Pillow Case Dress

If you are starting with a piece of fabric that is 36 - 40 inches long, fold it in half, right sides together, and stitch up one side. Then hem the bottom.


Step one: Cut the pillowcase off, leaving the hemmed end, using the following measurements:
6 months - 14 1/4"
12 months - 16 1/4"
18 months - 17 1/4"
2T - 18 1/4"
3T - 19 1/4"
4T - 20 1/4"

Then cut a strip from the leftover pillowcase that is 1 1/2" tall. See picture for visual. Cut the strip open and then in half, so you have two strips, 1 1/2" tall by about 20" long.

Cut out an armhole on each side. I folded the pillowcase in half and cut one armhole so that they would be exactly the same.

For sizes 2T and below cut 1.5" in and 3" down.
For sizes 3T and 4T cut 2" in and 4" down

Take the 1 1/2" strip and place it on the inside of the armhole, right side of strip to wrong side of dress. Fold down the top of the strip about 3/8". Meet the top of the fold with the top of the dress. Stitch the strip all the way around the armhole. When you get close to the end of the armhole, stop and cut off the extra strip, leaving enough to fold down 3/8". Fold down the 3/8 and finish off the armhole.

Picture of strip sewn on. Notice how it is folded and sewn down a little on each end, sewn from the top of the front of the dress, down the armhole, to the top of the back of the dress.

Next, you fold the strip twice, once so that the raw edge is touching the raw edge of the armhole

then fold that piece over to the other side of the armhole, binding the armhole. Here is a picture of the end, showing how it is folded.

Fold like that along the entire armhole, pinning as you go. You could also iron if you are the ironing type.

Then stitch along the binding. Don't stress about trying to stitch the outside and inside perfectly, I would just concentrate on the outside. The inside is already stitched and it won't show anyway

Do the same to the other arm.

Then, fold the top of the front and back, first 1/4" then 5/8" to form a casing with no raw edges showing. Stitch this closed.

Thread 1 yd of ribbon through each casing. Now just tie small knots in the end of the ribbons, gather the front and back, and tie bows on the shoulders. Viola!