We sew children's dresses - easily and simply with Olga Klishevskaya
Hello, dear mothers, I’m starting a series of articles on sewing children's dresses. The motto of these articles will be “Down with complex drawings and intricate calculations of patterns”.
Many people are put off by complex patterns, taking measurements, and various mathematical calculations, especially if you weren’t very familiar with geometry and drawing at school.
My goal is to explain everything in such a way that even mothers who do not have a mathematical mind can sew clothes for their children.
I will show you how to sew beautiful children's dresses yourself - I will tell you everything in as much detail and in an accessible language as possible, without resorting to abstruse tailoring terms.
For each dress I will draw picture diagrams on which I will try to show the tailoring step by step baby dress, starting from creating a pattern to working with fabric. Even those who do not have sewing skills or a sewing machine will be able to please their daughter with a new thing, sewn by her mother’s loving hands. So let's get started.
A simple one-piece dress is the basis of all dresses.
Let's start with a simple one-piece dress. I will tell you and show you how to make a pattern for a one-piece children's dress, and then use this one pattern to sew all these dresses.
Yes, yes, having only one pattern, we will sew many different ones in the future. beautiful models children's dresses. Let's get started...
Let's draw a pattern.
As I promised, there won’t be anything super complicated. Open the closet with your baby's clothes and find a T-shirt that fits her just right(that is, not tight or large, but more or less in size).
This T-shirt will serve as our assistant when creating a pattern for a future dress.
We also need a sheet of paper of such a size that the pattern of our future dress can fit on it - I use a tube of unnecessary old wallpaper for this (if you don’t have old ones, buy a tube of the cheapest wallpaper in the store - this roll will be enough for you to make many patterns, like a child , and to yourself).
We unfold a sheet of wallpaper on the floor with the wrong side up (so that the pattern does not distract from the pattern), press the edges with something, so that he doesn’t bend over and crawl on the floor(I press my husband with dumbbells or thick books). We place a straightened (pre-ironed) T-shirt on top and trace the outline of the T-shirt with a pencil. They circled it - that’s it, we don’t need the T-shirt anymore.
Note:
If you don't have a sleeveless T-shirt , but there is only a T-shirt with sleeves, don’t worry, it will also fit. When you trace the T-shirt, use a pin to trace the armholes through the sleeve of the T-shirt. Along the entire armhole seam, make pin holes through the T-shirt and the underlying paper. For this, it is better to spread the paper not on a hard surface, but on the carpet - this will make it easier to pierce holes. And then, along this holey line, draw the outline of the armholes with a marker (the armholes are the hole for the arms).
And now on top of these T-shirt outlines we will draw our pattern .
The contours of the drawn T-shirt will greatly facilitate the creation of the pattern. They will help us depict the proportional silhouette of the dress, where we do not need to calculate the length of the shoulder, the width under the bust, the length of the armhole (the armhole is a hole for the arm) - all this will already be on the drawn T-shirt. We look at the picture above. We outlined the T-shirt (Fig. 1), and drew a dress along the contour of the T-shirt (Fig. 2).
Please note 3 points:
- The shoulders of the dress should be slightly sloping
- the bottom of the dress is not a straight line, but rounded
- the lateral lines from the armpits downwards slightly diverge to the sides (like a trapezoid)
There's another one here important note:
For those who doubt whether a pattern drawn in this way will suit your child, there is a simple tailoring way to check. This method will also allow you to draw any shape of armholes (arm holes) on your dress. The contours of the armhole and neckline do not have to be the same in shape as the T-shirt. You can choose any shape and depth of armholes and neckline. There is only 2 rules, subject to which the drawn pattern will ideally suit your child.
The dress has 2 important parameters that determine whether the dress will be true to size to your child. They are shown in the picture below:
1st parameter is the width of the dress along the axillary line (value A)
The 2nd parameter is the size of the armhole from the axillary line to the shoulder (value B)
To do this, you only need to take one measurement - half-circumference of baby's chest - take a centimeter and wrap it around it chest on its most convex part and remember the number (this will be the value girth chest), and now divide this figure by 2 (this will be the value half-girth chest).
Now look at the picture - it says how to calculate quantities A and B
For example, girth breasts of my two-year-old daughter (height 85 cm, weight 11 kg) - 50 cm. So to get half girth- Divide 50 in half = 25 cm.
Dimension A = 25 cm + 6 cm = 31 cm.
That is, the dress I drew should have a width from armpit to armpit of 31 cm. Then it will be true to size - it will not be tight - since these additional 6 cm are added precisely for the loose fit of the dress.
And if you want a dress to grow a little, then add not 6 cm, but 7-8 cm. Size B = 25 cm: 4 + 7 = 6 cm2 mm + 7 = 13 cm2 mm(these millimeters can be safely ignored). That is, if the height of the drawn armhole is 13 cm, this armhole will be perfect for my baby.
That's all, following these 2 simple rules, we will always have a dress pattern that is the right size for our baby. And no complicated drawings.
So, we drew the outlines of our future dress. Now make seam allowances- we stepped back 2 cm from the contours of the dress and drew it again with a thick, bright marker (Fig. 3 in the first diagram). These will be the final contours of the dress with allowances for the side and shoulder seams, at the bottom an allowance for hem and allowance for finishing the armholes and neckline.
(By the way, there are tailoring standards here: an allowance of 1.5-2 cm for the side and shoulder seams, 1-1.5 cm for the armhole and neckline, 4-6 cm for the hem). But I’m just looking at the fabric - if it frays a lot on the cut, then it’s better to make a larger allowance, otherwise while you’re sewing and trying on, half of the allowance will turn into fringe.
And also, when you draw a dress, don’t be upset if yours is a little crooked- one shoulder is more sloped than the other or the left armhole is not the same shape as the right. This is not important, since we will transfer to fabric only one half drawn pattern (left or right - whichever one came out more beautiful) - and when cutting, the dress detail will turn out to be absolutely symmetrical.
Now you will understand everything...
Divide the pattern in half to get one shelf.
So that the dress detail ends up being symmetrical (that is, left and right side the details are the same), we only need one half of the resulting pattern.
To do this, fold the cut out pattern in half - approximately shoulder to shoulder, armpit to armpit (approximately, because if you drew it crookedly, then the shoulders and armpits of the left and right halves may not completely coincide when folded).
