Baby & Kids Intermediate 4-6 hours DK yarn

Worked on the glider, counted out loud —

Yellow butterfly baby dress with matching booties

A butterfly-bodice baby dress and booties in cotton DK, for confident beginners with a free evening or two.

Jump to the rounds

What this one is

This is the dress you make for the baby who already has enough onesies and not nearly enough things with a little whimsy stitched in. The butterfly bodice does double duty as bib and straps, so there's no separate piece to sew on later and pray it sits straight. It's a lovely one for a first granddaughter, a friend's shower, or the baby who just turned old enough for buttons instead of snaps.

Your hands start at a magic ring and build outward in rounds until the wings show themselves in that ch-3 space row. From there you swap to the bigger hook for the skirt, working the round down and the back-opening rows flat before you count out buttonholes. Between the two hook sizes, the applique lines, and the separate booties, plan on a few sittings rather than one long stretch.

This pattern runs about 13 to 20 hours total from start to finish, and sits at an advanced beginner to intermediate skill level. If you've completed at least one lace motif or medallion before, you'll handle the butterfly bodice beautifully — the skirt itself is straightforward, basic stitches and simple increases, nothing tricky.

Try it another way

The pattern already gives you three sizes through its yardage range (350, 300, or 400 yards), so start there if you need a different fit. For color, try working the bodice and booties in white and saving the pale yellow for the skirt and applique lines — it flips the whole balance of the dress without touching a single stitch count. If you want a bolder look, work the applique detail lines in a third contrasting color instead of white, since that part is worked separately anyway. You could also stop after the bodice and booties and turn the medallion into a matching bib, worn over a plain onesie, for a smaller gift that takes an afternoon rather than a full sitting. Swap the pearl shank buttons for a different button entirely as long as they're still 10 mm, since that's the size the buttonholes are built around. And if ribbon ties feel fussier than you'd like, the two 18-inch lengths for the booties can just as easily become a single bow at the center back neckline instead.

The rounds, in full

Written out, round by round

Intermediate4-6 hours3.5 mmDK

Bring to the porch

Everything this one takes, in the order you will reach for it.

  • Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton in Buttercup: This 100 percent mercerized cotton at DK weight gives excellent stitch definition for the lace butterfly wings. Machine washable. Two skeins cover the dress, one skein covers the booties with yarn to spare.
  • Paintbox Yarns Simply DK in Banana Cream: A 100 percent premium acrylic at 137 yards per skein. Very soft against baby skin, colorfast, machine washable and dryable. Three skeins for the dress set.
  • Drops Safran in color 07 (yellow): A cotton-polyamide blend at DK weight, 175 yards per skein. The polyamide adds durability and a slight sheen appropriate for a special occasion dress.

Substitution note

  • Choose a smooth, tightly plied yarn with good stitch definition so the butterfly wing lace reads clearly. Avoid fuzzy or bouclé yarns. Your yarn must be 100 percent cotton or a cotton blend of at least 60 percent cotton for the drape this skirt requires.

Yarn

  • Size 3 light DK or light worsted weight cotton yarn, approximately 350 (300, 400) yards or 320 (275, 365) meters in pale yellow. You will also need about 20 yards (18 meters) of white for the applique butterfly detail lines.

Hooks

  • US size E-4 (3.5 mm) for bodice and appliques
  • US size F-5 (3.75 mm) for skirt body and booties

Notions

  • 7 to 9 pearl shank buttons, 10 mm diameter
  • Sewing needle and thread to match yarn for button attachment
  • Tapestry needle for weaving ends
  • Stitch markers, at least 6
  • Measuring tape
  • Two lengths satin ribbon, cream or ivory, each 18 inches (45 cm), for booties

Large Butterfly Bodice

The bodice butterfly serves as both the decorative front bib and the shoulder straps.

Work with hook E-4 (3.5 mm) and MC throughout this section.

Starting at center body of butterfly.

  1. Round 1(RS): Make a magic ring. Ch 3 (counts as dc), 11 dc in ring, sl st to top of beg ch-3 to join. Pull ring closed. (12 dc)
  2. Round 2Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in same st, 2 dc in each st around, sl st to join. (24 dc)
  3. Round 3Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in same st, dc in next st, (2 dc in next st, dc in next st) rep around, sl st to join. (36 dc)
  4. Round 4Ch 1 (does not count as st), sc in same st, (ch 3, sk 2 sts, sc in next st) rep around, end ch 3, sl st to first sc to join. (12 ch-3 spaces)
  5. Round 5Sl st into first ch-3 sp, ch 3 (counts as dc), 4 dc in same sp, ch 1, (5 dc in next ch-3 sp, ch 1) rep around, sl st to top of beg ch-3 to join.

Marlene's notes

Note 01

Keep the two hook sizes straight — E-4 for the bodice and appliques, F-5 for the skirt body and booties — since swapping them changes the drape between bodice and skirt.

Note 02

Mark your beginning stitch each round on the bodice medallion rounds; with the increases in Rounds 2 and 3, it's easy to lose track of where a round started.

Note 03

The back center opening is worked flat in rows once the skirt round is established, so watch for that shift from joined rounds to back-and-forth rows before you get to the button placket.

