Monochrome Black Flared Mini Dress Free Crochet Pattern

This black and grey flared mini dress looks like it walked straight off a runway, and I promise you can absolutely make it yourself! A fitted bodice, wide straps and a dramatically flared skirt that swishes when you walk, and here is the best part: the whole dress is worked in single crochet. That is the only stitch you need.

The magic comes from the five-shade stripe sequence, flowing from true black through charcoal, medium grey and light grey to pale silver, and from the strategic increases that build that gorgeous circle-skirt silhouette. As the skirt flares outward, the stripe bands naturally widen, so everything stays proportional and polished.

We will make the straps first, then flat front and back bodice panels, join everything into a tube, and work the skirt in the round from the waist down. It is an intermediate project mostly because of the colour changes and the counting, so settle in and enjoy it.

Materials

• Sport weight yarn (CYCA 2), Color A true black: 350 yards
• Sport weight yarn, Color B charcoal grey: 300 yards
• Sport weight yarn, Color C medium grey: 300 yards
• Sport weight yarn, Color D light grey: 250 yards
• Sport weight yarn, Color E off-white grey / pale silver: 250 yards
• 3.25 mm (US D/3) crochet hook
• At least 4 stitch markers
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors
• Blocking pins and mats
• Measuring tape

Abbreviations

• ch: chain
• sc: single crochet
• sl st: slip stitch
• inc: increase, work 2 sc into the same stitch
• sc2tog: single crochet two together
• st/sts: stitch / stitches
• rnd: round
• RS: right side
• WS: wrong side
• rep: repeat
• rem: remaining

Special Stitches

• Clean colour change: work the last single crochet in the current colour until 2 loops remain on your hook, drop the current colour to the wrong side, pick up the new colour and draw it through both loops to complete the stitch. This gives crisp, clean stripe transitions.

Gauge & Size

• Finished size: women’s Small/Medium, bust 32 to 36 inches, waist 26 to 30 inches, total length about 26 inches from strap top to hem; final skirt hem circumference about 90 inches
• Gauge: 24 sc and 26 rows = 4 inches in single crochet worked flat, after blocking
• Construction: straps and bodice panels worked flat, side seams joined into a tube, skirt worked in the round from the waist down with 8 increases per increase round
• Skill level: Intermediate

Stripe sequence for the bodice, each stripe is 2 rows: Stripe 1 Color A, Stripe 2 Color B, Stripe 3 Color C, Stripe 4 Color D, Stripe 5 Color E, then repeat. Your ch 1 at the beginning of each row does not count as a stitch, and you always work your first sc into the first actual stitch. Weave in ends as you go, with this many colour changes you will thank yourself later!

Straps

Make 2. Using Color A and leaving a 12 inch tail for seaming later, chain 13.

Row 1 (WS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Turn. (12 sc)

Row 2 (RS): Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (12 sc)

Repeat Row 2 until the strap measures 10 inches from the foundation chain, changing colours every 2 rows following the bodice stripe sequence. After the final row, do not fasten off, set the strap aside. Make a second strap exactly the same way. Each strap should measure 2 inches wide and 10 inches long.

Front Bodice Panel

Using Color A, chain 103.

Row 1 (WS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Turn. (102 sc)

Rows 2 to 4: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (102 sc)

Change to Color B after Row 4.

Rows 5 and 6: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (102 sc)

Change to Color C.

Rows 7 and 8: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (102 sc)

Change to Color D.

Rows 9 and 10: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (102 sc)

Change to Color E.

Rows 11 and 12: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (102 sc)

Change back to Color A and continue in the established 2-row stripe sequence until the piece measures 9 inches from the foundation chain, ending after a WS row.

Bodice Waist Shaping

Decrease Row 1 (RS): Ch 1, sc2tog over first 2 sts, sc across to last 2 sts, sc2tog. Turn. (100 sc)

Decrease Row 2 (WS): Ch 1, sc2tog over first 2 sts, sc across to last 2 sts, sc2tog. Turn. (98 sc)

Decrease Row 3 (RS): Ch 1, sc2tog over first 2 sts, sc across to last 2 sts, sc2tog. Turn. (96 sc)

Decrease Row 4 (WS): Ch 1, sc2tog over first 2 sts, sc across to last 2 sts, sc2tog. Turn. (94 sc)

Continue your colour changes throughout the shaping rows. Work 2 more rows even. (94 sc)

Fasten off. This is the bottom waist edge of your front panel. Checkpoint: the front bodice measures approximately 17 inches wide at the top, narrowing to 15.5 inches at the waist, and about 9.5 inches tall.