Added and received fold line(Fig. 2), which runs right through the middle of the dress, and along this line you need to cut the pattern in order to end up with only one half of it (the shelf - as tailors call it - left or right, whichever you have is more beautiful and even) - Fig. 3.
The pattern is ready. It would seem that everything is simple, and so it is.
We transfer the pattern to fabric and sew.
We have in our hands a pattern for one shelf (left or right) and now we need to transfer it to fabric and cut out the back and dress detail.
The resulting shelf pattern was first placed on one side of the fabric - circled in chalk (Fig. 4), then turned over in a mirror with the other side (moving the central midline of the shelf to a similar line just drawn in chalk) (Fig. 5) - and also outlined. And the result is an absolutely symmetrical finished part of the front or back of the future dress.
By the way, if you don’t have a chalk, you can use a colored pencil or sharpen a regular piece of soap with a knife (light soap draws well on colored fabric); it’s great to draw on white fabric with children’s colored wax crayons.
We cut out exactly the same part for the back. Yes, many dresses (especially summer ones) have exactly the same front and back details. But you can draw a back pattern that is different from the front pattern, it will take you 2 minutes. Read below
Note “back pattern and its differences”
As a rule, classic pattern of the front and back of the product differ from each other in the depth of the neckline and armholes(armholes are holes for the arms).
As you can see in the picture above, armholes and front neckline are more curved inward, that is, deeper (blue outline), and at the back they are less deep(red outline).
And if you look at the photographs of the dresses at the beginning of the article, you will notice the difference in the neckline and armholes of the front and back.
Having examined many ready-made children's dresses in the store, I came to the conclusion that few dresses have a difference in the cutout of the back and front armholes. That is, the armholes of the back and front coincide for the most part sleeveless dresses. And dresses with sleeves The back armholes are less deep than the front armholes - as in our diagram above). As a rule, there is a difference in the depth of the neck, but not always.
Conclusion:
for children's summer dresses without sleeves, identical armholes and identical necklines at the front and back are absolutely acceptable.
for children's dresses with sleeves, we make the back armholes less deep.
You are your own creators and artists of the future dress. As you draw, so it will be - in any case, you will succeed beautiful dress, don't worry.
Sew the front and back together.
Now (Fig. 6) we place both parts on top of each other with the front sides inward and manually connect the side and shoulder seams with coarse stitches.
We try it on and, if everything is good, we sew these seams on a machine, after which we pull out this rough thread (for those who do not have a machine, you can simply go to a clothing repair center or an atelier; sewing a couple of seams will cost you $1).
We bend the edge of the hem and either sew it on a machine or hand-baste it with hidden stitches (ask your mother or grandmother - she will show you how).
Now you need tidy up the neckline and armholes(Fig. 7). You can simply fold the edges inward and stitch. Or you can buy braid or bias tape and work it around the neckline - this is done in most children's dresses.
That's it, our DIY children's dress is ready.
You can decorate it with flounces, applique, embroidery, ribbons, bows. All this is detailed in the following parts of the article.
You can sew sleeves to a dress; for this, read the series of articles - all conceivable and inconceivable sleeves for children's clothing are collected there, and it tells you how to sew them yourself.
If the neck of your dress is not wide enough for a child’s head to fit through, then the dress can have a fastener - in my separate article I collected together all the existing fasteners on children’s clothing and told in detail in pictures how to make them yourself.
Our pattern today will serve us template when creating all subsequent models of children's dresses - and there will be many of them - all are different and one is more beautiful than the other.
And you will no longer need to draw a pattern. You will only sew and enjoy the fast and easy process and beautiful results.
And under your dress you can quickly and easily
Every time we model a new dress based on a template pattern, we will have to make some notes on it; this should not be done on the template (otherwise, we will soon have it covered in notes from different models, and you will be confused in finding the touch you need). Just copy the template - that is, put it on a sheet of wallpaper and trace it - and draw what you need on this freshly received pattern. Modify the pattern by shortening it or marking the ruffle sewing lines as on the dress in this article. Now you will see and understand everything.
This is the children's dress we will sew today. Somehow I found this photo in the depths of the Internet and I really liked this, charming in its simplicity, delicate dress with lush ruffles and a flirty bow on the shoulder. I wish I could sew something like this then, but at that time I still had a vague idea of how it was sewn. But today I know how to make it and I will teach you.
It's quick and easy. We just need ours pattern template from the first part of the article (link to the article above) and a pencil.
Model 1. Dress with 3 flounces.
We make notes on the pattern.
We take a ready-made pattern from the first part of the article (see link to the article above) and on this pattern-template draw the lines, to which we will sew flounces (Fig. 1). We draw the lines not straight, but slightly rounded, like the bottom line of the template pattern (the lower edge of the hem).
We sew a base dress.
First, using the template pattern (Fig. 1), we cut out the back and front parts from the fabric and sewed the side and shoulder seams. We processed the neckline and armholes, folded the bottom of the hem, that is, we formed the base to which we will sew the flounces. We have already described all the details of how to sew a base dress in a previous article.
We make shuttlecocks.
We cut strips of fabric to the length and width we need (Fig. 2). Length stripes - at your discretion, the longer the flounce, the thicker the folds will be when sewing it on (cut off the excess). The top shuttle will be shorter, the middle one will be longer, and the bottom one will be the longest. We prepared 3 flounces, processed their edges, folded them and stitched them (Fig. 2)
Width there should be enough flounces so that the top flounce covers the seam of the lower flounce - that is, 3-5 cm more than the distance between the marked lines on the pattern (+ a centimeter for the bend of the upper and lower edges - the edges of the flounce must be processed before sewing them on).
Sew flounces to the dress.
Now on this finished dress we have drawn the same lines in chalk as on the pattern - ruffle sewing lines(Fig. 1). Now we take the top flounce and sew it manually to the dress along the chalk line, starting from the side seam and around the entire dress. When sewing, we make uniform pleats.
Then we sew the remaining 2 flounces in exactly the same way.
And that's it - our children's dress is almost ready. Now, if you wish, you can buy a piece of a regular bow or ribbon and sew one strip to the armholes of the back and front (armholes are holes for the arms), and tie them on the girl’s shoulder with a neat bow - see the photo at the beginning of the article.
