Flutter Sleeve Dress Pattern
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:
Preparing the fabrics
- 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.
- 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 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, 1/8″ each fold (note: this works well on thin to medium fabrics only)
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!
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Millie MacKenzie says
July 24, 2018 at 2:13 PMCan 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
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Phone 506-292-2640
Petro says
July 25, 2018 at 5:53 PMHi, 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
July 13, 2018 at 9:28 AMThis 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
July 14, 2018 at 8:43 AMHi, Deborah! Thanks so much for your kind comment, it just made my day! xoxo
Linda says
July 1, 2017 at 8:05 PMSo 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
July 2, 2017 at 4:35 AMHi 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
July 3, 2017 at 8:38 PMGot it.
Thank you!
Remrafs says
May 26, 2017 at 2:29 PMI 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
May 26, 2017 at 4:08 PMThanks so much! I got the fabric at a local store and it’s actually a bed sheet 🙂
Maeve says
March 18, 2017 at 2:12 AMI 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
March 20, 2017 at 3:19 AMI’m happy you figured it out! I love this dress, so cute!
Maeve says
March 16, 2017 at 9:32 AMHi 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
March 17, 2017 at 5:20 AMHi 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
March 4, 2017 at 6:52 PMWhat a gorgeous little model! Thanks for an easy to follow tutorial with clear photos!
Petro says
March 5, 2017 at 12:52 AMThanks so much! I’m happy you liked my tutorial 🙂
Alexis says
October 10, 2016 at 6:56 PMAbout what size does this pattern make? What size does your little girl wear normally wear in dresses?
Petro says
October 11, 2016 at 11:27 AMHi Alexis. My daughter now wears size 5 but she was a size 4 when I made the dress.
Pam @Threading My Way says
October 23, 2015 at 9:16 PMA pretty little dress with those gorgeous flutter sleeves.
Michelle F. says
October 14, 2015 at 10:00 AMWhat a beautiful little model! She looks so happy in her dress. I will be trying to make one for my daughter.
Petro says
October 14, 2015 at 12:38 PMThanks so much Michelle. I’m sure yours will turn out more beautiful than mine 🙂