Knit Nightgown Pattern and Tutorial (sz 3 to 16)

Save the sewing instructions by pinning here ==>> 

Return to the Pattern Info/Photo Styling Page. (page 1.)

Return to pattern download page.  

Tips for sewing with knits:

• Use a ballpoint/stretch needle
• Sew seams with either a serger, stretch stitch,  narrow zig zag or a straight stitch with a longer stitch length and a slightly loosened tension. (Make a couple of practice stitches on your fabric to see what works best.) I also like to use this “lightning bolt” stretch stitch on seams that need strength but a little give. (For my project I used a combination of straight stitch and serger for seams and zig zag on the hems.)
• Use spray starch when pressing hems.  Sew hems with a zig zag, twin ball point needle, narrow zig zag with a long stitch length or a straight stitch with a long stitch length and a slightly loosened tension or leave raw. (also helps to use a walking foot.)
• If you find your fabric keeps getting pulled inside the needle plate, place a small piece of tissue underneath the fabric so the feed dogs have something to grip.

Binding tips:

• The pattern for the neck binding is designed for a ribbed knit with a minimum of 75% stretch with good recovery (Fabric Fairy has a lot of good quality ribbed knit choices.) If using a binding fabric with less stretch,  Measure the neckline and cut a fabric strip 10% less than the measurement (multiply the neck measurement by .9) 

Pattern info:

• Enter your name and email to download the pattern. Save it to your PC, open the pdf document in adobe acrobat reader. (Don’t print from directly from google’s online version of adobe reader.  It will sometimes cause the pattern to print to small.)
• All measurements are in inches.
• Seam allowance is 1/4 inch with a 1/2 inch bottom.

Fit Chart:

• My Sewing Machine: SINGER 9960 Quantum Stylist (600-Stitch Machine with Extension Table, Bonus Accessories and Hard Cover)
• 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
• Wonder clips (I didn’t use these in the post, but they are just awesome!
• Ball Point/stretch needles
• Ball point/stretch double needle
• Singer walking foot or universal walking foot
• Knit fabric suppliers: Funkalicous Fabrics and Fabric.com

Nightgown Sewing Instructions:

(Seam allowances are 1/4 inch unless otherwise specified.)

Step 1: Printing and assembling the pattern.

Once you have downloaded the pattern to your desktop and opened it in the free adobe reader program, there’s a new printing option for you.  You can now print only the size needed.  (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.  (that color ink can be pricey!)

Step 2: Cut out pattern pieces.

Bodice:

Fold the fabric so the selvages meet in the middle, with the stretchy-ness running from side to side. Line up the bodice pattern pieces on the fold and cut one front and one back.

Binding:

Cut out 1 neck binding (on fold) and 2 arm binding (on fold).  Ribbed knit works great as binding.  

(If you are concerned that your binding fabric is not stretch enough, you can cut it an inch or two longer and just trim off the excess later.

Ruffle Strips:

I did not include printable pattern pieces for the ruffle strips.  They are just rectangles and this will save you on paper and printer ink.

Cut a ruffle strip that corresponds to your size in the chart below.  Keep in mind, If you are using a narrow fabric, you might have to sew 2 pieces together.

 

Step 3:  Assembling the top and attaching the binding.

Lie up the front and back pieces right sides together and sew along ONE shoulders seam, using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Line up the front and back necklines with each other to find the center point and mark it with a pin.  (Remember the front neckline is longer/deeper, so the center point will not be the shoulder seam.)

Find the center point of the neck binding and mark it.  Line up the edge of the binding with the edge of the tank neckline, right sides together.  Pining them in place at the center marks.

You can use a stretch stitch to attach the binding to the tank.  (The stitch I used looks like this, but a very narrow zig zag would work too.) I have also just used a straight stitch, lengthened to 3.  

My sewing machine kept pulling the fabric into the machine at the first few stitches, so I placed a piece of tissue under the fabric to help get it started.

Sew the binding to the tank, stretching the binding as you go. (1/4th inch from the edge.)