As you can see in the photo, the flounces for the dress can be cut from fabric of different colors. You can make a bright rainbow.
Or smooth transition different shades one color scheme, - that is, the bodice of the dress is light pink, the first flounce is deep pink, the second flounce is dark pink, the third flounce is closer to cherry blossom (Fig. 2).
Or do black and white classics: bodice black, first flounce white, second flounce black, bottom flounce white (Fig. 1).
Or elegant black and white version : black bodice, white flounces, and sew black lace along the edge of each white flounce. You can do the opposite, the flounces are black, the lace is white and the same lace is sewn around the neckline and armholes.
If your dress needs a fastener (in the case when the child’s head does not fit into the neck), then in the article you can choose any type of fastener for your two-layer dress, or do it easier, widen the neck.
In short, imagine, create! Based on this model you can get such different dresses.
Happy sewing!
So... Here is our future baby dress.
Model 2. Dress with a fluffy hem.
The upper part of the dress is sewn according to our template pattern. And the underskirt (incomprehensible and complicated at first glance) is actually made very, very simply, but looks cute and original. Such skirts with full hem entered youth fashion around 2003 and were very popular among girls. Now this element can still be found on modern models for adults and on children's clothing. So let's get started...
Bodice pattern This dress is a shortened template pattern. We take the pattern template - make a copy of it (so as not to spoil the template itself) and we shorten this new copy pattern to the level we need. That is, the level where our hem will begin - it can be at the waist level, or at the hip level - as you wish. Please note that the cut line is not straight but slightly rounded. See the diagram below:
Transfer the pattern to fabric and sew the bodice
Transfer the resulting pattern to fabric, we get the detail of the front and back (the pattern of the front and back can be exactly the same or differ in the depth of the neck - see).
Immediately sew the back and front, We placed the parts on top of each other with the right sides inward and first sewed the side and shoulder seams by hand, and then stitched them on a machine. If you don’t have a machine, go to a tailor’s shop or a clothing repair shop - they’ll quickly sew these seams for you for a little money.
You can immediately process the edges of the armholes and neckline - simply fold the edges and stitch them, or process them with piping.
Calculate the dimensions of the hem.
In order not to make a mistake with the hem length, it is best to put the finished bodice of the dress on the child and measure the desired hem length directly on it. Place a tape measure at the bottom edge of the bodice and measure down to the desired hem level. The dress can simply cover the butt or be below the knee - it's up to your taste.
Now you need to cut a piece of fabric for the hem. His length should be twice the size of the measurement we just made. Since the hem will fold in half during the sewing process (Fig. 5, 6). + a couple of centimeters will be spent on bending the cut edge. Also keep in mind that the hem will rise slightly due to the pomp.
For example, you want a hem to the middle of the knee, put the top part of a half-finished dress on the child and measure with a centimeter from the edge of the dress to the knee. It turned out to be 20 cm. This means that the length of the hem rectangle (Fig. 3) will be twice as large - 40 + 3 cm for the bend of the edge + 3-5 cm for the pomp = 46-48 cm. This is the height we draw the hem rectangle.
Hem width arbitrary, that is, also at your discretion. The wider the rectangle you cut for the hem, the more pleats you will make when you sew the hem to the bodice.
The hem can be cut in one piece - half the cut for the back, half for the front. Then you will have only one side seam on the hem. Or cut 2 pieces separately for the front and separately for the back - as your piece of fabric allows.
Sew the hem to the bodice.
Now you need to sew the hem to the bodice. Please note that we sew the hem with the wrong side up (!), then when we fold it in half (Fig. 5, 6), it will turn right side out.
The most important thing is to sew the hem evenly to the bodice, because it will be ugly if there are more folds and tucks on the left than on the right.
So that the folds are distributed evenly along the sewing line » , you need to make small strokes on the lower edge of the bodice to mark the middle of the bodice, and also mark the middle of the hem with a stroke (Fig. A). And immediately pin the middle of the hem to the middle of the bodice with a pin. This pin will sort of divide the hem into 2 parts. Well, also pin the corners of the hem to the side seams of the bodice (Fig. B).
Now again make strokes in the middle of the left half of the hem and the right half, mark similar strokes on the bodice (Fig. B). And also connect them with a pin.
Now we thread the needle and sew on the hem by hand, forming pleats and tucks and removing pins as we go. We sewed it by hand - now we put it under the machine and stitched it (Fig. 4).
Now we will sew the lower raised edge to the same line hem (Fig. 5, 6). To do this, the bottom edge must first be processed (fold 1-2 cm to the wrong side and stitch). And we must also this already processed edge evenly sew to the bodice. That is, also use strokes and pins.
Done, the hem is sewn (Fig. 7)
Dress decoration
And also hem sewing line can also be hidden under braid or satin ribbon and sew on a flirty bow (Fig. 8).
DIY children's dress - ready.
If a dress needs a fastener (front, back or shoulder, with buttons or a zipper), then all the variety of fasteners with detailed explanations and step by step pictures you will find in the article .
We will consider the option when, based on our one-piece pattern, a dress is sewn from pieces different fabrics, - as, for example, in these dresses:
As with all dresses based on a template pattern, we first make a copy of the template - put the template on a sheet of wallpaper and trace it along the outline.
Now you can make marks on this new pattern, you can cut it into pieces, which is what we are going to do. See picture below
So, Model 1. Dress “animal in ambush”
We modify the pattern template.
On the pattern draw a line dividing the dress into 2 parts white and pink (can be a curved line, or a straight line - how you draw it will be). By the way, if you want to draw a smooth curved line (and you don’t have a compass in the house), just find a round-shaped plate or dish, make marks on the side edges of the pattern, place the dish close to these marks and trace along the edge of the dish with a pencil - you’ll get a perfect rounded line.
Along this line cut the pattern into 2 parts, and mark along the cut edge what needs to be added seam allowance. That is, when you place the pattern on the fabric and trace it, add 2 cm along the cut line. Other seam allowances are not needed - we already made them when we created this template - see .
So we got the pattern for the bodice (the white part of the dress) and the hem (the pink part). Now you need to make another copy of the bodice pattern (see figure above) and on this copy draw the outline of the animal’s head and cut it out. This one is ours third pattern.
