Crochet Top Dress

If you would like to make this dress it is very simple other than the hand sewing of the crochet top to the gathered fabric...lol

No really, there is no bias tape involved and by adding crochet straps to tie in a bow, you can't really mess up on the sizing either.

All I have done here is crocheted several rows of hdc in alternating color,s and I added a button hole every other row. This was way too many buttons!! Next time I will add a button hole every 4 rows at least.

Then cut your fabric an inch longer than your chest measurement and an inch longer than where you would like your garment to hang (decide if you would like a top or a dress)

I did a dress that is lower calf length on my little girl. You can always hem to your desired finished length.

The easiest method I know of to get great looking gathers is to run a straight stitch all the way across the top of your fabric front and back pieces. (do not backstitch to secure...you want to be able to pull these strings to gather the fabric)

Next, sew your side seams. Then,  find the front center of your crochet top and mark. (your back & sides of the top are obvious)Also, find the center and back of your fabric and mark. 

Now start pulling those loose strings we left earlier and gather your fabric as evenly as you can moving it around on the strings with your fingers. 

Next, you will pin, pin, PIN the top to the fabric making sure you line up the front, sides, and back of the two pieces. You need your crochet top to overlap the fabric on the "right" side by about 5/8''. As you are doing this monitor your gathering and try to make it as evenly spaced out amongst these 4 quadrants as possible. 

Finally, you are ready to hand sew the crochet top to your fabric. A running stitch works fine and make sure you grab every crochet stitch along the bottom.

Finishing touches included adding some cute buttons to the back and attaching 4 crochet chains to use as tie-on straps. The best way to do this is try the dress on the child and mark these placement of these straps before you start =)