Timeless Textured Baby Crochet: 20 heirloom crochet patterns for babies and toddlers

By Vita Apala

Crochet a modern yet classic layette for baby's first years with this exquisite collection of patterns from Vita Apala, the popular designer behind Mon Petit Violon.

In this value-packed collection of 20 crochet patterns, sutble colours, gorgeous yarns, rich textures, beautiful ruffles, and delicate motifs combine to create the most adorable wardrobe imaginable for babies and toddlers up to age 4.

Beautifully photographed and with fully illustrated step-by-step instructions, the collection includes rompers, dresses, sweaters, cardigans, and hoodies, as well as an heirloom cot blanket, booties and bonnet, so that you can crochet a complete and truly chic baby wardrobe with ease. There are designs for little girls and boys, and a large number of the designs are completely gender neutral.

Baby and toddler garments and accessories are fun to crochet because they are quick to make and very rewarding. They require less yarn too, making them an accessible and speedy project that will still be valued enormously - the ultimate handmade baby gift.

Crochet designer Vita Apala, better known as Mon Petit Violon, has been delighting crocheters with her baby designs for decades, having sold over 150,000 patterns on Etsy with five stars reviews. Her patterns, which are written in US crochet terms, are renowned for being exceptionally well put together, with everything explained in detail, step-by-step photos throughout so you can compare your progress as you follow along, and with all the working out done for you.

As well as the extensive pattern collection, at the back of the book is a detailed techniques section, where you will learn all the basic and special stitches needed to create the amazing textures, including ribbing, ruffles, bobbles, shells and more.

This comprehensive guide to baby crochet will give you a wealth of patterns at your fingertips, allowing you to hone your skills on a small scale while making garments that the little people in your life will love to be seen in.

• Language: English
• Publisher: David & Charles
• Release date: Apr 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9781446381960

Book preview

BOBBLE ROMPER

Rompers are the cutest garments to add to your little one‘s wardrobe. They can be worn just as they are or over a t-shirt, and this one has a handy button opening for easy diaper (nappy) changing. The Bobble Romper is worked top down from the waist. The straps can be adjusted for a better fit – you can shorten them or make them longer.

SIZES AND MEASUREMENTS OF FINISHED GARMENT

GAUGE (TENSION)

19 sts and 19 rows in sc to measure 10 x 10cm (4 x 4in) using 3.5mm (E/4) hook (or size required to obtain gauge)

SPECIAL STITCHES

FPdc, BPdc, puff (see Special Stitches)

MATERIALS

LIGHT

325 (375, 450) meters or 355 (411, 493) yards of any DK weight or light worsted weight yarn

Suggested yarn: Laines du Nord Dolly 125, 100% wool, shade 411, 50g (1¾oz), 125m (136yd)

3.5mm (E/4) crochet hook (or size required to obtain gauge)

2 buttons, approximately 2cm (¾in) diameter

Tapestry needle

2 stitch markers (optional)

Pattern is written for size 0–6m, changes for 6–12m and 12–18m are in (…).

Ch1 at the beginning of each round doesn’t count as a stitch.

WAIST

Foundation chain: work quite loosely to make the waist as elastic as possible, ch66 (72, 80), join with sl st into first ch.

Rnd 1: ch1, dc in first ch, dc in each following ch, join with sl st in first dc; 66 (72, 80) dc A

BOTTOM PART

Turn after each rnd and work on both RS and WS.

For sizes 0–6m and 12–18m

Rnd 1 (RS): ch1, sc in first st, sc in next 1 (9)sts, *2sc in next st, sc in each of next 2sts; repeat from * to last st, 2sc in last st, join with sl st in first st, turn; 88 (104) sts B

Rnd 2 (WS): ch1, sc in first and in each following st, join with sl st in first st, turn; 88 (104) sts

Rnd 3 (RS): ch1, sc in first and in each following st, join with sl st in first st, turn; 88 (104) sts

Rnd 4 (WS): ch1, sc in first st, sc in each of next 6sts, *puff in next st, sc in each of next 7sts; repeat from * to last st, puff in last st, join with sl st in first sc, turn; 88 (104) sts C

Rnd 5 (RS): ch1, sc in first and in each following st, join with sl st in first st, turn; 88 (104) sts

Rnd 6 (WS): ch1, sc in first and in each following st, join with sl st in first st, turn; 88 (104) sts

Rnd 7 (RS): ch1, sc in first and in each following st, join with sl st in first st, turn; 88 (104) sts

Rnd 8 (WS): ch1, sc in first st, sc in each of next 2sts, *puff in next st, sc in each of next 7sts; repeat from * to end, but in last repeat work sc in each of next 4sts, join with sl st in first st, turn; 88 (104) sts D

Rnds 9–11: repeat Rnds 5 through 7 E

Repeat Rnds 4 through 11 – 1 (2) more times, continue with Back Decreasing.

For size 6–12m

Rnd 1 (RS): ch1, sc in first st, sc in next st, *2sc in next st, sc in each of next 2sts; repeat from * to last st, 2sc in last st, join with sl st in first st, turn; 96 sts B

Rnd 2 (WS): ch1, sc in first and in each following st, join with sl st in first st, turn; 96 sts

Rnd 3 (RS): ch1, sc in first and in each following st, join with sl st in first st, turn; 96 sts

Rnd 4 (WS): ch1, sc in first st, *puff in next st, sc in each of next 7sts; repeat from * to end, in last repeat work sc in each of next 6sts and join with sl st in first st, turn; 96 sts

Rnd 5 (RS): ch1, sc in first and in each following st, join with sl st in first st, turn; 96 sts

Rnd 6 (WS): ch1, sc in first and in each following st, join with sl st in first st, turn; 96 sts

Rnd 7 (RS): ch1, sc in first and in each following st, join with sl st in first st, turn; 96 sts

Rnd 8 (WS): ch1, sc in first st, sc in each of next 4sts, *puff in next st, sc in each of next 7sts; repeat from * to end, but in last repeat work sc in each of next 2sts, join with sl st in first st, turn; 96 sts D

Rnds 9–11: repeat Rnds 5 through 7 E

Repeat Rnds 4 through 11 – 1 more time.

