Crochet Ruffle Mini Skirt: Easy Vibrant Pattern to Make

A crochet ruffle mini skirt is a ribbed waistband with three gathered tiers hanging from it, and it is worked in the round from the top down with only chain, single, half double and double crochet. One popular page quotes the yarn for this style as a mix of grams and metres, which cannot be read. We use grams, as the designer does: 300 to 500 g in two colours, and we turn that into yards below so you can shop with confidence.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: a finished pink skirt with three magenta and pink ruffled tiers and a small bow, laid flat — The finished crochet ruffle mini skirt: a vibrant two-colour skirt with a pink body, magenta and pink tiers and a ruffled edge on every tier.

What makes this crochet ruffle mini skirt work: the tiers are made by working three double crochet into one stitch and one double crochet into the next, which doubles the stitch count and forces the fabric to ripple. Every tier hangs from the front loops of a round, and the back loops are saved for a short inner band that carries the next tier. The photos below follow each of the 20 steps.

The counts in this pattern come from the designer’s spoken instructions. No stitch counts are printed anywhere, so the stitch totals, the size table and the stitch multiple are our own arithmetic and are marked as ours. We did not make this skirt.

Crochet Ruffle Mini Skirt Pattern at a Glance
Yarn and Hooks for a Crochet Ruffle Mini Skirt
Sizing a Crochet Ruffle Mini Skirt From Your Waist
Crochet Ruffle Mini Skirt Waistband: Steps 1 to 5
Crochet Ruffle Mini Skirt Body and Tiers: Steps 6 to 15
Crochet Ruffle Mini Skirt Edging and Bow: Steps 16 to 20
Where a Crochet Ruffle Mini Skirt Goes Wrong
Free Ruffle Skirt Patterns to Compare
Crochet Ruffle Mini Skirt FAQ
More Crochet Pieces to Pair With a Ruffle Skirt

Crochet Ruffle Mini Skirt Pattern at a Glance

The crochet ruffle mini skirt has four parts: a flat ribbed band that is seamed into a ring, a plain body of alternating rounds, three ruffled tiers separated by short inner bands, and a small edging on each tier. Here is the short version before the photos.

Part	What you work	Count in the sample
Waistband	Chain 10, single crochet in the back loops, seam into a ring	Waist measurement minus 2 in, 9 stitches wide
Body	Alternate a half double crochet round with a single crochet round	13 rounds, the last one a half double crochet
Tier	Front loops only: chain 2, 3 double crochet in one stitch, 1 double crochet in the next, then double crochet in every stitch	5 rounds
Inner band	Double crochet in the back loops that the tier left free	4 rounds, one fewer than the tier
Number of tiers	Repeat tier and inner band; the last tier is worked in both loops	3 tiers
Edging	Single crochet, chain 1, single crochet in each stitch	On all three tiers

Stitch multiple: the round that carries a tier must have an even number of stitches, so a multiple of 2. The tier repeats over two stitches (3 double crochet, then 1 double crochet), so an odd count leaves one stitch over. The designer does not state this, so it is our arithmetic. Count the stitches of your body round before the first tier.

Stitches used: chain (ch), slip stitch (sl st), single crochet (sc), half double crochet (hdc) and double crochet (dc). A chain 2 at the start of a tier round stands in for the first double crochet.

Yarn and Hooks for a Crochet Ruffle Mini Skirt

The designer asks for two colours of any yarn, about 300 to 500 g in all for a mini length, and three hooks that climb by half a millimetre: 4.0 mm for the waistband, body and edging, 4.5 mm for the ruffle tiers and 5.0 mm for the inner bands. The designer says to choose hooks to suit your yarn, because the pattern is based on measurements, not on a gauge.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: a small blue and pink sample skirt with two ruffled tiers held in both hands — A small sample of the crochet ruffle mini skirt that shows how the tiers sit on the body.

