Off The Shoulder Ruffle Top Pattern (sz 3 to 12)

This Off The Shoulder Ruffle Top Pattern is a free sewing pattern available in a printable pdf, in girl’s sizes 3 to 12. 

This sweet ruffle top is so versatile and can be worn in many ways. It will definitely be a hit with your little fashionista!  (Plus, you’ll love how easy it is to sew.)

Off The Shoulder Ruffle Top Pattern

I have a new pattern to share with you today!

OK, so I’ve actually had this off-the-shoulder ruffle top pattern practically completed for quite a while, but so much stuff has been going on that I haven’t had the energy/motivation to writhe up the blog post. 

The best thing that happened was our annual summer vacation. 

The worst was getting sick for a full month and my hard drive failing right before the vacation.  I had not backed up my laptop in about 3 months- so I was in danger of losing a couple of unfinished patterns (including this off-the-shoulder top) and lots of more photos.  

Luckily, it was a minor failure, so the repair shop was able to recover all my files!  You know I was thanking my lucky stars, lol, and I am also now feeling better from the worst stomach bug ever.

It’s pretty late in the season for an off-the-shoulder top, and I thought about saving the post until next spring but a couple of people have asked me about this pattern- so I decided to just go ahead with it!  (I had posted a sneak peek on Instagram before all of the calamities happened.)

In the ruffle top version I’m showcasing today, I opted to use a knit border print fabric. (I had this print in my stash for a while. I intended to use it in a nightgown for me, but never quite got to it.)

Luckily, I had enough fabric, and I was able to use the border as part of the ruffle.

I think this top turned out super cute, and my missy is already wanting another one, but in dress length. I’ve got the perfect pink and white floral rayon that will make a beautiful, flowy dress, but I think I will wait until next year on that one!

Recommended Fabrics for this Free Ruffle Top Pattern:

The best fabric for this ruffle top pattern is almost any fabric that is not too stiff. 

For my top, I used a knit fabric, but any flowy rayon-y fabric would be beautiful, but even quilting cotton that is not terribly stiff would be cute as well.  I especially love the idea of a border print fabric, or if you have an embroidery machine, how about solid fabric with some sort of floral embroidery design on the ruffle.

I used my peasant dress pattern to design this top, so it’s basically an off-the-shoulder peasant blouse. What that means is that the top is roomy and will grow with your girl.

Where Do I get the Off the Shoulder ruffle top pattern?

The link for the pattern in my shop is under materials needed. Click the link, add the pattern to your cart and check out. (Takes about 15 seconds for the process.) A copy of the pattern will be emailed to you.

Ready to Sew Your Own Off the Shoulder Top?

Keep Reading!

Materials to Make an Off-the-Shoulder Ruffle Top:

• pattern
• fabric (up to 1.5 yards of 40 inch fabric for a size 12)
• single fold bias tape
• 1/4 inch elastic

Products used and Recommended:

1. My favorite fabric shop for knits:  Funkalicious Fabrics and Girl Charlee. My favorite shop for cottons and other fabrics: Fabric.com.
2. My Sewing Machine: SINGER 9960 Quantum Stylist, my coverstitch: Janome Cover Pro 1000cpx
3. My Serger: Brother 1034D 3 or 4 Thread Serger or you can just use Pinking Shears
4. Rotary Cutter
5. I love my large ruler and large cutting mat, but you may prefer to start of with a smaller Cutting set
6. Dritz Dual Purpose Marking Pen and Fray Check
7. Wonder clips (I didn’t use these in the post, but they are just awesome!

Fit Chart:

Fabric layout Guide:

Elastic cutting chart: 

DIY Ruffle Top Pattern Tips:

• 1/4 inch seam allowance
• Light, flowy fabrics recommended (rayon, knits, voile)
• Top is designed to hit at the hip.  To shorten or lengthen, cut pattern at waist level and redraw side seam.

Off-the-Shoulder Ruffle Top Sewing Instructions

Step One:  Download and print pattern, cut out fabric pieces.

I Recommend Doing A Test Print:  To do a test print, print only page one and check that the one-inch square is printed at one inch. Once you have confirmed your printer settings are printing correctly,  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.)

From the pattern, cut 2 bodice pieces (front and back are the same), 2 ruffle strips, and elastic according to the chart.  (I recommend measuring around your child’s shoulders for the best fit, but a standard chart is available if you can’t get a measurement.)

Step 2:  Add bias tape to the armscye.

Unfold bias tape and right sides together. Line up bias tape along the edge of the armscye.  Sew the tape to the armscye, right along the fold of the bias tape.

Fold the bias tape to the inside of the bodice, press, and sew along the edge.

