Hi everyone, Brenna from BrennaAnnHandmade here! 🙂 Summer may be coming to an end soon, but I’m really excited to bring you all one final FREE warm-weather garment design of the year in collaboration with HobiumYarns! This one may just be my favorite one yet – The Retro-Inspired Cotton Summer Dress! 😉

This fun crochet pattern uses HobiumYarns lovely & soft, super affordable & versatile La Mia XL Mercerized 100% Cotton yarn, which comes in so many pretty color options! These two colors together help give the dress a cute retro look, but feel free to chose mix & match any of the other options HobiumYarns has available to give it your own unique style! 😉

Are you ready to get started? Great! Let’s go! 🙂

*Dress measures 14.5″ x 28″ laying flat (not including straps) & fits a women’s size small as written*

Size Alteration Notes:

(NOTE: Be sure to purchase extra balls of yarn if sizing up 😉 )

***Alter the size of the (Top of the Dress AND Dress Straps) base patterns to be larger or smaller as follows:

– Adjust the width by adding / subtracting to the rows of the pattern below – 4 rows per 1.5″

– Adjust the length by adding / subtracting to the base chain pattern below – 3 ch per 1″

***Alter the size of the (Bottom of the Dress) base pattern to be longer or shorter as follows:

– Adjust the length by adding / subtracting to the rows of the pattern below – 2 rows per 1″

Materials Needed:

10 Balls of LA MIA XL MERCERIZED COTTON YARN, VERMILION – 13 (1,070 yards)

2 Balls of LA MIA XL MERCERIZED COTTON YARN, BROWN – 211 (214 yards)

A 5mm Crochet Hook

A pair of Scissors

A tapestry needle

Abbreviations:

ch = chain

st = stitch

sl st = slip stitch

sc = single crochet

dc = double crochet

Directions:

(Top of Dress)

Row 1: Starting with the main pink yarn color, ch 35. Put 1 dc in the 3rd ch from hook, *skip 1, and then put 1 dc & 1 sc in the next (same) st. Repeat from * across.

Row 2: Ch 1, turn. *Skip 1, and then put 1 dc & 1 sc in the next (same) st. Repeat from * across. When you reach the last 2 st of the row, skip 1 & put 1 sc in the last st.

Row 3: Ch 2, turn & put 1 sc in the same st. *Skip 1, and then put 1 dc & 1 sc in the next (same) st. Repeat from * across.

Rows 4-92: Repeat Rows 2-3, alternating.

*You are now going to continue crocheting the bottom of the dress (do not cut the yarn) by crocheting along the side edge of the rows you just crocheted, as follows:

(Bottom of Dress)

Row 1: Ch 2, and turn your work clockwise 90 degrees. Put 1 dc in the same st that you just ch 2 from. Now, put 2 dc in every st across the entire long edge of the top of the dress.

Row 2: Ch 2, turn. Put 1 dc in the SAME st, and in every st across – don’t forget that last st of the row! (This will increase the st count by 1 from the previous row.)

Rows 3-35: Repeat Row 2. (St count will increase by 1 every row, this will create a “full” skirt.)

Row 36: Repeat Row 2 again, EXCEPT when you reach the very last dc, DO NOT complete the last “pull through” – instead, use the next (brown yarn) color to pull through and complete that final stitch. Cut the pink yarn and tie it to the tail of the pink yarn you just attached as pictured.

Rows 37-44: (continuing on using the brown yarn color) Repeat Row 2. Then cut yarn, leaving a long tail for sewing.

(Dress Straps)

(Make 2)

Row 1: Using the pink yarn color, ch 11.

Now you are going to follow the exact same stitch steps as the top of the dress above. Put 1 dc in the 3rd ch from hook, *skip 1, and then put 1 dc & 1 sc in the next (same) st. Repeat from * across.

Row 2: Ch 1, turn. *Skip 1, and then put 1 dc & 1 sc in the next (same) st. Repeat from * across. When you reach the last 2 st of the row, skip 1 & put 1 sc in the last st.

Row 3: Ch 2, turn & put 1 sc in the same st. *Skip 1, and then put 1 dc & 1 sc in the next (same) st. Repeat from * across.

Rows 4-42: Repeat Rows 2-3, alternating. Then cut yarn, leaving a long tail for sewing.

(Sewing together the Dress)

Step 1: Starting at the bottom of the dress, thread the tapestry needle with the long brown tail of yarn. Fold the dress in half, (lining it up evenly as pictured) and whip stitch up the entire brown section of the dress.

When you reach where the pink section starts, cut a long piece of pink yarn, use it to rethread the tapestry needle, and continue seaming up the entire length of the dress. Cut yarn, weave in all ends and trim yarn.

Step 2: Now you are going to attach the straps to the top of the dress. The easiest way to do this, is to fold the dress in half lengthwise, and then one of the halves lengthwise again to find the middle point. Then line up the middle point you just found, to the middle point of one of the strap ends. Use the long tail to whip stitch the strap into place, and then repeat to attach the other end of the strap, to the other side of the dress.

Step 3: Repeat step 2 on the other side of the dress to attach the 2nd strap.

Step 4: Using the hook to attach the yarn to the middle of the back of the neckhole, ch 1. Then, sl st evenly around the entire collar as pictured.

Sl st to the beginning ch 1 to connect the round. Cut yarn, and weave in ends.

Step 5: Using the hook to attach the yarn to the bottom inside edge of the 1st armhole as pictured.

Ch 1, and sl st evenly around the entire armhole. Sl st to the beginning ch 1 to connect. Cut yarn, and weave in ends.

Step 6: Repeat Step 5 on the other armhole side.

You’re all finished! 😉

Brenna Ann is the designer and maker behind BrennaAnnHandmade. She crochets & knits cozy pieces of knitwear and accessories at her handmade shop on Etsy. She also has a blog, YouTube channel, and shares behind-the-scenes photos on Instagram @BrennaAnnHandmade.