Crochet baby dresses are a precious way to dress your baby or a sweet gift to give to an expecting mother. While babies grow fast, they start out small, so crochet baby dresses can be fast projects, or they can be intricate outfits that achieve heirloom status.
Whatever kind of crochet baby dress pattern you’re looking for, we’ve got it here in this collection of 33 free crochet patterns for dresses for babies!
Choosing Yarn for Crochet Dresses
There are several factors you need to consider when buying yarn for your crochet baby dress. Of course you can use the exact yarn suggested in the pattern you’re using if it is still available, but you can also crochet your dress with whatever yarn you like. Here are some of the factors to consider when choosing the best yarn for your project:
Texture
When picking out what yarn to use for your crochet baby dress, it’s important to consider how the yarn feels against your baby’s skin. If you’re buying yarn in person you can rub it on the inside of your wrist to see how it feels before you buy.
Otherwise look for yarns marketed as soft to ensure a good feel against the skin.
Care
If you’re the sort of person who can’t be bothered to hand wash baby items (or you’re giving your crochet baby dress as a gift) make sure the fiber you choose is machine washable. Cotton, bamboo, soft acrylics, and superwash wool and blends are all good choices for baby clothes.
Fiber
There are lots of different options when it comes to the fiber or fibers used to produce your yarn. If you want to go with natural fibers, bamboo and cotton are great options for babies, but acrylic is a good choice for being easy to care for and colorful.
Bamboo Yarn
Bamboo yarn is a great choice for crocheted dresses since it is light weight and soft. Bamboo yarn has a lovely drape with a shine that is quite similar to mercerized cotton, and is great for summer dresses because of its coolness.
Bamboo can also be produced in more sustainable ways that cotton yarns typically are, so if you’re interested in an environmentally friendly choice, bamboo is a good option.
Cotton Yarn
Cotton yarn is cool, absorbent, and does a great job of wicking away moisture, which is great for summer or for kiddos who sweat a lot.
Cotton yarn also provides great stitch definition so you can show off your intricate stitchwork with some patterns.
Cotton yarn is breathable and can withstand a wash very well, but it’s not as stretchy as other options like wool.
Wool Yarn
Wool yarn is known for being warm, but it’s actually great to use all year long. Wool is a natural fiber that can be soft, especially when blended with other fibers.
Wool has a lot of stretch and memory, which is perfect for when you have to pull a garment over baby’s head and want it to keep its shape.
Superwash wool and some blends can be washed in the washing machine, but other wool needs to be washed by hand.
Acrylic Yarn
Acrylic is a great budget friendly yarn choice as it is inexpensive and readily available. It generally comes in a wide range of colors and is sometimes blended with cotton to add coolness or wool to add warmth.
Acrylic yarns have a range of textures, from soft to plastic feeling, so give it a softness test before you buy if you can.
Sizing Your Baby Dress
All babies and toddlers are different sizes and grow at different rates, so it can be helpful to know what the “standard” sizes are you might see in a crochet baby dress pattern.
Consult the pattern you want to crochet to see what the actual size of the garment is, and measure your child or the recipient if possible before choosing what size to make. If measuring the child isn’t possible, err on the side of making it a little bigger than you think necessary, since babies grow fast!
Here are the general measurements for sizing from birth to 4 years for you to start from.
| Age | Approx. Chest | Neckline | Dress Length |
| 0-6 months | 16 inches | 16 inches | 13 inches |
| 6-12 months | 19 inches | 17 inches | 16 inches |
| 1-2 years | 21 inches | 17 inches | 18 inches |
| 3-4 years | 24 inches | 19 inches | 22 inches |
Supplies You’ll Need to Crochet a Baby Dress
To crochet a dress, you will need yarn, the appropriate crochet hook for your yarn or to get the gauge called for in the pattern, a pair of scissors, and a yarn needle to weave in the loose ends when finishing up and to do any other sewing that might be required.
Having a tape measure on hand to measure your progress could also be useful. It's advisable to double-check the dress’ size to ensure that it won't be either too tight or too loose when worn by your kid. Stitch markers can be helpful for marking the end of the round or keeping track of rows or rounds between increases or decreases.
