We sew a summer sundress for a girl - With Our Own Hands

Sundresses for girls - 11 patterns

My daughter doesn't like pants or shorts. Every time I try to get her to wear fancy jeans, she tells me with tears in her eyes that she is not a boy. In her understanding, girls should wear only skirts, dresses, sundresses.

To be honest, I prefer shorts and pants. But the daughter’s wishes have to be taken into account. I buy her skirts and dresses, and in the summer I sew sundresses.

For sewing, I try to choose light fabrics, preferably natural ones. They are more pleasant to the body than synthetics. In addition, such fabrics absorb moisture better, which is especially important in the summer heat.

Sometimes I don’t buy fabric on purpose, but rather rip out old things and sew from them. For example, I recently sewed a sundress for my daughter from my floor-length skirt. I wore it quite a bit. A few years ago, such skirts were at the peak of popularity. I bought this skirt, but this style did not suit me. So she lay idle, taking up space in the closet.

My daughter liked the bright floral colors. It turned out to be a beautiful sundress, which I decorated the front with a large flower, and the fabric was left over for a Panama hat and a dress for the doll. My daughter is very happy, and for me this is the most important thing!

Do your girls enjoy wearing sundresses in the summer?

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What to wear with?

Sundresses for summer are often worn by placing them directly on the body. Corduroy models made from natural materials are pleasant to the body and do not cause sweating. Girls can wear a light openwork blouse made of chintz or cambric underneath. On a cool day, you can throw a vest, denim jacket or sweatshirt with a front closure on top.

Warm models of sundresses are worn over a blouse with sleeves, a turtleneck, a thin sweater or golf. You can decorate the look by wearing a bolero, vest or blouse on top.

When choosing clothes for a sundress, you need to take into account color combinations. The image should look harmonious and emphasize the child’s individuality.

Corduroy fabric is durable and has a pleasant texture, which meets the requirements for children's clothing. For a girl, you can sew an elegant or casual sundress, which can become the child’s favorite thing.

Author: Maria Andryukova

How to sew a sundress for a girl yourself

A sundress is one of the most comfortable, practical outfits for girls. Summer, flared, double-sided, school, with a pleated skirt, warm, combined with openwork inserts, for babies and almost adult girls - there are a lot of model options. Sewing a sundress allows you to show your imagination and does not require deep knowledge, modeling and sewing experience. The patterns for these products are usually very simple. And sometimes you can do without them altogether. Now we will look at how to sew a sundress for a girl.

How to choose corduroy for a sundress for a girl?

A corduroy sundress for a girl can be warm or light for summer. The choice of fabric directly depends on the time of year.

There are 3 types of fabric:

• Cord. This fabric has a very high pile and wide ribs (up to 5 mm).
• Rib (microvelvet). The pile is relatively low and the ridges are 2-3 mm wide.
• Shaped corduroy. The surface of the fabric looks like a combination of fleecy and patterned textures.

Modern fabric has qualities that are attractive for the manufacture of children's clothing.

The main ones are described in the table:

Along with its positive properties, fleecy fabric has some features that should be taken into account and properly cared for:

• Some types of corduroy can shrink (that is, change size when wet). To avoid this, you need to study the properties of the fabric by first conducting an experiment on a small section before sewing.
• Thanks to the lint, dust accumulates on the fabric. Therefore, the product may lose its shine. For cleaning, use soapy water and ammonia solution. For light soiling, you can use improvised means (for example, office tape) or special brushes for fleecy fabrics.

To choose fabric for a children's product, you need to know the child's characteristics. Thus, synthetic fabric, which is durable and bright, can cause irritation to a child’s skin. Products made from dense cord may be uncomfortable for play.

To sew summer models, you should opt for thin natural fabrics containing elastane. They allow air to pass through well and do not retain moisture. It can be shaped corduroy or micro-corduroy with a thin rib. Warm models are often sewn from thick fabric. A cord made from natural (wool) components with elastane may be suitable.

