Caprice Dress Modifications

OK, let's be perfectly clear. This is NOT my original pattern. I started with the NY Yarns Caprice Crochet Dress. I loved the bodice & the flared skirt at the bottom, but hated the tight-fitting, stiff, yet open (see-through) body of the dress. You can see it here before and after I frogged it!
So, I reworked the pattern to achieve a body that was less see-through (ie more modest), had a nicer drape, and flared out a bit right after the bodice to make it more roomier for the average 4-6 yo. So the original pattern link is above. Here's what I did.

Caprice Dress modifications

It calls for a 3.75mm F hook. I used my Addi Skacel F hook which is 4.0mm. I did not use the NY Yarns Caprice (80% cotton, 20% nylon), (92yds/50g). I used Classic Elite Yarn ~ Flash in Pink Tweed, 100% mercerized cotton, 93 yds/50g. Pattern calls for 8 skeins for the largest size. Even with all my additions, I only used 6 skeins.

Bodice (as written)

Body (begins with 84,(92, 100) sc from bodice)

Rnd 1 (as written): Ch 1, * sc in back loop only (BLO) of sc, ch 3, skip next 3 sc; rep from * around, sl st in first sc to join – 21(23, 25) ch 3-spaces.

Rnd 2: Sl st in first ch 3-space, ch 3 (counts as first dc), 2 dc in same space, ch 1 (3dc, ch 1) in each space around, ending with 3 dc in last ch 3-space, sl st to 3rd ch of turning chain (tch) to join – 21(23, 25) groups of 3 dc.

(Here’s the general plan from here. I wanted the dress to be less see-through. So I replaced 3 out of every 4 rows of (3dc, ch 1) with rows of solid dc. But to give the garment more drape, and to blend with the pattern of the bodice I used BLO dc. I also wanted to increase the width of the dress after the bodice to make it a bit roomier. I planned to add 10 stitches with 2 dc in every 10th st in round 3, and then realized to keep the (3dc, ch 1) pattern on a few rows I needed to have a multiple of 4. I added 2 more stitches to get to the needed 112dc – one in the base of the turning chain at then end of round 3 and one at in the base of the new turning chain at then start of round 4. One could re-work the spacing of the increases in round 3 so there are 12. I wrote out exactly what I did. Also, I made the largest size and will continue with stitch and row counts for only that size.)

Rnd 3: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in next 8 st, 2 dc in next st, *dc in next 9 st, 2 dc in next st, rep from * around, end with one more dc in base of tch, sl st to 3rd ch of tch to join (111dc).

Rnd 4: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), BLO dc in base of tch (same st as joining), BLO dc in every st around, sl st to 3rd ch of tch to join (112dc).

Rnd 5: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), BLO dc in every st around, sl st to 3rd ch of tch to join (112dc).

Rnd 6: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in next 2 dc, ch 1, skip 1 dc, *dc in next 3dc, ch 1, skip 1 dc, rep from * around, sl st to 3rd ch of tch to join. (28 groups of 3 dc).

Rnd 7: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in every st around, sl st to 3rd ch of tch to join (112dc).

Rnds 8-9: Repeat round 5. (112dc).

Rnds 10-13: Repeat rounds 6-9. (112dc).

Rnds 14-17: Repeat rounds 6-9. (112dc).

Rnd 18: Repeat round 6. (112dc).

(I decided to add just a few more stitches (4) to give a little more room around the bottom.)

Rnd 19: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in base of tch (same st as joining), dc in next 27 st, *2 dc in next st, dc in next 27 st, rep from * around, sl st to 3rd ch of tch to join (116dc).

Rnds 20-21: Repeat rounds 8-9 (116dc).

Rnds 22-25: Repeat rounds 6-9 (116 dc).

Rnd 26: Repeat row 6. (116 st: 29 groups of 3 dc, ch1).

Skirt (as written, except for last round)

Last round: I dropped off the last round – I thought the 7 sc in the ch 7-space made the last round too heavy.

Top edging (aka front bodice extension) [PM = place marker]

(Here I thought the dress needed a little more coverage in the front so I tried to replicate the pattern from the bodice, only now I am working in turning rows instead of in the round.)

Row 1: Attach yarn at “seam” of the rounds, ch 1, sc in each ch (other side of the foundation chain) around, sl st in first sc to join. (100 sc)

Row 2: Ch1, turn, *working in front loop only (FLO), sc in sc, ch 1, skip 1 sc, rep from * half way around ending with FLO sc. (49 st)

Row 3: Ch 1, turn, skip 1st sc, (always work sc in ch and BLO sc in sc) sc in next 2 st, sc2tog, (sc in ch1, BLO sc in sc) 6 times, sc2tog [PM], (sc in ch1, BLO sc in sc) 5 times, sc2tog [PM], (sc in ch1, BLO sc in sc) 6 times, sc2tog, sc in next 2 st, sc2tog. (43 st)

Row 4: Ch1, turn, (working FLO throughout), FLO sc, ch 1, skip 1 sc, (sc2tog, ch 1, skip 1 sc), (FLO sc, ch 1, skip 1 sc) 5 times, (sc2tog [PM], ch 1, skip 1 sc), (FLO sc, ch 1, skip 1 sc) 4 times, (sc2tog [PM], ch 1, skip 1 sc), (FLO sc, ch 1, skip 1 sc) 5 times, (sc2tog, ch 1, skip 1 sc), FLO sc in final sc. (39 st)

Row 5: Ch 1, turn, skip 1st sc, (always work sc in ch and BLO sc in sc) sc in next 2 st, sc2tog, (sc in ch1, BLO sc in sc) 4 times, sc2tog [PM], (sc in ch1, BLO sc in sc) 4 times, sc2tog [PM], (sc in ch1, BLO sc in sc) 4 times, sc2tog, (sc in ch1, BLO sc in sc), sc2tog. (33 st)

Row 6: Ch1, turn, skip 1st sc, (working FLO throughout), FLO sc, ch 1, skip 1 sc, (sc2tog, ch 1, skip 1 sc), (FLO sc, ch 1, skip 1 sc) 2 times, (sc2tog [PM], ch 1, skip 1 sc), (FLO sc, ch 1, skip 1 sc) 3 times, (sc2tog [PM], ch 1, skip 1 sc), (FLO sc, ch 1, skip 1 sc) 2 times, (sc2tog, ch 1, skip 1 sc), (FLO sc, ch 1, skip 1 sc), sc2tog. (27 st)

Row 7: Ch 1, turn, skip 1st sc, (always work sc in ch and BLO sc in sc) sc in next 2 st, sc2tog, (sc in ch1, BLO sc in sc) 2 times, sc2tog [PM], (sc in ch1, BLO sc in sc) 3 times, sc2tog [PM], (sc in ch1, BLO sc in sc) 2 times, sc2tog, sc2tog. (21 st) Do NOT fasten off.

Strap

Beginning from top corner of front bodice extension, ch 34 (or desired length) attach with sl st (2) to point 3 inches to the same side of center back (making sure not to twist), sc in each ch back to front of bodice, attach to bodice with sl st. Sl st in 7 st across front of bodice (to marked st), ch 7, attach with sl st to 8th st from front on strap. Sc in each ch back to front bodice attach to front with sl st.

Sl st across front of bodice to marked st, ch 34 (or desired length) attach with sl st (2) to point 3 inches to the same side of center back (making sure not to twist), sc in each ch back to front of bodice, attach to bodice with sl st. Sl st in 7 st across front of bodice (to marked st), ch 7, attach with sl st to 8th st from front on strap. Sc in each ch back to front bodice attach to front with sl st. Finish off!

Weave in ends!