Easy Crochet Baby Dresses
These easy crochet dress patterns for babies are perfect for those who have never crocheted a garment before. They’re great everyday dresses that are sure to make any baby in your life look extra cute!
Caron Pantone Newborn Dress
Designer: Olga Poltava
Yarn weight: (5) Bulky
Suggested yarn: Caron x Pantone
This sweet little pattern uses bulky yarn, so even if you’re new to making dresses you can stitch this one up in an hour or so! The pattern includes a detailed video tutorial, so it’s a great option if you’re new to garment making.
Girl's Crochet Dress Pattern
Designer: Blue Star Crochet
Yarn weight: (3) DK
Suggested yarn: Stylecraft Special DK
This top-down, rectangular yoke dress pattern is easy to make and uses only simple crochet stitches. It comes in three sizes, from 3-6 months to 12-18 months, but because it’s worked from the top down it’s easy to adjust the sizing as you need to.
Simply Spring Baby Dress
Designer: Winding Road Crochet
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: Red Heart Soft
This simple pattern uses mostly half double crochet for a project that’s quick and great for beginners. The pattern is sized for 0-3 months and 3-6 months, and includes instructions for the headband, waistband, and bow.
Meadow Dress Cardigan
Designer: Sweet Softies
Yarn weight: (3) DK
Suggested yarn: Lion Brand LB Collection Cotton Bamboo
Don’t be deterred by the lacy look of this dress. The shell stitch pattern used here is simply worked in double crochet stitches! The pattern has overlapping fronts, which you can add buttons to in order to make it close (and the buttons can be worn at the back or the front).
Blissful Ballerina Dress
Designer: Marija Sliogeris, via Ravelry
Yarn weight: (1) Super fine
Suggested yarn: Scheepjes Cotton 8
This sweet little lacy dress is perfect to wear over other clothes when playing dress up or for a special occasion. The pattern is written in British terms, comes in three sizes up to 12 months, and includes a bonus pattern to make a matching dress for a teddy bear or doll.
Free Crochet Butterfly Kisses Dress
Designer: Pattern Paradise
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton
This is a classic style that you will make again and again. The dress has lots of fun details, including a square neckline, button closure at the back, and a flared, A-line skirt. It comes in two sizes for 3-6 months or 6-12 months, and uses only simple stitches.
Angel Wings Pinafore
Designer: Maxine Gonser, via Bev’s Country Cottage
Yarn weight: (3) DK
Suggested yarn: Bernat Baby Sport
Try your hand at shell stitch with this easy but dramatic baby dress crochet pattern. It comes in one size (newborn to 3 months) and is quite quick and easy to stitch.
Iris Crochet Baby Dress
Designer: Adore Crea
Yarn weight: (2) Sport
Suggested yarn: DROPS Safran
This wonderful crochet baby dress uses iris stitch, which looks more complicated than it is. It just uses double crochets and chains so it’s easy for newer stitches. The free crochet pattern is for size 3-6 months; a pattern with expanded sizing is available for purchase.
Snowberries Dress
Designer: The Moule Hole
Yarn weight: (3) DK
Suggested yarn: Stylecraft Special DK
The Snowberries Dress is created entirely of half double crochet stitches and puff stitches. It’s worked from the top down in one piece and comes in five sizes, from 0-6 months to 5-6 years. The pattern includes both photo and video tutorials for making the puff stitches.
Sunflower Dress
Designer: ButterBearDIY
Yarn weight: (3) DK
Suggested yarn: Stylecraft Special DK
This pretty dress has a band of sunflower granny squares running around the middle. It’s presented as a video tutorial with English subtitles and the dress shown is for 6-12 months but you can adjust the size as needed for your little one.
Crochet Newborn Baby Dress Set
Designer: Crochet ‘n Create
Yarn weight: (3) DK
Suggested yarn: Bernat Softee Baby
This pattern uses V stitches to get the lacy look, but if you’ve never tried them before, they’re pretty easy to do by working two double crochets and a chain in the same stitch. The pattern is sized for newborns and comes in US and UK terminology. It also includes a matching headband and bootie pattern.