Pattern of a sundress for a girl

You can quickly and easily sew a simple summer sundress for a girl. Moreover, we will help you make a pattern for the model.

It is better to sew summer sundresses for children from natural fabrics - satin, poplin, cambric.

Let's start with the necessary measurements. The pattern for a children's sundress is made according to measurements for size 28, i.e. for a 3-year-old child:

• back length to waist (DST) – 26 cm;
• chest semicircumference (CHS) – 28 cm;
• semi-circumference of the waist (SW) – 28 cm;
• skirt length (DN) – 24 cm.

Let's start building a sundress pattern for girls with a bodice. It is more convenient to draw on graph paper format.

In the upper left corner we mark point (∙) A. From it to the right along a horizontal straight line we set aside a value equal to POT + 2 cm for a loose fit. The amount of increase (= 2cm) for all children's dresses is the same. Setting aside 30 cm, mark (∙) B. From the obtained points, draw vertical straight lines down, measuring on them the length of the back to the waist. It is equal to 26 cm. We mark (∙) C and (∙) D. The result is a rectangle ABCD.

Pattern and sewing

Even a novice seamstress can quickly and easily sew a sundress for a girl with her own hands. Once all the necessary materials have been prepared, the first thing to do is take the necessary measurements. The length of the back at the waist, the semi-circumference of the chest, the waist and the length of the skirt are measured.

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To create a pattern in a girl’s wardrobe, you need to find the girl’s T-shirt and put it on paper. The material must be smoothed out thoroughly so that not a single wrinkle remains on the product. After this, you need to outline the outline and then expand along the line to the bottom, and round the bottom. When creating a pattern, be sure to measure the distance for allowances.

DIY baby dress

Summer flared sundress

To sew a summer sundress for a girl, you need to prepare about 70 cm of light summer fabric, thread and braid. After this, you need to take measurements and mark the pattern. Then you need to do the following:

1. process the edges of all received parts;
2. sew the back seam on the front and skirt;
3. Place the skirt and front side facing each other and sew the details along the waist line;
4. gather the skirt a little;
5. sew a seam by tucking the bottom edge of the skirt;
6. hem the top edge of the shelf;
7. Determine the place for the straps and stitch them.

Having completed all the work, you can begin sewing on appliques, depending on individual preferences.

Summer flared dress

Summer sundress for girls with straps

Before you sew sundresses for your daughter for 3 years, you need to decide on the style. It is best to give preference to the style with straps. To sew such a summer dress, you will need to purchase a small piece of lightweight material. You can use cotton, satin or linen. There will be no problems when purchasing the material. Today, specialized stores offer a large assortment of all kinds of lightweight fabrics. You can also sew a dress from jeans. The choice will depend on individual preferences.

Summer dress for girls with straps

Deciding on the cut length for a sundress is very simple. You can take an existing model and measure the distance from the top edge of the chest to the bottom of the skirt, or take the corresponding measurements directly on the child. It is necessary to add 15 cm for facing and seam allowances. It is the resulting length that will correspond to the length of the cut that will be needed to sew the sundress.

To create a pattern for a girl's summer sundress with straps, you don't need any specific knowledge or skills. It is enough to measure the length of the product without straps, as well as the width of the chest. Then the width of the chest should be divided into 4 parts and 2 cm added to the result. As a result, it is possible to calculate the width of the pattern of each shelf along the chest line. The dimensions of the front and rear shelves will be almost the same. Their difference will only be in the circumference of the armhole.

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The pattern can be drawn up on paper or marked directly on the fabric. Regardless of the method chosen, be sure to leave seam allowances.

Denim dress with straps

Children's sundress with wings

Beauty, comfort and practicality - you can give all this to your beloved girl by sewing such a model for her. The silhouette of the summer dress is slightly fitted. Moderately lush ruffles that go from the front to the back will effectively make the little princess stand out from the crowd. The product can also be complemented with a thin decorative belt and brooch, this will add elegance and will be a pleasant addition to a beautiful look.

