How to sew a simple kids' dress

How it's constructed

Silhouette

A-line bodice with an optional gathered skirt

Neckline

Bound or faced round neck, wide enough to pull on

Sleeves

Sleeveless with bound armholes, or short flat-set sleeves

Closure

None — or two buttons at the back neck

Hem

Deep double hem that can be let down later

The steps, in order

1. 01

   Measure chest, and length from shoulder

   Those two measurements decide the dress. Add generous ease at the chest — children need room to move and to grow.

2. 02

   Cut front, back and skirt pieces

   Cut a front and back bodice, plus a skirt rectangle about one and a half times the bodice width if you want gathers.

3. 03

   Sew the shoulder seams

   Join front to back at the shoulders, finish the allowances and press towards the back.

4. 04

   Bind the neckline

   Apply bias binding around the neck, then understitch or edgestitch so it rolls to the inside and stays there. Check the opening fits over the child's head before you go further.

5. 05

   Bind the armholes

   Do the same on each armhole while the side seams are still open — much easier than binding a closed circle.

6. 06

   Gather and attach the skirt

   Gather the top of the skirt rectangle, match centres and side points to the bodice, and stitch. Press the seam down towards the skirt.

7. 07

   Sew the side seams in one pass

   Stitch each side from the armhole down through the skirt in one continuous seam. Finish and press.

8. 08

   Hem deep so it can be let down

   Turn a 5 cm hem rather than 1 cm. Next year you can unpick it and gain most of that length back.

Mistakes worth avoiding

Techniques used in this project

Each one is explained on its own page, step by step.

Sew next