How to Sew a Tiered Pillowcase Dress (includes free bodice pattern)

Skill level: Beginner-friendly 

Time needed: 2 to 4 hours (the ruffling and pinning of the tiers takes the longest)

Fits sizes: The tutorial includes tier measurements to fit a 2 to 8-year-old.  If you want to make a slightly larger dress, just add an inch or so from each tier for a longer/shorter dress.

Sewing Instructions for the Tiered Pillowcase Dress Tutorial

Materials needed:

• Pattern (free pillowcase bodice pattern here)  (add the pattern to your cart and check out <its free> and navigate back to this tutorial)
• Fabric: (amount listed below is based on 42-inch wide fabric and will make up to a size 8 dress.)
• 1/4 yard for the bodice, 5/8 yard for the 2nd tier, 3/4 yard for the 3rd tier, 1/8 yard for the tie)
• +/-28 inches of coordinating single fold bias tape
• coordinating thread
• Basic sewing supplies (scissors, paper, pen, ruler, iron)

 *** Important pattern printing tip***  When printing the patterns, download the pattern to your computer and open it in your adobe acrobat reader.  Choose 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.)

Seam allowances are 3/8 inch unless otherwise stated.

Step 1:  Print bodice pattern and cut pattern pieces.

Print, cut out and assemble the pattern.  (Ignore the contrasting fabric cut line on the printed pattern- that is for the polished pillowcase tutorial.)

Fold bodice fabric in half, put the long side on the fabric fold and cut 2 pieces for the bodice.

Cut the two tiers:

Middle tier: fold fabric in half fabric in half.  The middle tier measurement is:

• 2/3: 13.5 inches wide by 7.5 inches tall.  (Cut 2 on the fold, and when you open it, your fabric pieces will be 27 inches wide.)
• 4/5: 13.5 inches wide by 8.5 inches tall.
• 6: 13.5 inches wide by 9.5 inches tall.
• 7/8:  13.5 wide by 10.5 tall

Bottom tier, fold the fabric in half and cut 2 pieces:

• 2/3:  21 1/4  inches wide and 91/4 tall.  (you will have 2 pieces 42.5 wide)
• 4/5: 21 1/4  inches wide and 10 1/4 tall.
• 6:  21 1/4  inches wide and 11 1/4 tall.
• 7/8:  21 1/4  inches wide and 12 1/4 tall.

Fabric ties:

Cut fabric pieces to 3.5 inches tall by 62 inches wide.  Depending on your fabric width, you will probably have to sew 2 pieces together.  (I had to piece together scraps for mine, so I sewed together 4 pieces to get the length I needed.)

Here is what you will have.  (ties not shown)

Step 2:  Assembling bodice and finishing armholes.

Right sides together, sew up the side seams of the bodice.  All seam allowances are 3/8 of an inch.

Finish the seams with your preferred method. (Pinking shears, serger, or zig-zag stitch on your sewing machine.)  Press the seams flat.

I like to finish my armholes with single fold bias tape, so I am going to show you how to use it.

Cut 2 pieces of single fold bias tape 13 1/2 inches long each.  Turn fabric right side out and open bias tape up.  Align the edge of the bias tape up with the edge of the armhole like this:

Pin securely.

Sew along the crease removing pins as you go.  Do the same for the second armhole.

Fold bias tape over to the inside of the bodice, iron down and sew.

Step 3: Create the casing for the tiered pillowcase dress.

Trim away any uneven bias tape.  Fold the top edge over 1/4 inch and press.  Fold over one more inch and press again.  Sew as close to the folded edge as you can, creating about a 1 inch casing.  This is where the tie will go.

Step 4:  Assemble boddice and add tiers to dress.

Sew the short sides of the 2nd tier together to make a circle and finish the seam edges.  Do this for the 3rd tier as well.  Press the seams of the tiered pillowcase dress.

Time to gather the tiers.  Set your sewing machine to the longest stitch length.  (Mine goes to 7.)  Sew a straight stitch all the way around, 1/4 inch from the edge.  Leave the ends loose, no backstitching.  Do this on both tiers.  Go ahead and move the stitch length back to the normal length.

To gather the tier pull on the top thread while holding the fabric, you should see the fabric start to gather up.

Gather the 2nd tier to approximately 16 inches.  (That is how wide the bottom of the bodice is.)

Gather the 3rd tier to about 23 inches.

Hold the 2nd tier to the bottom of the bodice and make any adjustments in the width of the gather.

Then, right sides of the fabric together, match up the side seams, and pin the gathered part of the 2nd tier to the bottom of the bodice.

When you are done it will look like this:

Place the gathered edge under your sewing foot and sew just to the left of the gathering stitch.  (When I sew gathers, I usually leave my pins in, but if you opt to leave the pins in, take care as you are risking broken needles and pins.)

Remove the pins and finish the seams.

Repeat for the third tier, lining up the bottom of the 2nd tier to the gathered edge of the 3rd tier.  This takes a while…  sorry!

Step 5:  Create the tie for your dress

Fold the fabric in half lengthwise and iron.

Then open up and fold both edges to the middle crease and iron.

Then fold in half and iron again.

Sew along all the edges.

Step 6: Hem the bottom of your last tier.  

Fold the bottom edge over 1/4 inch and press, then fold over another 1/4 inch and press again.  Pin if needed and sew along the edge.

Using a safety pin, pull the tie through the bodice casing.

Now sit back and admire your work!

It is even more satisfying to find a sweet little princess to model your outfit…