Capture a sweet, vintage charm with this adorable Nautical Ruffle Collar Romper! Featuring an airy, lacy white bloomer body and a contrasting sky-blue yoke that extends into a dramatic ruffle collar, this garment is perfect for warm weather. The button placket and neat blue edging complete the nautical look.
This pattern is designed for the 6-12 Month size and is for the Advanced Intermediate crocheter due to the shaping required for the collar and the bloomer legs.
Materials Needed 🧶
- Yarn: Approximately 350-400 yards of DK Weight (Light Worsted / #3) yarn. Cotton or a cotton blend will give the best drape and definition for the lace.
- Main Color (MC): Approx. 250-300 yards (Snow White for the Body)
- Contrast Color (CC): Approx. 100 yards (Sky Blue for the Yoke/Collar)
- Crochet Hook: 4.0 mm (US G-6), or the size needed to obtain gauge.
- Buttons: 3 small (1/2 inch) matching buttons (preferably white or light blue).
- Tapestry Needle: For seaming and weaving in ends.
Skill Level & Notes 💡
- Skill Level: Advanced Intermediate. Requires knowledge of shell stitch repeats, short row shaping, working in the round, and creating a button placket and collar.
- Construction: The bloomer is worked in the round from the waist down. The yoke is worked flat across the waist and then the collar is shaped.
- Skirt Repeat: The Large Shell Stitch pattern requires a stitch count that is a multiple of 6 stitches.
- Chains: The starting chain (ch 3) at the beginning of DC rounds always counts as the first DC unless noted otherwise.
Gauge 📏
In Large Shell Stitch (LSS) using a 4.0 mm hook: One LSS shell and 2 sc = 2 inches wide. 4 rounds of LSS = 2 inches high.
Abbreviations 📚
| Abbreviation | Description |
| ch | chain |
| sl st | slip stitch |
| sc | single crochet |
| hdc | half double crochet |
| dc | double crochet |
| st(s) | stitch(es) |
| rep | repeat |
| sk | skip |
| LSS | Large Shell Stitch |
Export to Sheets
Special Stitch ✨
Large Shell Stitch (LSS)
This stitch creates the open, lacy body texture.
- LSS: (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) all worked into the same stitch or space.
Part 1: The Bloomer Body (MC – Snow White) 👖
We begin at the waist and work down.
Foundation Row (Waistband): Ch 84. Sl st to the first ch to join. (84 sts)
- Note: 84 is a multiple of 6 for the LSS.
Rnd 1 (Setup): Ch 1. Sc in each st around. Sl st to join. (84 sc)
Rnd 2 (LSS Row): Ch 3 (counts as dc). Dc in the same st. [Sk 2 sts, sc in the next st, sk 2 sts, LSS (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in the next st] rep around. After the last sc, sl st to the top of the beg ch-3. (14 LSS shells)
Rnd 3: Ch 1. Sc in the center of the first LSS (ch-1 sp). [LSS in the next sc, sc in the ch-1 sp of the next LSS] rep around. Sl st to the beg sc.
Rnds 4-10: Repeat Rnd 3.
Rnd 11 (Crotch Split): Ch 1. Sc in the center of the first LSS. LSS in the next sc. Rep [sc in LSS center, LSS in sc] 5 times. Ch 4 (crossover chain). Leave remaining 7 LSS and 7 sc unworked. Sl st to the beg sc to join Leg 1.
Leg 1: Rnd 12: Ch 1. Sc in the LSS center. [LSS in sc, sc in LSS center] 6 times. Work 4 sc into the ch-4 crossover chain. Sl st to join. (Approx. 34 sts)
Rnds 13-16: Ch 1. Sc in the LSS center. [LSS in sc, sc in LSS center] rep around, decreasing 2 sc evenly across the under-crossover section on Rnd 13. Sl st to join.
Leg 1 Cuff (CC – Blue): Attach CC. Ch 1, sc in each st around. Sl st to join. Ch 1, sl st in each st around (creates neat roll/edge). Fasten off.
Leg 2: Attach MC to the first unworked st on Rnd 11. Repeat Rnds 12-16 and Leg 1 Cuff instructions for Leg 2. Fasten off.
Part 2: The Yoke (CC – Sky Blue) 👚
Work flat on the original Foundation Row (Waistband). This forms the front placket and back neck.
Row 1 (HDC): Attach CC to the 10th st from the joining seam. Ch 2 (counts as hdc). Hdc in the next 64 sts. Leave remaining sts unworked. (65 hdc)
Rows 2-6 (HDC Body): Ch 2, turn. Hdc in each st across. (65 hdc)
Row 7 (Buttonhole Row): Ch 2, turn. Hdc in the next 3 sts. [Ch 2, sk 2 sts, hdc in the next 10 sts] 2 times. Ch 2, sk 2 sts, hdc in the last 4 sts. (3 buttonholes created.)
Row 8: Ch 2, turn. Hdc in each st and 2 hdc in each ch-2 sp across. (65 hdc)
Part 3: The Ruffle Collar (CC – Sky Blue) 👑
The collar is an extension of the yoke, worked flat, focusing on the two outer thirds of the row.
Row 9 (Collar Shaping): Ch 2, turn. Hdc in the next 20 sts (Right Shoulder/Collar). Leave center sts unworked. Join CC to the 22nd st from the end. Ch 2, hdc in the next 20 sts (Left Shoulder/Collar). (40 hdc total, 2 sections)
Row 10 (Increase): Ch 2, turn. [2 hdc in the first st, hdc in the next 2 sts] rep across the 20 sts. Work 3 sc into the first hdc of the unworked center section (for stability). Work 3 sc into the last hdc of the unworked center section. Rep [2 hdc in the first st, hdc in the next 2 sts] across the next 20 sts. (Approx. 52 hdc, 6 sc)
Row 11 (Ruffle Prep): Ch 2, turn. Hdc in the next 26 hdc. Dc in the next 6 sc (center back). Hdc in the last 26 hdc.
Row 12 (Final Ruffle – CC): Ch 2, turn. Dc in each st across. Fasten off CC.
Part 4: Finishing and Edging 🎀
A. Collar Scallop (CC and MC)
- Attach MC (White) to the corner of the collar. Ch 1. Work sc evenly around the entire outside edge of the collar. Sl st to join.
- Scallop Edge (MC): Ch 1. Sc in the first st. [Sk 1 st, 5 dc in the next st (Small Shell), sk 1 st, sc in the next st] rep around the entire collar edge. Sl st to join.
- Inner Neck Edge (CC): Attach CC to the inner neckline. Work 1 round of sc evenly around. Sl st to join and fasten off.
B. Button Placket and Seam:
- Using the final tail, seam the remaining yoke center section at the back, leaving the top 5 rows open for the button placket.
Video Tutorial:
Assembly and Final Touches 🫧
- Sew Buttons: Sew the 3 small buttons onto the back placket, aligning them with the buttonholes created in Row 7.
- Weave in all ends securely.
- Blocking: Gently wet or steam block the romper. Pin the bloomer legs to open the lace, and pin the collar out flat and round to set the ruffle and shape.
Your beautiful Nautical Ruffle Collar Romper is complete! The classic combination of blue and white is instantly charming.