A note about the clasp. If our template pattern has a wide enough neckline and the child’s head fits freely into the dress, then the fastener (which we see in the photo at the beginning of the article - 2 buttons on the shoulder) is essentially not needed. But if this is not the case, then there are 2 solutions: either increase the neckline on the pattern, or provide a clasp for the dress. Read more about how to make this (and not only this) clasp in our special article . If you don’t like this clasp, you can insert any other one described in this article (for the first 3 clasps from the article you do not need to make changes to the pattern at all) - choose what is easier for you.
We transfer the pattern onto the fabric and sew the parts together.
That's it, now you can take fabric, white and pink, and transfer our 3 patterns onto it(don't forget to make a seam allowance on the side of the cut connecting the top and bottom of the dress - the rest of the allowances are already contained in the template itself). The back of the dress can also contain the face of an animal or simply consist of two halves, white and pink.
Details cut out of fabric(Fig. 1, 2, 3). We immediately place our pink animal’s face on the white bodice - place it strictly in the center and pin it with pins (so that it does not move), hand-baste it with large stitches (Fig. 4). And now you can take out the pins and sew them on a machine (if you don’t have a machine, go to the studio - in a couple of minutes and a little money they will do all the seams for you).
Now we connect the top and bottom the front of the dress (Fig. 5), do the same with the back. Then we place the finished back and front on top of each other with the right sides inward and sew the side and shoulder seams (Fig. 6)
Now the final chord - decoration(Fig. 7), take pink braid (or another contrasting color) and hide our seams with this braid. From it we form the ears of the animal. To make it smoother, it is better to first baste the braid by hand (burn the ends of the braid with a lighter so that they do not unravel), and when everything is smooth and beautiful, stitch it on a machine.
The same braid can be used to trim the armholes and neckline, or you can simply fold the edges of the armholes inward and stitch them.
Making a nose and eyes for the animal, you can use regular buttons, or buy special eyes for toys in the button department of the store.
That's it, your DIY baby dress is ready.
Based on the same pattern, you can create other designer dresses.. Let's play designer.
For example, I was born "dress with the sun" idea(Fig. 8). The rays must be sewn onto the bodice immediately - let the ribbons diverge from the central lower point of the bodice and in all directions like rays. Bend the ends of the rays behind the armholes and neckline. And then sew our semicircle (disk of the sun) on top of the rays.
Or a more complex and painstaking applique, where a semicircle turns into a hole of some animal, and then flowers and berries. I chose a hare and a carrot (Fig. 9). I will definitely tell and show how to make appliqués on fabric in one of my future articles.
If you want this dress to have a sleeve, then you will find everything you need in the article baby dress with buttons and straps , that is, a dress that opens at the shoulders (see photo below).
And we will create this dress based on the template pattern that we made in the first part of the article. As you can see, a template pattern is a valuable thing: you draw it once, and now we’re making the 4th dress model based on it.
This model of children's dress has at least 2 options:
1. dress with straps of static length
2. dress with straps that vary in length depending on what button they were fastened with.
Model 1. Dress with straps of static length.
Construction of a pattern.
The front pattern for this dress does not need to be changed (Fig. 1), - that is, our pattern-template will be the pattern for the front of the dress. And at the back pattern, lengthen the shoulder straps to the length we need; to do this, on a sheet of paper (or wallpaper) we make a copy of the template pattern and draw some kind of “ears” (see Fig. 2). IN classic version the increase on the shoulders of the back (the length of the “ears”) will be 4-5 cm. All the patterns for the front and back are ready.
Now you can transfer these patterns onto fabric and cut out the front and back pieces.
Sealing the top of the dress
Since the straps of such a model must be dense, that is, two-layer, they must be cut from the same fabric shortened back and front doubles(Fig. 5, 6).
Pattern of duplicates It’s easy to get if you draw a rounded line on the front and back pattern 3-4 cm below the armpits. And cut along this line - the upper part of such a truncated pattern for the front and back will be the pattern for our sealing doubles.
Note. If you are sewing from thin, soft fabric, then for additional rigidity the duplicates can be glued with non-woven material. You will need non-woven adhesive backing(sold in the same section of the store where the fabric is, cheap thin material with a hole, like gauze). Simply place a piece of non-woven fabric on the wrong side of the piece, with the adhesive surface to the fabric, and iron it with an iron. The interlining itself will stick to the part and give it density. And then trim off the excess interlining along the contour of the part. But if you sew from thick fabric (corduroy, denim), then you can do it without interlining. If you don’t find interlining on sale, you can also do it without interlining, no problem.
Sew duplicates to the back and front details
So, these shortened front and back doubles (Fig. 5, 6) now need to be sewn to the back and front pieces. To do this, fold the front double and the front piece together with right sides inward and stitch along the contour of the armholes, straps and neckline. But not along the contour of the side seams!(Fig. 7, - that is, the line goes from the armpit up, along the straps, and to the other armpit.
Now turn the right side out and stitch again along the front surface, following the stitch along the same path - along the edge of the armholes, straps, neckline. As a result of this simple operation, we obtain processed edges of the armholes, straps and neckline. We do the same with the back parts.
As a result, we get a front part with a two-layer upper part, and a back part also with a two-layer upper part. Both the straps and armholes were automatically processed.
Sew the side seams.
We place the front piece on top of the back piece with the right sides facing each other (that is, inward), and the duplicated sides outward. And we sew the side seams.
Moreover, separately (from the armpit to the bottom of the hem) we sew the back and front parts to each other, without catching the fabric of the double (!). And then we separately connect the duplicates themselves with side seams. (see Fig. 9 - the seam for the front and back is shown in dark green, it hides under the double and goes all the way to the armhole. It is difficult to reach there with a machine, so when removing the dress from under the machine, leave long threads from the bobbin and needle and finish it by hand the line under the double. The light green dotted line shows the seam connecting the sides of the front and back doubles; it is short and would probably be awkward to get into with a machine, so I sewed it by hand.)
So that the duplicate lining does not turn outward when putting on and taking off the dress, you can manually secure the bottom edges of the side seams of the doubles with stitches to the side seams of the dress itself.
There's nothing left fold the hem. Fold and stitch, or fold and manually baste with hidden invisible stitches (ask your mother or grandmother, they have done this more than once, they will show you).