Note! The product is comfortable to wear thanks to its practical length just above the knees.

Additions to the freedom of fit are also optimal; with them, even a fitted silhouette does not hinder the child’s movements. With a turtleneck or blouse, a sundress with wings will always look decent.

Children's dress with wings

Children's sundress with buttons on the back

For hot weather, a light summer dress will be simply irreplaceable. The pattern of such a product consists of several parts. To make the dress look presentable, it is best to use a plain fabric for sewing it, since this option will effectively emphasize the raised seams.

To make a pattern for a children's sundress, you need to measure the child's height and chest circumference. Once the pattern is ready, you can transfer it to the fabric and then start sewing the product. On the back, you need to cut the product in half and sew buttons to it. You can use an awl to form loops. The top can be made depending on individual preferences. These could be straps, a neckline or elastic.

Children's summer dress with buttons down the back

Double-sided sundress

The highlight of any product is the ability to wear it on both sides. This is especially important for young children. It is very easy to sew such a sundress for a girl. Burda magazines presented many master classes on sewing just such products.

To sew a double-sided summer dress for a little princess or teenager, you will need to prepare in advance two pieces of fabric of different colors, threads, scissors, a pin needle, eyelets, and a sewing machine.

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To create a pattern for a future product, you can use a child’s T-shirt. From the armpits you will need to expand the product to the desired width. The length is also determined depending on personal preference.

The front parts of the product need to be made wider in the middle if you plan to tie it with ties. The paper pattern should be transferred to the material and then the resulting model can be stitched.

Reversible summer dress

Wide sundress

The model will look impressive on both a fat child and a thin one. The product will help hide the flaws of any figure and visually make it more fragile and graceful.

To sew a sundress, it is best to purchase lightweight material, because it is this material that will be draped in folds. Experts recommend cutting the product along an oblique line. Once all the details are ready, you can start sewing.

Wide summer dress for a girl

Sundress in Old Russian style

Children are often dressed up in the clothes of our ancestors for matinees. To sew such a sundress for a girl, the pattern must be drawn up taking into account all the features and nuances. It is also very important to choose the right material. The most optimal option is considered to be a light, dense fabric with a flower pattern.

To create a pattern, you will need to measure the height and chest circumference of the child. The drawing is adjusted to the proportions based on the measurements taken. There will be no problems when sewing a sundress. First of all, the front and back shelves are cut, and then the parts of the product are connected using side seams. The hem and neckline are processed last.

Summer dress in ancient Russian style

Sundress with contrasting trim

Patterns for a child:

Summer sundress without pattern

Even if you have never sewn anything, you will still definitely be able to cope with this simple model and sew a summer sundress for your baby in literally 20 minutes.

This simple sundress can be sewn from different fabrics. A plain fabric or one with a bright print is also suitable.

You will need: a very small piece of fabric that can be loosely wrapped around your daughter and 1.5 - 2 m of tape for the straps.

The sundress consists of two identical parts - front and back. The sundress should be loose, so the width of each part should be 10-15 cm larger than half the circumference of your girl’s hips.

Moreover, the sundress can be made a little flared.

Pattern for cutting a sundress for a little girl

To sew a sundress you need:

1. Fold the fabric face inward, mark the length and width of the sundress and mark the armholes with chalk.
2. Cut out 2 parts: the back and front of the sundress, not forgetting the seam allowances. If you don't have suitable tape on hand for the straps, cut them out of fabric.
3. Fold the edges of the armholes and stitch.
4. Sew side seams.
5. Fold the bottom of the sundress and stitch. If desired, you can add a flounce, border, braid, whatever you like to the bottom of the sundress.
6. Fold the upper part of the sundress (neck) - make a drawstring.
7. Thread a ribbon through the drawstring and tie a bow.

The sundress for your baby is READY!

But for older girls and teenagers, I recommend sewing a similar sundress, but you will only need to cut it diagonally. A diagonal cut or, as it is also called, a “cut on the bias” will give the sundress a light and flowing silhouette.

