Lavender Daisy Baby Dress Crochet Pattern

I’ve been looking for the perfect baby dress pattern for months now, and this Lavender Daisy Baby Dress has become my absolute favourite. The combination of that soft ivory bodice with the flowing lavender skirt just feels so classic and sweet. When I found this design, I knew I had to share it with you.

This pattern creates a gorgeous little dress sized for approximately 3 to 6 months, with a finished chest of about 48 cm (19 inches). The construction is clever but totally manageable. You’ll work the bodice panels from the waist up, seam them together, then crochet the gathered shell skirt downward in joined rounds. Flutter sleeves and a sweet daisy appliqué finish everything off beautifully.

Whether you’re making this for a baby shower gift, a special photo session, or just because you can’t resist tiny handmade clothes, this dress delivers. Let me walk you through everything you need to know.

Why This Baby Dress Pattern Works So Well

The design uses a smart top-down-ish construction that makes fitting much easier than you might expect. The bodice panels are worked flat in rows, which means you can lay them against a onesie or existing garment to check sizing as you go. Once you seam the shoulders and sides, the skirt gets worked in the round directly into the foundation chains. No picking up stitches along finished fabric, no complicated joins.

The shell stitch pattern on the skirt creates that beautiful gathered, flowy look without any actual gathering or pleating. The shells naturally fan out as you work down, giving you fullness at the hem while keeping the waist fitted. It’s one of those techniques that looks far more complicated than it actually is.

The eyelet texture on the bodice adds visual interest without being too lacy for practical baby wear. Small holes let air through on warm days, but they’re not big enough to catch little fingers.

Materials You’ll Need

Before you start, gather these supplies. Having everything ready makes the process so much smoother.

Yarn: Smooth sport-weight cotton, approximately 250 m per 100 g. You’ll need about 150 g of lavender (Color A), 100 g of ivory (Color B), and 20 g of combined accent colours for the daisy and leaves. These are estimates, so weigh your finished sample to confirm exact usage.

Hooks: A 3.0 mm hook for the main garment (or whatever size you need to achieve gauge), plus a 2.5 mm hook for the small appliqués.

Notions: Blunt yarn needle, stitch markers, tape measure, scissors, blocking mat with rustproof pins, three small sew-on snaps, and matching sewing thread for attaching the snaps.

Gauge Information

Getting gauge right matters here because it affects both the fit and the overall dimensions. Your target bodice gauge after gentle blocking should be:

20 stitches and 10 double crochet (dc) rows = 10 x 10 cm (4 x 4 inches)

Make a swatch of at least 26 stitches and 14 rows tall using the actual bodice stitch pattern. Measure the center of your swatch, not the edges. If your swatch is too wide, go down a hook size. If it’s too narrow, go up a hook size.

Row gauge affects armhole depth and bodice length, so don’t skip this step even if you’re eager to get started.

Stitch Abbreviations and Definitions

Let me break down every stitch and term you’ll encounter. If you’re newer to crochet, read through this section before starting.

Chain (ch): The foundation stitch. Yarn over, pull through the loop on your hook. Each chain creates one link.

Slip stitch (sl st): Insert hook, yarn over, pull through both the stitch and the loop on your hook in one motion. Used for joining rounds and moving across stitches without adding height.

Single crochet (sc): Insert hook, yarn over and pull up a loop (2 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through both loops. A short, tight stitch.

Half double crochet (hdc): Yarn over, insert hook, yarn over and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through all 3 loops. Medium height.

Double crochet (dc): Yarn over, insert hook, yarn over and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through 2 loops (2 loops remain), yarn over and pull through remaining 2 loops. The main stitch for the bodice.

Treble crochet (tr): Yarn over twice, insert hook, yarn over and pull up a loop (4 loops on hook), then yarn over and pull through 2 loops three times until one loop remains.

Single crochet two together (sc2tog): A decrease. Insert hook in first stitch, pull up a loop, insert hook in next stitch, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through all 3 loops.

V-stitch: Work (dc, ch 1, dc) all in one stitch. Creates a small V shape.

Small shell: Work (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) all in one space.

Large shell: Work (3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc) all in one space.

Important note: Unless explicitly stated, turning chains do NOT count as stitches in this pattern. In joined rounds, begin with ch 2 and end with sl st into the first actual dc. Do not turn at the end of rounds.

