Crochet Instructions: Doily Minidress

(REQUIRES A DOILY)

This manual will teach you how to make my original crochet dress design. It is for personal use
only, so you are not permitted to sell a dress with this silhouette after accessing this manual.
Now that’s out of the way, thank you for supporting me by purchasing my instruction manual
and let’s make this dress!

You need:

- A doily wide and long enough to cover your stomach. If you want back coverage, the
doily must be as wide as your stomach and back. Be careful picking the correct size doily
as you cannot cut the doily.
- Aran yarn. I recommend the material to be cotton for comfort, or a cotton and
polyester blend if you want to increase the durability of the garment.
- Crochet Hooks. 3.00m or 3.5mm.
- Ribbon (optional).
- Measuring tape.

Estimated amount of yarn (UK woman sizes). (If you are from outside the UK, find out what
size you are in UK women sizing terms using a conversion table online).

Size 6, 8, 10 = 350g – 450g of yarn

Size 12, 14, 16 = 500 – 650g of yarn
Size 18, 20, 22 = 750 – 900g of yarn
Size 24, 26 = 1000g – 1100g of yarn
Single crochet and double crochet terms are the same in UK and US. So when the manual
references single and double crochet, it means the UK and US version of single and double
crochet.

When this manual refers to treble crochet, it refers to treble crochet (US term) or double
treble crochet (UK term)
Stage 1: The Bottom Layer Skirt

In this stage, you make the bottom skirt of the dress.

This bottom skirt spans from your hip to your thighs.

The length of this bottom skirt determines the length

of your dress.

1. Measure the size of your hips to get your hips measurement.

Measure around this area of

the body
2. Single crochet a chain the size your hips measurement.

3. Now, time for the first row. This row is double crochet. You simply double
crochet once into every individual stitch in your chain.
4. When you get to the end of row 1, single crochet twice the ends of the chain
together, this makes your work circular.

5. From now on, you will start crocheting rows in this circular shape and
increasing the number of stitches. Increasing is achieved by crocheting twice
into the same stitch.

For row 2, double crochet into every stitch as usual, but every 12th stitch, you
double crochet twice into the same stitch.

This is what it looks like when

you double crochet twice into
the same stitch
6. For row 3, double crochet in every stitch as usual but when you get to the area
where you can tell you doubled crocheted twice in the previous row, double
crochet twice again into the same stitch.

So, visually look at the previous row as

you crochet.

And when you get to an area where you

can see the previous row has 2 double
crochets in the same stitch, in the same
area in your row do two double
crochets.

The picture shows how you can visually

see the area your meant to increase in.
The arrows point to the area where
increasing is happening. Doing it
visually saves you from counting.

However, if you prefer counting and do not want to rely on visually working out
where you should increase, you can count:

Row 3 = every 13 stitches double crochet into the same stitch twice
Row 4 = every 14 stitches double crochet into the same stitch twice
Row 5 = every 15 stitches double crochet into the same stitch twice
Row 6 = every 16 stitches double crochet into the same stitch twice
Row 7 = every 17 stitches double crochet into the same stitch twice

(etc, so every new row, the distance between the stitches you crochet twice into
increases by one).
 An example of how the skirt
looks overtime as you continue
to crochet new rows in the
manner described

7. Continue in this way doing rows around the skirt until the skirt is 2 inches
shorter than you would like it to be.

8. For the back of the skirt, you likely will have to crochet some extra rows, so the
dress isn’t shorter at the back. Do this following the same pattern a before,
double crocheting into every stitch and twice into the same stitch in the areas of
the skirt you have been doing that previously.

However, instead of crocheting in a circle as you have been while making the
skirt, crochet rows back and forth along one half of the skirt to make one side
(the back) longer than the other side (the front). Try the skirt on and when your
happy the back of the skirt is 2 inches shorter than you would like it to be, stop!
 9. Now we are going to crochet the last 2 inches of your skirt by making the
extreme up and down ruffles seen here:

So, there are 2 rows left to complete in order to finish your skirt.