You also need to sew buttons on the front parts and make slits on the back straps and process them in the studio or by hand (using embroidery threads will make it faster and smoother)
That's it, our first DIY children's dress is ready.
Model 2. Dress with adjustable straps.
If you want the dress to “grow” with the child, then you can make the straps with extra length and, by altering the button as the child grows, “increase” the size of the dress.
Then you need to round off the shoulders of the front pattern (Fig. 1), and draw longer “ears” for the back pattern (Fig. 2).
And here you need, on the contrary (unlike the previous model): buttons sew on on the straps, A slots do it for them on the front details.
And since the child grows not only in length, but also in width, so that the dress does not become narrow over time, make it wider in advance. If you remember, the optimal width of the dress from armpit to armpit should be equal to the half-circumference of the chest + 6 cm for a loose fit. So, in our case, you can add not 6 cm, but 10 cm, for example, to the loose fit.
This dress is sewn exactly the same as the previous one. We also cut and sew duplicates. The same features apply to sewing side seams.
As you can see, a children's dress with buttons on the straps is very easy to sew with your own hands.
Today we will do the so-called double layer dress, that is, a children's dress, which will consist of two dresses - an upper and a lower one.
Here's how it is in this photo and in the pictures:
In the photo, the lower dress is pale turquoise and the upper one is in Scottish white, blue and blue check. The top dress, as you can see, can have any length and shape.
Well, let's get started.
Constructing a pattern based on a template.
Pattern of an underdress Our template will serve us.
We will draw the pattern for the outer dress on a copy of the template. As you remember, in order not to spoil the template, all changes in the patterns are different "template-based models" We do this not on the template itself, but on a copy of it.
On a copy of the template (Fig. 1) on the middle line we select the length level of our outer dress. At this level, we draw a horizontal segment (Fig. 2), and the right and left ends of the segment should be equidistant from the midline so that the fronts of our outer dress are the same. Although we don’t have to strive for similarity of the shelves, since for the pattern we only need one half of the outer dress - first we will put it on the fabric with one side and trace it, then turn it over with the other side and trace it again on the fabric, so we will get 2 shelves, the right one and (its mirror reflection) left (Fig. 4).
Back of the outer dress is a template pattern, shortened to the same level (Fig. 4)
We transfer the patterns to fabric and sew 2 dresses, a lower and an upper one.
We transfer the template 2 times to the fabric - we get the back and front of the underdress. We place them on top of each other with the right sides inward and sew the side and shoulder seams (Fig. 5). You can immediately process the lower edge of the hem (fold the edge and stitch or baste it by hand with blind stitches). Our underdress is ready.
We transfer the pattern of the back and two shelves of the outer dress onto the fabric. We place the resulting parts of the shelves on the back part with the right side inward and sew the side and shoulder seams (Fig. 6). We also process the lower edge of the hem and the inner (central) edges of the shelves (fold and stitch). Our outer dress is ready.
We sew the lower and upper dress together.
Now all we have to do is sew both finished dresses to each other. See diagram below. To do this, we put the upper dress on the lower one - put it on with the right sides up - the way it will be worn.
And sweep them away together by hand with large stitches in the area of the neck and armholes (Fig. 1). That is, the lower and upper dresses will be connected only in these places.
There are 2 options heresewing and processing the edges of the neckline and armholes.
Option one- connect dresses put on each other manually with a seam along the line of the armholes and neckline. If everything turned out smoothly, stitch it on a typewriter. Then we simply bend the edges of the armholes and necks of both dresses back, behind the underside of the lower dress - we folded them a centimeter at a time, threaded them into a needle and sewed them on by hand. Now sew on the machines 2 times: at the very edge of the fold and further 1 cm from the edge. Plus This option is faster. Minus- the result is less aesthetically pleasing than the next factory option.
Option two- it is more neat, since all the seams will be hidden between the lower and upper dress.
For this hand stitch, with which we sweep the lower dress to the upper one in the neckline and armhole area, you need to do, stepping back from the edge of the armholes and neckline 2-3 cm deep. This indentation is needed so that we can fold the edges of the armholes and neck of the lower dress separately, and fold the edges of the armholes and neck of the upper dress separately (see picture below).
And the connecting running stitch will help us not to make the fold on the lower dress smaller than the fold on the upper one (so that the folds on both dresses are the same size). Then the lower dress will not look unattractively from under the upper one in the neckline and armhole area.
As you can see in this diagram, after we manually basted one dress to another, retreating 2-3 cm to the hem (Fig. 1), we got the edge of the top dress that can be bent (Fig. 2, 3) and processed separately from the bottom fold the edges (Fig. 4) and stitch the fold (Fig. 5). The same goes for the edges of the lower dress - fold it over (Fig. 4) and stitch the fold (Fig. 5).
That is, we bend the edge of the lower dress to the front side and baste it. We bend the edge of the outer dress to the wrong side and baste it.
We received 2 separately processed edges - the edge of the upper dress (pink with white dotted stitching) and the edge of the lower dress (blue with white dotted stitching) - Fig. 5.
And now you need to again attach these already processed edges of the upper and lower dresses to each other and stitch them to each other (Fig. 6) - you get a neat armhole, where all the edges are hidden inside between the dresses. All that remains is to remove all the rough threads that we used to manually baste the dresses and from the edges.
Using the same principle, we process the neckline and other armholes.
That's it, our two-layer DIY children's dress is ready.
With this dress, if you use your imagination, you can find more many design options. Here's what I suggest:
Model 1. Lush underdress + thick outer dress with rounded fronts.
Everything here is probably clear from the picture.
At the pattern of the outer dress make the shelves rounded.
And the pattern for the underdress we will get if we make changes to the pattern pattern. You just need to expand the template, starting from the armpits. See diagram below:
In order for the resulting hem to be even (both in front and on the sides), you must follow the rule a=b, that is the height of the hem in the center (b) should be equal to the height of the hem on the sides (a). Therefore, we measured the height of the hem of the template (b), then measured exactly the same length on both sides and connected everything with a rounded smooth line.
By the way, you can also sew simple one-piece fluffy dresses this way.
And if you don’t like the tight and narrow top of this model, then you can make the outer dress the same way, extended template. Then the outer cape will be as fluffy as the dress. The next model is designed in a similar way.
