transatlantic crochetStrawberry dress
Updated: Mar 30
A crochet re-imagining of the infamous 2020 Strawberry Dress by Lirika Matoshi that swept across social media.
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Sizes
XS [S, M, L, XL]
36 [38, 40, 42, 44]”/90 [95, 100, 105, 110] cm bust
34 [36, 38, 40, 42]”/85 [90, 95, 100, 105] cm waist
Materials
4 mm hook
720g [760, 800g, 840g, 880g] DK yarn in pink
I used Ice Yarns Alara
100g DK yarn in red
I used Ice Yarns Lorena
50g DK yarn in green
I used Ice Yarns Baby Summer
50 g DK yarn in white
I used Ice Yarns Favourite Wool
Yarn needle
Pins
Stitch markers
Scissors
2x length of elastic that fits around your upper arm +1cm/½”
Sewing needle and thread
(Optional) French knitting machine/doll
OR leather/suede/rope/ribbon/other cord that can wrap around your waist twice with about 30cm/1 ft of excess
Stitches
US terms
Chain (ch)
Slip stitch (sl st)
Single crochet (sc)
Half double crochet (hdc)
Half double increase (hdc inc)
Half double decreased (hdc dec)
Double crochet (dc)
Double crochet increase (dc inc)
Pattern notes
Pattern is worked flat.
The skirt length can be made as long as desired. To add length, keep repeating and incrementing rows in the same fashion.
You do not have to use the aforementioned colours or even strawberries. Any colour scheme and appliqué is fine: let your imagination run wild!
Lirika Matoshi recently released a cherry dress. To make this design, replace the pink with pastel green, and use the cherry appliqué pattern provided at the end instead of the strawberry one.
Gauge
14 rows and 19 sts of hdc = 10 cm x 10 cm (4” x 4”)
The foundation row should fit around your underbust. If you do not succeed the first time, try again with a different size until you get the fit.
Special rows
Decrease row: Slst in first st, ch 1, hdc along until one st remains, leave last st unworked, ch 1, turn
Collar decrease row: One stitch is to be lost on the side of the row that is towards the collar/neck of the piece. If the row begins on the armhole-side, leave the last st of that row unworked. If the row begins on the neck-side, begin the row with a slst into the first st, then ch 1. Refer to Top diagram, edges in red are affected by this rule:
Edging motif: (sc, sk 2, 5 dc in next st, sk 2) or (sc, sk 2, 7 dc in next st, sk 2) for a more ruffled look.
Instructions
Top
In pink, ch 123 [130, 137, 144, 151]
Row 1: skip 2 chs, hdc along, ch 1 turn (121, [128, 135, 142, 149])
You can use a fhdc (foundation half double crochet) for this if you prefer.
Rows 2-7: hdc along, ch 1 turn (121, [128, 135, 142, 149])
Mark the 12, [12, 13, 13, 14] th stitch from each side.
Row 8: *hdc to one stitch before marker, hdc inc, hdc into marker, hdc inc*, repeat **, hdc to end of row, ch 1, turn (125, [132, 139, 146, 153])
Row 9: hdc 63, [66, 69, 73, 77], hdc inc, hdc to end of row, ch 1, turn (126, [133, 140, 147, 154])
Rows 10-13: hdc along, ch 1 turn (126, [133, 140, 147, 154])
Front Left
Mark st #63, [67, 70, 73, 77]
Row 14: hdc dec, hdc to 2 sts before marker, hdc dec, ch 1 turn (61, [64, 68, 71, 75])
Rows 15-16: hdc along, ch 1, turn (61, [64, 68, 71, 75])
Row 17: Decrease row (see pattern notes) (59, [62, 66, 69, 73])
Mark the first stitch of row 17.
