Seafoam Scallop Midi Dress Crochet Pattern

This dress is such a beautiful make — all soft seafoam green scallops, a slim ivory tie belt, and that lovely vintage shell stitch cascading down the skirt! We build it from flat panels rather than working in the round, which keeps the shaping wonderfully straightforward: two bodice pieces, six skirt panels and two sleeve rectangles, joined at the waist and finished with ivory edgings.

Each fan is simply 5 double crochet worked into one stitch or arch, and the fabric alternates fan rows with supporting arch rows, so once you learn the little stitch recipe below, every piece of the dress uses it. The finished bust measures approximately 100 cm, fitting a body bust of 90 to 94 cm with comfortable ease, and the skirt falls to a graceful midi length.

It is an intermediate to advanced project, mostly because of its size — but panel by panel, it is calm, rhythmic crochet. Let me walk you through it.

Materials

• 1010 grams (approximately 3030 metres) of smooth sport weight cotton yarn in seafoam green, at 300 metres per 100 grams
• 120 grams (approximately 360 metres) of the same sport weight cotton yarn in ivory
• 3.5mm crochet hook, for the main fabric
• 3.0mm crochet hook, for firm borders and the belt
• Tapestry needle
• Removable stitch markers
• Tape measure
• Scissors
• Blocking mats and rust-proof pins
• Sewing needle and matching thread
• 40 cm dress zipper, for the side seam
• 1 metre of 10mm cotton tape, to stabilise the waist seam
• Separate opaque slip, for wearing underneath the openwork

Abbreviations

• ch: chain
• sc: single crochet
• hdc: half double crochet
• dc: double crochet
• tr: treble crochet
• sl st: slip stitch
• st(s): stitch(es)
• sp: space
• RS/WS: right side / wrong side
• BLO: back loop only
• rep: repeat
• N: number of horizontal motif repeats in a piece

Special Stitches

• Fan stitch: 5 dc worked into one stitch or one ch-5 arch. The fabric alternates between a fan row and a supporting arch row, and the beginning ch 1 never counts as a stitch.

Gauge & Size

• Finished size: bust approximately 100 cm (for a body bust of 90 to 94 cm, with 6 to 10 cm of ease); untied waist 100 cm, belted to 80 to 90 cm; bodice panels 50 cm wide x 40 cm long; skirt 70 cm below the waist with a 180 cm hem; sleeves 40 cm wide x 18 cm long
• Gauge: 3 fan repeats and 14 rows = 10 x 10 cm blocked (one fan repeat is about 3.33 cm wide); border gauge 20 sc and 24 sc rows = 10 cm
• Construction: flat panels — 2 bodice pieces, 6 skirt panels, 2 sleeves — joined at shoulders, sides and waist, with a side zipper
• Skill level: Intermediate to Advanced

The Basic Stitch Pattern

Foundation: Chain 6N plus 2.

Row 1: Sc in the second ch from hook, then work [skip 2 ch, 5 dc in the next ch, skip 2 ch, sc in the next ch] N times. (N fans and N plus 1 sc, totalling 6N plus 1 stitches)

Row 2: Ch 1, turn, sc in the first sc, then work [ch 5, skip the entire fan, sc in the next sc] N times. (N arches and N plus 1 sc)

Row 3: Ch 1, turn, sc in the first sc, then work [5 dc in the next ch-5 arch, sc in the next sc] N times. (N fans and N plus 1 sc, totalling 6N plus 1 stitches)

Repeat Rows 2 and 3 for the pattern — arch row, fan row, arch row, fan row. Master this on a swatch with N = 6 before starting the dress: work at least 28 rows, wet block, dry flat for 24 hours, then hang for 12 hours to check for cotton growth.

Back Bodice

With the main colour and the 3.5mm hook, start the foundation with N = 15. We work upward from the waist.

Row 1: Work the foundation row as described above. (15 fan repeats)

Rows 2 to 52: Continue the plain recipe rows, alternating arch rows and fan rows. (15 fan repeats each row)

Neckline shaping: mark the central 5 repeats as the back neck opening and work the outer 5 repeats at each side separately, restarting the yarn at the outer edge or neck edge as the row direction requires, leaving the marked centre unworked.

Rows 53 to 56, each shoulder: Continue the recipe over the outer 5 repeats only. (5 fan repeats per shoulder)

Fasten off with a 20 cm tail.

Front Bodice

Begin exactly as the back, with N = 15. Any decorative button placket is applied later and does not actually open.

Rows 1 to 50: Work the plain recipe rows. (15 fan repeats each row)

Neckline shaping: leave the central 5 repeats unworked and work each shoulder separately over 5 repeats — the square boat neckline width is fixed by this opening.

Rows 51 to 56, each shoulder: Continue the next recipe row over this shoulder only. (5 fan repeats per shoulder)

The front neckline begins two rows earlier than the back, giving a slightly deeper front opening while the shoulders stay aligned.

