This is a crochet pattern for my beginner-friendly baby dress – Peony Twirl Dress. Discover what inspired me to design this pattern, the yarn I chose, and how to create the perfect baby dress.
FREE PATTERN: Keep scrolling for the FREE version of the Into The Woods Baby Sweater.
PRINTABLE PDF: Get a beautifully designed, print-friendly PDF version of thePeony Twirl Dress from Ravelry or Etsy.
If you would like to see how this pattern looks in other colors and yarns, check out the projects other crocheters have made on Ravelry! It’s so fun to scroll through and see all the cute variations, plus you can read notes and feedback from makers who already tried it. Here’s the link. Note: you need to be signed into your Ravelry account to access the page.
About the Pattern
The Peony Twirl baby dress is a design I hold very close to my heart. I first created this pattern years ago, and its timeless charm makes me love it just as much today as the day I finished the very first sample. It strikes that perfect balance: the construction is wonderfully simple, yet the finished look is intricate and detailed. Whether you are looking for the perfect handmade baby shower gift, a delicate outfit for a baby photoshoot, or a cozy everyday staple made with soft cotton yarn, this dress is simply perfect.
When I first released this pattern, my primary focus was solely on the written word. At that time, I hadn’t yet embraced the world of video tutorials! As I’ve grown over the years, I’ve realized that my mission has shifted. I always think back to my own beginnings and how much I learned by watching other designers and the crochet community. I want to give back to that community by making my designs as accessible as possible for everyone, from beginners to experts.
Now with the video tutorial
That is why I am so excited to announce that the Peony Twirl is one of the first designs I am revisiting to turn into a complete “pattern package.” I am so happy to finally make this design fully accessible to everyone, regardless of how you prefer to learn.
My goal for Croby Patterns has evolved into providing a total learning experience. In this blog post, I am sharing the smallest size of the pattern for free. For those who find visual cues helpful, you can now follow along with the full step-by-step video tutorial on my YouTube channel. And, for those who need a full range of sizes or prefer a clean, ad-free experience, the premium PDF pattern is available in my shops and for my wonderful Patreon supporters. It feels amazing to finally offer this design in its full form.
Designing
The Peony Twirl features a unique construction that makes it both fun to crochet and comfortable for a baby to wear. We begin by creating a foundation at the waistline. This serves as our anchor point for the rest of the design.
Once the base is set, we work downwards to create the skirt. By using a series of strategic increase rounds combined with a beautiful, rhythmic shell stitch, the skirt naturally begins to flare. This is where the “twirl” comes to life! The shells create a soft, lacy texture that gives the dress a high-end, boutique feel without being overly complicated to stitch.
Finishing the Look
After the skirt is complete, we head back up to the waistline to add a ribbed waistband. This gives the dress a polished, professional finish and provides a bit of structure. At this stage, you actually have a beautiful, flowy skirt that could be worn on its own!
However, to give it that extra “cute factor,” I designed a unique strap system. The dress features two straps in the front that sweep over the shoulders and join into a single strap in the back. This T-back style is not only adorable but also practical, as it helps keep the straps from sliding off tiny shoulders while the baby moves and plays.
Materials
YARN: Aran weight 100% cotton yarn (Drops Paris yarn – 3 balls; the entire dress is made with the same color),
CROCHET HOOK: 4.0 mm (G/6) or hook to obtain the gauge.
YOU WILL ALSO NEED: a pair of scissors, stitch markers, a yarn needle, 2 buttons (diameter: 1.2 cm or 0.5”).
Gauge
Work 16 stitches and 8 rows in DC using a 4.0 mm crochet hook and a DK weight yarn to measure 10 x 10 cm (4 x 4 inches).
Please check the gauge before you start crocheting the sweater. I know how tempting it is to start right away, but not checking that gauge might affect the size of the finished object.