Front left armhole shaping
Row 18: hdc 30, [32, 34, 36, 38], ch1, turn (30, [32, 34, 36, 38])
Row 19: hdc along, ch 1, turn (30, [32, 34, 36, 38])
Row 20: hdc 28, [30, 32, 34, 36], ch 1, turn (28, [30, 32, 34, 36])
Row 21: Decrease row (see pattern notes) (26, [28, 30, 32, 34])
Row 22: hdc along, ch 1, turn (26, [28, 30, 32, 34])
Row 23: hdc 25, [27, 29, 31, 33], ch 1, turn (25, [27, 29, 31, 33])
Row 24: Collar decrease row (24, [26, 28, 30, 32])
Rows 25-27: hdc along, ch 1, turn (24, [26, 28, 30, 32])
Row 28: Collar decrease row (23, [25, 27, 29, 31])
Rows 29-30: hdc along, ch 1, turn (23, [25, 27, 29, 31])
Row 31: Collar decrease row (22, [24, 26, 28, 30])
Rows 32-34: hdc along, ch 1, turn (22, [24, 26, 28, 30])
Row 35: Collar decrease row (21, [23, 25, 27, 29])
Rows 36-37: hdc along, ch 1, turn (21, [23, 25, 27, 29])
Row 38: Collar decrease row (20, [22, 24, 26, 28])
Rows 39-41: hdc along, ch 1, turn (20, [22, 24, 26, 28])
Row 42: Collar decrease row (19, [21, 23, 25, 27])
Rows 43-44: hdc along, ch 1, turn (19, [21, 23, 25, 27])
Row 45: Collar decrease row (18, [20, 22, 24, 26])
Rows 46-48: hdc along, ch 1, turn (18, [20, 22, 24, 26])
Row 49: Collar decrease row (17, [19, 21, 23, 25])
Sizes S and up
Rows 50-51: hdc along, ch 1, turn (-, [19, 21, 23, 25])
Sizes M and up
Row 52: Collar decrease row (-, [-, 20, 22, 24])
Rows 53-54: hdc along, ch 1, turn (-, [-, 20, 22, 24])
Size XL
Rows 55-57: hdc along, ch 1, turn (-, [-, -, -, 24])
Finish off.
Back left
Join yarn at beginning of row 17, at marker.
Row 18: hdc 24, [25, 26, 27, 28], ch 1, turn (24, [25, 26, 27, 28])
Row 19: hdc along, ch 1, turn (24, [25, 26, 27, 28])
Row 20: hdc 22, [23, 24, 25, 26], ch 1 turn (22, [23, 24, 25, 26])
Row 21: hdc along, ch 1, turn (22, [23, 24, 25, 26])
Row 22: Collar decrease row (21, [22, 23, 24, 25])
Row 23: sl st, ch 1, hdc 20, [21, 22, 23, 24], ch 1 turn (20, [21, 22, 23, 24])
Rows 24-27: hdc along, ch 1, turn (20, [21, 22, 23, 24])
Row 28: Collar decrease row (19, [20, 21, 22, 23])
Rows 29-31: hdc along, ch 1, turn (19, [20, 21, 22, 23])
Row 32: Collar Decrease row (18, [19, 20, 21, 22])
Rows 33-42: hdc along, ch 1, turn (18, [19, 20, 21, 22])
Row 43: Collar Decrease row (17, [18, 19, 20, 21])
Rows 44-49: hdc along, ch 1, turn (17, [18, 19, 20, 21])
Sizes S and up
Rows 50-51: hdc along, ch 1, turn (-, [18, 19, 20, 21])
Sizes M and up
Rows 52-54: hdc along, ch 1, turn (-, [-, 19, 20, 21])
Size XL
Rows 55-57: hdc along, ch 1, turn (-, [-, -, -, 21])
Either finish off, then whipstitch this row to the last row of the Front left or slst this row to the last row of Front left, then finish off.
Note: it is normal that one side is bigger than the other. when you sew the pieces together, line the ends up and sew along evenly: this will give a ruffled look.
Right
Join yarn at the beginning of row 13 of Top.
Work as for Front left and Back left.