A correction worth knowing: no yarn weight is given, but the hooks tell us what to buy. The Craft Yarn Council crochet range is 3.5 to 4.5 mm for category 2 (sport) and 4.5 to 5.5 mm for category 3 (light or DK), so a sport or DK yarn suits a 4.0 mm body hook. The 4.5 and 5.0 mm hooks then open up the tiers and inner bands.

Turning grams into yards is our arithmetic. One sport yarn we checked, WeCrochet Comfy Sport, is 136 yd per 50 g, which is 2.72 yd per gram, so 300 to 500 g is about 816 to 1,360 yd. That agrees with the one free tiered ruffle skirt we found that prints yardage, which runs from 480 yd in its smallest size to 1,380 yd in its largest in DK yarn.

Pattern	Yarn	Hook	Yarn amount on the page
This crochet ruffle mini skirt	Any yarn, two colours	4.0, 4.5 and 5.0 mm	300 to 500 g, no yardage
Convertible Ruffled Skirt	Stylecraft Special DK	4.5 mm	480 yd to 1,380 yd across 9 sizes
Ruffled Crochet Skirt, Make Any Size	Worsted, brand not stated	6.5 mm	Not given
Crochet Ruffle Skirt, Adjustable	Red Heart Soft Touch and Boutique Sashay	5.0 mm body, 6.0 mm ruffles	One ball of each in a child size
Crocheted Ruffle Skirt	Worsted, brand not stated	5.0 mm	4 skeins in a child size, no yardage
Francesca skirt (mini, no ruffles)	WeCrochet Comfy Sport	4.0 mm	432 yd in XS to 757 yd in XL

Four of these pages give no total yardage, so we say so rather than estimate. One of them pairs worsted yarn with a 5.0 mm hook, which is below the Craft Yarn Council range of 5.5 to 6.5 mm for medium (category 4) yarn. That may be a deliberate choice for a firmer fabric, so confirm it on the designer’s page before you buy.

Sizing a Crochet Ruffle Mini Skirt From Your Waist

The only measurement you need for this crochet ruffle mini skirt is your waist. Wrap a tape measure around it and subtract 2 in. That result is the length of the ribbed waistband before it is seamed. The designer’s waist is 27 in, so the band is worked to 25 in and stretches back to about 27 in when it is worn.

Size	Waist in the Craft Yarn Council chart (in)	Work the band to (in)
XS	23 to 24	21 to 22
S	25 to 26.5	23 to 24.5
M	28 to 30	26 to 28
L	32 to 34	30 to 32
XL	36 to 38	34 to 36

How to read it: find your waist in the middle column and work the ribbing to the length in the last column. The last column is our arithmetic (waist minus 2 in) and was not tested. The designer’s own 27 in waist falls between S and M in this chart. Measure the finished band against your waist after seaming, as the ribbing stretches more with some yarns than others.

The designer gives no hip measurement or skirt length. Length is set by the number of rounds, so try the work on after the body and before the first tier, and add or remove body rounds if you want it shorter or longer.

Crochet Ruffle Mini Skirt Waistband: Steps 1 to 5

Step 1: Chain 10 for the waistband

Make a slip knot with your first colour and a 4.0 mm hook, then chain 10. The waistband is a flat strip worked from side to side, so this chain is the width of the band, not its length.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: a chain of 10 stitches hanging from a hook beside a ball of pink yarn — Step 1 of the crochet ruffle mini skirt: ten chains make a strip about as wide as a finger.

Step 2: Single crochet in the back bumps

Turn the chain over and look for the raised bumps on the back. Work a single crochet into the second bump from the hook and then into every bump along the chain. You should finish with 9 single crochet. Chain 1, tighten it so it is not mistaken for a stitch, and turn.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: a row of single crochet worked into the back bumps of the starting chain — Step 2: the back bumps give the ribbing its neat raised edge.

Step 3: Rib rows in the back loop only

Single crochet in the back loop of every stitch, chain 1 and turn, and keep going. The back loops create the ribbing. Measure now and then and stop when the strip equals your waist minus 2 in. The designer stopped at 25 in.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: a long ribbed strip of single crochet held in one hand while the other hand works the hook — Step 3: a long ribbed strip, worked only in back loops.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: a finished ribbed waistband strip laid flat showing the vertical ribs — The ribbed band at full length, ready to be joined into a ring.

