Kids' Basic Dress with Gathered Skirt and Cap Sleeves---Sewing Tutorial (with Free PDF Sewing Pattern)

I had already posted a tutorial on how to draft a basic dress for kids on this page on my blog.

In this sewing tutorial we will see how to sew the basic dress with self-faced cap sleeves and hidden in-seam pockets in the gathered skirt of the dress.

These are the fabrics I used for this project. 

*This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Sewing Supplies Needed:

1. Fabric (I used a vintage-style cotton fabric for the skirt of the dress, which I bought from Amazon. Similar fabric is available here. For the bodice, I used a white polycotton fabric I had in my stash. Similar fabric is available here.)

2. Free printable PDF sewing pattern (pattern link is given below)

3. Printer paper

4. Sewing machine (Both Janome and Bernina work well for me. Brother is equally good too. I made this dress using my Janome sewing machine.)

5. Sewing machine thread (I prefer Gütermann and Coats which are of great quality.)

6. Tape measure

7. Sewing pins

8. Serger (I am using Brother M343D, which works great.)

Size Chart:

This is the size chart I used. Please take your kid's bust round measurement and compare it with the measurement in the size chart to find the right size for her.

Seam and Hem Allowances:

Seam and hem allowances are included in the pattern.

Bodice front and back:

Shoulders 3/8 inch

Neckline 3/8 inch

Armholes 3/8 inch

Sides 3/4 inch

Sleeve:

3/8 inch for sleeve cap curve

Pocket:

3/8 inch all around

Hem allowance for the bottom edge is 3/4 inch.

Pattern download links:

Kids' Basic Dress Free PDF Sewing Pattern

Check out this page to find the details of this sewing pattern.

Kids' Cap Sleeve Free PDF Sewing Pattern

How to print and assemble the pattern pages?

Click here to learn how to print and assemble the PDF pattern pages. 

How to Sew?

1. Sew the Shoulder Seams.

With right sides of the front and back bodice pieces facing together, sew the shoulder seams together, with a 3/8 inch seam allowance.

Open the seam allowances and press them flat.

2. Serge the sides of the front and back bodice pieces.

3. Sew the neckline

Before sewing the neckline, we will first sew interfacing to the button and buttonhole extensions. Take two pieces of interfacing and place them over the button and buttonhole extensions. Mark width equal to 1 3/4 inches from the edges of the center back and their length on one side equal to the length of the center front. and the length on the other side a little bit higher, according to the curved shape at the top of the button and buttonhole extensions.

Press the iron-on interfacing for the button and buttonhole extensions onto the center back of the dress.

Now we will attach bias tape to the neckline to complete the neckline.

Take a long strip of bias-cut fabric with its width equal to 1 1/4 inches. If you don't have a long strip of fabric take a few strips of fabric and attach them as shown in the pictures below to get one long bias strip.

Fold over one of the longer edges by 1/4 inch and press.

Start pinning the bias strip to the neckline like so. Make sure to press the folds of the button and buttonhole extensions, so you will know where it starts.

Sew the bias strip in place.

Fold the bias strip to the wrong side and sew.

We have finished the neckline and the button extensions.

This is how the back of the bodice looks now.

4. Attach the Cap Sleeves

Lay out the sleeve pieces.

Fold each in half as shown in the image below.

With right sides together, pin the open edge (i.e., the unfolded edge) of the cap sleeve to the armhole. Make sure you align the sleeve cap's center point to the armhole's center point (i.e., the shoulder joint on the armhole). 

Take two bias strips with length a little more than the armhole measurement. Fold the longer edge of the bias strip down by 1/4 inch and press. Pin the other longer edge of the bias strip to the armholes.

Understitch the bias strips.

Understitching is a sewing technique used to keep a facing or lining neatly tucked inside a garment, preventing it from rolling out or becoming visible on the right side. It is commonly used on necklines, armholes, and waistbands.

How it works:

1. After sewing a seam: The fabric layers (such as the garment fabric and its facing or lining) are stitched together along the seam line.

2. Press the seam: The seam allowances are pressed toward the facing or lining.

3. Sew the understitch: A line of stitching is made close to the seam, stitching through the facing (or lining) and the seam allowance underneath it. This secures the seam allowance to the facing.

Don't hem the bias strips yet.

Open the folded down bias strip ends and align the front and back side seams as shown in the image below.

Open the seams and press them flat.

Now, fold down the bias strip and sew along the folded edge.

In the back bodice, overlap the buttonhole extension on the button extension and sew a few straight stiches on the overlap along the bottom edge of the bodice, so that when you attach the bodice to the skirt, the button and buttonhole extensions won't move apart.

A close-up image of this:

Step 5: Attach in-seam pockets to the skirt

Check out this tutorial to learn how to attach in-seam pockets to the skirt.

Once we have attached the in-seam pockets, we will now gather the skirt, so it can be attached to the bodice. 

Sew gathering stitches along the top edge of the skirt.

Machine Method: Use the longest straight stitch on your sewing machine. Sew two parallel rows of stitches about 1/4" apart along the top edge of the fabric. Do not backstitch at the start or end, and leave long thread tails.

Hand Method: Thread a needle with a long thread and sew a running stitch along the top edge of the fabric.

Create the gathers.

Hold the bobbin (lower) threads and gently pull them to gather the fabric into pleats. Adjust the gathers evenly along the length of the fabric to match the length of the bottom edge of the bodice.

This is how the dress looks now on the right side when you match the gathered top edge of the skirt to the bottom edge of the bodice.

Step 6. Sew the Skirt to the Bodice

Pin the gathered edge of the skirt to the bodice, right sides together. Adjust the gathers to distribute them evenly.

Stitch the skirt to the bodice using a regular straight stitch, sewing between the two rows of gathering stitches.

Remove the gathering stitches once secured.

Use a serger or zigzag stitch to finish the raw edges of the seam to prevent fraying.

7. Hem the Bottom Edge of the Skirt

Fold over the bottom edge of the skirt 1/4 inch and then by 3/4 inch and sew along the folded edge.

8. Sew Buttons and Buttonholes on the Back Bodice

On the back bodice sew buttons on the left extension and buttonholes on the right extension.

9. Add Finishing Touches (Optional)

Add decorative trims, buttons, or bows as desired.

Press the seams and fabric with an iron for a professional finish.

I have posted lots of free PDF printable sewing patterns on this page on my blog. Browse through this page to find the patterns you are looking for. You can download and use them to make your own clothes.

You can also click the Free Sewing Patterns Page at the top of this blog page (under the blog title) to find more free sewing patterns.

Click the links below to browse through all the pattern drafting and sewing tutorials on my blog.

Pattern drafting tutorials 

Sewing tutorials 

Happy sewing!

---Flora