Sleeves (make 2)
All sizes
In Pink, ch 10
Row 1: sk 2, hdc 6, hdc inc, hdc inc in last st, turn so that you are working on the underside of the chain, hdc inc, 6 hdc, ch 1, turn (18)
Row 2: hdc 6, (hdc, hdc inc) x3, hdc 6, ch 1, turn (21)
Row 3: hdc 6, (2 hdc, hdc inc) x3, hdc 6, ch 1, turn (24)
Row 4 hdc 6, (3 hdc, hdc inc) x3, hdc 6, ch 1, turn (27)
Row 5: hdc 6, (4 hdc, hdc inc) x3, hdc 6, ch 1, turn (30)
Row 6: hdc 6, (5 hdc,hdc inc) x3, hdc 6, ch 1, turn (33)
Row 7: hdc 6, (6 hdc, hdc inc) x3, hdc 6, ch 1, turn (36)
Row 8: hdc 6, (7 hdc, hdc inc) x3, hdc 6, ch 1, turn (39)
Row 9: hdc 6, (8 hdc, hdc inc) x3, hdc 6, ch 1, turn (42)
Row 10: hdc 6, (9 hdc, hdc inc) x3, hdc 6, ch 1, turn (45)
Row 11: hdc 6, (10 hdc, hdc inc) x3, hdc 6, ch 1, turn (48)
Sizes S and up
Row 12: hdc 6, (11 hdc, hdc inc) x3, hdc 6, ch 1, turn (51)
Sizes M and up
Row 13: hdc 6, (12 hdc, hdc inc) x3, hdc 6, ch 1, turn (54)
Sizes L and up
Row 14: hdc 6, (13 hdc, hdc inc) x3, hdc 6, ch 1, turn (57)
Size XL
Row 15: hdc 6, (14 hdc, hdc inc) x3, hdc 6, ch 1, turn (60)
All sizes
Rows 12 [13, 14, 15, 16]-31 [33, 34, 36, 38]: hdc along, ch 1, turn (48, [51, 54, 57, 60])
Shaping the sleeve
Row 1: inc, hdc until 1 st remains, inc, ch 1, turn (50, [53, 56, 59, 62])
Row 2: hdc along, ch 1, turn (50, [53, 56, 59, 62])
Row 3: inc, hdc until 1 st remains, inc, ch 1, turn (52, [55, 58, 61, 64])
Row 4: inc, inc, hdc until 2 sts remains, inc, inc, ch 1, turn (56, [59, 62, 65, 68])
Row 5: hdc along (56, [59, 62, 65, 68])
Ch 6, [7, 7, 7, 8], and join to the first st of the previous row (of the sleeve), ch 1, turn.
Rows 6-10: hdc 62, [66, 69, 72, 76], join to first st with sl st, ch 1, turn (62, [66, 69, 72, 76])
Row 11: hdc 62, [66, 69, 72, 76], join to first st with sl st, FO
Join red yarn (or continue in pink if you prefer) and sc around along row 11, ch 1, turn.
Repeat until the red section is twice as high as the elastic is wide.
Sew the elastic into a loop, using the excess 1cm/½” as the seam allowance.
Fold the piece over the elastic and sc around, going through the stitches of the last row and the first row, creating a tube. A tutorial of how to do this is available here. FO.
Sew the sleeves to the top.
It is normal that the top is quite loose fitting at this stage. This will be resolved later.
Skirt
Join pink yarn at the middle stitch of the first row.
Size XS
Row 1: hdc up to the edge of the piece until 1 st remains, dec over the last stitch of this side and the first st of the next side,hdc along the rest of the first row (this closes the front of the dress), slst in first st, ch 1, turn (120)
Row 2: (16 dc, dc inc) around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (136)
Rows 3-4: dc around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (136)
Row 5: (7 dc, dc inc) around), slst in first st, ch 1, turn (144)
Rows 6-10: dc around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (144)
Row 12: (17 dc, dc inc) around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (152)
Rows 13-17: dc around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (152)
Row 18: (18 dc, dc inc) around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (160)
Size S
Row 1: hdc up to the edge of the piece, hdc along the rest of the first row (this closes the front of the dress), slst in first st, ch 1, turn (128)
Row 2: (15 dc, dc inc) around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (136)
Rows 3-4: dc around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (136)
Row 5: (16 dc, dc inc) around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (144)
Rows 6-10: dc around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (144)
Row 11: (17 dc, dc inc) around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (152)
Rows 12-16: dc around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (152)
Row 17: (18 dc, dc inc) around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (160)
Size M
Row 1: hdc up to the edge of the piece, slst in first st, ch 1, hdc along the rest of the first row (this closes the front of the dress), ch 1, turn (136)
Row 2: (16 dc, dc inc) around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (144)
Rows 3-4: dc around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (144)
Row 5: (8 dc, dc inc) around), slst in first st, ch 1, turn (160)
Rows 6-10: dc around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (160)
Size L
Row 1: hdc up to the edge of the piece, ch 3, hdc along the rest of the first row (this closes the front of the dress), slst in first st, ch 1, turn (144)
Row 2: (17 dc, dc inc) around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (152)
Rows 3-4: dc around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (152)
Row 5: (18 dc, dc inc) around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (160)
Size XL
Row 1: hdc inc, hdc up to the edge of the piece, ch 2, hdc along the rest of the first row (this closes the front of the dress), slst in first st, ch 1, turn (152)
Row 2: (18 dc, dc inc) around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (160)
All sizes
Row 1: (9 dc, dc inc) around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (176)
Rows 2-5: dc around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (176)
Row 6: (10 dc, dc inc) around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (192)
Rows 7-11: dc around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (192)
Row 12: (23 dc, dc inc) around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (200)
Rows 13-17: dc around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (200)
Row 18: (24 dc, dc inc) around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (208)
Rows 19-23: dc around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (208)
Row 24: (25 dc, dc inc) around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (216)
Rows 25-29: dc around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (216)
Size XS
Row 30: (26 dc, dc inc) around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (224)
Rows 31-33: dc around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (224)
FO (or continue in the same style for a longer dress).