Step 3: Bodice and Ruffle construction

Sewing sides of ruffle strip and bodice:

Line up ruffle strips, right sides together and sew along the side edges using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.  Finish this seam.

Line up front and back bodice, right sides together and sew along the side seams.  Finish these seams.

Adding ruffle strip to top:

Mark the center point of the front and back bodice.  Mark the center point of the front and back ruffle strip.

Turn the bodice and ruffle strip wrong side out and line up the center of the ruffle strip with the center of the bodice. (front and back)

Starting at top of the armscye, sew top of ruffle strip to top and bodice.  Use a 1/4 inch seam allowance.  Repeat for other side.

Creating the casing:

Flip ruffle right side out and press along the top seam

Keep pressing all the way around the ruffle strip, folding the raw edge under 1/4 inch.

Lift ruffle strip up so the inner seam is exposed.  On the “shoulder area” of the ruffle,  line up a strip of the single fold bias tape right along the folded edge.  Sew right along the edges (top and bottom) of the bias tape to create a casing for the elastic.  (Be sure to sew as close to the edge as you can- there will need to be enough room for a 1/4 inch piece of elastic to be pulled through.)

Fold the ruffle back into place.  Starting on the front bodice, sew around the top of the bodice section, 1/2 inch down from the edge, to create the rest of casing.  (This stitch should be at the same level as the bottom stitch you sewed over the bias tape. See second photo below.)  Repeat on the back bodice.   Leave about a 2 inch opening in the back to insert the elastic.

 

Adding elastic:

Open the ruffle and find the opening you left.  Using a saftey pin or bodkin, pull elastic through casing.  Overlap the elastic edges by 1/2 inch and if possible try the top on and adjust fit.

Sew elastic together, close the casing and hem the bottom of the shirt.  (1/2 inch of seam allowance is included for the bottom hem.)

And you are done!  How adorable is this top?

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Yield: 1 ruffle top

How to Sew the Off-the-Shoulder Ruffle Top

Print

Sew an easy off-the-shoulder ruffle top with this free pattern.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Active Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes

Materials

• fabric (up to 1.5 yards of 40 inch fabric for a size 12)
• single fold bias tape
• 1/4 inch elastic

Tools

• basic sewing supplies
• iron

Instructions

Step 1:  Download and print pattern, cut out fabric pieces.

1. From the pattern, cut 2 bodice pieces (front and back are the same), 2 ruffle strips, and elastic according to the chart.  (I recommend measuring around your child's shoulders for the best fit, but a standard chart is available if you can't get a measurement.)

Step 2:  Add bias tape to the armscye.

1. Unfold bias tape and right sides together, Line up bias tape along the edge of the armscye.  Sew the tape to the armscye, right along the fold of the bias tape.
2. Fold the bias tape to the inside of the bodice, press, and sew along the edge.

Step 3: Sewing sides of ruffle strip and bodice:

1. Line up ruffle strips, right sides together and sew along the side edges using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.  Finish this seam.
2. Line up front and back bodice, right sides together and sew along the side seams.  Finish these seams.

Step 4: Adding ruffle strip to top:

1. Mark the center point of the front and back bodice.  Mark the center point of the front and back ruffle strip.
2. Turn the bodice and ruffle strip the wrong side out and line up the center of the ruffle strip with the center of the bodice. (front and back)
3. Starting at top of the armscye, sew top of ruffle strip to top and bodice.  Use a 1/4 inch seam allowance.  Repeat for other side.

Step 5: Creating the casing:

1. Flip ruffle right side out and press along the top seam.
2. Keep pressing all the way around the ruffle strip, folding the raw edge under 1/4 inch.
3. Lift ruffle strip up so the inner seam is exposed.  On the "shoulder area" of the ruffle,  line up a strip of the single fold bias tape right along the folded edge.  Sew right along the edges (top and bottom) of the bias tape to create a casing for the elastic.  (Be sure to sew as close to the edge as you can- there will need to be enough room for a 1/4 inch piece of elastic to be pulled through.)
4. Fold the ruffle back into place.  Starting on the front bodice, sew around the top of the bodice section, 1/2 inch down from the edge, to create the rest of the casing.  (This stitch should be at the same level as the bottom stitch you sewed over the bias tape. See the second photo below.)  Repeat on the back bodice.   Leave about a 2 inch opening in the back to insert the elastic.

Step 6: Adding elastic:

1. Open the ruffle and find the opening you left.  Using a safety pin or bodkin, pull the elastic through the casing.  Overlap the elastic edges by 1/2 inch and if possible try the top on and adjust fit.
2. Sew elastic together, close the casing, and hem the bottom of the shirt.  (1/2 inch of seam allowance is included for the bottom hem.)
3. And you are done!