Step 4: Seam the ends into a ring

Fold the strip so the two short ends meet. Take the hook out of the loop and work only into the single outer loop of each end. Put the hook through the outer loop of one side, the outer loop of the other side and the loop you removed, so three loops are on the hook, then yarn over and pull through all three. Repeat along the seam. The designer likes this seamless join.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: slip stitching the two ends of the ribbed waistband together through the outer loops — Step 4: slip stitches through the outer loops close the ring with no bulky seam.

Turn the ring to the front, chain 1 and cut the yarn.

Step 5: A round of single crochet in the second colour

Join the second colour at the same spot with a 4.0 mm hook and chain 1. Work one single crochet in each row-end space around the band. Be careful never to put two single crochet into the same space, because that would add stitches and widen the band. Slip stitch to join, chain 1 and cut.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: a round of single crochet in the second colour worked along the edge of the waistband — Step 5: one single crochet for every row end; this round sets the stitch count for the whole skirt.

Crochet Ruffle Mini Skirt Body and Tiers: Steps 6 to 15

Step 6: Alternate half double crochet and single crochet rounds

Rejoin the first colour in the same space, chain 1 and work one round of half double crochet. Turn, and work one round of single crochet. Do not stitch into the very first stitch after turning, because that adds a stitch. Skip it, work in the next one and join each round with a slip stitch in the second stitch.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: rounds of half double and single crochet forming the plain body of the skirt — Step 6: the body is a plain stripe of rounds, hdc then sc, turning each time.

Step 7: Choose the length and finish with a half double crochet round

The designer made 13 rounds in the first colour for a short skirt. Make as many as you like, but end on a half double crochet round. Then switch to a hook half a millimetre bigger, 4.5 mm, and work one last round of single crochet in the second colour. Join, chain 1 and cut. The plain part of the skirt is done.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: a flat panel of the skirt body with a stripe of the second colour near the waistband — Step 7: the body panel with its colour line; count the stitches of the last round before you go on.

Step 8: Start the first tier in the front loops only

Pick up the first colour and your 4.5 mm hook. Insert the hook into the front loop only of the same space where you cut the yarn, pull up the yarn and chain 2. From here to the end of the tier, work through the front loop only on the first round. The back loops stay free for the inner band.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: the hook entering the front loop only of the last round to begin the first ruffle tier — Step 8: front loop only, never both loops, for the first round of a tier.

Step 9: Three double crochet, then one double crochet

The chain 2 counts as the first double crochet, so work two more double crochet into the same space to make three. In the next stitch work one double crochet. Repeat that pair, three in one stitch and one in the next, around the whole round. This doubles the stitch count and is what makes the ruffle. Slip stitch into the top of the chain 2.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: three double crochet worked in one stitch followed by one double crochet in the next to start the ruffle — Step 9: the 3 dc and 1 dc repeat is the only increase in the crochet ruffle mini skirt.

Step 10: Four plain rounds finish the tier

Chain 2 and work one double crochet in each stitch, without turning, and join with a slip stitch. Do four of these rounds, so the tier has 5 rounds including the increase round. The designer chose 5; more rounds make a taller ruffle. Chain 1 and cut.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: the first ruffle tier of the skirt hanging below the body, finished — Step 10: the first tier done, hanging from the front loops.

Step 11: Work the inner band in the back loops

Take the second colour and a 5.0 mm hook, a further half millimetre up. Insert it into the back loops that the first tier left free, chain 2 and work one double crochet in every back loop, joining each round. Make 4 rounds. This inner band must be one round shorter than the tier you just made. If your tier has 7 rounds, make 6.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: double crochet worked into the free back loops to form the inner band under the first ruffle — Step 11: the inner band sits under the tier and is deliberately one round shorter.

