Pink T-Shirt Dress

Although this little dress is made from a Women's t-shirt like the blue dress, it doesn't have the existing button detail at the shoulder.  So, it needed another way to provide ample room in the neckline for putting it on and taking it off.  Also, this dress has sleeves and contrasting fabric at the neck to bring the neckline up, along with an optional ruffle detail at the bottom edge.

Supplies Needed:

(2) Women's t-shirts

scissors

tape measure

sewing machine

child's dress, t-shirt, or pattern to be used as a guide

decorative buttons, optional

pins, needle and thread

Cut the sleeves away from the dress.

Using a child's dress, t-shirt, or pattern, determine how much to cut the sides and armhole openings.

  

Using the dress, t-shirt, or pattern, determine how big to cut the sleeves.  The picture below shows the sleeve folded in half.  The grid is a 1" grid to give you an idea of the size.

 

Begin with pleating the front neckline by placing a pin at the center.  Then place three pins to each side of the center pin spaced at 1" intervals.  Make a fold at the pin that is to the right of the center pin and bring the fold to the center.  Pin in place.  Make another fold at the furthest pin to the right and bring it to the next nearest pin toward the center.  Pin in place.  Repeat on the other side.  

 Stitch in place.

The back neckline is going to be bigger now and will need to have the excess cut away.  Determine how much excess there is by pinning in place.

Trim away the excess, allowing a 3/4" seam allowance.

With right sides together, stitch the back 3/4" seam to within about 3" from the top.

Press the seam open and top stitch the opening in place.

Attach a small button and ribbon or fabric loop to the top of the opening.

The next steps are basic and, sorry, I don't have pictures.  Attach the sleeves.  I hemmed them by doing a rolled hem on the serger.  I stretched it as I went along to give the edge a ruffled look.  Stitch the side seams and hem the bottom of the dress with a small rolled hem.  Create the rows of ruffles by cutting several 1 1/2" strips from the second t-shirt.  I cut 2 1/2  strips for each row.  

I stitched the 2 1/2 pieces together and did a rolled hem on each side with the serger.  Stitch a basting stitch down the center.  Repeat with the next 2 1/2 pieces.

Gather the ruffle and stitch the first row in place at the bottom of the dress.

Gather the second row and stitch it above the first.

The neckline will most likely be too low.  Cut an oval piece of fabric wide enough to insert at the neckline.  Fold it in half and stitch around the edge.

Hand stitch the insert in place and add button details if desired.

And there you have it!

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