Just as you have been doing, double crochet these rows, but when you get to the area
where you are meant to crochet twice into the same stitch, do two TREBLE crochets
(US crochet term) or DOUBLE TREBLE crochets (UK term) into that stitch instead of
double crochets. This elongates the ruffled areas of the skirt.

If your happy with the length of the bottom skirt, you are ready to do the top skirt which
is made in the same way.
Stage 2: The Top Layer Skirt

1. The top layer is crocheted in the identical way as the bottom

layer skirt, so just repeat Stage 1 until you have a skirt that’s
half the length of the bottom layer skirt.

2. Layer the smaller skirt on top of the bottom skirt as seen on

the picture. Ensure both skirts are facing the right way so the
(longer) back of the skirts are lined up. When you’re sure they
are all lined up properly, from the top of the skirts where the
waist is, sew/single crochet/or slip stitch the 2 skirts together.

A tutorial on how to crochet pieces of crochet together if you need more help
with this stage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8SkpizU_0E&t=326s
(Title: HOW TO JOIN CROCHET SQUARES AND SEAMS [4 Easy Crochet Seaming
Techniques for Beginners]. Youtuber: TL Yarn Crafts.

3. If you want to ensure extra tightness of the hips, I recommend single crocheting
a chain (using preferably synthetic yarn as its easier to undo) or getting a ribbon.
Ensure the chain/ribbon is 40cm longer than the hip measurement you took in
stage 1. Thread the chain in and out at one-inch intervals around the waist
area/top of the layered skirt, using your hands or a wide needle.

Once you have gone the whole way around, either ends of the chain should be
near each other. By pulling these ends and tying a bow you can tighten and
secure your skirt.
Stage 3: Top - Chest

In this stage, we crochet this

area of the dress

1. Measure width of your chest, from side boob to other side boob.

2. The length of your chest area from the widest point of your chest. This area is
often in the middle of each boob.
3. The height of your sideboob

4. The distance between the side boob and the widest point of your boob

5. Make a chain the height of your sideboob measurement (from step 3).

To ensure symmetry, during the next few steps, make a note of how you choose
to increase and decrease making the first half of this top which covers half of
the chest.

This is useful because it means that when you do the second half of this section,
you can replicate the crochet identically.
6. Now single crochet row 1 from this chain you just made.

After crocheting the first row of single crochet into the chain:

- if you are an A or B cup, you should start increasing the number of stitches in
each row by 1 by crocheting twice into the same stitch one time per row.

- If you you’re a C,D, E+ cup you may have to increase more frequently so that
the top section covers your boob. I would recommend crocheting twice into
the same stitch two times per row.

When you crochet twice into the same stitch (increase), do it in different areas
every time to try keep the work even: E.g. crocheting twice into the same stitch at
the end for row 2, crocheting twice into the same stitch in the middle of row 3,
then the other end for row 4 etc.

Increase like this until your crochet is as long as the measurement from step 4
(the distance between the side boob and widest part of your boob ), so that this
piece is widest where your boobs will be widest. When you reach this length,
measure the widest part of the crochet and compare it to the measurement you
got in step 2 (stage 3). You want the length to be the same/very similar to your
measurement in step 2 (stage 3) as possible to ensure your chest is covered.
 Now will begin to skip stitches at the end of the next few rows so that the top
gets narrower the closer it is to the middle of your chest.

Decrease (skip a stitch) at the same rate you were increasing while making the
earlier section.

So, for example, if you increased by 1 every row, decrease by 1 every row (skip one
stitch every row). Stop decreasing once the work covers one boob. The work
should be half the length of the measurement you got in step 1 (stage 3) for it to
cover 1 boob. You should aim for both ends of your current work to be similar to
the measurement you got in step 3 (stage 3), the height of your side boob.

One side completed of the top/chest piece (B Cup).