Abreviations
- St/Sts – stitch/stitches
- Ch – chain
- Ss – slip stitch
- Sc – single crochet
- Hdc – half double crochet
- Dc – double crochet
- FPhdc – front post hdc
- BPhdc – back post hdc
- SH – shell stitch; work 2 dc, ch 1 and 2 dc again into the same st
- Hdc2tog – join 2 hdc together
Special Stitch: The Shell Stitch
The shell stitch is one of my favorite techniques because it creates a beautiful, scalloped edge that looks like a row of seashells or flower petals. It’s the secret behind the soft, “twirly” texture of this dress! If you are new to this stitch, don’t worry, it’s much simpler than it looks. It is essentially just a group of stitches worked into the same base stitch to create that lovely fan shape.
How to Crochet the Shell Stitch
This shell stitch is made of 2 double crochet stitches, 1 chain, and 2 double crochet stitches, all into the same stitch or the ch 1 space from the round below.
Pattern Notes
- For this crochet baby sweater pattern, you will need to know basic crochet stitches (sc, ss, and hdc).
- The chain at the beginning of the round, also called the turning chain, does not count as a stitch unless otherwise stated.
- Work everything in ( ) as a group and repeat it as many times as written in the pattern.
- All rows/rounds start in the first stitch of the row/round unless otherwise stated.
- This crochet pattern is written mainly in rounds. The exceptions are the ribbings around the yoke, waist, and wrists. Join each round with a slip stitch (ss) made into the first stitch of the round.
- Slip stitch does not count as a stitch in the pattern unless otherwise stated.
- The pattern for larger sizes is written in the [ ].
- If the number is written before the stitch: 3 hdc = work 3 hdc sts into the same stitch.
- If the number is written after the stitch: hdc 3 = work 1 hdc into each of the next 3 sts.
- The number of stitches at the end of each row/round is the total number of stitches in that row/round.
- The pattern is written in US crochet terms.
- The dress is designed for a comfortable fit.
Measurements
| 0 – 6 months | 6 – 12 months | |
| WAIST | 38 cm / 15.2 inches | 45 cm / 18 inches |
| LENGTH | 36 cm / 14 inches | 40 cm / 16 inches |
PIN for Later!
Pin the project to your favorite Pinterest board and save it for later when you have the right yarn, more time, or simply because your crochet hooks are way too busy right now. ❤️
PDF Crochet Pattern
The PDF crochet pattern is a great solution for those who prefer to work offline, need additional sizes, or just want to support my work. This beautifully designed PDF pattern is available in Etsy shops and on Ravelry.
You can also join me on Patreon. The creative bug membership offers a new pattern every month and a peek behind the scenes at how the pattern was made, what materials I used, and why.
INSTRUCTIONS
Crochet Baby Dress Pattern – Peony Twirl
Please, read the instructions carefully. Don’t skip any parts of the pattern, and make sure you do not accidentally lose or add additional stitches to the pattern. That might affect the final look of your design.
The Peony Twirl Crochet Dress is a sweet and playful design that is as fun to make as it is to wear. This pattern is nearly seamless and worked in one piece from the waist down, which means you can put your sewing needles away for the construction because there is no assembly required to join pieces together.
The only time you will need a needle is for that very last step of sewing on your functional buttons! The journey begins with a snug, ribbed waistband that provides a comfortable fit, followed by a beautiful flared skirt made of repetitive shell stitches that give the dress its signature twirl. Once the skirt reaches your desired length, the straps are grown directly from the center back and split into two, eventually fastening with those final buttons at the front.
While I would classify this as an easy pattern perfect for your first garment, it still offers a lovely bit of texture and learning. You will get to practice working front and back post stitches for the ribbing and gain confidence working into the back bumps of your stitches for a professional finish.
The design is incredibly easy to customize as you can simply keep adding rounds to the skirt or rows to the straps until they are the perfect length for your little one. For a classic and sturdy feel, I recommend using Drops Paris, but if you are looking for a softer and more fluid drape, Drops Cotton Light works beautifully when paired with a slightly larger hook.
VIDEO
Prefer a visual guide? You can follow along with the full video tutorial right here on the blog or hop over to my YouTube channel to watch it there. If you find the video helpful, I would love for you to subscribe and join our creative community.
