Two crocheted pentagons
Four points worked directly onto the Back pentagon
A hood point worked onto the Back pentagon
Three points worked onto the Front pentagon
One separate sleeve point
One separate hat section
A side opening finished with buttons

The beginning chain counts as a stitch where indicated.

When working the pentagons, each chain-one space separates one of the five sections.

The original first-row stitch count listed the stitches as double crochet. Because the row is worked in half double crochet, the corrected count is 10 hdc.

For the shaped points, continue decreasing in the established manner until four stitches remain unless a different instruction is given.

Finished Size

The finished size will depend on your yarn, tension and hook size.

Before using the bunting, compare the finished measurements with the baby for whom it is intended. The hood should not cover the baby’s face, and the garment should never feel tight around the neck or chest.

Skill Level

Adventurous beginner to intermediate

You should be comfortable with:

Working in rounds
Working along row ends
Increasing and decreasing
Double crochet shaping
Joining crochet pieces
Reverse single crochet or crab stitch
Sewing on buttons securely

Materials

Yellow worsted-weight yarn
5 mm crochet hook
2 buttons
Yarn needle
Scissors
Locking stitch markers

A soft, washable yarn is best for this project. Baby-friendly acrylic or a smooth cotton blend will usually be easier to care for than a fuzzy yarn that sheds fibres.

Mary Maxim carries a good selection of soft baby yarns and washable worsted-weight yarns. A set of locking stitch markers is also extremely helpful for keeping track of the five pentagon sections—because counting the same section three times and getting three different answers is practically a crochet tradition.

Abbreviations – US Terms

ch – chain
dc – double crochet
hdc – half double crochet
sc – single crochet
dc dec – double crochet decrease; work two double crochet stitches together
st(s) – stitch or stitches
sp – space
sl st – slip stitch
rep – repeat
beg – beginning

Special Stitches

Double Crochet Decrease

Yarn over and insert the hook into the next stitch. Yarn over and pull up a loop. Yarn over and pull through two loops.

Yarn over and insert the hook into the following stitch. Yarn over and pull up a loop. Yarn over and pull through two loops.

Yarn over and pull through all three loops remaining on the hook.

Crab Stitch

Crab stitch is reverse single crochet.

Instead of working from right to left, insert the hook into the stitch immediately to the right. Yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over again and pull through both loops.

Continue working from left to right across the edge.

Pentagon Panels

Make two pentagons.

Pentagon – Make 2

Round 1

Ch 3.

Work 9 hdc into the third ch from the hook.

Join with a sl st.

10 hdc

Round 2

Ch 4. The beginning ch counts as one dc and one ch.

Work 2 dc in each of the next 2 sts, ch 1.

Repeat the established sequence around until the final stitch.

Work 2 dc in the final stitch, then work 1 dc into the base of the beginning stitch.

Join with a sl st to the third ch of the beginning ch-4.

20 dc and 5 ch-1 spaces

Pentagon Construction Note

From this point onward, each round begins with ch 4.

Work each of the five pentagon sections in the same manner. Each section is separated by a ch-1 space.

At the end of the round, work the final dc into the base of the beginning stitch as established, then join to the third ch of the beginning ch-4.