inside: This girls t shirt dress pattern is super cute and works in so many various combinations. The top is knit fabric and the skirt options can be woven or knit fabric. Free Printable shirt dress sewing pattern you have to try.
{update 6/2020}
Hey friends! Free pattern Friday is back again. This free pattern is based off the free t-shirt for girls. I’ve shortened the bodice, and given you two skirt options a gathered skirt and a circle skirt. AND.. it’s all printable! No math, no drafting, just print and go! You can also make the skirt in woven fabric or knit and I’ve sewn up all the versions to show you just how great it looks no matter which option you choose. Make sure to check out all my Free sewing patterns here.
T Shirt Dress Pattern – details
Let’s first talk about some of the updates. If you look at the photos of the small girls in the older photos you will see the shoulders are too wide. This was always an issue with this pattern and my inexperience was showing when I created it.
So the shoulders are a better fit, the whole shirt has been made a bit more fitted and many other small tweaks. The tutorial below is mostly original, but there are a few new tips for sewing. The photos in the stripe/dot dress is the new version of the girls t shirt dress.
Okay, before we go any further, let me just state I do not like how the striped fabric looks in the circle skirt! Is there a way to make circle with stripes? Or should I have just used it for the top instead? AND… now back to the pattern!
Here are the two circle skirt looks… Knit on the left and woven on the right… Both are super cute! Knit on the top of both dresses.
Here are the gathered skirt options. On the right dress skirt I used a double layer skirt with tulle, the top was made with a very thin knit, so I did get some puckering, the top just wasn’t sturdy enough for the two layer skirt. I also tried two different bodice lengths. The pattern offered here is like the one on the left – longer bodice. You can shorten if you want.
Okay, go get your free pattern here!
Use this for your sizing:
And here is how to layout and tape the pattern pieces together. Need help downloading, printing and assembling your pdf pattern? Check out this post here.
Use the pattern pieces here and then sew up the bodice using the t-shirt tutorial here. Do everything except hem. You can use the long or short sleeve option, of course.
Then decide if you want a circle skirt, or gathered skirt in woven or knit fabric.. Cut out the skirt chosen.
The gathered skirt option has a cutting chart on the pattern pieces. The circle skirt option has a piece on the pattern you can cut and use. You could also make a half circle skirt to add to the top. Follow the directions for the half circle skirt here but DO NOT add hip allowance for knit fabrics {they will stretch}
With the circle skirt you can cut two pieces with a single fold {sew the side seams} OR cut one piece on a double fold. For a double fold you will fold the fabric back and then fold again. Here is a great picture from The Girl Inspired blog {scroll down to the folding graphic}.
For the circle skirt hem the bottom of the circle, {or leave raw if it’s knit fabric} then with right sides together pin to the bodice. Try not to stretch either side, just sew. You want both top and bottom to lay smooth. Use a zig zag stitch or serger to sew together to keep some stretch.
Since this post was written I’ve been using clear elastic in seams to help stabilize. You can add them right in the seam with your machine like this. See my clear elastic tutorial for more details.
For the gathered skirt start with the bodice as before. I’ll be showing photos of both the woven and knit skirts, but the process is the same. Cut two rectangles of fabric {a front and back} Use the provided chart to cut. You can adjust the skirt fullness and length when you cut if you want. You can make it wider for a fuller skirt. Place the two skirt pieces together and sew the side seams right sides together. Hem the bottom of the skirt.
Run a gathering stitch around the top of the skirt. You now need to gather the skirt to match the width of the bodice. Need help gathering? Check out this post for five different ways to gather fabric.
Pull the thread and evenly gather the fabric. Tie off the thread when the skirt matches the top in width.
With right sides together pin the skirt to the bodice. Again, you don’t want to stretch the bodice, use pins to keep it from stretching. Sew with a serger or a zig zap stitch as you want to keep the ability to stretch. Including clear elastic here would help retain the stretch and stabilize the seam.
A note about the hem.. For the woven I finished the edge, then turned up 1/2 inch. You can also turn up 1/4″, then the 1/2″. For the knit I just turned up and sewed. I used a double needle with woolly nylon in the bobbin. You can find double needle tips here.
