Free Peplum Top Sewing Pattern for Girls (sz 3 to 14)
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I’ve got a fantastic free sewing pattern for you today! This easy pattern for a Peplum Top is designed for knit fabrics and is perfect for summer. The free peplum pattern comes in girls’ sizes 3 to 14!
Peplum Top Pattern
I can’t believe summer is nearly here. It’s time to get sewing on a few more pieces for my daughter’s spring and summer wardrobe.
The good news is, that I’m sharing a new version of this adorable Peplum Top Pattern. (The original version was just a pattern hack of my Basic T-shirt pattern.)
This full pattern comes in a girl’s size 3 to 14 and this pattern for the peplum top has a quarter sleeve and long sleeve option as well.
Why Make This Peplum Top Pattern?
- Perfect for summer – A fun twist on a basic t-shirt pattern that is perfect for warmer weather.
- Adorable – The cute peplum ruffle really dresses up a plain t-shirt and looks great with shorts or leggings. (and we all know how our littles love their leggings. Be sure to check out my free legging pattern.)
- Free Pattern – The free printable pdf in multiple sizes with 3 different sleeve length options (3 to 14).
- Easy to sew – I would consider this pattern an advanced beginner level, due to the working with knits, but there are no buttonholes, zippers, or elastic to install, just basic sewing. (You can find tips for sewing with knits below.)
Peplum Top Pattern Details
- The pattern for the peplum top is available in girls’ sizes 3 to 14. The pattern is based on my basic t-shirt pattern, so if you are like the fit of that t-shirt pattern, you will love the fun peplum ruffled bottom on this top! (My basic T-shirt Pattern has about 2 inches of wearing ease through the chest and 1.5 inches in the upper arm.)
- The pattern is designed for knit fabrics.
- Time needed to complete the top: about 2 -3 hours
- You will need about 1 7/8 yard of 58-inch wide fabric for the largest size with a long sleeve. (fabric amount chart can be found below.)
Recommended Fabrics
Good quality sturdy t-shirt knits. The peplum top pattern has plenty of ease, but you still need a bit of stretch. If you are new to sewing with knits or don’t have a serger, I recommend staying away from 4-way stretch knits
More Sewing Projects For Girls
- High Lo Top Pattern (knit fabric)
- Perfect T-shirt Dress (knit fabric)
- Tiered Pillowcase Dress (cotton or knit fabric)
- Flutter Sleeve T-shirt pattern (knit fabric)
- Flutter Sleeve Style Peasant Top
Outfit sources:
- Fabric (This particular fabric is sold out, but you can find tons of similar fabrics here.)
- Shorts (similar shorts)
- Tote bag (ok, so this is actually for me. I love that it is reversible!
- Necklace (I made it with beads from Hobby lobby and ribbon)
How Do I Get Peplum Top Pattern?
To receive the free girl’s peplum top pattern, visit the pattern page in my shop HERE. <<== click that link.
Add the pattern to your cart and navigate through the checkout process. (Takes about 15 seconds to process.) After the check-out process is complete you will receive an email with a link that downloads the pattern and directs you to the sewing instructions. (You will also see a button prompting you to download the pattern on the thank you page).
Pattern Fit Information
- Size 3: Height- 38.5 inches, Weight- 32 lbs, Finished chest: 23.125 inches
- Size 4: Height- 41.5 inches, Weight- 36 lbs, Finished chest: 23.75
- Size 5: Height- 44.5 inches, Weight- 42 lbs, Finished chest: 24.375
- Size 6: Height- 46.5 inches, Weight- 48 lbs, Finished chest: 25.75
- Size 7: Height- 51 inches, Weight- 60 lbs, Finished chest: 27.25
- Size 8: Height- 53 inches, Weight- 66 lbs, Finished chest: 28.5
- Size 10: Height- 55 inches, Weight- 74 lbs, Finished chest: 29.5
- Size 12: Height- 57.5 inches, Weight- 84 lbs, Finished chest: 30.75
- Size 14: Height- 60 inches, Weight- 96 lbs, Finished chest: 32.375
Requred Fabric Amounts
- Sizes 10 and up, using a 58-inch knit fabric needs 1 5/8 yard to sew a 3/4 sleeve or long sleeve version. 1 1/4 yard for the short sleeve version.
- All other sizes and versions, using a 54-inch fabric will need 1 1/4 yard or less.
Pin this project for later
Ready to make your own version of this Peplum Top?
Keep Reading. Or if you just want to download the pattern go here.
Pattern Notes:
Use a ⅜ inch seam allowance and ½ inch bottom and sleeve hem unless otherwise noted.
Sewing Instructions for Summer Peplum Tee
Be sure to read the pattern info, binding, and tips for sewing with knits for the best results!