Finished Measurements

This pattern creates one size with the following approximate dimensions:

Finished chest: 48 cm / 19 inches

Shoulder to waist: 16 cm / 6.3 inches

Skirt length: 22 cm / 8.7 inches

Overall length: 38 cm / 15 inches

These proportions fit approximately 3 to 6 months, but please select size by measured chest with 4 to 6 cm of ease rather than by age. Babies vary so much in size that age-based sizing can be unreliable.

Front Bodice Instructions

With ivory yarn, chain 49.

Row 1: Single crochet (sc) in second chain from hook and across. (48 sc)

Row 2: Ch 2, turn. Double crochet (dc) in each stitch across. (48 dc)

For eyelet rows (rows 3, 5, and 9): Ch 2, turn, dc in first stitch. Ch 1, skip 1 stitch, dc in next stitch. Repeat from to until one stitch remains, then dc in last stitch. The row still occupies 48 positions (or 42 after armhole shaping). On the following solid row, work dc in every dc AND every ch-1 space.

Rows 3 through 6: Work across 48 positions using the eyelet and solid row texture as described. Fasten off at the end of Row 6. Mark the first and last 3 stitches for the underarm steps.

Row 7: Join yarn in the fourth stitch, ch 2, dc in that stitch and the next 41 stitches. Leave the last 3 stitches unworked. (42 dc)

Rows 8 through 10: Work straight across 42 positions using the texture pattern.

Row 11 (First Shoulder): Ch 2, turn. Dc in first 11 stitches, leaving the remaining stitches unworked. (11 dc)

Rows 12 through 16: Ch 2, turn. Dc across 11 stitches. Fasten off.

Second Shoulder: With the front facing you, identify the 11 stitches at the opposite outer edge of Row 10. Join yarn at the edge nearest the neck and work those 11 stitches toward the armhole. Work five more rows of 11 dc to match the first shoulder. The center 20 stitches stay unworked for the neckline.

Checkpoint: You should have 48 positions at the waist, 42 across the chest above the underarm steps, and two shoulders of 11 stitches each. Lay the piece flat and verify both shoulders have equal height.

Back Bodice and Assembly

With ivory yarn, work Rows 1 through 6 exactly as for the front. At Row 7, reduce by leaving 3 stitches unworked at each end, giving you 42 positions. Keep the upper back in solid dc (no eyelets).

Divide Upper Back: Work only the first 21 stitches for Row 7. Ch 2 and turn. Work 21 dc for Rows 8 through 12. Mark the armhole edge so it stays identifiable.

Rows 13 through 16: Work only the outer 11 stitches nearest the armhole, leaving the inner 10 stitches unworked for the back neckline. Join yarn again at the outer edge if needed so no yarn is carried across the neck. Fasten off.

Join yarn to the remaining 21 stitches of Row 6, omitting the outermost 3 stitches as on the first half. Work Rows 7 through 12 over these 21 stitches. Shape the other shoulder over its outer 11 stitches for Rows 13 through 16. This creates a center-back opening above the waist panel.

Assembly: Place front and back with right sides together. Sew each 11-stitch shoulder seam using mattress stitch. Sew side seams from waist through the end of Row 6 only. Leave the stepped armholes open. Turn right side out.

Back Bands: With ivory, work sc evenly down one slit edge and up the other, approximately 2 sc per dc row end. Add a second sc row to each band. Sew three snaps to the bands: one near the top, one in the middle, and one near the bottom. Secure each snap through several stitches and check that the opening allows dressing without stretching the neck.

Gathered Shell Skirt

With right side facing, join lavender at the center-back waist.

Round 1: Ch 1, sc in each unused foundation loop across both panels, 48 per panel. (96 sc) Join to first sc. Place a marker at the join.

Round 2: Ch 2. V-stitch in next sc, skip next 2 sc. Repeat from to 32 times. Join. (32 V-stitches) The final two skipped stitches lead back to the first V-stitch.

Round 3: Sl st into first V center. Ch 2. Small shell in that space, then small shell in each remaining V center. Join. (32 small shells)

Rounds 4 and 5: Sl st to first shell center and work one small shell into each shell center. (32 shells each round) Do not work between shells.

Round 6: Work one large shell into each shell center. (32 large shells)

Rounds 7 through 18: Repeat Round 6. Check length instead of pulling the fabric to fit a row count. The target before the border is approximately 18 cm below the waist.

