I have a treat lined up for y’all today: April from Wildflowers & Whimsy is sharing a tutorial for a darling dress for a little girl in your life! Love this!
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Hi! I’m April and I blog over at Wildflowers & Whimsy! I’m an OCD seamstress with more than a hint of ADD. I am addicted to ruffles, covered buttons…especially the really big ones, shirring, and anything with tulle or lace! So if I haven’t scared you off with all my crafting disorders, stop by my blog and say hi! I’d love to meet you!
I am so excited to be guest posting here today, and had no clue what to do! Then, I remembered this dress from my inspiration file and knew I had to do it!
It’s a little big for my model because it was made for my usual model (my dd) who wears a 5t, but she refused to put it on since we had company. Lucky for me though, my friends dd, who is quite a bit smaller than my Sophie, wanted to do it! This tutorial ended up a lot longer than I expected, but it is really easy despite the miles and miles of explanation, so don’t be afraid when you look at it! It doesn’t take nearly as long to make as it does to explain!
First you need to cut out all the pieces.
For the front bodice, I just traced a bodice I had from one of her favorite dresses, anything you like will do. You can use a bodice pattern you have already, whatever. If you want to use mine, you can download it here. It’s a size 5t, but you can go up or down a couple sizes by adding or subtracting about 3/8″ for each size up or down you want to go.
For the back bodice, I cut a rectangle that was her chest size (22″) x the height of the side of the front bodice plus 1/4″ for the top hem (2 3/8″ + 1/4″ = 2 5/8″). So, my back bodice piece was 22″ x 2 5/8″.
For the bottom ruffle, 4- WOF x 7″ pieces.
*For sizes larger than 5t, you may want to use 6 pieces*
For the casing, 2- 1.5″ x 12″ pieces.
For the ties, 2- WOF x 1″ pieces.
For the skirt, you will need to cut a lopsided circle skirt.
First, you will need some measurements. I am going to put the measurements I used in as an example. Here we go! These are the measurements you need:
~chest measurement (22″)
~measurement from empire waist point to hips in front and add .75 (9.75″ front skirt length)
~measurement from empire waist point in back to bottom of calf then subtract 5.75″ (13.25″ back skirt length)
Got it? Good! Now for some more fun math stuff…don’t get scared….Seriously, it’s really easy, just take it one step at a time!
divide your chest measurement by 6.28
Ex: 22/6.28 = 3.5 (this is your waist radius)
now multiply that by 2
Ex: 3.5 x 2 = 7
You still with me?? Good! Cause this is the last {math} step! Add that to the other two measurements
Ex: 7 + 9.75 + 13.25 = 30″
So, to cut your circle skirt you will need a 30″ x 30″ square of fabric. Fold it in half, then in half again, so that it’s quartered into 4 equal squares.
See how mine is now folded to make 4 – 15″ x 15″ squares…
Now you will take that last number you had…mine was 30, and divide it by two…so now I have 15. Measure from the center point of your fabric. This is the corner that has NO raw edges.
Make as many marks as you need until you can draw a nice arc…always starting your measurement from the center point.
Once you have made enough marks, draw your arch, and cut it out…
I like to pin it so it doesn’t shift around, but it’s not really necessary, but like I said…I’m a little OCD…
Once you open it back up you should have a circle. Usually for a circle skirt you would cut the hole for the waist before opening it up, but we are going to make it lopsided…
If you are working with stripes, you will want to turn the circle so that the stripes will be running opposite from the way they run on the bodice.
Now take the back length measurement, and measure in from one side…I find it easiest to use my cutting mat and line the bottom edge up with my ruler at the length I need then fold at the zero…
Like this… The short side is the front, and the longer side is the back. Make sure to line up the front and back creases so that your skirt will be even.
Now fold it in half the other way (with the “sides” together)
Now measuring from the center point, just like the first circle you cut, measure in your waist radius (3.5″ for mine), draw your arch and cut it out. Before you unfold it, mark the front & back center and sides of the bottom edge and waist edge some how…pins, fabric marker, finger press, whatever, just be sure to mark them.
Last, you will cut 2 bias strips 3″ x 24″. You only need these if you are using my bodice.
Fold your fabric like this to find your bias line… That length is pretty long usually (longer than my ruler at least), so I fold it in half.
Then, cut my strips…You’ll need to cut the points off…
Woohoo! Your dress is all cut out, and you can start construction!! (choirs of angels singing) hehe…
Start with the right bodice piece. Stack two on top of each other. You will want both RS facing front…ie when worn both RS of the fabric will be facing AWAY from the body. Stitch the center side using a 3/8″ seam allowance.
Mark the overlap point, and stack the two left sides the same as the right. Then overlap it onto the right side of the bodice. This is how they will be sewn together.
