Madeleine Split-Front Dress

This gorgeous dress is so simple to make. It’s just four panels sewn together with a few rows of increases to create the flounce. It’s made with Lion Brand 24/7 cotton, but I think it’s more of a transitional piece for summer into fall because of the weight of the yarn. There’s a lot of cotton yarn here, guys, so it’s going to feel heavy, but trust me – it’s incredibly comfortable to wear, and the open top helps to keep it cool. And those amazing colors and the stitch definition from this yarn make it an absolute standout!! Other than the five buttons, it’s a totally open front so you’ll need to wear leggings and a tank top with it, but I think it would be awesome with a turtleneck and boots in cooler weather.

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Skill Level: Easy

Materials: *Important* Please note that the amount of yarn listed below is for the smallest size. You will need additional yarn for the larger sizes.

Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton Yarn in Ecru – 2 skeins

Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton Yarn in Charcoal – 6 skeins

Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton Yarn in Silver – 3 skeins

Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton Yarn in Purple – 1 skein

Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton Yarn in Aqua – 1 skein

Hook size H/8 – 5.00mm

Buttons – 5 buttons, size 5/8”

Stitch markers – optional but recommended

Gauge:

13 Dc stitches and 6 rows = 4”

Dimensions:

Laying flat, size Extra Small is – 16” wide by 42” long, see chart for additional sizing.

Abbreviations:

Ch – chain

Dc – double crochet

Hdc – half double crochet

St, sts – stitch, stitches

Notes:

Beginning chains don’t count as stitches
Always make your first stitch in the very first stitch in the row.
I recommend using stitch markers to easily keep your rows even. Place a stitch marker in the the first stitch of a row, and you will know where to crochet your last stitch when you get back to that end.
The 5/8” buttons will fit through the stitches so there’s no need to make button holes.
This is a close-fitting dress around the hips. It may seem too short or too small as you’re crocheting it, but be aware that the weight of the cotton yarn will pull the dress down considerably. Plus, it has a lot of give, so to get the fitted look, it may seem a little on the small side. You can always make your panels bigger or smaller to adjust the size if you like.

Sizing: All sizes are approximate. I’m showing the size of the hip measurement since that is where the dress is fitted. This is my first time adding sizes so I apologize in advance for any errors.

	XS	S	M	L	XL	2XL	3XL
Hip Measurement	33”-34”	35”-36”	38”-40”	42”-44”	46”-48”	52”-53”	54”-55”
Starting chain	29	31	33	37	40	45	47
Row 1 sts	27	29	31	35	38	43	45

Instructions:

Make 4

With Ecru, ch 29 (31, 33, 37, 40, 45, 47).

Row 1: Dc in 3rd ch from hook and in each ch across row. 27 (29, 31, 35, 38, 43, 45) sts.

Rows 2 – 15: Turn, ch 2, dc in first st and in each st across row.

Rows 16 – 23: Turn, ch 2, hdc in first st and in each st across row.

Rows 24 – 25: Turn, ch 2, dc in first st and in each st across row.

Rows 26 – 31: With Charcoal, ch 2, hdc in first st and in each st across row.

Row 32: Turn, ch 2, two dc in first st and in each st across row. 54 (56, 58, 62, 65, 70, 72) sts.

Rows 33 – 43: Turn, ch 2, dc in first st and in each st across row.

Row 44: Turn, ch 2, two dc in first st and in each st across row. 108 (110, 112, 116, 119, 124, 126) sts.

Rows 45 – 47: Turn, ch 2, dc in first st and in each st across row.

Rows 48 – 51: With Silver, turn, ch 2, dc in first st and in each st across row.

Row 52: With Aqua, turn, ch 2, dc in first st and in each st across row.

Row 53: With Purple, turn, ch 2, hdc in first st and in each st across row.

Row 54: With Aqua, turn, ch 2, dc in first st and in each st across row.

Rows 55 – 58: With Silver, turn, ch 2, dc in first st and in each st across row.

Rows 59 – 62: With Charcoal, turn, ch 2, dc in first st and in each st across row. Tie off and weave in ends.

Construction:

1. With wrong sides together, sew two panels together up through the Charcoal color – stop before you get to the Ecru color. This will form the back of the dress.