Rounds 19 through 21: Change to ivory. Continue one large shell in each shell center. If needed, add or remove full shell rounds before this color change so the final skirt reaches about 22 cm.

Final Scallop Round: Work 7 dc into each shell center. Between adjacent shells, work 1 sc into the gap. Join and fasten off. (32 scallops)

Checkpoint: All skirt rounds should have 32 repeats. If the join develops a hole, use the tail to close it gently. Block the skirt into an even flare without stretching the waist.

Neckline Edging

With lavender, work sc around the full neckline using approximately 2 sc per dc row end and 1 sc per horizontal stitch. At each inner corner, work sc2tog across the corner to soften the stepped shape. Add a second sc round if needed, but stop if the edge begins to pucker. You want it to lie flat without rippling.

Flutter Sleeves

Join lavender at the underarm. Work sc evenly around the armhole, approximately 2 sc per dc row end and 1 per horizontal stitch. Count and adjust by at most 2 stitches to obtain a multiple of 6. Mark the upper half of the opening, centered on the shoulder seam.

Over the marked upper half only, work: Skip 2 sc, 5 dc in next sc, skip 2 sc, sl st in next sc. Repeat in groups of 6 to the end marker, then fasten off. Leave the lower armhole in sc only.

Repeat identically on the other sleeve. Both flutter sections should match in size and placement.

Optional Sewn Bow

With lavender, ch 21. Work 20 sc for 4 rows. Pinch the center of the rectangle together. Wrap yarn around five times and secure. Sew both bow loops and its center flat below the waist appliqué.

For safety reasons, omit long cords and bobble-ended ties on infant wearables. The flat sewn bow gives the same sweet look without any choking hazards.

Daisy Motif

With golden yellow (center colour), make 6 sc into an adjustable ring. Pull the ring closed and join with sl st.

Change to ivory (petal colour). In each sc, work: Sl st, ch 5, sl st in the same sc. Repeat once more in the same stitch. This creates 12 narrow loop petals total (2 petals per sc around the ring).

Secure every petal when sewing the daisy down. Use gold centres for daisies and brown for sunflowers if you want variation.

Leaf Motif (Make 2)

With sage green, ch 8.

Starting in the second chain from the hook, work: sc, hdc, dc, 2 dc in next ch, dc, hdc, 3 sc in last ch.

Rotate your work to continue along the unused loops of the foundation chain. Work: hdc, dc, 2 dc in next ch, dc, hdc, sc. Join with sl st. Fasten off.

For extra detail, sew a contrasting line of stem stitch along the center of each leaf using a darker green.

Placement and Finishing

Make one daisy and two leaves. Arrange the daisy centrally at the front waist with the leaves positioned behind it, angling outward like they’re growing from a stem. Sew all edges down securely so nothing can lift or get caught.

Weave in all yarn ends in two directions for at least 5 cm. This prevents ends from working loose during washing.

Blocking: Gently soak the dress according to your yarn label instructions. Press water out in a towel (never wring). Pin the garment to the target dimensions and let it dry flat. Do not stretch the neck or armholes.

Important Safety Notes for Baby Garments

For infant wear, please omit beads, buttons used only as decoration, loose cords, detachable ornaments, and wire of any kind. Embroider centres and sew appliqués securely. This decorative dress should be used with supervision over suitable clothing. It is not sleepwear.

Care instructions: Follow your yarn label. A gentle cool hand wash and flat drying are the safest default for cotton baby items. Recheck seams, appliqués, and snaps after each washing.

Pattern Testing Notes

This pattern includes arithmetic checks on stitch totals, but I always recommend making a full sample before gifting or selling items made from any new pattern. Record your hook size, blocked gauge, finished measurements, and actual yarn usage. If anything differs from the stated dimensions, you’ll know exactly what adjustments to make next time.

I hope this Lavender Daisy Baby Dress brings you as much joy to make as it will bring to whoever receives it. Those tiny flutter sleeves and the sweet daisy at the waist just make my heart melt every time.

If you’re planning to make this pattern, please save it to your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily when you’re ready to start. And I would absolutely love to see your finished dresses! Drop a comment below or tag me on social media with your photos. Seeing your creations is honestly the best part of sharing patterns.

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