It should look like this.
Now fold your 3″ bias strips in half lengthwise and press. Then fold the raw edges inside to meet the center crease. Next, sandwich the armholes inside the bias tape; pin; edge stitch the entire length of the bias tape closed. This finishes your armholes and creates your halter straps. Now finish (serge, overcast, zigzag) the bottom and side edges of the bodice.
Next, do a narrow or rolled hem on the top edge of the back bodice piece, and finish the side and bottom edges.
Pin front and back bodice together at side seams (RS facing). Stitch, and press seam to back.
Shirr the back of the bodice, but do NOT steam until AFTER you attach the skirt. This makes the bodice and skirt just about the same size and much easier to pin together. I started shirring 3/8″ down from the top and worked my way down, shirring every 3/8″ to about 3/8″ above the bottom. You want your bottom row of shirring to be as close to where the skirt seam will be as possible.
Now with RS together, match the center front and back and sides of the skirt to the center front and back and side seams of the bodice; pin; stitch; press up and steam your shirring.
You will want to use some sort of stretch stitch here. My machine has one that looks like this, but a narrow zigzag will work just as well.
Now matching the side seams, fold the circle in half again and fan it out. Use pins to mark a spot just about where the pink “x” is (I actually did mine almost dead center…you can probably see the pin if you click on the pic to make it bigger, but I think it needs to back more like where I put the “x” Use your judgement…that’s the fun of diy right? do what you like!). Then, use a fabric marker to mark 3/4″ to either side of the pin.
Later, your casing strips will fit in between those marks like this…
Now, stitch your four bottom ruffle strips together to form a ginormous tube. Press the seams open. Do a narrow or rolled hem at the bottom. Then, run two basting stitches right next to each other along the top edge. Pin each of the seams to the center front, center back, and sides of the circle skirt. Then, pull the bobbin threads to gather the ruffle until it is evenly spaced and the same size as the circumference of the circle. Pin in place; stitch ~ making sure to leave openings where you marked off for the casings & don’t forget to reinforce where you start and stop! Finish the edges; press seam up.
Measure 3/4″ back from the side seam and lay the casing down (don’t forget to finish the edges of the casing since they will all be exposed). It should go from the bodice to the bottom of the circle skirt. Pin in place. The casing should go through the opening between the bottom ruffle and the skirt, and the circle skirt should be folded up. You should also have 1/2″ of casing fabric hanging over the edge of the circle skirt so that you can stitch it to the bottom ruffle later and close up the hole.
Start stitching right at the edge where the circle skirt is folded up. Only stitch the sides, and be very careful not to catch the bottom ruffle. After you stitch the sides, pin the 1/2″ of extra casing fabric to the 1/2″ seam allowance of the bottom ruffle and stitch in place being very careful not to catch the circle skirt.
I used a pin to hold the circle skirt up to make sure I wouldn’t catch it… Then, stitch down the center to form two channels for the ties to go up and down.
Now press your ties, the same way you did for your bias strips, and edge stitch them closed. Then, use a small safety pin to feed them up one side of the casing and down the other, and tie off the ends.
It should look like this when you are done. I do a stitch to tack the ties at the top of the casing so I don’t have to worry about it getting pulled out and possible a strangulation hazard, and I am done!
Now let your little girl can twirl to her hearts content!
Thanks so much for having me Amy!
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Thanks so much, April, for sharing this fabulous tutorial with us!
Having grown up in a home brimming with sewing notions and paintbrushes, Amy has a deep love for all things creative. On any given day, you’ll find her knee-deep in her latest creative endeavor, with projects ranging from sewing and crafts to home decor and kid-friendly ideas. Amy believes that everyone, regardless of skill level or experience, possesses the ability to create something beautiful, and Positively Splendid was born of her passion for helping others harness their innate creative potential.
That is adorable! I wish I was good enough to sew an item of clothing without a pattern. That is just too cute!
~~Steph from My Crafty Life
I LOVE IT!! I still need to get my machine set up upstairs and when I do THIS IS ON THE LIST! Pinning it to PINTEREST! THANKS SO MUCH!! I love it! My daughter will go banana’s over it!
What an adorable dress! Your model looks like she really enjoyed it.
What a BEAUTIFUL project! I love how princessy it looks while being made of something so everyday-appropirate! I have to add this to my gigantic pile of projects I like to tell myself I’ll make some day, I just KNOW my daughter would go just CRAZY for it!
This is amazingly adorable!! For reals! XOXO
HI, I saw a picture for this tutorial on Pinterest but I just wanted to let you know that the pictures can no longer be viewed. They just have a triangle with an exclamation mark in it.
I would love to be able to see the tutorial in its entirety. Thanks so much!