Model 2. Thick underdress + light transparent outer dress.
Here principle of cutting an outer dress a bit similar to the principle of cutting an underdress previous model, everything also expands to the sides.
And the underdress is cut simply according to the template. Opaque bottom and airy top, and a matching rose at the throat. Beautiful, I think.
You can also dream up and come up with a bunch of options, well, that’s up to you.
If your dress needs a fastener (in the case when the child’s head does not fit into the neckline), then in the article you can choose any type of fastener for your two-layer dress, or do it easier, expand the neckline on the pattern in advance.
Or if you want to attach a cute puff sleeve or wing sleeve to your dress, then you will find all the information in the article
Hello again, dear mothers. Today we will sew baby dress with straps. On the agenda, so to speak, is the following:
1. Creating a pattern
2. Sewing a dress
3. Forming and sewing straps
4. Tie straps
5. Adjustable strap
So let's get started...
Creating a pattern.
The pattern for this children's dress can be created based on the template pattern that we created in the first part of our series of articles
We make a copy of the template and draw the outlines of our future dress on it (see diagram below). Here you can show your imagination and draw as you like. As you draw, such a dress will be. You can simply draw a straight line on the template (Fig. 3), or draw a rounded neckline (Fig. 2)
And if you have not yet created a template, then you can take a child’s T-shirt as a basis for the pattern, put it on a sheet of wallpaper, trace it along the contour, and then draw our pattern using such a “template” (Fig. 5) (Fig. 6, 7, 8) .
For this baby dress, the same pattern can be used for both the front and back. Or, if you want, you can make the front with a round neckline (Fig. 2, 7, 8), and the back simply in a straight line (Fig. 3) - as is often the case in women’s adult dresses.
Transfer the pattern to fabric.
It’s absolutely not scary if the hand-drawn dress turns out to be not entirely symmetrical (that is, the right side is not the same as the left). Since to transfer the pattern onto the fabric (Fig. 5, 6 in the diagram below), we will use only one half of it (Fig. 2, 3, 4), right or left (whichever turned out better for you) and as a result the dress part ( back or front) will in any case be symmetrical.
So, we cut off the right or left part of the resulting pattern (Fig. 2), placed the resulting shelf on one side of the fabric and outlined it with chalk (Fig. 5), then turned it over in a mirror and outlined it again (Fig. 6). We received the front part. Now do the same thing again - to get the back part.
Sew the details of the dress.
Now (see diagram below) we placed the back and front parts on top of each other with the right sides inward and sewed the side seams (Fig. 8).
Then the edges of the armholes and neckline were processed - folded and stitched (Fig. 9)
Now we sew on the straps. You can just have one regular strap on the shoulder, or you can come up with an interesting overlap of several straps (Fig. 10, 11,12)
How to sew a strap.
You can use finishing piping as straps (sold in fabric departments or in sewing accessories departments). For those who do not know what piping is, it is a strip of fabric folded at the edges (in the picture below we see it under the number 3). But often the edges are made of wear-resistant synthetic materials, and for a child it’s better to have a strap made of “hebeshechka”. Therefore, if you haven’t found anything suitable among the edgings, we’ll make a strap yourself
The history of women's dress goes back, as they say in such cases, back centuries. Over time, the dress changed, the length and finishing options became different, one style replaced another. Only one thing remained unchanged - that with the help of this decoration a woman always managed to look unsurpassed and magnificent.
A-line dresses are very popular and fashionable these days. The triumphant march of this seemingly simple style began back in the 60s of the twentieth century. The dress is characterized by simplicity of cut; it is, as a rule, not very long, quite loose, looks good on any figure, and always successfully hides fullness. It’s not difficult to create a pattern for such a dress, so every modern girl or a woman can sew such an a-line dress for herself with her own hands.
We create a pattern for our future dress
Of course, you can download the A-line dress pattern on the Internet. However, it is much nicer and more interesting to do everything yourself. Which is what we'll be doing soon.
It is believed that designing clothes is a very complex process. This myth is supported with particular pleasure by professional fashion designers who do not want to lose clients.
However, to create a trapezoid dress pattern, we do not need any special knowledge or skills. It will be quite enough if we have at our disposal a diagram - the basis of the dress. It should indicate the dart of the chest, waist, and so on.
First you need to transfer the outline of the diagram onto a blank sheet of paper. Wallpaper remaining after renovation is also suitable for this. When redrawing the drawing, there is no need to move the waist dart; we won’t need it in our work.
Now we draw a line, it should run from top to bottom from the bottom point of the shoulder darts. Then we will cut this line, close the darts, and the lower part will expand.
Now we begin to build the chest dart. There is no need to move it, especially if our size is large enough. We keep it where it is, and from the point of the armpits it is necessary to draw oblique lines. If the bust size is small, then we will make the chest dart closed.
Since our dress is a summer style, our dress will not have sleeves. You need to provide a fastener on the neck; you can place it anywhere - front or back.
How to cut a trapeze dress
When cutting out parts of the future dress, you should be careful and punctually follow the advice of experts. After the cutting is done, we should have the following details of the future dress. The front of the dress itself is one piece, the back is exactly one piece. Another detail will be the facing of the front neckline. When cutting fabric for sewing a trapezoid dress, we do not lose sight of the fact that it is necessary to maintain seam allowances. In the lower part we allow three centimeters, in other parts - one and a half centimeters everywhere.
How to sew a trapeze dress
If you did not make any mistakes when constructing the pattern and cutting the fabric, then sewing a finished summer dress from the received parts will not be difficult.
On the back you will need to sew a zipper, for this we reinforce the place where the zipper will be with thermal fabric; a narrow strip one and a half centimeters wide and the same length as the zipper will be enough. After that, we sew in the fastener itself.
On the front part of the product we baste and sew down the chest darts; the seams should be ironed down. Then we sew down the side and shoulder seams, the fabric allowances should be processed and smoothed. We trim the neck of the model with thermal fabric, sew along the shoulder seams and place it on the neckline at the neckline. Then we grind it, the remaining allowances will need to be trimmed, turned inside out and the facings basted, and then smoothed out.
The bottom of the dress is finished with a seam sewing machine. All that remains is to iron our product and you can put it on.