Now replicate what you have done for the other side of the piece (the other boob). So,
you increase as frequently as you did in the first half, until you get to the middle of the
area of the second boob area, then you decrease in the next rows until the end of the
piece same length as the side boob measurement (step 4, stage 3)/the other short side
of the work. Try make sure it’s as symmetrical as possible.
Once you’re happy the finished piece, covers your whole chest how you want it
to, now crochet a single row on both the top and bottom of this work, this just
makes it all look more even.

The horizontal rows of

single crochet you
complete once you’re
happy with the sizing.
Stage 4: Top – Back
Now, you need to crochet the back section of the dresses’ top.

1. Measure the width of your back, from the side boob to the end of your other
side boob.

Divide this measurement by 2.

Now take away 1cm from this number.
This is the length of both rectangles you’re going to make to form the back of
the top.
 For example, if your measurement is 30cm.

30/2 = 15.
15 – 1 = 14.
You would do two rectangles that are both 14 cm long.

2. Make a single crochet chain that is the length of the number you just calculated.
(With the example above, it would be 14).

Using single crochet, crochet as many rows into this chain as necessary for the
rectangle to be as the height of the side boob, which you measured in step 3,
stage 3.

Now make an identical second rectangle.

3. Using single crochet, slip stitching or sewing, crochet these rectangles to the
chest area like this:

4. This is how it should look after:

5. Put ribbon/chain in and out both of rectangle sides. This will enable you to
tighten and put on the dress easier.

Example of how it should look when finished:

Stage 5: Sleeves

1. Measure the distance between top your chest to the bottom of the armpit on
your back as shown on this model:

So, measure the area outlined

in black, from top of the chest
to armpit area on back

This measurement determines the sleeve length.

2. Sleeve width is determined by your shoulder width. Measure how wide this area
(see below black arrow) is on your shoulder and making a chain as long as this
measurement.
 Using double crochet, crochet rows into this chain until you end up with a
rectangle that is long as the measurement you took earlier in step 1 (stage 5)..

3. Now we are going to be adding frills to one side of the sleeve where the arm
comes out.

Turn you work on the side, and now double crochet twice into every stitch along
a long side of your rectangle.
 Now do another row on top of this previous row, double crochet once into each
stitch.

4. For the sleeves to be slightly frilly in the inner side, using single crochet, do a
row on the other longest side of the rectangle. In this row of single crochet,
every 4th stitch, single crochet twice into the same stitch.

5. Now repeat all these steps to make the second sleeve.

6. Now you have made all the pieces for the top section, line up all the pieces like
the picture

Make sure the frillier, wider sides of

the sleeves are pointing outwards.
One end of the rectangular sleeve goes at the top of the chest area where your
chest-side armpit begins, and the other short end of the sleeve goes on the
rectangles at the back of the top where your armpit begins

You may want to measure to work out exactly where it should go, or you can do
it by eye (I do it by eye). Crochet or sew the pieces together as you have in
previous stages. If it doesn’t fit perfectly the first time, undo the stitch/crochet,
reposition the sleeves, and crochet/sew them together again.
Stage 6: Attaching doily and finishing dress

1. Line up your doily underneath the chest/top part.

Ensure the centre of the doily matches up with the centre of the chest/top
part.

Using single crochet/slip stitch/or sewing attach the doily to the top part.

The wider your doily is, the more it will wrap around to the back side of the
chest/top part. The wider the doily, the more back coverage you will get.

2. Now get the skirt section you made in Stage 1.

Line up the skirt so that the front side (shorter side) of the skirt is the side
that you centre and attach the doily too. Once the doily is centred on the
skirt, attach the pieces together with crochet/slip stitch/sewing.

3. Finish the top section by adding frills to the top and bottom of the chest/top
piece.

To add these frills, do a row of single crochet at the top and bottom of the
chest piece. When you do this row of single crochet, crochet twice into the
same stitch every 3 stitches to create a frilly effect.
4. To secure the back of the dress, using either a ribbon or a long string of
single crochet, thread your ribbon/chain in and out of the back in a corset like
style as seen here:

And that’s your dress!

Thanks so much for supporting me by purchasing this manual/design it means a

lot as this is my only income stream right now. Please contact at me on Instagram
have any questions @celestialcrochet01