To make this Peplum Top you need:
- Pattern (Download it here)
- about 1-yard stretch knit fabric (for largest size) (I used this fabric)
- Ribbed binding (usually has 50 to 70% stretch) or other stretchy knit for the neckline (you don’t want to use anything with less than 30% stretch-see notes under pattern tips and tricks)
- Ballpoint/jersey needle
- spray starch/iron
- ruler
- basic sewing supplies
Binding tips:
- The pattern for the neck binding is designed for a ribbed knit with 50 to 75% stretch with good recovery (Fabric Fairy has a lot of good quality ribbed knit choices.)
- If using a binding fabric with less stretch, you have two choices:
- Measure the neckline and cut a fabric strip 15% less than the measurement (multiply the neck measurement by .85) and follow the instructions in step 4. (This is the “in the round” method– and it never hurts to do the finger stretch test before sewing…)
- 2nd choice: The “flat” method– Sew only one shoulder closed, fold the binding in half, and attach the binding from one end of the neckline to the other. Trim excess binding and sew the other shoulder closed. (The only downside to this method is the seam will be on the side and slightly bulkier.) (Similar to what is done in this tutorial.)
Tips for sewing with knits:
- New to sewing with knits? Grab an old cotton tee and just try sewing a few stitches!
- Always use a ballpoint needle. A ballpoint needle has a rounded tip and allows the needle to move in between the thread fibers instead of piercing the thread fibers. (Which will cause holes in the fabric.)
- When sewing seams that need to stretch, be sure to use either a narrow zigzag stitch- set at a medium stitch length or many newer machines have additional stretch stitches you can use. (Refer to your manual to find out which ones your machine does.)
- It helps to loosen the needle thread tension just a tiny bit. (experiment on scraps til you find what works best on your fabric.)
- For seams that don’t need to stretch (like side seams) a regular straight stitch is fine. To keep the fabric from stretching when you sew, you can try a slightly longer stitch length and loosening the needle thread tension just a tiny bit. ALWAYS do a few practice stitches on the fabric you will be using and then make any adjustments needed.
- If you are working on a fabric that keeps curling, use fabric starch and your iron to flatten out the fabric. This technique is helpful on all knits as the starch makes it less stretchy and moves through the machine smoother.
- For hemming on knits, you have a few choices: 1. Leave the edge raw. This looks fine on casual garments. 2. Add a bound edge. (You can see examples of how adding a bound hem works here and here.) 3. Use a walking foot and hem the edge with either a zig-zag or other stretch stitch or using a twin needle. (The walking foot helps feed the material through the machine with less stretching.)
- Remember to try a slightly longer stitch length and to loosen the needle thread tension just a tiny bit!
- If your fabric is getting sucked into the machine or is still stretching, you can place a piece of thin tissue paper between the fabric and bottom feed dogs. After you are done sewing, you can gently tear the tissue paper away.
Products used and recommended in this post:
- My favorite fabric shop for knits: Funkalicious Fabrics, Fabric.com and Girl Charlee.
- My Sewing Machine: SINGER 9960 Quantum Stylist, my coverstitch: Janome Cover Pro 1000cpx
- My Serger: Brother 1034D 3 or 4 Thread Serger or you can just use Pinking Shears
- Rotary Cutter
- I love my large ruler and large cutting mat, but you may prefer to start of with a smaller Cutting set
- Dritz Dual Purpose Marking Pen and Fray Check
- Ball Point needles
- Singer walking foot or universal walking foot
- Wonder clips (I didn’t use these in the post, but they are just awesome!
How to Sew a Peplum Top
Step 1: Print And Assemble The Pattern.
Print your pattern, cut out the size needed, and tape it together.
I recommend doing a test print. Print only page 9 and check that the one-inch square is printed at one inch. Once you have confirmed your printer settings you can print the entire pattern. You can also print only the size needed. Make sure the side menu panel is open, click the icon that looks like a stack of papers, then toggle the “eyeballs” on/off for the pattern size you want to print.
Step 2: Cut fabric/pattern pieces for the peplum top.
- Cut 2 bodice pattern pieces on the fold – one front and one back.
- Cut 2 ruffle strips in the fold.
- Cut 2 sleeves on the fold
- Cut one neck binding NOT on the fold.
Step 3: Assemble the bodice and ruffle.
Line up the front and back bodice, right sides together, and sew one shoulder together with a 3/8 inch seam allowance.
Line up side seams and sew one side closed with a 3/8 inch seam allowance.
Line up ruffle strips, right sides together and sew with a 3/8 inch seam allowance.
If you plan to hem the bottom of the ruffle strip, do that now. (1/2 inch hem included in the measurements.)
Sew a gathering stitch along the top edge of the ruffle. (.25 inch from the edge.)