Reversible Crochet Baby Dress Pattern
Designer: Simply Collectible Crochet
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: Caron Simply Soft
This adorable, reversible crochet dress pattern includes adjustable straps for a better fit. The pattern is sized for 6 months to 5 years, and includes a video with tips on adjusting the pattern if needed.
Woodland Baby Dress
Designer: Crochet ‘n Create
Yarn weight: (3) DK
Suggested yarn: Stylecraft Special DK
The little bit of contrasting color stitching on this dress makes a big impact, as do the ties with pompoms on the ends! It’s worked from the top down mostly in single crochet and double crochet stitches, and is sized to fit a newborn.
Lacy Baby Dress Crochet Patterns
While some of the patterns above have a bit of a lacy look, these designs emphasize what can be done with openwork stitches, from shells and fans to eyelets and beyond.
Gray Cream Baby Girl Crochet Dress
Designer: Holistic DIY Mama
Yarn weight: (3) DK
Suggested yarn: Patons Grace
This sweet pattern uses single crochet on the bodice, shell stitches on the body, and a sc variation on the cap sleeves. The little bow is lace and just adds to the cuteness. The pattern is sized from newborns to 24 months.
Little Princess Sara Crochet Baby Dress
Designer: Soukaina Collections
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton
This adorable baby garment uses shell stitch, fan stitch, and picots to make a dramatic dress for the holidays or any other occasion. The dress comes in 0-3 and 3-6 month sizes, and the designer has a full set including a headband, booties, and hat all using the same stitches.
Tulip Chevrons Baby Dress
Designer: Crochet Kim
Yarn weight: (1) Super fine
Suggested yarn: Cascade 220 Fingering
The chevron design on this dress is so pretty and gives you a little airflow so it’s perfect for wearing in spring and summer. The designer says, before blocking the dress fit 3-6 months, but can go up to a year after blocking.
Pinky Pie Crochet Baby Dress
Designer: Rania Crochet Guides
Yarn weight: (3) DK
Suggested yarn: Bernat Baby Sport
This beautifully designed dress is made using clusters and V-stitches as well as other basic crochet stitches like double crochet. This pattern is a video tutorial and the finished dress fits a baby around 6 months old.
Little Ruffles Crochet Dress Pattern
Designer: Top Knot Crochet
Yarn weight: (2) Sport
Suggested yarn: Alize Cotton Gold
The ruffles on this pinafore style baby dress just amp up the cuteness so much, but this is still a relatively easy pattern, with basic stitches on the body and V stitches on the skirt. It is sized from 0-3 months up to 24 months.
Textured Dress Patterns for Babies
These crochet dress patterns for babies bring fun texture with bobbles and puff stitches. Have fun adding these techniques to your arsenal if you don’t already know how to do them, and get ready to amp up the cuteness on all your garments.
Spring Party Girl Dress
Designer: Top Knot Crochet
Yarn weight: (2) Sport
Suggested yarn: Alize Cotton Gold
The ruffles on this pinafore style baby dress just amp up the cuteness so much, but this is still a relatively easy pattern, with basic stitches on the body and V stitches on the skirt. It is sized from 0-3 months up to 24 months.
Happy Hearts Baby Dress
Designer: Yarn Utopia
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: DROPS Paris
This baby dress is simple enough for crocheters of all skill levels to create. Popcorn stitches are used to create the stacked hearts on the side, while the contrasting ruffles make a sweet capped sleeve.
Popcorn Candy Free Crochet Dress
Designer: Top Knot Crochet
Yarn weight: (2) Sport
Suggested yarn: Alize Cotton Gold
Just as the name suggests, this next crochet dress pattern is made using the popcorn stitch to create a ton of texture on the body of the dress. This free crochet dress pattern is sized from newborns up to 24 months.
Dresses for Toddlers
If your baby is getting a little big for the patterns above, these toddler dress crochet patterns are the next place to look for designs for your little fashionista. They grow up fast so you’ll be glad these projects are pretty quick to stitch.
Easy Crochet Dress
Designer: Winding Road Crochet
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: Red Heart With Love
Simple in style, this toddler crochet outfit is ideal for the little ladies in your life. The range of sizes for this dress is 12 months to 4 years. Most of the design is worked in double crochet so it’s easy even for newer stitchers.
