Tshirt dress with tiered skirt free pattern

inside: Sew a tshirt dress with a tiered skirt using this free sewing pattern and tutorial. This free pattern will help you sew a beautiful tiered skirt tshirt dress. You will be wearing this dress all summer long.

A few years ago I sewed a long sleeve version of this dress and have been wearing it ever since. I decided it was time to sew a spring/summer version. I found this rib knit and sewed up this fun tiered skirt dress. I ended up making an adult and kids version of this dress. All the details to make your own like it {including the free shirt patterns} are included below.

Shirt dress with tiered skirt

How cute is this dress? I love it so much! The trick is to make sure that the tshirt is cut at the right length. Sometimes I think it’s perfect, then when the skirt is sewn on it gets pulled and seems too long. I’m considering shortening the top here just a bit, but adding clear elastic will also help with the pulling.

On the girls version seen here I did add more clear elastic to stabilize, but there is also less pull do to the skirt being lighter. I think for the women’s version a tri-blend fabric would be perfect and not stretch out.

I was planning to add three layers to the skirt, but after two the length seemed good, so I stopped. The height of the skirt layers can be totally customized. However, if you plan to make a long skirt I would make tall layers… more, short layers makes it too heavy. More on this below.

I used two different top patterns in the two versions. The kids pattern uses the kids crop top pattern and for the women’s I used the women’s free t-shirt pattern. {links below} Both versions are un hemmed to keep the bottom light and flowy.

Other free dress patterns to sew:

• Fall dress with tiered skirt {this is the long sleeve version of the dress in this post}
• wrap dress free pattern
• Tank dress free sewing pattern
• Sweatshirt dress pattern
• Loose fit dress pattern

Supplies for a tiered skirt dress

This dress base is the boyfriend tee, with an added skirt. So I’ll include the link here to download that free pattern. I used rib knit for this dress, but any lightweight knit fabric will do. The tough part of this dress is finding a knit fabric that is cute and pretty, but also light enough not to weigh the dress down. If the fabric is too heavy the skirt will just be too heavy and weigh the dress down.

I used the same fabric for both dresses, but it was better suited for the smaller version with less fabric used and less weight to pull down.

• Boyfriend tee free sewing pattern for top
• crop top for kids {or any t-shirt pattern}
• 2.5-3 yards of fabric {depending on length of skirt}
• Clear elastic
• Serger or sewing machine {or both} Serger on Amazon

Full video tutorial to sew the tiered skirt dress

If you don’t see the video check the sidebar, or try a different browser. This same video can also be found on youtube here.

How to sew a tiered skirt t-shirt dress

Before sewing there is a bit of set up to do. First, download the free shirt pattern and print it out. You can use any tshirt pattern as the top! The two I used are linked above in the supplies. I cut the shirt with 6″ side seams. If you are especially busty you may want to length this a bit, but I like the high waist so 6″ is good.

Cutting the skirt layers

You also need to prepare the skirt layers. Decide the length of the skirt you want, then divide it by 2 or 3 to find the height of each layer. {example} a 25″ skirt is two 13″ layers of skirt. {make sure to add seam allowance to your skirt layers.}

As far as the width of each skirt layer they should be 1.5-2x the width of what you are sewing it to. For example, if the bottom of the shirt measures 30″, then the first layer skirt should be at least 45″ wide. If the first layer is 45″ wide, then the second should be 67″ wide and so on.

You can watch the tutorial video for a walk through of making the entire dress.

After you have cut out all the pattern pieces you can sew the front and back top together at one shoulder seam. Cut and sew a neckband to this neckline. My neckband is 90% of the length of the neck opening and 1.75″ tall. Fold in half and sew to the neckline, stretching gently. Need help with your neckband? Check out this tshirt neckband tutorial post. Using the free crop top pattern? Use that tutorial for sewing… I added a lettuce hem for the for the sleeve in the video… make one with this tutorial.

Add clear elastic in the shoulder seams for stability.

After you have sewn the band in place, sew the other shoulder with right sides of the fabric together.

Now it’s time to add the sleeves. This pattern has a slightly different slope on the front and back side, so make sure you are matching the front of the sleeve with the front of the shirt. Match the outer edges of the sleeve with the outside of the shoulder and then pin/clip your way into the center, easing the curves together. Sew both sleeves in place.

Hem the sleeves with a 3/4″ hem or a cute lettuce hem. Then sew the side seams. {the side seams are a great place to add clear elastic} Now it’s time to work on the skirt. Take the first layer of skirt. Remember this should be 1.5-2x the width of the bottom of the top. So if your top is 30″ at the bottom, then your first layer should be 45″-60″. You can use the width of fabric or piece multiple together as needed. Sew into a circle.

Tutorial for adding clear elastic here.

Gather the top edge of the fabric until it fits on the bottom of the shirt. Pin or clip in place, then sew together adding clear elastic in the seam as you sew, this will help keep the shape of the dress. Need help gathering? Here’s my tutorial on how to gather fabric.

This is how the layers should look sewed together. The shirt should lay flat and the gathers should be even. Do not stretch out the ungathered side when sewing.

For any additional tiers on the skirt you will measure the bottom of the first tier and then cut a piece 1.5-2x longer than that. So if this one was 45″ around, then the next one would be about 72″ around. Gather the top edge of the next layer, then sew to the bottom of the first one. If adding a third layer, repeat this step one more time. I added clear elastic in each layer as I sewed it together.

I would not add more than three layers as the skirt will be too heavy. Can’t wait to see what you make.