Flip the fabric over and press.  Make sure to press the seams toward the top of the top.

(my original photos didn’t show the next step very well, so I recreated it for you on scraps…)

Flip the binding over the the wrong side of the fabric enclosing the seam and pin in place.  Be sure to put the pins on the right side of the top. I tried not using pins, but it definitely makes a neater finish if you take the time to use pins.  (I have also experimented with using wash away wonder tape instead of pins, and it works great too.)

 

Using a wide, long zig zag, stitch the binding in place.  You will want to sew on the front side so you can see what you are doing.  Remove the pins before they reach the sewing machine foot.  (You could also try using a double needle here.)

Flip the top over and carefully trim the excess binding.

Line up the other shoulder seam and sew together.

Repeat the binding process for the two arm holes.

Step 4: Sewing the side seam.

Line up the side seams and sew 1 side seam only. (I usually use a straight stitch lengthened to 3. Finish this seam with your favorite seam finishing method if desired.  Keep in mind, knits don’t fray, so finishing is just a matter of preference.) I love my Brother 1034d serger for sewing seams. It is usually under $200 on Amazon and I highly recommend it for taking your garment sewing to the next level. (Also, I give one away every year around Christmas time, so watch for that!)

Step 5: Adding the Ruffle.

Do you plan to hem your ruffle? You don’t have to as knit doesn’t fray.  The ruffle measurement does include a 1/2 inch hem allowance.  If you don’t hem your ruffle, you can cut off that extra half inch if desired.

To hem the ruffle, fold up .25 inches and press, fold up another .25 inch and press again. Hem using a zig zag or double needle.  Use lots of spray starch to help stabilize the hem or the wash away hem tape works good for this too.

Sew a basting stitch along the top of your ruffle strip.  (A basting stitch is a long straight stitch <usually a stitch length of 5 or 6 on your machine> designed to be removed.)

Open your nightgown so it lays flat on your workspace.  Pull on the bobbin thread of you basting stitch to gather your ruffle to the same width as the bottom of the nightgown.  

Line up the raw edge of of the ruffle with the raw edge of the nightgown, right sides together. Pin in place.

Sew the ruffle in place with a straight stitch, right along the basting stitch. Remove the pins as you sew.

Flip the ruffle over and press the seam up.  Remove any visible basting stitch. Top stitch along the top of the ruffle if desired.

Sew the last side seam together, finishing the seam if desired. Flip nightgown right side out and press the side seams.  

Trim/tie aff all threads, adding a bit of fray check if needed.

You are done – have you little missy model her new nightgown!

(And yes, we STILL have this blankie I made several years ago.  I even once had someone on a plane stop and ask me if I made the blankie!  (She had the same minky fleece fabric.)

Don’t forget, if you end up making one of these nightgowns, be sure to come back and share your photos on my facebook page or tag me on Instagram, using  #scatteredmompatterns.

Yield: 1 nightgown

Super Easy Knit Nightgown Pattern and Tutorial

Print

Summer nightgown pattern for knit fabric

Prep Time 15 minutes

Active Time 2 hours

Additional Time 5 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Difficulty easy/intermediate

Materials

• knit fabric
• Ribbed binding

Tools

• basic sewing supplies

Instructions

Nightgown Sewing Instructions:

(Seam allowances are 1/4 inch unless otherwise specified.)