Back Bodice Panel

Work exactly as the front bodice panel, ending with 94 sc at the waist.

Attach Straps & Join Seams

Lay your front bodice panel flat with RS facing up. Position one strap at the left top edge and one at the right top edge, each aligned with the outermost 12 stitches of the bodice top. Using your tapestry needle and the 12 inch tail of Color A, whipstitch each strap to the bodice top edge. Repeat on the back panel, attaching the opposite ends of each strap.

Align the front and back panels with right sides together. Using Color A, whipstitch or mattress stitch down each side edge, leaving the waist edge and the top neckline open. Turn right side out. Your joined bodice now forms a tube with a square neckline, and the waist opening should measure about 31 inches around (94 sc front plus 94 sc back = 188 sts total).

Skirt

Setup Round: With RS facing, attach Color A to any waist-edge stitch with a sl st and place a stitch marker. Work 1 sc in each stitch around the entire waist edge, join with sl st to first sc. (188 sc)

We increase in 8 evenly spaced panels around the skirt, one increase at each panel position, so every increase round adds 8 stitches. Skirt stripe sequence: Rounds 1 to 2 Color A, 3 to 4 Color B, 5 to 6 Color C, 7 to 8 Color D, 9 to 10 Color E, 11 to 12 Color A, 13 to 14 Color B, 15 to 16 Color C, then 4 rounds each: 17 to 20 Color D, 21 to 24 Color E, 25 to 28 Color A, 29 to 32 Color B, 33 to 36 Color C, 37 to 40 Color D, 41 to 44 Color E, 45 to 48 Color A, 49 to 52 Color B. Do not turn your work, keep the right side facing you.

Round 1: Sc in each st around. Join. (188 sc)

Round 2 (increase): Inc in first st, sc in next 22 sts, (inc in next st, sc in next 22 sts) rep around. Join. (196 sc)

Round 3: Sc in each st around. Join. (196 sc)

Round 4 (increase): (Sc 24, inc) 4 times, (sc 25, inc) 4 times. Join. (204 sc)

Round 5: Sc in each st around. Join. (204 sc)

Round 6 (increase): (Sc 24, inc) 4 times, (sc 25, inc) 4 times. Join. (212 sc)

Round 7: Sc in each st around. Join. (212 sc)

Round 8 (increase): (Sc 25, inc) 4 times, (sc 26, inc) 4 times. Join. (220 sc)

Round 9: Sc in each st around. Join. (220 sc)

Round 10 (increase): (Sc 26, inc) 4 times, (sc 27, inc) 4 times. Join. (228 sc)

Round 11: Sc in each st around. Join. (228 sc)

Round 12 (increase): (Sc 27, inc) 4 times, (sc 28, inc) 4 times. Join. (236 sc)

Round 13: Sc in each st around. Join. (236 sc)

Round 14 (increase): (Sc 28, inc) 4 times, (sc 29, inc) 4 times. Join. (244 sc)

Round 15: Sc in each st around. Join. (244 sc)

Round 16 (increase): (Sc 29, inc) 4 times, (sc 30, inc) 4 times. Join. (252 sc)

From here on we increase every single round, and this is what creates that dramatic flare toward the hem.

Round 17 (increase): (Sc 30, inc) 4 times, (sc 31, inc) 4 times. Join. (260 sc)

Round 18 (increase): (Sc 31, inc) 4 times, (sc 32, inc) 4 times. Join. (268 sc)

Round 19 (increase): (Sc 32, inc) 4 times, (sc 33, inc) 4 times. Join. (276 sc)

Round 20 (increase): (Sc 33, inc) 4 times, (sc 34, inc) 4 times. Join. (284 sc)

Round 21 (increase): (Sc 34, inc) 4 times, (sc 35, inc) 4 times. Join. (292 sc)

Round 22 (increase): (Sc 35, inc) 4 times, (sc 36, inc) 4 times. Join. (300 sc)

Round 23 (increase): (Sc 36, inc) 4 times, (sc 37, inc) 4 times. Join. (308 sc)

Round 24 (increase): (Sc 37, inc) 4 times, (sc 38, inc) 4 times. Join. (316 sc)

