Girls flutter sleeve dress Pattern

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Preparing the fabric:

Please note conversions from cm to inches are approximate. 

Flutter sleeve dress bodice pattern

  • Start by cutting the fabrics for the Bodice: 2 times 12″ x 20″ – Fabric 1
  • Cut 4 piece of 13″ x 4″ – Fabric 1
  • Then cut 2 pieces of 24″ x 13″ for the skirt – Fabric 2 (if you want to make the skirt longer add an inch or two to the height)

Making the bodice

  • Put bodice fabrics together facing wrong side
  • Decide which one is going to be the outer bodice
  • On the “outer” bodice fabric draw a circle for the neck using the measurements in the photo above.
  • Leave a 4″ slit in the back.

Slit

  • Cut out the circle and cut down the slit.
  • Put the bodice fabrics right side together
  • Take the lace, elastic, ribbon etc piece and make a loop
  • Place the loop in between fabrics, on the slit, as close to the top as possible

Loop placing

  • Sew the fabrics together with 1/8″ seam allowance, around the hole and line.
  • Clip around the circle as shown here.
  • Turn the fabrics right side out, finger press and iron press

Finger press seam

  • Serge the top and bottom edges of the bodice. If you don’t have a serger, use the zig-zag stitch on your machine to finish seams or fold fabric in twice, 1/8″ each fold (note: this works well on thin to medium fabrics only)

Fold fabric to finish seams

Fold fabric to finish seams 1

Fold fabric to finish seam 2

Little Girls Dress Patterns & Tutorials you might find useful:

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How to sew flutter sleeves

  • Take the sleeve fabrics pieces and use something round like a bowl to round off the edges
  • Cut along the line

Round the sleeve

  • Put 2 fabric pieces right side together
  • Sew all around, leaving an opening on the straight side of the fabric, to turn the fabric right side out

Sew all around with opening

  • Turn the fabric right side out and top stitch to close the sleeve opening

Top stitch sleeve

  • Finger press and iron press
  • Gather the sleeve using a loose stitch setting on your machine. Back stitch at one end, where you start sewing the loose stitch. When finish stitching, leave at least 6 cm = 2″ long thread out. Pull fabric with one hand and on one thread with the other hand. Gather as much as you like.

Loose stitch on sleeve

Gather sleeve

  • Repeat for the other sleeve

Attaching sleeves to bodice

  • Take your bodice, place the sleeve in between outer and inner bodice fabric, with the outer right side out, pin the sleeve centered on the hole for the neck and sew in place

Attach sleeve to inner bodice

  • Place the outer bodice over and stitch all the way through, stopping 1″ before the ends

Fold over the outer bodice

Skip the ends

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Attaching skirt to bodice

  • Take your skirt fabrics and serge on all sides or fold fabric twice as indicated above to finish the seams. If you use a serger, fold fabric twice only on the hem. Sew 2 stitches on the hem.
  • Gather the skirt fabrics so that they match the bodice’ width
  • Take bodice and place right side out
  • Place gathered skirt fabric right side out in between bodice fabrics and stitch to the inner bodice fabric.

Attach skirt to inner bodice

  • Place outer bodice over and stitch again

Sew outer bodice on

  • Now it should all look like this and all you have to do is stitch the sides together, starting from the hem and stopping 3″ past the body. I wanted this dress to be a surprise to my daughter and took the chance, I didn’t have her try it on before sewing the sides but I suggest you don’t skip this step as your dress might need some adjusting. If all fits well, just sew the sides up.

girls flutter sleeve dress

And you’re done!! Enjoy your hard work and give yourself a good pat on the shoulder for an excellent job done!

Let me know in the comments below how your flutter sleeve dress turned out and please don’t forget to rate this tutorial! Thanks!

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sewing better, faster!!

In this special FREE series, you'll learn my most powerful SECRETS that will improve your sewing skills and help you sew like a pro! Join 38,210 sewing enthusiasts like you!

 



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Flutter sleeve dress pattern

 



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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 :)