Note 04

The butterfly bodice is worked flat as a medallion beginning from a magic ring. Upper wings are worked first, then lower wings are shaped from the same center. Antennae are crocheted chains attached at the center top.

Note 05

The skirt is worked in joined rounds from the bodice waist edge downward. The back center remains open for button closure and is worked back and forth in rows after establishing the round.

Note 06

All turning chains in sc rows count as 0 stitches (do not count as a stitch). All turning chains in dc rows count as 1 dc.

Note 07

Pearl buttons are sewn to the left back band (as worn). Button loops are formed by ch-3 spaces built into the right back band during finishing.

Note 08

Stitch counts in parentheses at the end of each row or round reflect the total number of working stitches in that row or round, not counting turning chains.

Note 09

The bodice butterfly works best if blocked flat before attaching to the skirt. Pin to measurements and mist with water, or wet block for cotton. Allow to dry fully.

Note 10

The two small applique butterflies for the skirt hem are worked identically to the large bodice butterfly but stopping after Round 5 of the wing sequence.

Note 11

Right side and wrong side matter for this garment. Mark the right side of the butterfly with a locking stitch marker on Round 1.

Note 12

Size adjustments for the skirt: add or subtract 6 stitches per tier for each size step, and add or subtract one full tier row for length.

Note 13

Gauge matters more than usual here because the butterfly bodice size determines how the entire dress fits. Bodice gauge with hook E-4 (3.5 mm): 18 sc x 20 rows = 4 inches x 4 inches (10 cm x 10 cm) in single crochet.

Note 14

Skirt gauge with hook F-5 (3.75 mm): 16 sc x 18 rows = 4 inches x 4 inches (10 cm x 10 cm) in single crochet. One 6-dc shell over 6 stitches = approximately 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) wide. Take time to swatch — even a small gauge deviation significantly affects the butterfly bodice size.

Note 15

Finished measurements: Newborn to 3 months — chest 14 inches (35.5 cm), bodice-to-hem length 11 inches (28 cm). 3 to 6 months — chest 16 inches (40.5 cm), length 12.5 inches (31.75 cm). 6 to 12 months — chest 18 inches (45.75 cm), length 14 inches (35.5 cm). The written instructions follow the 3 to 6 month size throughout, with other sizes noted in parentheses where they differ: (newborn/3M, 3-6M, 6-12M). Booty foot length measures 3.5 inches (9 cm) for all sizes.

Before you sit down

  • Check you have enough pale yellow cotton for your chosen size — 350, 300, or 400 yards depending which of the three sizes you're making.
  • Set aside the 20 yards of white separately so you're not tempted to dip into your main ball for the applique lines partway through.
  • Read Round 4 of the bodice before you start it — that's where the ch-3 spaces form, and it's easier to picture the wing shape if you know it's coming.
  • Have at least 6 stitch markers on hand and both hooks (E-4 and F-5) laid out so you're not hunting for the right one mid-round.
  • Swatch first — gauge matters more than usual on this pattern since the butterfly bodice size determines how the whole dress fits. Bodice gauge is 18 sc x 20 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) with the E-4 hook; skirt gauge is 16 sc x 18 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) with the F-5 hook.

How the hours go

Butterfly bodice and straps
about 4 to 6 hours, because the medallion shaping across 5 rounds and the ch-3 space wings need a slower, careful hand
Applique butterflies
about 1 to 2 hours for the two small butterflies, worked identically to the large bodice butterfly but stopping after Round 5
Booties
about 2 to 3 hours to work the pair
Seaming, buttons, finishing
about 1 to 2 hours, because sewing on 7 to 9 buttons, stitching the white detail lines, and threading ribbon are all small, fiddly jobs

Looking after it

  • Hand wash the finished dress and booties in cool water since this is a cotton DK yarn, and lay them flat to dry so the skirt's shape and the button placket keep their form.
  • Store folded rather than hung, with the pearl buttons lying flat, and reshape the bodice wings gently with your fingers while still damp if they've gone a little soft between wears.
FAQs

Asked on the glider

the ones that come up on the glider

Can I make just the bodice as a separate piece?

Yes, the 5-round bodice medallion is worked as its own section before the skirt is attached, so you could stop there for a small bib or applique. You'd just need to finish the edges rather than joining a skirt round.

Do I need both hook sizes?

Yes, the E-4 (3.5 mm) is used for the bodice and appliques, while the F-5 (3.75 mm) is for the skirt body and booties. Using one hook throughout will change the drape between the two sections.

How many buttons do I actually need?

The materials list calls for 7 to 9 pearl shank buttons at 10 mm, with the exact number depending on your size. It's worth having a couple extra in case one is dropped during sewing.

What's the white yarn for?

It's used for the applique detail lines on the butterfly, not the main body of the dress. You only need about 20 yards, so a small leftover skein works fine.

Is this a good project for a first-time garment maker?

It suits someone who's comfortable with magic rings, increases, and reading a ch-3 space round, since the bodice shaping asks for a bit of confidence early on. If you've made a hat or a simple amigurumi before, you'll manage this fine.