Step 12: Start the second tier in the front loops

Go back to the first colour and the 4.5 mm hook. Chain 2 and, in the front loops of the last inner round, work 3 dc in one stitch and 1 dc in the next, all the way round. Then do 4 plain rounds of one double crochet per stitch, just like the first tier. The tier count is the same so the two tiers match.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: the first colour joining the front loops to start the second ruffle tier — Step 12: the second tier starts in the front loops of the inner band.

Step 13: Finish the second tier

Check that the second tier has 5 rounds, join, chain 1 and cut. Because a third tier is coming, you worked the first round of this tier in the front loops only, so the back loops are ready for the next inner band.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: the second ruffle tier finished and hanging over the inner band — Step 13: two tiers done and a deep wave in the skirt.

Step 14: Work the second inner band

Pick up the second colour and the 5.0 mm hook and work the free back loops of the second tier with a double crochet in each stitch for 4 rounds, as in step 11. This band holds the third tier.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: the second inner band in the second colour worked in the free back loops of the second tier — Step 14: the second inner band, again four rounds.

Step 15: Make the last tier in both loops

Back to the first colour and the 4.5 mm hook, repeat the 3 dc and 1 dc round and then four plain rounds. Because no inner band follows, you may work this last tier through both loops. The designer says that with four or five tiers, every tier except the last should stay in the front loops. We made no extra tiers, so we cannot say how a fourth looks.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: the third ruffle tier worked through both loops at the hem of the skirt — Step 15: the last tier, worked in both loops because nothing hangs below it.

How many stitches that is (our arithmetic): if the round that carries the first tier has N stitches, the body takes 14N stitches, the three tiers and two inner bands take 38N double crochet and the edging takes 12N single crochet. That is 64N below the band, and 50N of them, about 78 percent, sit in the tiers and their edging. The table shows three sample counts.

Stitches in your body round (N)	Body stitches (14N)	Tier and inner band double crochet (38N)	Edging single crochet (12N)
80	1,120	3,040	960
100	1,400	3,800	1,200
120	1,680	4,560	1,440

How to use it: count your own N and you know how much work is ahead. The numbers are our sums from the counts above (13 body rounds plus the closing round, five-round tiers, four-round inner bands, a doubling round, two single crochet per stitch on the edge). They are not a yarn estimate.

Crochet Ruffle Mini Skirt Edging and Bow: Steps 16 to 20

Step 16: Edge the first tier

Go back to the 4.0 mm hook and the second colour. Join to the edge of a tier, chain 1, and in each stitch work one single crochet, chain 1, one single crochet into the same stitch. This tiny scallop gives the skirt its frilly rim. Slip stitch into the first chain 1 to close the round.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: single crochet, chain one, single crochet worked in every stitch along the edge of a tier — Step 16: (sc, ch 1, sc) in every stitch.

Step 17: Edge the second tier

Do exactly the same on the second tier: join the second colour, chain 1, then one single crochet, chain 1, one single crochet in each stitch.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: the second tier being edged with the same single crochet and chain one scallop — Step 17: the same edging on the middle tier.

Step 18: Edge the third tier and check

Edge the last tier the same way. The skirt looks plain without the edging and a lot more finished with it. Lay the skirt flat and make sure all three tiers are edged evenly.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: all three ruffle tiers edged with a magenta scallop — Step 18: all three tiers edged.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: the finished mini skirt held up by both hands before the bow is added — The skirt before the bow: a ribbed waistband above three edged tiers.

Step 19: Make and sew on the bow

The bow is optional. Make an i-cord, or just chain about 10 in, tie it into a bow and sew it to the middle of the skirt. To find the middle, fold the back in half and mark the centre with a stitch marker or a needle. Sew the bow there with a darning needle.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: sewing a small chain bow to the centre of the waistband with a darning needle — Step 19: sew the bow to the centre of the band.

Step 20: Weave in the ends

Weave in every end with a darning needle, working the tails into the back of the matching colour, and the crochet ruffle mini skirt is finished.

crochet ruffle mini skirt: the finished crochet skirt with a small bow at the waist, three edged tiers below — Step 20: the finished crochet ruffle mini skirt with its bow.

