Make a Baby Doll dress – Free Sewing Pattern & tutorial

This is a pattern to make and sew a cute flowy loose fitting baby doll dress/ top . This dress has an empire waist and long frilled sleeves. The opening is a button placket on one shoulder seam.

Step  1

Cut out the pattern pieces for the bodice – front and back

The following pattern is for front and back – The only difference is the neckline height

The front neckline is 6″ from C and back neckline is 5″ from C

The height of the bodice is 14 inches – just under the bust which makes it an empire dress bodice

The neckwidth is marked as 3.5 ” A- C

A-H is the armhole depth . 

Mark A- E = 1/2 of shoulder to shoulder + 1/4″
Mark down from E so that E-F = 3/4″ – this is for the shoulder slope

Step 2

To add the button placket, cut the seam allowance (1/2 inch) off the shoulder of one side. I have chosen the left side (when you wear the dress).

Make the button placket. Cut two pieces of fabric 3 inch wide and length same as the shoulder seam.

Double fold the piece as in the picture below

Keep the shoulder seam inside the placket . Stitch in place. Do this for both the front and back bodice – corresponding side ie if you want the button placket on the left side – take that side for front and back bodices.

Make buttonholes on the back bodice placket. Checkout this post on making  buttonholes on the sewing machine. You could make it by hand as well. Checkout the post on making buttonholes by hand here

Now keep the button plackets stacked so that buttonhole one is on top. Baste stitch in place on the armhole side.

Step 3

Join the other shoulder seam as usual

Step 4 Make the sleeves

Cut out the sleeves as per the pattern below. The total length of the sleeve piece  should be 25″

Keep the sleeves opened on the shoulder seam. Stitch in place

Hem the sleeves – Turn under the cut edge twice and stitch in place.

Now cut an elastic piece 8 inches  long ( 1/4 inch ) and keep it 3 inches from the bottom hemmed edge. Baste stitch in place in the center. Center of the elastic aligned with the center fold line of the sleeve

Stretch the elastic to the sides and stitch in place. This will gather the sleeve hem and give the appearance of a frill.

Step 5

Make the bottom piece of the dress

Cut two pieces of fabric with height 19 inch and width each equalling your hip round. Hem the bottom edge.

Gather the other edge of the pieces with long stitches.

Keep the gathered edge aligned with the bodice. Keep them right sides together. Stitch in place, making sure that the gathers are equally distributed.Do this for back and front bodices.

Sew the side seams ensuring that all the stitching is aligned.

Step 6

Bind the neckline with a bias binding fabric strip.

Step 7

Attach the buttons.