Skirt Panels (Make 6)

Work from the waist downward with N = 9. Each rectangular panel measures 30 cm wide; joined, the combined 180 cm top edge gathers into the 100 cm bodice waist for that lovely skirt fullness.

Row 1: Work the foundation row. (9 fan repeats)

Rows 2 to 99: Work the plain recipe rows, following the colour plan: rows 1 to 97 in seafoam green, then switch to ivory for the final two rows to create the contrast hem detail. (9 fan repeats each row)

Block all six panels to 70 cm in length, within one row of tolerance, and 30 cm wide, ending the fan fabric on a fan row.

Sleeves (Make 2)

Use the main colour, the 3.5mm hook, and N = 12, working from the shoulder edge to the cuff.

Row 1: Work the foundation row. (12 fan repeats)

Rows 2 to 25: Continue the plain recipe rows. (12 fan repeats each row)

Each rectangle should measure 40 cm wide and approximately 18 cm long before the border, and both sleeves must match exactly. For a puff sleeve effect, gather the upper edge slightly while attaching; for a bell sleeve, leave the lower edge loose and add the scalloped border.

Waist Tie Belt

Row 1: With the 3.0mm hook and ivory, ch 8, sc in the second chain from hook and in the next 6 chains. (7 sc)

Row 2 and all following rows: Ch 1, turn, sc BLO in each stitch. (7 sc per row)

Continue until the belt measures 160 cm — record your total row count, as row gauge varies. It should measure approximately 3.5 cm wide; do not stretch it while measuring, and make it longer only if you need more tying room.

Finishing & Assembly

Join 1, shoulders: mattress stitch the corresponding outer shoulder edges together, aligning 5 complete motifs on each seam, giving 2 shoulder seams of 5 motifs each.

Join 2, sleeves: mark 20 cm down each side of the front and back from the shoulder seam, match the sleeve midpoint to the shoulder seam, and sew the 40 cm upper edge around this opening, easing 2 cm at the sleeve midpoint for puff styling.

Join 3, side seams: sew from waist to armhole on the right side. On the left side, leave the bodice portion open for the 40 cm zipper opening, continuing that opening into the skirt below the waist as needed, and close the sleeve underarms.

Join 4, skirt: align equal row ends and mattress stitch the six panels into a ring, retaining the left side zipper gap.

Join 5, waist: quarter-mark both the bodice and the skirt, run two gathering threads through the skirt foundation loops and draw the skirt to 100 cm, matching quarter marks, then sew it to the bodice waist. Sew the stabilising cotton tape inside the waist without stretching.

Join 6, closure: hand baste, then backstitch the zipper tapes to the inside of the left opening, keeping the teeth clear of crochet loops, and secure the top and lower stops.

Check before trimming any tails: shoulders level, waist measuring 100 cm before the belt, armholes approximately 40 cm in perimeter, and the zipper opening without catching. Try the dress on over the intended slip first!

Edgings

Switch to the 3.0mm hook and the ivory accent colour for all borders.

Neckline Round 1: Join at the back neck, sc evenly around, working approximately 2 sc per dc row end and 1 sc per stitch, adjusting at the steps to lie flat; at the square inside corners, work sc2tog across the corner, join with a sl st.

Neckline Round 2: Ch 1, sc in each sc, join — the count remains the same if the edge is lying flat.

Hem Round 1: Sc evenly along the lower edge without drawing it in, working one sc in each stitch of the fans and not counting seam loops twice.

Hem Round 2: Starting at any sc, work [skip 2 sc, 5 dc in the next sc, skip 2 sc, sl st in the next sc] around, working any residual stitches as sl sts beside the seam.

Cuff Round 1: Sc evenly around each opening, using about 2 sc per row end, join.

Cuff Round 2: Sc in each sc for a plain edge, or use the Hem Round 2 scallop pattern for decorative sleeves.

Weave each tail through at least 5 cm of solid stitches, reversing direction twice, and trim only after the first wash. Block by soaking, lifting the garment while supported, pressing it between towels, and laying it flat to the finished measurements, shaping each scallop gently. After it is fully dry, hang it for 12 hours and remeasure — cotton can grow in wear, so shorten only after this hanging check. Store the dress folded, not hanging from the shoulders.

Tips

Weigh your gauge swatch to confirm your yarn needs — cotton varies a lot between brands, and matching the gauge matters more than matching the exact yarn.

Follow your yarn label for care: for cotton, a cool gentle hand wash and flat drying are best, and always support the full wet garment when you lift it.

Keep a separate opaque slip for wearing under the openwork — it makes the scallops the star and keeps everything comfortable.

Openwork catches easily on jewellery and furniture, so wear your finished dress with a little care and enjoy every compliment!