Girls flutter sleeve dress Pattern

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Love sewing for little girls? Learn how to sew an adorable, sweet dress for a little girl using this easy to follow, step by step flutter sleeve dress pattern.  

Flutter Sleeve Dress pattern

Sweet flutter sleeve dress tutorial

Hi guys! I have a really fun and easy sewing project to share with you today, a super easy flutter sleeve dress pattern! This adorable and simple dress with cute DIY flutter sleeves is something I’ve been afraid to start working on for ages! And you might be wondering why since it’s so crazy easy! I know, a sewist’s mind can be so complicated sometimes!


This tutorial has been converted to a PDF file, available to purchase here. This article is completely free to read.


Well, I don’t consider myself an experienced sewer, I still have loads to learn about sewing and unfortunately not enough time to do so. Also when I made this flutter dress, I was working on a little sewing machine that was pretty rudimentary. Oh, and I also have 2 left hands lol! But that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try and make pretty stuff like this lovely flutter sleeve dress pattern, even if I do fail every once in a while (ok, ok, pretty often!). But in my sewing book, trying is more important than succeeding so I keep trying my luck. And this time I was pretty lucky as I did have great success with this dress from start to end! Everything went super smooth and pretty fast for a dress, I was so thrilled!

Other little girls projects you might like:

Flutter sleeve dress

The result of a 3 hours work (yup, it took me that long lol) is a sweet and cute, colorful, comfortable flutter dress that is a perfect fit for a 4 years old little girl. And the best thing (that I’m very proud of), I did not use a purchased pattern, I made my own! I was using just a few measurements, common sense and a lot of praying that I won’t mess it all up lol. I am completely in love with this girls flutter sleeve dress, it’s so cute and girly!

Girls flutter sleeve dress

You are going to fall head over heels for each flutter sleeve dress pattern that you’re gonna create! Cause you’ll want to make loads of these for every little girl in your world! And the best thing is you can apply the same technique for this dress to make a flutter sleeve top pattern too!

flutter sleeves

For this flutter sleeve dress tutorial I made the dress extremely simple. The instructions are meant to help any beginner sewer, who doesn’t know how to master drafting patterns, sewing intricate sleeves or a curved underarm. This flutter sleeve dress tutorial is also suitable for those who don’t own a serger and their sewing machine lacks a lot of options so they’re not able to serge the fabric.

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girls flutter sleeve dress pattern

I’m not particularly crazy for the zig zag stitch, I think it gives a rather unprofessional finish. If you’re anything like me you’ll love that you won’t need to use the zig zag stitch, you just fold the fabric in. I know, I’m such a rebel! lol For future though I think I’ll use pinking shears, I like pinked seams! Or the much faster and best looking method: serging (since I own a serger who’s been crying for some attention for ages now!).

Simple dress pattern

flutter sleeve dress pattern free

This flutter sleeve dress pattern is for a 4 years old girl of about 40″ height, 40 lbs weight. I measured her from one shoulder to the other, to establish how wide I want the bodice to be, then I measured from shoulders to just under the chest, to establish the height of the bodice. Then I measured from shoulders down to her knees, to establish the total length of the dress. I approximated the neck line using an old dress but I also opted for leaving an opening in the back, closed with a button, to make sure Ellie’s head fits through the neck hole.

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Flutter dress pattern

Flutter dress

Materials needed:

  • 100 % cotton fabric in 2 different patterns – fabric 1 for bodice and sleeves and fabric 2 for skirt (optional; you can use same fabric for both bodice & skirt): 64 cm W x 100 cm H for bodice = 25″ W x 39″ H; 136 cm W x 40 cm H for sleeves = 53 ” W x 16″ H; 122 cm W x 68 cm H for skirt = 48″ W x 26″ H)
  • contrast or matching thread
  • Sewing machine and serger if you have
  • scissors
  • ruler
  • baking paper to draw the pattern
  • Fabric marker
  • 1 button
  • small piece of ribbon, fabric, elastic or lace to make a loop for the button

Directions for the Flutter sleeve dress pattern:


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about petro

ABOUT PETRO

Hi, I’m Petro, author and founder of Easy Peasy Creative Ideas. Sewist, crafter, avid DIY-er, foodie, photographer, homemaker and mommy to one. I’m an expert at coming up with quick, clever sewing tips, recycling crafts and simple, easy recipes! You can find my ideas featured in reputable publications such as Country Living, Good House Keeping, Yahoo News, WikiHow, Shutterfly, Parade, Brit & Co and more. Thanks for stopping by and hope you’ll stay for a while, get to know me better and come back another time. Stick around for real fun projects! Read more…

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26 Comments

  1. Elizabeth B. Hennessy says:

    Is there not a printable version of the pattern? I bought the tutorial thinking it was included. I need the 4t so was hoping i could just print yours

    1. Elizabeth, this tutorial includes the drawing I made to create a pattern in 4T & instructions to make your own pattern in the any size.

  2. where are the instructions?

    1. Marie, they start on page 2

  3. Hi! I made one for my babe, but it’s a little difficult to put on my babe by pulling over the head. It has to be worn through the feet/legs and then pull up (still a struggle, but at least babe was able to wear it).
    Her arms can’t go through in the area where the bodice and skirt connects. Was it my fabric because has no stretch?

    1. Hi Sharm. I’m sorry for your troubles! Your measurements must have been a little off as the dress should fit through the head and the body.

  4. Millie MacKenzie says:

    Can You please give me directions (pattern pieces) for this dress in size 6 mo. – 12 mo.; 12 mo- 18 mo.; 18 mo.- 24 mos. or size 2, please. I am used to sewing with commercial patterns and right now would be worried to cut material if I am not sure of the sizes, etc.

    I would appreciate any help you could give me. Thanks.

    Millie MacKenzie
    rosesformillie@gmail.com
    fb Millie MacKenzie
    Phone 506-292-2640

    1. Hi, Millie. My instructions are for a 4T dress. You can use my measurements as a starting point. To make your patterns smaller or larger, add or subtract about 1″ to/from the length and the width and only 1/2″ to/from neckline. Hope this helps.

  5. Deborah W. says:

    This is such a cute dress. I love the button closure on the back especially with the contrasting material. She makes a sweet model. Keep up the good work!

    1. Hi, Deborah! Thanks so much for your kind comment, it just made my day! xoxo

  6. So the sides are sewn together from under the arm down to the hem on each side and it just pulls over the head to put on and take off?

    1. Hi Linda. You’ll sew the sides together, starting from the hem up, but stopping about 3″ after you pass the bottom of the bodice. Then you can pull the dress over the head and take off with ease since you have the slit in the back of the bodice.

      1. Got it.
        Thank you!

  7. I love this dress! I’ll be making one for my grand daughter! I also love the fabric but don’t know where to get it – what fabric is it and where is it stocked?

    1. Thanks so much! I got the fabric at a local store and it’s actually a bed sheet :)

  8. I got it in the end hah had to sleeo on it. Turned out perfectly! I had to leave the bofice sides open as was too tight but still do cute

    1. I’m happy you figured it out! I love this dress, so cute!

  9. Hi i dont understand “Sew the fabrics together with a 0.50 cm = 1/8″ seam allowance, around the hole and line.” I tried this and i cant turn in side out if i sew the sew around the circle… can you explain?

    1. Hi Maeve. I’m so sorry you’re having troubles figuring this out. Trying to explain it better here: Make sure fabrics are right side together. Sew around the hole (neckline) and continue sewing around the slit. Then take the top fabric and push it inside the hole (neckline) until the fabrics are wrong side together. You’ll need to push the corners made by the slit with a blunt tool. Hope this helps. If not let me know and I’ll try to find another way to explain better.

  10. Summerdays says:

    What a gorgeous little model! Thanks for an easy to follow tutorial with clear photos!

    1. Thanks so much! I’m happy you liked my tutorial :)

  11. About what size does this pattern make? What size does your little girl wear normally wear in dresses?

    1. Hi Alexis. My daughter now wears size 5 but she was a size 4 when I made the dress.

  12. Pam @Threading My Way says:

    A pretty little dress with those gorgeous flutter sleeves.

  13. Michelle F. says:

    What a beautiful little model! She looks so happy in her dress. I will be trying to make one for my daughter.

    1. Thanks so much Michelle. I’m sure yours will turn out more beautiful than mine :)