As promised earlier, here are a few ready-made patterns this dress
| Size (GOST) | Height, cm | Chest circumference, cm | Waist circumference, cm | Hip circumference, cm | Download the pattern |
| 42 | 168 | 84 | 65 | 92 |
A-line dress or sundress is the ideal solution for any body type! Modern models women's dresses amaze with their diversity. But how to choose your ideal style, which will not only hide the flaws of the figure, but also emphasize its advantages? A-line dresses and sundresses are a unique solution for women of any age and body type.
What is a trapezoid style?
The name of the style speaks for itself. After all, its pattern is made in the shape of a trapezoid, the narrow part of which is directed upward. This design solution allows you to visually correct your figure, giving it feminine contours. Today you can find various variations of styles on the trapezoid theme. It could be like classic styles, and models in casual style. But they are all united by practicality and ease of wear. Therefore, if you don’t yet have a sundress or a-line dress in your collection, it’s time to buy one. After all, in it you will always look fashionable and modern.
A-line dresses and sundresses are also loved by pregnant women. After all, its loose cut does not restrict movement and adds elegance to the image. And this is exactly what is needed while expecting a child. 
Sewing material
This fashionable style can be made from almost any fabric. However, the most popular models of world designers are made from linen, thick knitwear, cotton or staple. The choice of material depends not only on the time of year, but also on the entire image as a whole. It’s good if your collection includes sundresses and trapeze dresses, made from different fabrics and intended for different cases. After all, once you try on this wardrobe item, you will no longer be able to refuse it.
What to combine with a fashionable a-line dress or sundress?
The choice of accessories for this model will depend not only on the situation, but also on the material from which it is made. Thus, linen sundresses and trapeze dresses go well with decorations made of wood or natural stones. At the same time, shoes with both flat soles and wedges are welcome.
Dresses, trapeze sundresses made of thick drape or knitwear, which are usually worn in the demi-season, are usually worn with high boots or ankle boots. For outerwear, you can give preference to a raincoat or a long fur coat. If you purchased summer dress made of staple or thin cotton, you can safely combine it with sandals and bright jewelry. The main thing is that the entire outfit looks harmonious in color and style.
Today, lace a-line dresses, which are lined with light fabric, are very popular. By wearing this model, you will get a very gentle and romantic look. In this case, you should give preference to pastels and any light colors. After all, this season, calm colors have gained the most popularity.
A-line dress styles for slender girls
Owners of ideal proportions, it would seem, have no need to choose a trapezoid style. However, you should not immediately write off this model. After all, with the help of a flared dress you can perfectly diversify your wardrobe and impress others. A-line dress with sleeves or sleeveless for slender girls can be either short or mid-knee length. In this case, it is worth focusing on the details. For example, choose bright shoes for high heels, which will emphasize slender legs. Wide-brimmed hats and massive jewelry go well with an a-line dress. But remember that only girls with a thin physique can try on such accessories.
A-line dress style for plus size people
The pear-shaped style will be an excellent choice for full ladies. After all, a sundress or a-line dress hides figure flaws and makes you visually slimmer. In this case, you should pay attention to solid-color models and large prints. If you cannot boast of ideal leg proportions, then choose a mid-knee length model. However, in this case, high-heeled shoes will be a mandatory component. You can also try on long A-line dresses. But don't choose a cut that's too wide. The hem of such a dress should be no more than shoulder width. IN otherwise you will get the image of a very obese lady.
Sundress, trapeze dress: do-it-yourself pattern
Today, many people sew clothes with their own hands. The trapezoid style, the pattern of which is very simple, can be created at home. To do this, you will need a piece of fabric equal to the length of the future product. Of all the measurements, you only need chest circumference. According to the diagram presented below, you should make markings on your piece of fabric.
Modeling a trapezoid dress pattern.
You can independently adjust the width of the dress, as indicated in the diagram. But don't forget about the darts in the bust area. After all, they are the ones who make the style of the dress feminine, and not like an ordinary bag. If you are interested in the pattern of an a-line dress with sleeves, then you can take measurements from any T-shirt that fits you well. This method is well suited for beginners in the field of sewing.
If you are using knitted fabric, then your sewing machine should have a special foot for stretchy material.
The seam should be processed along the shoulder line and along the entire length of the product. If the fabric frays too much when cut, it needs to be processed using an overlocker. As you can see, the sundress and trapeze dress pattern is very simple and can be created in just half an hour. At the same time, you will receive a unique product that cannot be found in any designer collection in the world! You can decorate the dress with a brooch or other accessories, depending on your look.
They amaze with their diversity. But how to choose your ideal style, which will not only hide the flaws of the figure, but also emphasize its advantages? A-line dresses are a unique solution for women of any age and body type. That's what we'll talk about today.
What is an A-line dress?
The name of the style of this dress speaks for itself. After all, its pattern is made in the shape of a trapezoid, the narrow part of which is directed upward. This design solution allows you to visually correct your figure, giving it feminine contours.
Today in stores you can find various variations on the theme of the trapeze dress. These can be either classic styles or casual styles. But they are all united by practicality and ease of wear. Therefore, if you don’t already have an a-line dress in your collection, it’s time to buy one. After all, in it you will always look fashionable and modern.
The trapeze dress is also loved by pregnant women. After all, its loose cut does not restrict movement and adds elegance to the image. And this is exactly what is needed while expecting a child.
Material for sewing a fashionable dress
The style of this fashionable dress can be made from almost any fabric. However, the most popular models of world designers are made from linen, thick knitwear, cotton or staple. The choice of material depends not only on the time of year, but also on the entire image as a whole.
It’s good if your collection includes a-line dresses made from different fabrics and intended for different occasions. After all, once you try on this wardrobe item, you will no longer be able to refuse it.
Styles for slim girls
Owners of ideal proportions, it would seem, have no need to choose trapeze dresses. However, you should not immediately write off this model. After all, with the help of a flared dress you can perfectly diversify your wardrobe and impress others.
A-line dress with sleeves or sleeveless for slender girls can be either short or mid-knee length. In this case, it is worth focusing on the details. For example, choose bright high-heeled shoes that highlight slender legs. Wide-brimmed hats and massive jewelry go well with an a-line dress. But remember that only girls with a thin physique can try on such accessories.
