How to Sew a Tiered Peasant Dress (Free Sewing Pattern + Video )
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Learn how to sew a tiered peasant dress with this free pdf sewing pattern and tutorial. This tiered dress pattern has no buttons or zippers, so it’s a great sewing project for beginners.
This free sewing pattern is available in girl’s sizes 2 to 10.
Tiered Peasant Dress Pattern
I’ve got a great new free girls’ dress pattern to share with you today!
This new Tiered Dress Pattern is a take on my well-loved peasant dress pattern.
Pattern Details
- This new pattern is a girl’s tiered dress with a peasant-style bodice.
- The pattern is available in girls sizes 2 to 10. I didn’t go smaller than 2, just because there is a lot of fabric and I didn’t want to overwhelm the smallest toddlers and I didn’t go above size 10, just because once girls hit the age of ten, this style of dress is not really what they want. However, it would be quite easy for an intermediate sewist to size the pattern up or down if needed.
- No buttons or zippers, only 1/4 inch elastic is needed.
- Time needed: 4 to 6 hours
- You will need about 2 yards of fabric for the largest size. (fabric amount chart can be found below.)
Paper Saving Pattern Option
This pattern comes with a paper-saving option. Since the tiers are just rectangles, you can print only the bodice and sleeves (pages 1, 5, and 9.) and then cut the tiers from the dimensions I give.
However, if you plan to make more than one tiered peasant dress, using the templates/pattern for the tiers is so helpful!
What I love most about this dress is the ability to use so many different fabrics!
For my dress, I was able to pull from some of my very favorite girly fabrics! The fabric combination possibilities are endless.
Variations:
This style of dress is perfect to change up or make extra fancy. A few variations could be:
- Add a fabric tie belt (as in this modern peasant version)
- Just do one tier (or 3)
- Add a ruffle to the bottom of the dress. (To add a bottom ruffle, subtract .75 inches from the height measurement for each tier. To get the width of the fabric strip for the ruffle, multiply the measurement of your bottom tier by 1.5. Cut a fabric strip 3.5 inches tall by your width measurement.)
- Change up the sleeve finishes by leaving out the elastic or shirring the sleeve edge instead of an elastic casing. (You can see the directions for these sleeves in my peasant dress pattern.)
Next level dress for a beginner sewist.
This tiered dress is a great “step-up” project for beginners. There are no buttons or zippers to complicate the dress, but the ruffling and addition of the tiers will help increase your sewing confidence and skills. I have even provided a step-by-step video for extra help! (The video should automatically pop up in this tutorial, just close it by clicking the X, if you don’t need it.)
More Sewing Projects for Girls
How Do I Get Tiered Peasant Dress Pattern?
To receive the free tiered dress pattern, visit the pattern page in my shop HERE. <<== click that link
Add the pattern to your cart and navigate through the checkout process. (Don’t worry, this pattern is free, no payment info is asked for.) After the check-out process is complete you will receive an email with a link for the pattern and directs you to the sewing instructions. (You will also see a button prompting you to save the pattern on the thank you page).
Save this project for later here: 
Pattern Skill Level:
- Beginner/Intermediate
- The tutorial instructions include making a casing and creating/attaching ruffled tiers
Pattern Info:
- Enter your name and email to get access to the pattern. Save it to your PC, and open the PDF document in Adobe Acrobat Reader. (Don’t print directly from Google’s online version of Adobe Reader. It will sometimes cause the pattern to print too small.)
- All measurements are in inches.
- The seam allowance is 1/4 inch with a 1/2 inch bottom.
Fit Chart:
- Size Height Weight
- 2t: 34 inches 28
- 3t: 36 inches 32
- 4: 39 inches 36
- 5: 42 inches 42
- 6: 47 inches 48
- 7: 51 inches 60
- 8: 53 inches 66
- 10: 55 inches 74
Products used and recommended in this post:
- Sewing Machine: SINGER 9960 Quantum Stylist (600-Stitch Machine with Extension Table, Bonus Accessories and Hard Cover)
- 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 off with a smaller Cutting set
- Dritz Dual Purpose Marking Pen and Fray Check
- Wonder clips (I didn’t use these in the post, but they are just awesome!)
- Singer walking foot or universal walking foot
Materials Needed for the Tiered Peasant Dress:
- Pattern (add the tiered peasant dress pattern to your cart and check out <its free> and navigate back to this tutorial)
- Fabric
- 1/4 inch elastic (cut charts found in the tutorial)
- Coordinating thread
- Basic sewing supplies (scissors, paper, pen, ruler, iron)
Recommended Fabric
- medium weight quilting cotton
- cotton poplin/shirting
- medium weight knits
Fabric Amount Chart
Sewing Instructions For The Tiered Peasant Dress Tutorial
*** Important pattern printing tip*** When printing the patterns, save the pattern to your computer and open it in your Adobe Acrobat Reader. Choose the actual size and the auto portrait/landscape option. (If you use any other PDF printing program, I can’t guarantee your pattern will print to the correct size. also, printing from a mobile device might skew the size of the pattern. Be sure to confirm the pattern printed correctly by checking the 1-inch square box)
Seam allowances are 1/4 inch unless otherwise stated.
