Bowtiful Doll Dress Free Crochet Pattern

The Bowtiful doll dress free crochet pattern is an easy project and it even includes a matching headband. For those of you who follow my blog you probably know I have a passion for designing dolls clothes and have been crocheting for 18″ dolls over the last few weeks. I wanted to make a pretty and classic dolls dress which is quick and easy to make. I came up with the ‘bowtiful’ dress and headband, named after the simple but beautiful bow design.

Bowtiful 18″ doll dress description

The Bowtiful 18″ doll dress crochet pattern includes a pattern for a matching headband. The dolls clothes are designed to fit 18″ child style dolls and the pattern is suitable for both thinner and wider waisted dolls. The dolls dress is fitted up to the waist and flows out in a classic A-line skirt. The dolls dress buttons up at the back and has a subtle trim on the skirt. The dolls headband and waistband are completed with a pretty bow.

How to crochet a dress for an 18″ doll

The 18″ doll dress crochet pattern is easy skill level and would also be suitable for confident beginners. You will need to know all your basic crochet stiches as well as the V-stitch. You’ll also need to know how to increase and work into a raw edge. The dress in made in one-piece and the bows and buttons are the only parts you’ll need to sew on. Overall its a very fast easy crochet pattern. To make the crochet dolls dress I used Aran (weight 4) yarn. I used a 5mm crochet hook for my small waisted 18″ doll, I recommend using a 5.5mm crochet hook for a doll with a larger waist. The actual pattern below includes clear instructions on this. The dolls outfit uses approximately 72g (142m/156yd) of yarn.

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Crochet pattern information

Supplies

• 5mm (H-8) for small doll (waist 22″ – 14″ / Hips 11″ – 12″)
• 5.5mm (I-9) for large doll (waist 11”-14” / hips 12”-13”)
• Worsted yarn
• Sewing needle
• 15mm buttons x 2
• Stitch markers

Yarn

• Weight – Aran / Worsted / #4
• Brand – Stylecraft special aran
• A – Fondant – 121 yards
• B – Silver – 35 yards
• Total -156 yards

Abbreviations

USA Terminology (U.K. translation)

• BLO – Back loop only
• ch – Chain
• dc – Double crochet
• 2dc – 2 dc in 1 space (increase)
• hdc – Half double crochet
• 2hdc – 2 hdc in 1 space (increase)
• sc – Single crochet
• 2sc – 2 sc in 1 space (increase)
• sl st – Slip stitch
• st/sts – Stitch/Stitches
• V-st – V-Stitch (dc, ch, dc)

Sizes & Gauge

• 5mm hook – 2” x 2” gauge swatch = 5 rows of 7 hdc
• 5.5mm hook – 2” x 2” gauge swatch = 5 rows of 6 hdc
• Headband – W14cm
• 5mm hook dress – L23cm x W15cm
• 5.5mm hook dress – L24cm x W16cm

Pattern notes

• Chains and finishing slip stitches are not included in the stitch counts. Numbers in brackets are the number of rows/stitches.
• Stitches separated with a comma are to be made in separate spaces. eg. (sc, inc) would mean sc in first stitch then inc in next stitch. eg. (sc x 2, inc) would mean sc in first stitch, sc in second stitch, then inc in next stitch.
• Change colours while completing the last stitch on the previous row.

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Doll dress & headband – Free crochet pattern

Bow (make 2)

Row 1

• Use colour B (grey) & a 5mm hook

• ch x 8 then start in 2nd ch from hook

• hdc x 7

• ch 2 & turn

(7 sts)

Row 2

• V-st in first stitch

• (Skip 1, v-st) 3 times

• ch 2 & turn

(4 sts)

Rows 3 – 5

• V-st in ch space x 4

• dc in 2nd turning ch from previous row

• ch 2 & turn between rows / ch 1 & turn after row 5

(3 rows of 5 sts)

Row 6

• sc x 13 (1 in every dc & ch space)

• sc in 2nd turning ch from previous row

• Fasten off

(14 sts)

Row 7

• Attach yarn back to row 1 chain spaces

• hdc x 7

• ch 2 & turn

(7 sts)

Rows 8 – 12

• Repeat rows 2-6 for 2nd half of the bow

• Wrap plenty of yarn tightly around the centre

(5 rows)

Headband

Row 1

• Use colour B (grey) & a 5mm hook

• ch x 45 then sl st into 1st ch to make a circle & ch 1

• hdc x 45

• sl st to 1st st to join & fasten off

• Sew on bow and weave in ends

(45 sts)

Dress

Row 1

• Use colour A (pink) & hook recommended on page 2

• ch x 25 then start in 2nd ch from hook

• (2hdc, hdc x 2) 8 times

• ch 1 & turn

(32 sts)

Row 2

• (2hdc, hdc x 3) 8 times

• ch 1 & turn

(40 sts)

Row 3

• (2hdc, hdc x 4) 8 times

• ch 1 & turn

(48 sts)

Row 4

• (2hdc, hdc x 5) 8 times

• ch 1 & turn

(56 sts)

Row 5

• (2hdc, hdc x 6) 8 times

• ch 1 & turn

(64 sts)

Row 6

• (2hdc, hdc x 7) 8 times

• ch 1 & turn

(72 sts)

Row 7

The skipped stitches will be the arm holes

• hdc x 10, skip 16 sts, hdc x 20, skip 16 sts, hdc x 10

• ch 1 & turn

(40 sts)

Row 8

• hdc x 40

• ch 1 & turn

(40 sts)

Row 9 – 10

• Change to colour B (grey)

• hdc x 40

• ch 1 & turn

(40 sts)

Round 11

• Change to colour A (pink)

• hdc x 40

• sl st into 1st st to join & ch 2

(40 sts)

Round 12

• (2dc, dc) 20 times

• sl st into 1st st to join & ch 2

(60 sts)

Round 13

• (2dc, dc x 2) 20 times

• sl st into 1st st to join & ch 2

(80 sts)

Round 14 – 19

• dc x 80

• sl st into 1st st to join & ch 2

(6 rounds of 80 sts)

Round 20

• (V-st & skip 1) 40 times

• sl st into 1st st to join & ch 1

(40 sts)

Round 21

• sc x 80 (1 between every v-st and 1 in every ch sp)

• sl st into 1st st to join, fasten off & weave in ends

(80 sts)

Assembly

• Sew bow onto the waistband and weave in all ends

Buttons & button holes

Row 1

• Use yarn colour A (pink)

• Attach yarn to row 1 chains – left side

• sc x 10 down raw edge (1 at the end of every row)

• ch 1 & turn

(10 sts)

Row 2

• sc x 2

• ch 2 & skip 2 (button hole)

• sc x 2

• ch 2 & skip 2 (button hole)

• sc x 2

• Fasten off & weave in ends

(6 sts)

Row 3

• Use yarn colour A (pink)

• Attach yarn to row 1 chains – right side

• sc x 10 down raw edge (1 at the end of every row)

• ch 1 & turn

(10 sts)

Row 4

• sc x 10

• Fasten off & weave in ends

• Sew buttons on the opposite side to button holes

(10 sts)