Learn more about how to sew a summer sundress without a pattern in 30 minutes in the video tutorial by Olga Nikishicheva.

Children's sundress with buttons on the back

The main patterns for cutting can be drawn using the following drawings:

Sundresses with frilly straps

The frills on the straps look very delicate.

Patterns of sundresses are designed for sizes for girls:

Dresses and sundresses for a child can be sewn without having in-depth clothing design skills. In addition, you probably will not need to buy material or order it in Moscow or another large city. If you have sewn clothes before, you probably have leftover fabric. By combining them, you can sew a sundress for a girl with your own hands using patterns or without them.

Corduroy sundresses for girls. Patterns and descriptions of DIY sewing

When creating patterns and sewing children's sundresses, you need to take into account allowances for loose fit. This means that the finished product should not hinder movement or cause discomfort when worn.

The easiest way to make patterns is to use any children's item (T-shirt, dress or blouse) that fits the child's size. Or take a basic shoulder pattern from a magazine and use it for modeling.

To create a sundress pattern, you need to take the following measurements:

• Chest circumference. Measured under the armpits across the widest part of the chest.
• Waist line length. The circumference around the waist is measured.

• Hip girth. The measurement is taken across the hips through the fullest part of the buttocks.
• Neck circumference. This size is needed for sewing a sundress with a yoke.
• Shoulder length. Measured to adjust the pattern along the shoulder when sewing a one-piece yoke.
• Distance from shoulder to waist. Measured from the highest point of the shoulder to the waistline. For ease of measurement, you can tie a ribbon around your waist.
• Distance from waist to hip line. This is the distance from the waist line to the hip line.
• Distance from waist to armpit. The size for sewing products with shoulder straps and breasts.
• Length of the product. Individual measurement of the desired length of the sundress.
• Armhole height. Depending on the model, it may be larger or smaller and is used for sewing models with a yoke.

Strap style

A corduroy sundress for a girl with straps can be sewn from a single piece of fabric or used to remake an old corduroy item.

This sundress is suitable for summer and cold seasons. It can be worn with a thin T-shirt in the summer and worn over a turtleneck in the winter.

To make a pattern yourself, you need to complete the following constructions:

• On a sheet of paper, mark a waist line in the center and draw a line perpendicular to the edge of the paper. On this line, set aside a distance equal to a quarter of the waist measurement.
• To the right of the waist line along the center line, set aside a distance equal to the measurement “distance from the waist to the hip line,” make a mark and again draw a perpendicular to the center line of the pattern.
• Along the hip line, set aside a distance equal to a quarter of the circumference of the hips. And add about 6 cm to the looseness of the fit. This value is selected individually.
• Connect the points of the waist line and the hip line.
• Extend the bottom of the sundress to the required length. The hem shape can be trapezoidal or straight.
• From the waist line to the left, set aside a segment equal to the desired size of the sundress bib.
• The width of the top of the breast is chosen independently. It is better to first try on your child which width will be most comfortable.
• Connect the top point of the bib to the end of the waist line.
• The back pattern matches the front pattern. You can change the size of the back top of the sundress.
• Cut the pattern along the waistline.

For sewing, take cotton micro-corduroy in the desired color.

Also for work you will need:

• Scissors.
• Needle, thread.
• Sewing pins.
• Iron.
• Sewing machine or overlocker.

Instructions for sewing a sundress with straps:

• Transfer the pattern to the fabric and cut it out. You should end up with 2 pieces of straps, 1 piece of the lower front part of the sundress, 1 piece of the lower back part, 1 piece of the chest and 1 piece of the back upper part, 2 pieces of facing for the upper parts of the sundress.
• Sew straps and iron.
• Place the back piece face up in front of you. Attach the sections of the straps to the top edge and secure with pins. Place facing on top, face down. Sweep or chip pieces. Machine stitch and turn inside out. Iron the resulting part.
• Sew the breast with facing, turn the piece inside out and iron.
• Topstitch along the edges of the breast and back.
• Sew the breast to the front lower part of the sundress, placing right sides together.
• Also sew the back and lower back of the sundress.
• You can sew pockets onto the front part of the sundress.
• Sew side seams. If necessary, sew a zipper into the side seam.
• Fold the bottom of the product.
• Sew buttons onto the chest.
• Install metal or plastic loops on the straps.