Gather the ruffle strip until it is the same width as the bottom of the peplum top bodice. (this is much easier to do if you sewed only one shoulder closed.)
Right sides together, line up the raw edge of the ruffle strip with the raw edge of the bodice and pin together. Sew ruffle to the bodice. (Sewing right along gathering stitch.)
Line sides of shirt back up and sew the 2nd shoulder and side. (from armscye to bottom of ruffle.)
Step 4: Add sleeves.
Hem sleeves if desired.
Fold sleeves in half, right sides together and sew along short edge.
Turn top and sleeve wrong side out. Slip sleeve into the armscye. lining up the shoulder center mark with the shoulder seam and the under arm seam with the side seam of the shirt. Pin in place and sew sleeve to top.
Step 5: Attaching neck binding to your Peplum top.
Fold binding in half (wrong sides together) and press.
(“In the round” method”) Unfold binding, sew with a 3/8 inch seam allowance and trim excess seam.
Refold binding and divide into 4 equal sections. Mark t-shirt neckline into 4 equal sections.
(Please note: I adjusted the depth of the back neckline, so your side pins my be closer to the shoulder seams.)
Line up the quarter marks as shown:
Attach the binding to the neckline with a 3/8 inch seam allowance. Stretch the binding fabric as you sew. Take care to not let the neckline fabric stretch. (Go slow and know this may take practice.)
For a more finished look, you can topstitch along the edge of the neckline.
That’s it, you are done!
Share Your Peplum Top!
Made this pattern/project?
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Feedly, Bloglovin', your favorite feed reader, or signing up via email and have new posts delivered to your email box each week!Peplum Top Pattern Sewing Instructions
This easy pattern for a Peplum Top is designed for knit fabrics and is perfect for summer. The free peplum pattern comes in girls’ sizes 3 to 14!
Materials
- Pattern
- stretch knit fabric
- Ribbed binding (usually has 50 to 70% stretch) or other stretchy knit for the neckline (you don’t want to use anything with less than 30% stretch-see notes under pattern tips and tricks)
- Ballpoint/jersey needle
- spray starch/iron
- ruler
- basic sewing supplies
Instructions
Step 1: Print And Assemble The Pattern.
- Print your pattern, cut out the size needed, and tape it together.
- I recommend doing a test print. Print only page 9 and check that the one-inch square is printed at one inch. Once you have confirmed your printer settings you can print the entire pattern. You can also print only the size needed. Make sure the side menu panel is open, click the icon that looks like a stack of papers, then toggle the “eyeballs” on/off for the pattern size you want to print.
Step 2: Cut fabric/pattern pieces for the peplum top.
- Cut 2 bodice pattern pieces on the fold - one front and one back.
- Cut 2 ruffle strips in the fold.
- Cut 2 sleeves on the fold
- Cut one neck binding NOT on the fold.
Step 3: Assemble the bodice and ruffle.
- Line up the front and back bodice, right sides together, and sew one shoulder together with a 3/8 inch seam allowance.
- Line up side seams and sew one side closed with a 3/8 inch seam allowance.
- Line up ruffle strips, right sides together and sew with a 3/8 inch seam allowance.
- If you plan to hem the bottom of the ruffle strip, do that now. (1/2 inch hem included in the measurements.)
- Sew a gathering stitch along the top edge of the ruffle. (.25 inch from the edge.)
- Gather the ruffle strip until it is the same width as the bottom of the peplum top bodice. (this is much easier to do if you sewed only one shoulder closed.)
- Right sides together, line up the raw edge of the ruffle strip with the raw edge of the bodice and pin together. Sew ruffle to the bodice. (Sewing right along gathering stitch.)
- Line sides of shirt back up and sew the 2nd shoulder and side. (from armscye to bottom of ruffle.)
Step 4: Add sleeves.
- Hem sleeves if desired.
- Fold sleeves in half, right sides together and sew along short edge.
- Turn top and sleeve wrong side out. Slip sleeve into the armscye. lining up the shoulder center mark with the shoulder seam and the underarm seam with the side seam of the shirt. Pin in place and sew sleeve to top.
Step 5: Attaching neck binding to your Peplum top.
- Fold binding in half (wrong sides together) and press.
- (“In the round” method”) Unfold binding, sew with a 3/8 inch seam allowance and trim excess seam.
- Refold binding and divide into 4 equal sections. Mark t-shirt neckline into 4 equal sections.
- (Please note: I adjusted the depth of the back neckline, so your side pins my be closer to the shoulder seams.)
- Line up the quarter marks as shown:
- Attach the binding to the neckline with a 3/8 inch seam allowance. Stretch the binding fabric as you sew. Take care to not let the neckline fabric stretch. (Go slow and know this my take practice.)
- For a more finished look, you can topstitch along the edge of the neckline.
- That's it, you are done!