Round 25 (increase): (Sc 38, inc) 4 times, (sc 39, inc) 4 times. Join. (324 sc)

Round 26 (increase): (Sc 39, inc) 4 times, (sc 40, inc) 4 times. Join. (332 sc)

Round 27 (increase): (Sc 40, inc) 4 times, (sc 41, inc) 4 times. Join. (340 sc)

Round 28 (increase): (Sc 41, inc) 4 times, (sc 42, inc) 4 times. Join. (348 sc)

Round 29 (increase): (Sc 42, inc) 4 times, (sc 43, inc) 4 times. Join. (356 sc)

Round 30 (increase): (Sc 43, inc) 4 times, (sc 44, inc) 4 times. Join. (364 sc)

Round 31 (increase): (Sc 44, inc) 4 times, (sc 45, inc) 4 times. Join. (372 sc)

Round 32 (increase): (Sc 45, inc) 4 times, (sc 46, inc) 4 times. Join. (380 sc)

Round 33 (increase): (Sc 46, inc) 4 times, (sc 47, inc) 4 times. Join. (388 sc)

Round 34 (increase): (Sc 47, inc) 4 times, (sc 48, inc) 4 times. Join. (396 sc)

Round 35 (increase): (Sc 48, inc) 4 times, (sc 49, inc) 4 times. Join. (404 sc)

Round 36 (increase): (Sc 49, inc) 4 times, (sc 50, inc) 4 times. Join. (412 sc)

Round 37 (increase): (Sc 50, inc) 4 times, (sc 51, inc) 4 times. Join. (420 sc)

Round 38 (increase): (Sc 51, inc) 4 times, (sc 52, inc) 4 times. Join. (428 sc)

Round 39 (increase): (Sc 52, inc) 4 times, (sc 53, inc) 4 times. Join. (436 sc)

Round 40 (increase): (Sc 53, inc) 4 times, (sc 54, inc) 4 times. Join. (444 sc)

Round 41 (increase): (Sc 54, inc) 4 times, (sc 55, inc) 4 times. Join. (452 sc)

Round 42 (increase): (Sc 55, inc) 4 times, (sc 56, inc) 4 times. Join. (460 sc)

Round 43 (increase): (Sc 56, inc) 4 times, (sc 57, inc) 4 times. Join. (468 sc)

Round 44 (increase): (Sc 57, inc) 4 times, (sc 58, inc) 4 times. Join. (476 sc)

Round 45 (increase): (Sc 58, inc) 4 times, (sc 59, inc) 4 times. Join. (484 sc)

Round 46 (increase): (Sc 59, inc) 4 times, (sc 60, inc) 4 times. Join. (492 sc)

Round 47 (increase): (Sc 60, inc) 4 times, (sc 61, inc) 4 times. Join. (500 sc)

Round 48 (increase): (Sc 61, inc) 4 times, (sc 62, inc) 4 times. Join. (508 sc)

Round 49 (increase): (Sc 62, inc) 4 times, (sc 63, inc) 4 times. Join. (516 sc)

Round 50 (increase): (Sc 63, inc) 4 times, (sc 64, inc) 4 times. Join. (524 sc)

Round 51 (increase): (Sc 64, inc) 4 times, (sc 65, inc) 4 times. Join. (532 sc)

Round 52 (increase): (Sc 65, inc) 4 times, (sc 66, inc) 4 times. Join. (540 sc)

Fasten off and weave in all remaining ends. Your skirt hem circumference should measure approximately 90 inches (229 cm). If you would like a longer skirt, keep working increase rounds in the established pattern, adding 8 stitches per round and continuing the stripe sequence.

Finishing & Assembly

Wet block the finished dress for the best result: soak it in lukewarm water, gently squeeze out the excess, lay it flat on blocking mats and pin the skirt into a circular shape. Let it dry completely.

No closures are needed, because the bodice stretches slightly over the hips for wearing. Try the bodice tube on after seaming and before starting the skirt, just to check the fit while adjusting is still easy.

Tips

Track your rounds with a row counter app or tally marks on paper. With 52 skirt rounds plus all those bodice rows, it is very easy to lose count.

Stick with smooth, non-fuzzy yarn so your stripe definition stays sharp, and weave in ends as you go rather than saving them all for the end.

Block your gauge swatch the way you plan to block the dress. Sport weight yarn can change significantly after washing, and this is a fitted garment.