Repeat Rnds 4 through 7 once more and continue with Back Decreasing.

BACK DECREASING

Row 1 (WS): ch1, sc in first st, sc in each of next 6 (4, 6) sts, *puff in next st, sc in each of next 7sts; repeat from * 3 (4, 4) more times, puff in next st, sc in each of next 7 (5, 7) sts, turn; 47 (51, 55) sts

Row 2 (RS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each following st to last 2sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 45 (49, 53) sts

Row 3 (WS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each following st to last 2sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 43 (47, 51) sts F

Row 4 (RS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each following st to last 2sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 41 (45, 49) sts

Row 5 (WS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each of next 6 (4, 6) sts, *puff in next st, sc in each of next 7sts; repeat from * 2 (3, 3) more times, puff in next st, sc in each of next 6 (4, 6) sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 39 (43, 47) sts

Row 6 (RS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each following st to last 2sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 37 (41, 45) sts

Row 7 (WS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each following st to last 2sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 35 (39, 43) sts

Row 8 (RS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each following st to last 2sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 33 (37, 41) sts

Row 9 (WS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each of next 6 (4, 6) sts, *puff in next st, sc in each of next 7sts; repeat from * 1 (2, 2) more times, puff in next st, sc in each of next 6 (4, 6) sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 31 (35, 39) sts

Row 10 (RS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each following st to last 2sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 29 (33, 37) sts

Row 11 (WS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each following st to last 2sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 27 (31, 35) sts

Row 12 (RS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each following st to last 2sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 25 (29, 33) sts

Row 13 (WS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each of next 6 (4, 6) sts, *puff in next st, sc in each of next 7sts; repeat from * 0 (1, 1) more time, puff in next st, sc in each of next 6 (4, 6) sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 23 (27, 31) sts

Row 14 (RS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each following st to last 2sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 21 (25, 29) sts

Row 15 (WS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each following st to last 2sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 19 (23, 27) sts

Row 16 (RS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each following st to last 2sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 17 (21, 25) sts

For size 0–6m

Row 17 (WS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each of next 6sts, puff in next st, sc in each of next 6sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 15 sts

For sizes 6–12m and 12–18m

Row 17 (WS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each of next (4, 6) sts, puff in next st, sc in each of next 7sts, puff in next st, sc in each of next (4, 6) sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; (19, 23) sts

For all sizes

Row 18 (RS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each following st to last 2sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 13 (17, 21) sts

Row 19 (WS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each following st to last 2sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 11 (15, 19) sts

Row 20 (RS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each following st to last 2sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 9 (13, 17) sts G

For size 0–6m

Fasten off and continue with Front Decreasing.

For size 6–12m

Row 21 (WS): ch1, sc in first st and in each following st to end, turn; 13 sts

Row 22 (RS): ch1, sc in first st and in each following st to end, turn; 13 sts, fasten off and continue with Front Decreasing.

For size 12–18m

Row 21 (WS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each of next 6sts, puff in next st, sc in each of next 6sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 15 sts

Row 22 (RS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each following st to last 2sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 13 sts

Row 23 (WS): ch1, sc in first st and in each following st to end, turn; 13 sts

Row 24 (RS): ch1, sc in first st and in each following st to end, turn; 13 sts

Rows 25–26: repeat Rows 23 and 24, fasten off and continue with Front Decreasing.

FRONT DECREASING

On WS, skip one st from the Back, join yarn into next st and work H

Row 1 (WS): ch1, sc in first st, sc in each of next 6 (8, 6) sts, *puff in next st, sc in each of next 7sts; repeat from * 2 (2, 3) more times, puff in next st, sc in each of next 7 (9, 7) sts, turn; 39 (43, 47) sts

Row 2 (RS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each following st to last 2sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 37 (41, 45) sts

Row 3 (WS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each following st to last 2sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 35 (39, 43) sts

Row 4 (RS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each following st to last 2sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 33 (37, 41) sts

Row 5 (WS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each of next 6 (8, 6) sts, *puff in next st, sc in each of next 7sts; repeat from * 1 (1, 2) more times, puff in next st, sc in each of next 6 (8, 6) sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 31 (35, 39) sts

Row 6 (RS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each following st to last 2sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 29 (33, 37) sts

Row 7 (WS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each following st to last 2sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 27 (31, 35) sts

Row 8 (RS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each following st to last 2sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 25 (29, 33) sts

For sizes 0–6m and 6–12m

Row 9 (WS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each of next 6 (8) sts, puff in next st, sc in each of next 7sts, puff in next st, sc in each of next 6 (8) sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 23 (27) sts

For size 12–18m

Row 9 (WS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each of next 6sts, *puff in next st, sc in each of next 7sts; repeat from * 1 more time, puff in next st, sc in each of next 6sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 31 sts

For all sizes

Row 10 (RS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each following st to last 2sts, skip next st, sc in last st, turn; 21 (25, 29) sts

Row 11 (WS): ch1, sc in first st, skip next st, sc in each