Button up model

Even a novice needlewoman can sew a corduroy sundress for a girl in the form of a simple trapezoidal model. You can make a sundress with buttons in the middle, on the side, or on the shoulders. When making children's clothing, improvisation and combining materials of different colors and textures is encouraged.

The model with buttons on the shoulders is sewn using a simple one-piece pattern. To sew a warm sundress, you need to take thick corduroy with a wool base. To create a pattern, take a children's T-shirt and transfer the front and back onto paper.

Make the following adjustments:

• On the back, reduce the shoulder width on each side by 1 cm.
• Increase the side seams by 1 cm. Set aside this distance from the bottom of the armhole. Draw a smooth line from the new outer point of the shoulder line to the bottom of the armhole.
• Along the hip line, increase the pattern by 7 cm. Connect the side line.
• From the highest point of the shoulder down, measure the length of the product.
• Set aside 5 cm from the resulting bottom line along the side seam and round the bottom cut.
• Lower the neck line down 5 cm.
• Also model the front pattern.
• Lengthen the shoulder sections on both parts by 4 cm (for button fastening).

Sewing pattern:

• Cut out the parts: 1 front and 1 back.
• Cut out the facing for the top of the back and front.
• Sew the side seams of the sundress parts.
• Stitch the side sections of the facing parts.
• Sew facing to front and back pieces. To do this, turn the sundress right side out, put the facing piece on top, align the cuts and stitch. At the rounding points, make cuts along the seam. Turn the product inside out and iron it.
• Topstitch the top of the product along the edge.
• Fold the hem and sew on the machine.
• Sew loops on the back straps.
• Sew buttons to the front of the shoulders. To adjust the length of the straps, you can sew 2 buttons on top of each other.

Long model

An elongated sundress made of thin corduroy is suitable for both winter holidays and evening walks on a summer day. The model consists of a one-piece yoke. The skirt is made in the form of a cascade of flounces, sewn one on top of the other.

Corduroy sundress for girls with frills

Take a child's item as the basis for the pattern, outline the front and back and cut along a line 5 cm above the waist line. If you plan to sew a model without fasteners, you need to adjust the depth of the neckline, lengthen the armholes and increase the width at the side seam.

Divide the length of the skirt into 3 or 4 parts (this depends on the height of the child). The width of one shuttlecock should be approximately 10-12 cm.

Sewing instructions:

• Cut out the front and back pieces. Make exactly the same parts for the facing.
• For the skirt, cut out the stripes taking into account the gathering. The length of the first stripe is equal to the length of the bottom of the yoke plus 10 cm. Each next tier should be 20 cm longer than the previous one. The width of the lower flounce can be increased by 3-4 cm.
• Sew the yoke parts and facing parts along the side edges.
• Sew the facing to the main part of the yoke. Turn out the resulting workpiece and iron it. Use scissors to make notches in the rounded areas.
• It is better to first sew the skirt separately, and then sew it to the top of the sundress.
• Gather the strips by machine or by hand and sew them sequentially to each other. Finish the bottom edge with a narrow flounce or fold it to the wrong side.
• Sew the upper part of the skirt to the yoke.
• Topstitch the edges of the yoke.

Wrap style

A corduroy wrap sundress is suitable for a little girl. Such models with a tie are easy to put on and do not restrict the baby’s movements.

The front of the sundress consists of two shelves. The back is cut in one piece. The closure can be with buttons or ties.