All finished! Dress it up, or just make a bunch for play, this T-shirt dress free pdf pattern is perfect for it all! Here’s one last link to the free pattern.
Nathalie V says
I love the pattern. I’ve been looking for good pattern to try a knit dress for a while and this looks like one I feel comfortable with.
The circle skirt dilemma … I know the feeling. You want the girls to have a swirling skirt, but the fabric has a distinct direction.
I never ends well with bunnies, horsies and the likes . I usually go for the safer gathered skirt when wildlife is involved.
What could help with the stripes is dividing the circles in smaller parts: usually you get a nice result with 6 pieces of circle (30° each and don’t forget the seams alowances) The stripes are a challenge to match up at 6 seams though. I think vertical stripes would be nice to. You’l get a bit of a chevron effect at the seams.
Emily says
thanks for the shirt tips… I should have just avoided the circle skirt with the stripes ;o)
Sue Draves says
I really appreciate that you added a size chart. Most of the sewing that I do is for charity so I don’t have any little ones around to measure. Thank you so much for this cute, quick and easy pattern. God Bless you!
elsa says
Thank you so much for this darling pattern! My granddaughter is a baby but when she’s big enough, I’ll be making this for her! I found it on Sew She Can.
Karen Thompson says
I have 16 pages printed out and can’t figure out how to put the pieces together to make the pattern. Help!
Karen Thompson says
I got it, thank you.
Emily says
glad you figured it out!
Samantha says
What is the estimated amount of each fabric needed for one dress? Trying to get everything together for my mom to make my girls each one and not sure how much to buy! Thanks in advanced!
Emily says
The skirts porbably each need 1/2 yard for smaller sizes.. this would get you an 18″ long skirt. If you girls are taller I would budget closer to a yard for the skirt.. The top doesnt’ take much fabric, 1/2 or less per shirt, depends on how wide is your fabric
janice thompson says
can some tell me what size 2T is – i dont understand
Sarah says
Did you do anything to the fabric so it doesn’t stretch??
Emily says
Just use the recommended stitch type
Deb says
Hi, I can’t find the details for the neck band ribbing, either on this pattern or the t-shirt pattern. All I can see where you point to is the size chart.
Crystal Flores says
https://lifesewsavory.com/how-to-sew-a-neckline-band-vs-binding/
This is where I’m going for the neck band
Rosemary says
Would this work with a stretchy top but ordinary material for the skirt which I would do as a circular skirt? Thanks.
Judy says
Tip: before you cut away the bottom of the tshirt, iron on a narrow (1″) strip of thin interfacing above cutting line, on the wrong side, all the way around the tshirt. You won’t have that “wonky” seam where you attach the skirt.
Cheryl Keith says
What a great tip! It would be useful when working with a ready-made T-shirt (and avoiding having a neck edge to finish, a shoulder seam to sew, an armhole to fill in with a sewn sleeve or finish off with bias tape, and a side seam to sew) or a regular bunch of pattern pieces.
Carla Baño says
Hola! Acabo de imprimir el patron soy nueva en este mundo de la costura sera mi primer vestido que voy hacer, tengo una pregunta como saber la medida exacta de la cinta para el cuello? hice una anterior prenda y me quedo mal como se la medida que quedaran para talla dos años gracias
Jessica Tan says
Thank you for the free pattern, i love it. been impatiently waiting for my daughter to get big enough to be able to make this..
If finer fabric puckers while sewing i use a piece of tissue.. Like the burda tissue you trace patterns with underneath it stops the puckering and you can just tear it off after. Works for anything thin tuille, silk, thin cotton etc.. Don’t know if it helps
thank you again
Angela V says
Can I make this with a non-stretch 100% cotton? Would I need to add a zipper?
Camille Turner says
I can’t find how much fabric to buy? Where is a chart that lists how many yards I need for the bodice and skirt?
Laura says
I’ve made this with the circle skirt several times and love how it turns out. I want to try a gathered skirt but cannot find the chart mentioned for the dimensions or the rectangles for the various sizes. Can you please direct me?
Jessica says
The tshirt front and back are different lengths when I cut them from the pattern. Is that normal?