Size S
Row 30: (26 dc, dc inc) around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (224)
Rows 31-35: dc around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (224)
FO (or continue in the same style for a longer dress).
Size M
Row 30: (26 dc, dc inc) around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (224)
Rows 31-35: dc around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (224)
Row 36: (27 dc, dc inc) around, slst to first st (232)
Row 37: dc around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (232)
FO (or continue in the same style for a longer dress).
Size L
Row 30: (26 dc, dc inc) around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (224)
Rows 31-35: dc around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (224)
Row 36: (27 dc, dc inc) around, slst to first st (232)
Rows 37-40: dc around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (232)
FO (or continue in the same style for a longer dress).
Size XL
Row 30: (26 dc, dc inc) around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (224)
Rows 31-35: dc around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (224)
Row 36: (27 dc, dc inc) around, slst to first st (232)
Rows 37-41: dc around, slst in first st, ch 1, turn (232)
FO (or continue in the same style for a longer dress).
Strawberries
Make as many as desired. (I made 54)
In red, worked in the round:
Round 1: 12 dc in MR, join with a slst (12)
Round 2: (continuing in the round) 3 dc in next st, 2 hdc, 2 sc, 3 sc in next st, 2 sc, 2 hdc, 3dc in next st, join to first st of round 1 with slst (17)
Round 3: (continuing in the round) 2 sc in each of the next 3 sts, 5 sc, 3 sc in next st, 5 sc, 2 sc in each of the next 3 sts, join to first st with slst (25)
FO with a long tail for sewing.
In green:
Join yarn at stitch #22 of the last round of the strawberry, ch 1.
sl st in next 3 sts, ch 4, starting in the second chain from the hook, sl st in each chain, then sl st to the strawberry again.
sl st into the first 3 sts of the last round of the strawberry. FO.
In white:
Embroider the seeds onto the strawberry.
Attach the strawberries to the dress. I pinned them on all at once to see how they looked and to make sure they were evenly spaced. Avoid putting them in the space between the shoulder and the sleeve, as the collar will be folded over them.
Alternate version: Cherry appliqué
If you would rather make a cherry dress, create cherry appliqués as follows then attach as for the strawberries.
For the leaves, with green yarn
Ch 8, *sc in second ch from the hook, hdc in the next ch, dc in next three ch, hdc in next ch, sc in the last ch*. Without cutting the yarn, ch 8 again and repeat * * once and sl st to the nearby chain of first leaf.
For the cherry (make 2), with red yarn:
Round 1: 7 sc in MR and sl st to the first stitch.
Round 2: 2 sc in each ch and sl st to the first sc made in this round.
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
For joining:
sl st green yarn to one end of a cherry, ch 9 and sl st the end to the middle of leaves, ch 7 and sl stc the end to other cherry.
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Finishing touches
Edging
Sc evenly around the neckline in pink.
In white, work the Edging motif (see Pattern Notes) around the neckline, starting from the middle of the back.
When you arrive at the slit down the front, work (sc, ch 2, sk 2) down and up, before continuing in Edging motif.
Join to first sc with a sl st, FO.
Join white yarn at the middle back of the hem of the skirt, work in Edging motif around the bottom of the skirt.
Ties
Using the method of your choice (ribbon, french knitting, crochet chain, leather tie…) produce a length of tie that can fit around your waist twice, with an excess of about 30cm/1 ft.
Wrap it around as so:
Then weave the cord in and out of the (sc, ch2) spaces at the front like a shoelace.
Gathering the shoulders
For a less shoulder-pad look, I gathered the shoulders to soften their shape.
Here is a diagram of where I placed the gathers on each shoulder.
The first gather begins 10cm/4” below the shoulder seam at the back, and ends 10cm/4” below the shoulder seam at the front, following the sleeve seam.
The second gather begins about 15cm/6” away from the shoulder seam, in the middle of the shoulder, and ends at the join between the shoulder seam and sleeve seam.
Here is a quick tutorial on how to gather with a needle and thread: the concept is exactly the same with yarn. Simply use a yarn needle and some pink yarn.
Collar
Repeat once for each shoulder.
With a small length of white yarn, sew the dc cluster closest to the shoulder seam to the intersection of the shoulder and sleeve seam of that same arm.
Weave in all the ends and profit!
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