Step 1: Print Tiered Dress Pattern And Cut Pattern Pieces.
Save the pattern to your PC and open it with Adobe Acrobat Reader (not the reader in Google Docs.) Select your pattern size, choose auto landscape/portrait, scale at 100% or actual size, and print.
I recommend first printing page 1 only and checking that the one-inch square is printed at one inch. Once you have confirmed your printer settings, you can print the entire pattern.
FYI, there’s a new printing option for you! You can now print only the size needed. (For this pattern only, I’ll slowly go back and start updating the older patterns.) This function is super handy and makes it much less confusing when cutting the pattern, plus I love that it enables me to print in black and white. (Color ink can be pricey!)
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.
Paper Saving Option
If you want to print the paper-saving option, print pages 1, 5 and 9.
Cut out each block around the outer gray edge and align the gray boxes, edge to edge (don’t overlap) matching up colored circles.
Tape pattern together and cut out.
Step 2: Assembling the Bodice for the Tiered Dress.
Fold bodice fabric in half, line the pattern up along the fold of the fabric, and cut 2 bodice pieces. (one front and one back)
Repeat for the sleeve pattern pieces, cutting 2 sleeves.
Right sides together, line up the sleeve edge of the bodice with the edge of the sleeve and pin together.
Repeat for the other three sleeve edges.
Sew these seams together using a 1/4 inch seam allowance and finish the seams with your preferred seam finishing method (pinking shears zig-zag on your sewing machine or serger.)
Next, match up the sides of the bodice, right sides together, pin, and sew with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Finish these seams.
Press all your seams with an iron.
Step 3: Cutting the tiers
You can print out the tier pattern template if you wish, or to save paper you can cut your tiers with these paper-saving measurements.
Fold the first-tier fabric and cut it to specified measurements. (or use pattern)
Repeat for the second-tier fabric. Depending on the size you are making you will cut two or three strips of fabric on the fold.
Step 4: Assembling the tiers.
Line up the short sides of the tiers, right sides together pin and sew.
Finish these seams. Follow these steps for both tiers of fabric.
Step 5: Gathering the tiers.
Set your sewing machine to the longest stitch length. (Mine goes to 6.) Sew a straight stitch all the way around the top of the 1st tier, 1/4 inch from the edge. Leave the ends loose, no backstitching.
To gather the tier pull on the top thread while holding the fabric, you should see the fabric start to gather up.
Step 6: Attaching the Tiers.
Continue gathering the fabric until the first tier is the same width as the bodice. Distribute the gathers evenly along the tier.
Right sides together, line up the raw edge of the first tier with the raw edge of the bottom of the bodice. Pin together using lots of pins to hold the gathers in place.
Sew the first tier and bodice together using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, removing the pins as you sew. Finish the seam with your preferred seam finishing method.
Repeat this process for the second tier. Lining up the top of the 2nd tier with the bottom of the 1st tier.
Press the seams of the tiers flat, with the finished edges facing up. Topstitch along the tops of the tiers.
Use your seam ripper and remove any basting stitches that might be showing.
Step 7: Creating the Neck Casing for your Tiered Dress
Fold the top edge of the bodice and sleeves over 1/4 inch and press. Fold over another half inch and press again. Use pins if needed, to secure.
Stitch along the edge of the casing, a scant 1/8 inch from the folded edge. Backstitch at the beginning and end and leave a 1.5 to 2 inch opening in the casing to insert the elastic.
Cut your neckline elastic according to this guide. (Keep in mind you may want to cinch up your neckline more or less depending on how the dress is fitting:)
- 2t/3t: 17 to 20 inches
- 4/6: 19 to 20 inches
- 7: 20 to 21 inches
- 8: 21 to 22
- 10: 22 to 23
Attach a safety pin to the edge of the elastic and thread the elastic through the casing. Have your model try on your dress if possible and make any needed adjustments.
Pin the edges of the elastic together, taking care to ensure elastic is not twisted, and sew the elastic together with a wide zig-zag stitch with a short stitch length.
Step 8: Creating the Sleeve Casing
To create the sleeve casings, follow the same steps as with creating the neckline casing.
Cut two sleeve elastics to the following measurements:
- 2t/3t: 8 inches
- 4/6: 8.75 inches
- 7: 9 to 9.5 inches
- 8: 9 to 9.5 inches
- 10: 9.75 to 10
Repeat the process used for the neck casing.
Step 9: Hemming the Dress:
To hem the bottom of your tiered peasant dress, Fold the bottom edge over 1/2 inch, press, fold over another 1/2 inch press again and sew along the folded edge.
That’s it! Your tiered peasant dress is finished!