Coco Bobble Dress
Designer: Purl Soho
Yarn weight: (1) Super fine
Suggested yarn: Knit Picks Gloss Fingering
This dress is a simple A-line design with textured stripes made with bobble stitches, which gives it a charming, old fashioned look. The design is meant to fit a 2-year-old as a dress and a 4-year-old as a tunic.
Puff Stitch Crochet Toddler Dress
Designer: Winding Road Crochet
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: Lion Brand Lazy Days
Vertically placed popcorn stitches add a layer of texture to this pretty striped dress (though of course you can make it in a solid color, too!). The lacy edging is so cute, and the pattern is sized for 12 months, 18 months, and 24 months.
Falling Fans Crochet Dress
Designer: The Lavender Chair
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: DROPS Paris
This cute two-tone dress is perfect for toddlers to wear during the summer. It’s meant to fit 2-3 year olds and is rated for intermediate stitches, but the stitches involved are pretty easy and there’s a video tutorial to walk you through the bodice.
Pineapple Cascade Baby Dress
Designer: Crochet Kim
Yarn weight: (1) Super fine
Suggested yarn: Cascade 220 Fingering
This pineapple lace dress is stunning and a lot of fun to make. It’s worked from the top down and is rated for intermediate stitchers. It includes clusters, picots, and V stitches to make it interesting to stitch. As written, the pattern suits a 12-month-old.
Boho Baby Lace Dress
Designer: Premier Yarns
Yarn weight: (3) DK
Suggested yarn: Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton DK
This sweet boho inspired tunic is a great layering piece for your little one. It’s worked in cotton yarn and has a very open pattern, so it’s perfect to stitch for the summer. The finished size fits a child 18-24 months.
Gemstone Lace Toddler Dress
Designer: The Lavender Chair
Yarn weight: (0) Lace
Suggested yarn: Aunt Lydia’s Crochet Thread 10
This allover lace dress is perfect for the summer! It's designed with lace-weight crochet cotton thread, which shows off the design but also makes this a project best for experienced crocheters. The pattern includes sizes 24 month and 2T/3T.
Rainbow Dress
Designer: Emily Keenan, via Ravelry
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: DROPS Paris
This colorful dress is sure to bring a smile to your kiddo’s face. It uses simple double crochet stitches, and comes in sizes 2-3, 4-5, and 6-8. Since it’s worked from the top down it’s easy to adjust the length if needed.
Tulip Crochet Dress
Designer: Winding Road Crochet
Yarn weight: (3) DK
Suggested yarn: Bernat Softee Baby
This crocheted dress with sweet tulips at the waist is a great project for the summer! This dress can be made in sizes ranging from 12 months to size 8. Additionally, there are instructions for making a crop top and a summer top using this design.
Crochet Baby Frock Fast Easy Pattern
Designer: Crochet Crosia Home
Yarn weight: (3) DK
Suggested yarn: Bernat Baby Sport
This lacy crochet baby dress is both modern and stylish and will definitely make a great addition to your little girl's wardrobe. This dress is sized for babies 12-24 months and is so cute with the contrasting ruffle and pineapple trim at the bottom of the dress.
Lacy Shells Dress Crochet Pattern
Designer: The Lavender Chair
Yarn weight: (4) Worsted
Suggested yarn: Lily Sugar ‘n Cream
This sweet toddler dress works up quickly in worsted weight cotton yarn and using open stitches that give a fan like effect. It’s rated for advanced stitches and should fit a 2-3 year old.
Are You a Beginner Looking for More Help with Crochet?
Though crochet baby dresses are small projects, that doesn’t mean you can’t get confused by terms of techniques you’ve never seen before. If you need some help with the basics or a refresher if you haven’t crocheted in a while, our Crochet Fundamentals course is a great place to start.
This collection of videos gets you up to speed quickly on everything you need to know to crochet like a pro so that your projects turn out just like the ones you see in the photos.
Want to Go Your Own Way with Dress Design?
Once you understand the basics of how a baby dress crochet pattern comes together, you might find that you want to design your own with a different stitch pattern.
The Ultimate Crochet Stitch Library includes 45 different stitch patterns you can learn from text and video instructions and start adding to your projects right away.