Sequence of work:

• Make a pattern. Transfer the contours of a children's T-shirt onto paper and model a sundress. Cut the fronts from the top of the shoulder to the bottom of the opposite armhole along an oblique line.
• Transfer the patterns to the fabric and cut them out, taking into account seam allowances of at least 1 cm. Cut out exactly the same parts for facing.
• Sew side and shoulder seams on the main parts and on the facing. Sew the facing to the base, working first on the armholes, and then on the front edges and the back neckline.
• When attaching the facing, sew ties into the corners of the shelves. Also sew the laces in the left side seam on the outside close to the armhole and on the opposite side - on the inside.
• Sew the bottom of the lining on a machine or finish it with an overlock stitch. Fold the hem.

Double-sided sundress

For this model, two bright materials are combined or one of the sides is made of plain fabric. Using, for example, thin jeans looks very stylish.

To sew a sundress for a girl with our own hands we will need:

• fabric - two pieces of fabric, 0.8 m each;
• threads to match the color of the fabric;
• sewing tool.

How to sew

We start by making a life-size pattern.

One cell in the drawing corresponds to a square with a side of 1 cm.

The patterns are made for three sizes:

• from 1.5 years to 2 years (= height 86 – 92 cm);
• from 3 years to 4 years (= height 98 – 104 cm);
• from 5 years to 6 years (= height 110 – 116 cm).

The patterns are drawn taking into account allowances of 1 cm.

We cut out the parts from the first and second fabric - according to both patterns. There will be 4 blanks in total.

If we sew a sundress with pockets or appliqué, then we cut out blanks for them.

We process the edges of all workpieces around the perimeter using an overlock stitch or a zigzag stitch. Sew a pocket or applique (if provided) onto the front side of the front front.

We fold the blanks from the first fabric with the right sides and sew them together. Press the side seams.

We proceed similarly with blanks from the second fabric.

After you have sewn both parts of the sundress and pressed the seams, you can begin assembling.

Place one dress into the other with right sides facing each other and align along the cuts at the armholes and rollout.

Then we sew the seams along the armholes, straps and rollout. On the roll-out and armhole allowances, we make notches in several places so that the fabric does not pull when turning out. At the ends of the straps we cut off the allowances a little.

We turn the product right side out, sew the edge and iron it. We perform decorative stitching with a slight indentation from the edge along the line of the armholes, straps and roll-out. Hem the bottom edge.

That's it, the sundress is ready!

Patterns of children's sundresses for beginners

To help beginning seamstresses, there are ready-made patterns of varying levels of complexity. But if you want to sew something that will fit you exactly, you need to be able to build and adjust the pattern yourself.

For a basic children's sundress with a drawstring, you just need to make a drawing of the parts, following our tips:

1. Measure 3 measurements: chest circumference, hip circumference and overall length of the product.
2. Take graph paper or light fabric and draw a line equal to the total width of the product (half the circumference of the hips + 10–12 cm).
3. Then set the total length of the product down and add another 10 cm for the future drawstring.
4. Make a rounded line (curve at the armpits) along the top edges of the pattern for 7-10 cm.
5. The pattern is ready. All that remains is to measure the length of the straps (if provided), draw and cut out rectangles for them. Then stitch the parts and finish the seams.

If you are looking for a dress pattern for the summer, the easiest one to make would be a sundress with straps. Follow these steps:

1. Calculate the length of the finished product and add 10–12 cm for allowances and hemming of edges. If you want to lower the shuttlecock, then remove from the expected length as much as is needed to make it.
2. Measure the width of your chest, divide the resulting figure by 4, then add 3-4 cm for allowances. This will be the width of your shelf. Measure the chest height and draw the details. Be careful when determining the armhole: it is deep on the front and smaller on the back.
3. Draw up a pattern on graph paper and calculate the allowances. If you are planning to make a flounce, then make it 1.5 times longer than the lower part of the dress.

Advice! If your sundress has a symmetrical cut, then you can correct inaccuracies in the pattern at the fitting stage. To do this, put the sour cream product on inside out and correct the fit.