Share your Tiered Peasant Dress
Did you Make this Pattern?
Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. If you share an image on Instagram, be sure to tag me and use #scatteredmompatterns! You can also share an image to my private Facebook sewing group!
Don't miss any more posts!
Follow along on:
Feedly, Bloglovin', your favorite feed reader, or signing up via email and have new posts delivered to your email box each week!How to Sew a Tiered Peasant Dress (Free Sewing Pattern + Video )
Learn how to sew a tiered peasant dress with this free pdf sewing pattern and tutorial. This tiered dress pattern has no buttons or zippers, so It’s perfect for beginners.
Materials
- Pattern
- Fabric
- 1/4 inch elastic (cut charts found in the tutorial)
- Coordinating thread
Tools
- Basic sewing supplies (scissors, paper, pen, ruler, iron)
Instructions
Step 1: Print Tiered Dress Pattern And Cut Pattern Pieces.
- Paper Saving Option: If you want to print the paper-saving option, print pages 1, 5 and 9.
- Cut out each block around the outer gray edge and align the gray boxes, edge to edge (don’t overlap) matching up colored circles.
- Tape pattern together and cut out.
Step 2: Assembling the Bodice for the Tiered Dress.
- Fold bodice fabric in half, line the pattern up along the fold of the fabric, and cut 2 bodice pieces. (one front and one back)
- Repeat for the sleeve pattern pieces, cutting 2 sleeves.
- Right sides together, line up the sleeve edge of the bodice with the edge of the sleeve and pin together.
- Repeat for the other three sleeve edges.
- Sew these seams together using a 1/4 inch seam allowance and finish the seams with your preferred seam finishing method (pinking shears zig-zag on your sewing machine or serger.)
- Next, match up the sides of the bodice, right sides together, pin, and sew with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Finish these seams.
- Press all your seams with an iron.
Step 3: Cutting the tiers
- You can print out the tier pattern template if you wish, or to save paper you can cut your tiers with these paper-saving measurements.
- Fold the first-tier fabric and cut it to specified measurements. (or use pattern)
- Repeat for the second-tier fabric. Depending on the size you are making you will cut two or three strips of fabric on the fold.
Step 4: Assembling the tiers.
- Line up the short sides of the tiers, right sides together pin and sew.
- Finish these seams. Follow these steps for both tiers of fabric.
Step 5: Gathering the tiers.
- Set your sewing machine to the longest stitch length. (Mine goes to 6.) Sew a straight stitch all the way around the top of the 1st tier, 1/4 inch from the edge. Leave the ends loose, no backstitching.
- To gather the tier pull on the top thread while holding the fabric, you should see the fabric start to gather up.
- Continue gathering the fabric until the first tier is the same width as the bodice. Distribute the gathers evenly along the tier.
- Right sides together, line up the raw edge of the first tier with the raw edge of the bottom of the bodice. Pin together using lots of pins to hold the gathers in place.
- Sew the first tier and bodice together using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, removing the pins as you sew. Finish the seam with your preferred seam finishing method.
- Repeat this process for the second tier. Lining up the top of the 2nd tier with the bottom of the 1st tier.
- Press the seams of the tiers flat, with the finished edges facing up. Topstitch along the tops of the tiers.
- Use your seam ripper and remove any basting stitches that might be showing.
Step 6: Attaching the Tiers.
- Fold the top edge of the bodice and sleeves over 1/4 inch and press. Fold over another half inch and press again. Using pins if needed, to secure.
- Stitch along the edge of the casing, a scant 1/8 inch from the folded edge. Backstitch at the beginning and end and leave a 1.5 to 2 inch opening in the casing to insert the elastic.
- Cut your neckline elastic according to this guide. (Keep in mind you may want to cinch up your neckline more or less depending on how the dress is fitting:)
Step 7: Creating the Neck Casing for your Tiered Dress
2t/3t: 17 to 20 inches
4/6: 19 to 20 inches
7: 20 to 21 inches
8: 21 to 22
10: 22 to 23
4. Attach a safety pin to the edge of the elastic and thread the elastic through the casing. Have your model try on your dress if possible and make any needed adjustments.
5. Pin the edges of the elastic together, taking care to ensure elastic is not twisted, and sew the elastic together with a wide zig-zag stitch with a short stitch length.
Step 8: Creating the Sleeve Casing
- To create the sleeve casings, follow the same steps as when creating the neckline casing.
- Cut two sleeve elastics to the following measurements:
2t/3t: 8 inches
4/6: 8.75 inches
7: 9 to 9.5 inches
8: 9 to 9.5 inches
10: 9.75 to 10
3. Repeat the process used for the neck casing.
- To hem the bottom of your tiered peasant dress, Fold the bottom edge over 1/2 inch, press, fold over another 1/2 inch press again and sew along the folded edge.
- That’s it! Your tiered peasant dress is finished!
Step 9: Hemming the Dress:
