Ruffled Dress/Top Tutorial (w/ 2 pattern sizes: 9/12 mo and 4/6)
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I have a friend with an eight month baby girl. (They are actually fostering her with a chance to adopt, that is why I can’t show photos of her…) The baby is just the sweetest thing, smiling and laughing all the time! I have been wanting to sew up a few items for her.
I had this pink and blue fabric in my stash and thought it would be perfect for a little baby dress. This dress was very easy to make. If you leave off the ruffle, it could be made in less than 2 hours. (The ruffle adds another hour.)
Find out how to make the dress after the jump:
Materials needed to make the baby dress:
- about 1 to 1 1/4 yard for main fabric (depending on the size you make, I had 1 yard and was able to make a diaper cover too.)
- scissors
- ruler
- disappearing ink fabric marker
- Shirt to trace and paper to trace it on. (or you can print my size 9/12 month or 4/6 pattern)
- 1/4 yard each of contrasting fabric for ruffle (optional)
- ribbon or other trim for ruffle (optional)
- iron
- fray check
- basic sewing supplies
*** Important pattern printing tip*** When printing the patterns, do not print directly from Google docs. Download the pattern to your computer and open it in your adobe acrobat reader. Choose actual size and the landscape or portrait option. (I just printed a pattern directly off Google docs and notice it printed slightly smaller.)
Measure the child from top of shoulder to desired length of dress. (Write this down somewhere…)
Fold the shirt you will be tracing in half and lay on the tracing paper. Trace around the top and armholes, bringing the line below the armhole down about 2.5 inches.
Move the shirt out of the way. If you used a knit shirt, add an additional 1/2 inch to the side of the pattern as shown below, then add in a 1/4 inch seam allowance.
Cut out the dress/top pattern.
To create a pattern for the shoulder tie, draw a draw a long skinny rectangle, rounding one end to the measurements below:
12 months and under: 7.5 long by 1.5 wide
12 to 18 months: 8 long by 1.5 inches wide
24 months to 3 yrs: 8.5 long by 1.75 inches wide
3 to 4 years: 9 inches long by 1.75 inches wide
4 to 6 years: 10 inches long by 1.75 inches wide
Cut the shoulder tie pattern out.
Fold your fabric and line up the edge of the dress pattern on the fold as shown. Use your ruler and fabric marker to draw a generous a-line shape to the desired dress/top length.
Cut out 2 pieces for the front and back.
Cut out 2 bodice linings using the same pattern
This is what you should have:
The photo only shows 4 ties, but you need 8. |
Line up the bodice pieces, right sides together and sew the side seams. Press these seams open.
Sew along the arm holes and across the top of the dress, font and back.
Trim excess ruffle and seam allowance along the top to about 1/4 inch. (front and back)
If you wanted to make a diaper cover too, here is the link to the tutorial I used: Diaper Cover tutorial.
If you use this tutorial to make a dress or top, be sure to come back and share it on my Facebook page or Flickr group!
Leave me a comment or send me an email if you have any questions or problems with the tutorial. I’ll do my best to help!
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