Bikini Cover Dress

Bikini cover dress

I created this pattern  before creating the actual dress. So I don't have a picture, but I am almost done.... I used this stitch for the entire dress http://www.ehow.com/how_2284142_crochet-shells-lace-stitch.html

Materials
1 ball of baby weight yarn
4.5 hook
1 needle and thread
1 length of ribbon



1. I began by measuring my daughters bust. This will vary by child. But if you are unable to measure the childs bust, you can take a look at this site which gives generic sizes for different childrens sizes. http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/babysize.html

2. sew the two ends of the elastic together

3. tie on the yarn, and ch 1. sc over the entire elastic.

Row 1. hdc over even numbered sc on the elastic, making sure to make the end number divisable by 6. I ended up with 96 hdc in the end. You could even make a larger number if you wanted more of a flowy dress.

Row 2. Work hdc over every stitch around

Row 3. ch 1 * skip next 2 chs, work shell in next ch, skip next 2 chs, sc in next ch; repeat from * across join with a slst to ch 1

Row 4. Ch 5 (counts as first dc plus 2 ch), sc in center dc of next shell, ch 2, dc in next sc, * ch 2, sc in center dc of next shell, ch 2, dc in next sc; repeat from * across. join with a slst to the third chain.

Row 5. Ch 6 (counts as first dc plus 3 ch); sc in next sc, ch 3, dc in next dc, * ch 3, sc in next sc, ch 3, dc in next dc; repeat from * across. join with a slst to the third chain.

Row 6. Ch 1; sc in first dc * ch 2, dc in next sc, ch 2, sc in next dc; repeat from * across join with a slst

Row 7. Ch 1, sc in first sc, (work Shell in next dc, sc in next sc across).

Repeat row 4-7 until your dress reaches the length you desire, ending on a shell stitch row and fasten off.

You can add a ribbon to the elastic row to tie like a bikini to keep it up, or leave it like a tube top.