INSTRUCTIONS
Skirt
Use a 4.0 mm crochet hook and yarn and ch 66. Join the ch with a ss. Make sure you do not twist the chain.
From now on work in rounds. At the end of each round, join the round with a ss made into the very first st of the round. Do not turn after each round.
Round 1: Ch 1. Start in the same. Work 1 sc into each of next 66 sts. Ss. = 66 sts.
Round 2: Ch 2. Start in the same. Repeat {2 dc into the same, skip 2, SH, skip 2} 11 times. Join the round with a ss. = 77 sts.
In the following rounds, work SH around the ch-space in the middle of each SH from the previous round.
Round 3: Ch 2. Start in the same. Repeat {2 dc into each of next 2, skip 2, work SH into ch-space from the previous round, skip 2} 11 times. Join the round with a ss. = 99 sts.
Round 4: Ch 2. Start in the same. Repeat {2dc, 1 dc into each of next 2, 2dc, skip 2, SH, skip 2} 11 times. Ss. = 121 sts.
TIP: If the dress is already open enough after round 3, then skip increasing in round 4 and work 1 dc into each dc (not dc sts from the SH stitch) from the previous round. Everything else stays the same. If you change this round, the stitch count will be different from the one written in the pattern.
Rounds 5 – 12: Ch 2. Start in the same. Repeat {1 dc into each of next 6, skip 2, SH, skip 2} 11 times. Ss. = 121 sts.
TIP: You can continue adding rounds, like round 5, to achieve the desired length of your dress. You can easly make it longer or shorter.
Cut the yarn and fasten off.
Ribbing – Waist
Jump to the part of the dress that is narrower and attach the yarn anywhere on the top of the dress you like. Work in rounds.
TIP: Work each front post (FP) st into the front post st from the previous round and each back post (BP) st into back post sts from the previous round.
Rounds 1 – 5: Ch 1. Repeat {Work 1 FPhdc into each of the first two sts, work 1 BPhdc into each of the next 2 sts} 33 times. = 66 sts.
TIP: You can continue adding rounds to achieve the desired height of the ribbing. Cut the yarn and fasten off.
Straps
Place the dress in front of you (Picture 1); you facing the joining seam on the ribbing (waist area). Find 4 sts on the left and 4 sts on the right of the seam; 8 sts altogether. Insert the markers. Place the hook into the marker on the right and crochet towards the one on your left.
Work in rows. After each row turn.
Rows 1 – 14: Ch 1. Work 1 hdc into each of the next 8 sts. = 8 sts.
Do not cut the yarn!
STRAP 1:
Row 15: Ch 1. Start in the same. 2 hdc into the same. Hdc 1. Hdc2tog. = 4 sts.
Rows 16 – 37: Ch 1. Work 1 hdc into each of the next 4 sts. = 4 sts.
Row 38: Ch 1. Work 1 hdc into next 4 sts. To create a buttonhole ch 6. Join the ch with ss into the first st of this row (technically round :)). Turn. Work 9 sc sts around the ch. Cut the yarn and fasten off.
STRAP 2:
Take a small amount of yarn and attach it to the st next to the hdc2tog st made for strap 1.
Row 15: Ch 1. Start in the next. Hdc 2. 2 hdc. = sts.4
Rows 16 – 37: Ch 1. Work 1 hdc into each of the next 4 sts. = 4 sts.
Row 38: Ch 1. Work 1 hdc into next 4 sts. To create a buttonhole ch 6. Join the ch with ss into the first st of this row). Turn. Work 9 sc sts around the ch. Cut the yarn and fasten off.
Buttons
Place the dress on a flat surface with the front side facing you. Using a tapestry needle and a small amount of yarn (or matching thread), sew two buttons onto the waist ribbing, spacing them exactly 7.5 cm (3 inches) apart. To ensure safety, double-check that the buttons are securely fastened. Once attached, simply button your straps into place—your dress is officially complete!
DID YOU TRY OUT THIS PATTERN?
I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a comment below. Or snap a photo and share it on Instagram. Be sure to tag me @crobypatterns.
