Flutter Sleeve Dress Tutorial
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
Recommended links:
Sewing For Little Ones
Learn How To Sew Children’s Clothing with Rae Hoekstra
Learn to Sew at Creativebug
Fitting Essentials: Learn to Customize Your Dress Form (w/ Judy Jackson)
Create Any Size: Pattern Grading for Sewers (w/ Kathleen Cheetham)
Patternmaking + Design: Creative Sleeves (w/ Suzy Furrer)
Patternmaking & Design: Collars & Closures (w/ Suzy Furrer)
Couture Dressmaking Techniques (w/ Alison Smith)
Patternmaking + Design: Creative Necklines, with Suzy Furrer
Directions for the Flutter sleeve dress tutorial:
- Start by cutting the fabrics for the Bodice: 2 times 32 cm W x 50 cm H = 12″ W x 20″ H – Fabric 1
- Cut 4 piece of 34 cm W x 10 H for the sleeves = 13″ W x 4″ H – Fabric 1
- Then cut 2 pieces of 61 cm W x 34 cm H for the skirt = 24″ W x 13″ H – Fabric 2 (if you want to make the skirt longer add an inch or two to the height)
- 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 10 cm = 4″ slit in the back.
- 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
- Sew the fabrics together with a 0.50 cm = 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
- 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, 0.50 cm = 1/8″ each fold (note: this works well on thin fabric only)
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
[email protected]
fb Millie MacKenzie
Phone 506-292-2640
Petro says
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.
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!
Petro says
Hi, Deborah! Thanks so much for your kind comment, it just made my day! xoxo
Linda says
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?
Petro says
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.
Linda says
Got it.
Thank you!
Remrafs says
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?
Petro says
Thanks so much! I got the fabric at a local store and it’s actually a bed sheet 🙂
Maeve says
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
Petro says
I’m happy you figured it out! I love this dress, so cute!
Maeve says
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?
Petro says
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.
Summerdays says
What a gorgeous little model! Thanks for an easy to follow tutorial with clear photos!
Petro says
Thanks so much! I’m happy you liked my tutorial 🙂
Alexis says
About what size does this pattern make? What size does your little girl wear normally wear in dresses?
Petro says
Hi Alexis. My daughter now wears size 5 but she was a size 4 when I made the dress.
Pam @Threading My Way says
A pretty little dress with those gorgeous flutter sleeves.
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.
Petro says
Thanks so much Michelle. I’m sure yours will turn out more beautiful than mine 🙂