How to make a child’s summer dress – Detailed Step by Step Guide

This dress is so simple to make. Initially my plan was to make Hattie a maxi dress, but realized that a maxi dress + her rough n tumble life = hot mess. Instead I went with a mid calf dress which allowed her to climb trees, swing + ride her bike without incident.
How to make a child's summer dress
Belted or full, this dress is just perfect for spring or summer. The dress is so simple + can be made in about an hour – promise.
Additionally this tutorial is designed for seamstresses without sergers. If you have a serger, then modify away!
How to make a child's summer dress2
Click here for the full tutorial after the jump!

Materials needed:

1- 2 yards fabric
45 inches of cut 2-inch strip

Tools that are helpful for this project:
Sharp scissors
Safety pin
Measuring tape

Hot Iron
Sewing Machine

How to make a child's summer dress3
Start by measuring your child shoulder to the calf or mid-knee or wherever you want the dress to fall to. To make faster cuts use a machine linked here.
If you’re not sure if Cricut or Silhouette is the better choice take a look at the Cricut vs silhouette comparison page.
Add two inches + cut the length. For the width of the dress, I used the width of my yard, only cutting the length.
How to make a child's summer dress4
Cut your armholes. I used a triangular cut about 5x 4 inches.
Press + hem your armhole seams.
How to make a child's summer dress5
Press the edge down 1/4 inch.
summer dress tutorial
Then turn + press another 1/4 of an inch.
summer dress tutorial3
Stitch right along the edge of your pressed hem.
This is where I stitched up the side of the dress. I used a french seam, but you can certainly used a straight stitch with a zig zag if you like.
summer dress tutorial4
Press and sew the top + bottom of the dress similar to how you did the arms holes. Or you can pick one of the following if you read these extra resource.
For both the top I used a larger hem, to make the casing. I pressed down 1/2 inch.
summer dress tutorial4
Turn + press a full inch. Stitch right along the edge.
summer dress tutorial5
Do the same for the bottom hem.
summer dress tutorial
The top of your dress should look like this.
At this point, you could thread a ribbon through the casing + be done. I choose to make some non-bias bias tape.
tutorial11
If this tape was cut on the bias, it would be true bias tape. How I make my non-bias tape or bias tape.
1. Cut the 2-inch strip.
2. Iron in half.
3. Open.
4. Iron one edge into the middle.
5. Iron other edges into the middle.
6. Iron in half again.
I stitch right along the edge.
tutorial12
I then use zig zag on the bottom at a diagonal.
tutorial13
Thread your tape through the casing.
The knot or bow will be on the shoulder or put it in the back or front.
Categories DIY