It’s starting to get warmer and it time to break out the dresses and skirts!! I really wanted to try making my little girl a dress.
I’m still new to sewing and I’m realizing that the fabric makes a huge difference! The quality and the design. What really makes this dress is the super cute fabric!!! I just LOVE it. I got it from the awesome fabric store, Stitches ‘N Giggles. It’s cute and a great quality!
I just want to warn you that this is only my second dress that I’ve made (first without a pattern) and my first tutorial for a dress. I was making things up as I went along, so it might not make sense!
This is how I made it:
1) I took a dress that had the same shape and traced around it to make the pattern. The dress was 0-3 months, so I made it about 1/2-1 inch bigger all around.
2) I then cut out the pattern. This is the front.
3) I then traced and made the back. I made it 2-3 inches wider than the front because I’m going to have buttons in the back of the dress.
4) I cut out the fabric. Make sure you make the two different sides, don’t just make two of one like I did :).
5) I then made some bias tape and sewed it onto the front.
6) Next I overlapped the back. There is about 1 inch overlapped.
7) I then overlapped the front V and the put the back and front of the bodice together, fronts facing each other and then pinned it together. I sewed the shoulders and the sides together. Then I hemmed the neck of the bodice.
Here is it right side out with the shoulders and sides sewn together.
Now for the skirt.
8) I took pieces of fabric, 9″x12″
9) I took my green fabric and made some ruffles. For the full tutorial for the skirt, go here.
10) Next I put the bodice and skirt together. I put the bodice inside the skirt, making sure that the front of the fabrics were facing each other and pinned it. I then sewed it together.
11) Next I made a band out a of 2″ wide strip. I made the band first and then put it onto the dress and sewed it on. (Sorry, didn’t realize that my camera strap was in the picture….)
Now for the sleeves
12) I took a 2″x12″ strip and ruffle it. Then I pinned it onto the sleeve and sewed it.
13) Next I hemmed the sides. I made the bottom of the sleeve about 1/2 inch and the middle about 1 1/2 inch. I then hemmed the rest of the arm hole.
14) I then put three buttons onto the back of the bodice.
And that’s it!! Not too bad for not having a clue what I was doing half the time 🙂 Don’t you just love the colors of it? I do!
That came out REALLY nice!! 😀 I'm so impressed that was only your second dress, and first without a pattern! 😀
BTW, award for you on my blog. :p
Great tutorial! Love this dress, and your model is an absolute doll! Thanks for sharing.
SUPER CUTE!!!!Cant wait to make one!!! awesome tutorial… thank you!
She looks like a million bucks! Lovely
maomaocrafts.blogspot.com
Oh I wish I knew how to sew, that dress is just sooo CUTE! Love it, and the headband makes it, thank you for sharing!
Very cute! Hey my sister sells some really cute quality fabric here…you should check it out…I think you would like it!
http://www.theribbonretreat.com/FabricCatalogOfCategories/fabric.aspx
Oh so cute! I love it and the little girl is so stinkin' adorable!
Wow is she ever cute!! Great tutorial she is so lucky to have a mom like you!!
I wish I could sew! I'd love for you to link up at my new Tuesday Time Out!
http://reasonstoskipthehousework.blogspot.com/2011/03/tuesday-time-out-link-up-party.html
Smiles,
Melanie
http://reasonstoskipthehousework.blogspot.com
You are so amazing! I would be so scared to make my own pattern! It's so cute!
visiting from Justsewsassy.com
Adorable!! I can't wait to make clothes for my kids…when we have them 🙂
Great job on the dress!! Where did you find the baby/toddler size stretchy headband?
Adorable!! And the dress is cute too:)
This has to be the cutest-ever baby dress! I think my daughter would like one, but she's a 6X (for length only). I just might have to try one!
What a cutie patootie that little girl is! And the dress turned out awesome, nicely done. Have you checked out all the great sewing links to projects and tutorials over at http://www.WeAllSew.com? There's even some links to kids projects!
I absolutely cannot believe that this is your second sewing project! You obviously have the head for it! You wouldn't believe all the stupid mistakes I made ( and still do ) when I first started sewing. The dress is beautiful, it makes me want to start sewing things for my little one on the way. Oh and I'm enjoying your site, following so I can explore more later.
Decor Voyeur