A-line dress for plus size
The pear-shaped style will be an excellent choice for overweight ladies. After all, a trapeze dress hides figure flaws and visually makes you look slimmer. In this case, you should pay attention to solid-color models and large prints. If you cannot boast of ideal leg proportions, then choose a mid-knee length model. However, in this case, high-heeled shoes will be a mandatory component.
You can also try on long A-line dresses. But don't choose a cut that's too wide. The hem of such a dress should be no more than shoulder width. Otherwise, you will get the image of a very obese lady.
What to combine with a fashionable dress?
The choice of accessories for this dress model will depend not only on the situation, but also on the material from which it is made. Thus, linen a-line dresses go well with decorations made of wood or natural stones. At the same time, shoes with both flat soles and wedges are welcome.
A-line dresses made of thick drape or knitwear, which are usually worn in the demi-season, are usually worn with high boots or ankle boots. For outerwear, you can give preference to a raincoat or a long fur coat.
If you purchased a summer dress made of staple or thin cotton, you can safely combine it with sandals and bright jewelry. The main thing is that the entire outfit looks harmonious in color and style.
Today, lace a-line dresses, which are lined with light fabric, are very popular. By wearing this model, you will get a very gentle and romantic look. In this case, you should give preference to pastel and any light colors. After all, this season, calm colors have gained the most popularity.
A-line dress: DIY pattern
Today, many girls sew clothes with their own hands. A-line dress, the pattern of which is very simple, can be created at home. To do this, you will need a piece of fabric equal to the length of the future product. Of all the measurements, you only need chest circumference. According to the diagram presented below, you should make markings on your piece of fabric.
You can independently adjust the width of the dress, as indicated in the diagram. But don't forget about the darts in the bust area. After all, they are the ones who make the style of the dress feminine, and not like an ordinary bag. If you are interested in the pattern of an a-line dress with sleeves, then you can take measurements from any T-shirt that fits you well. This method is well suited for beginners in the field of sewing.
If you are using knitted fabric, then your sewing machine should have a special foot for stretchy material. The seam should be processed along the shoulder line and along the entire length of the product. If the fabric crumbles too much when cut, it needs to be processed using an overlocker.
As you can see, a trapeze dress, the pattern of which is very simple, can be created in just half an hour. At the same time, you will receive a unique product that cannot be found in any designer collection in the world! You can decorate the dress with a brooch or other accessories, depending on your look.
For the first time, such a dress appeared on the catwalks in the 60s, and many fashionistas still strive to purchase such a thing for their wardrobe every season. Its popularity is due to its simplicity and versatility: the dress will fit slender girls, it will look perfect on plump girls, and also fits well into the wardrobe of a pregnant woman. I fell in love with this style for another reason: trapezoidal items can be easily sewn with your own hands using simple patterns, and choose any accessories for them.
Photos of A-line dresses without sleeves and with sleeves
A variety of tailoring options allows you to choose the perfect thing, which corresponds to the characteristics of the figure and emphasizes the individuality of the style. Black dress sleeveless is a universal element of any woman’s wardrobe:
Stylish outfit with short flounce sleeves:
Casual option trapeze on yoke with ¾ sleeves:
The following photo shows a youth model with a guipure raglan sleeve:
Delicate one-piece floor-length model, boat collar:
Floor length dress with long sleeve and an original feature - an oblique hem:
A-line dress patterns with different sleeves
Beginner tailors will find sewing patterns very useful, using which they can make a pattern according to their figure. It is worth considering that they are customized to model parameters, therefore, the specified dimensions of the parts are only approximate and you need to calculate their length and width according to your own measurements.
Pattern of long sleeve and V-neck model:
The sleeveless model, depending on the fabric used, can be sewn for both summer and cold seasons. If the product is intended for a pregnant woman, the width of the parts is adjusted, as shown in the figure with red lines:
Universal trapezoid pattern of the American silhouette (raglan):
Using the following pattern, you can sew an outfit with short sleeves:
The provided diagrams can be downloaded for free and printed, then adjusted to your dimensions and used for cutting.
Step-by-step description of a-line dress pattern
It can be carried out with modeling according to the pattern-basis of the dress, which is presented in the following figure:
Uncomplicated step by step instructions will simplify its construction:
The resulting pattern can be used for cutting material. This scheme is suitable not only for adult woman or a teenager, but also for a little girl. In the latter case, the children's dress can be additionally decorated with interesting elements: fabric flowers, bows, and a belt.
A master class for beginners on sewing such a stylish item is shown in the following video:
A-line dress patterns in large sizes (54-60)
This style is popular because it is suitable for the fullest and “complex” figures, when it can be very difficult to choose something that will fit well. The trapezoid is the most advantageous in this regard, so things of this type are sewn right up to the very large size – 60-62.
Burda magazine offers a universal scheme for such a dress for overweight women, which can be modeled to suit any features of the figure:
It is necessary to understand some of the features of cutting material for sewing items of sizes 54-60, since in these cases the back and front do not fit into the same width of the material. It needs to be folded in half with the front side inward. The edges should not be combined, but they should run parallel. In this case, there should be space left from the fold of the fabric to the edge so that the parts of the back and shelf fit.
Consider seam allowances:
- lateral and shoulder – 1 cm;
- lower – 3.5 cm;
- along the front and elbow sections of the sleeve - 1 cm;
- its bottom is 2.5 cm.
Pay attention! No allowances are needed for the neckline, sprout, or hem. Trace the pattern along the curved lines and cut the fabric behind the tracing line. Remember that on the back parts (for large sizes) there must be waist darts. Now you can start cutting the material and sewing the product.
Tips: how to avoid mistakes when cutting according to a dress pattern
During the cutting process, do not forget the following points:
- Always leave allowances of a few centimeters, especially if great experience there is no tailoring. This is especially true for the details of the shelf, since it may be necessary to make adjustments to the chest circumference. This will allow you to “adjust” the product when trying it on so that it fits perfectly.
- Before cutting, it is recommended to pin patterns to the fabric: this way the layers of fabric will not shift.
- If the fabric has a directional pattern, you need to take this fact into account when cutting.
- It is recommended to leave the total length longer than originally intended before fitting before sewing the parts together. You may need another couple of centimeters to lengthen, since before trying on it is difficult for a beginner to fully calculate the ideal length of the product.