1. Printing and assembling the pattern.
   Once you have downloaded the pattern to your desktop and opened it in the free adobe reader program, there’s a new printing option for you.  You can now print only the size needed.  (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.  (that color ink can be pricey!)
2. Cut out pattern pieces.
   Bodice:
   Fold the fabric so the selvages meet in the middle, with the stretchy-ness running from side to side. Line up the bodice pattern pieces on the fold and cut one front and one back.
   how to sew a nightgown
   Binding:
   Cut out 1 neck binding (on fold) and 2 arm binding (on fold). Ribbed knit works great as binding.
   (If you are concerned that your binding fabric is not stretch enough, you can cut it an inch or two longer and just trim off the excess later.
   Ruffle Strips:
   I did not include printable pattern pieces for the ruffle strips. They are just rectangles and this will save you on paper and printer ink.
   Cut a ruffle strip that corresponds to your size in the chart below. Keep in mind, If you are using a narrow fabric, you might have to sew 2 pieces together.
   3: 4 by 47 inches
   4: 4 by 49 inches
   5: 4 by 50.25 inches
   6: 4.25 by 51.75 inches
   7: 4.25 by 53.25 inches
   8: 4.25 by 55 inches
   10: 4.25 by 61 inches
   12: 4.25 by 62.75 inches
   14: 4.25 by 64.75 inches
   16: 4.25 by 66.5 inches
3. Assembling the top and attaching the binding.
   Line up the front and back pieces right sides together and sew along ONE shoulders seam, using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.
   
   Line up the front and back necklines with each other to find the center point and mark it with a pin.  (Remember the front neckline is longer/deeper, so the center point will not be the shoulder seam.)
   
   Find the center point of the neck binding and mark it.  Line up the edge of the binding with the edge of the tank neckline, right sides together.  Pining them in place at the center marks.
   
   You can use a stretch stitch to attach the binding to the tank.  (The stitch I used looks like this, but a very narrow zig zag would work too.) I have also just used a straight stitch, lengthened to 3.  
   
   Sew the binding to the tank, stretching the binding as you go. (1/4th inch from the edge.)
   
   Flip the fabric over and press.  Make sure to press the seams toward the top of the top.
   
   Flip the binding over the the wrong side of the fabric enclosing the seam and pin in place.  Be sure to put the pins on the right side of the top. I tried not using pins, but it definitely makes a neater finish if you take the time to use pins.  (I have also experimented with using wash away wonder tape instead of pins, and it works great too.)
   
   Using a wide, long zig zag, stitch the binding in place.  You will want to sew on the front side so you can see what you are doing.  Remove the pins before they reach the sewing machine foot.  (You could also try using a double needle here.)
   
   Flip the top over and carefully trim the excess binding.
   
   Line up the other shoulder seam and sew together.
   
   Repeat the binding process for the two arm holes.
4. Sewing the side seam.
   Line up the side seams and sew 1 side seam only. (I usually use a straight stitch lengthened to 3.
   
   Finish this seam with your favorite seam finishing method if desired. Keep in mind, knits don’t fray, so finishing is just a matter of preference.)
   
   I love my Brother 1034d serger for sewing seams. It is usually under $200 on Amazon and I highly recommend it for taking your garment sewing to the next level. (Also, I give one away every year around Christmas time, so watch for that!)
5. Adding the Ruffle.
   Do you plan to hem your ruffle? You don’t have to as knit doesn’t fray. The ruffle measurement does include a 1/2 inch hem allowance. If you don’t hem your ruffle, you can cut off that extra half inch if desired.
   
   To hem the ruffle, fold up .25 inches and press, fold up another .25 inch and press again. Hem using a zig zag or double needle. Use lots of spray starch to help stabilize the hem or the wash away hem tape works good for this too.
   
   Sew a basting stitch along the top of your ruffle strip. (A basting stitch is a long straight stitch designed to be removed.)
   
   Open your nightgown so it lays flat on your workspace. Pull on the bobbin thread of you basting stitch to gather your ruffle to the same width as the bottom of the nightgown.
   Line up the raw edge of of the ruffle with the raw edge of the nightgown, right sides together. Pin in place.
   
   Sew the ruffle in place with a straight stitch, right along the basting stitch. Remove the pins as you sew.
6. Finishing the nightgown:
   
   Flip the ruffle over and press the seam up. Remove any visible basting stitch. Top stitch along the top of the ruffle if desired.
   
   Sew the last side seam together, finishing the seam if desired. Flip nightgown right side out and press the side seams.
   
   Trim/tie aff all threads, adding a bit of fray check if needed.
   
   You are done.

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