Where a Crochet Ruffle Mini Skirt Goes Wrong

Both loops instead of the front loop only. The first round of every tier must go in the front loops only, unless it is the last tier. If you work both loops, the back loops disappear and there is nowhere to hang the next inner band. Check each tier before you move on.

An inner band as tall as the tier. The designer warns that the inner band must be one round shorter than the tier, for example 4 rounds under a 5 round tier. If they match, the tiers cover each other and the ripples vanish into a stiff skirt.

Two stitches in one space on the waistband round. Putting two single crochet in the same row-end space adds stitches and widens the band. The designer made this mistake and saw it at once. After the round, count your stitches and check that the number is even before you start a tier.

Wrong hook for the step. The three hooks matter: 4.0 mm for the body, 4.5 mm for the tiers and 5.0 mm for the inner bands. A hook that is too small makes the tier stiff and flat, and one that is too large makes the band droop.

Free Ruffle Skirt Patterns to Compare

If you want a different shape, four other free ruffle skirts are worth a look. The Convertible Ruffled Skirt from Fosbas Designs is sized by hip from 35 to 49 in, has a detachable ruffle and prints yardage for all nine sizes. The Ruffled Crochet Skirt from Hectanooga Patterns is also sized by hip, from 34 to 50 in, and makes the number of ruffle rows your choice.

The Adjustable Ruffle Skirt from Dearest Debi works the chain out from your waist in inches and uses a ruffle yarn for the flounce. The Crocheted Ruffle Skirt from Meladora’s Creations is based on a multiple of 3 and is written for a child, with adult sizing left to you. None of them has three stitched tiers like this one.

For a plain mini length without ruffles, the Francesca skirt from HanJan Crochet prints a size table and yardage of 432 to 757 yd from XS to XL, and its mini length is 15.75 in. We use it only as a yardage benchmark.

Crochet Ruffle Mini Skirt FAQ

Is a crochet ruffle mini skirt good for beginners?

Yes. The crochet ruffle mini skirt uses chain, slip stitch, single, half double and double crochet only. The designer calls it beginner friendly and says you need only basic stitches. The two parts that need care are working in the front loops only and keeping the inner band one round short.

How do I size a crochet ruffle mini skirt?

Measure your waist and subtract 2 in. Work the ribbed band to that length, seam it into a ring and it will stretch back to about your waist. Use the table above as a guide, and check the length against your waist after seaming.

How much yarn does a crochet ruffle mini skirt need?

The designer uses about 300 to 500 g of yarn in two colours for a mini length. At the sport yarn rate we calculated, that is about 816 to 1,360 yd. The one free tiered ruffle skirt with yardage runs from 480 to 1,380 yd in DK, depending on the hip size.

How many tiers can a crochet ruffle mini skirt have?

The sample has three. The designer says you can make four or five, and that every tier except the last must start in the front loops so the back loops stay free for the next inner band.

Does a crochet ruffle mini skirt need elastic?

The ribbed waistband does the job here, and the designer adds no elastic. One other free ruffle skirt says to sew in 1/4 in elastic only if the waistband turns out loose. Seam your band and try it on before you decide.

How do I make a crochet ruffle mini skirt longer or shorter?

Change the number of body rounds. The sample has 13, ending on a half double crochet round. You can also add rounds to each tier, but keep the inner band one round shorter than the tier.

More Crochet Pieces to Pair With a Ruffle Skirt

A skirt needs something to go with it. Our crochet pullover sweater pattern is worked in six sizes, the crochet vest pattern and scalloped crochet vest add a layer, and the crochet shorts page covers the other half of a summer set. For cold days, try the crochet leg warmers. Browse all crochet clothes for more.

Sources and standards: sizes from the Craft Yarn Council women chart; hook ranges from the Craft Yarn Council yarn weight system; comparison patterns from Fosbas Designs, Hectanooga Patterns, Dearest Debi, Meladora’s Creations and HanJan Crochet.

Pattern credit: this ruffle skirt design comes from the crochet channel Ttyz Official.