Pattern Description:
This pattern creates a Pillowcase Dress, sized 20×30″ (child’s size large). Construction begins by piecing the red print dress band to the blue print dress body using a specific rolling and turning technique.
After assembling the unit, armholes are cut using a backward J shape. Neckline casings are formed to thread two 40″ lengths of ribbon, which serve as adjustable shoulder straps tied into bows.
Materials Needed & Measurements:
The finished dress size is 20×30″ (child’s size large).
| Item | Quantity / Measurement | |
| Fabrics Needed | ||
| Red print (dress band) | 3⁄8 yard | |
| Blue print (dress body) | 7⁄8 yard | |
| Ribbon | 2 – 40″ lengths of 7⁄8″-wide ribbon | |
| Tools | ||
| Water-soluble marking pen | ||
| Large safety pin | (Used for threading ribbon) | |
| Cut Fabric Dimensions | ||
| Red print strip | 1 – 10×41″ strip | |
| Blue print rectangle | 1 – 26 1/2×41″ rectangle | |
| Seam Allowances Used | ||
| For piecing strips (generally) | 1⁄4″ seam allowance | |
| For forming flat tube/pillowcase construction | 1⁄2″ seam allowance | |
| For sewing together long edges (Step 7) | scant 1⁄4″ seam allowance | |
| For enclosing the seam (Step 8) | 1⁄4″ seam allowance | |
| For turning raw armhole/neckline edges under | 1⁄4″ | |
| Armhole Marking Dimensions | ||
| Mark distance from dress unit sides | 2″ | |
| Mark distance from dress unit top | 4″ | |
| Neck Casing Formation | ||
| First turn under raw edge | 1⁄4″ | |
| Second turn under raw edge | 1 1⁄4″ |
Instructions for Making the Pillowcase Dress Pattern:
Assemble Dress Body
The following steps utilize a 1⁄4″ seam allowance unless otherwise specified. This technique joins the dress band and dress body while enclosing the seam internally to form a flat tube.
- Place the 10×41″ red print strip right side up on the work surface. Place the 26 1/2×41″ blue print rectangle right side up atop the red print strip, ensuring one pair of long edges is aligned.
- Starting at the long edge that is not aligned, roll up the blue print rectangle until it reaches approximately halfway up the red print strip. The initial pair of aligned long edges must remain aligned.
- Fold the red print strip over the tightly rolled blue print rectangle. Pin the three raw edges together: the two red print edges and the one blue print edge. Crucially, ensure the blue print roll itself does not get pinned.
- Sew the pinned edges together using a 1⁄2″ seam allowance. This step forms a flat tube.
- Simultaneously, pull the blue print roll out of the newly created red print tube. This action should resemble pulling a sleeve out. As you pull the blue print material, turn the red print tube right side out.
- Unroll the blue print rectangle completely to form the primary dress unit. While pulling slightly on the red print band, press the band flat, directing the seam allowance toward the band. Turn the unit over and repeat the pressing on the opposite side.
Finishing the Side Seam
The side seam is finished using a technique that fully encloses the raw edge (often referred to as a French seam).
- Fold the entire dress unit in half so that the wrong side is inside. Starting at the band, sew together the long edges of the dress unit using a scant 1⁄4″ seam allowance.
- Turn the dress unit wrong side out and press the seam flat.
- With the wrong side still facing out, sew the long edge of the dress unit a second time, this time using a 1⁄4″ seam allowance. This second seam encloses the first seam sewn in Step 7.
Make Dress Armholes
- Lay the dress unit flat on the work surface and ensure the seam is centered.
- Fold the dress unit in half lengthwise. Carefully smooth the fabric to remove any ripples or bumps.
- Using the water-soluble marking pen, mark the armhole position: mark 2″ from the sides of the dress unit and 4″ down from the top.
- Using these marks as a guide, cut a backward J shape to form the armholes.
- On one armhole, turn the raw edge under 1⁄4″; press. Turn the same edge under 1⁄4″ again; press. Topstitch the folded edge to hem the armhole. Repeat this exact process for the remaining armhole.
Make Neck Casing and Finish
- Take one half of the neckline. Turn the raw edge under 1⁄4″ and press. Then, turn the same edge under 1 1⁄4″ and press. Topstitch the resulting folded edge to create the ribbon casing. Repeat this process for the remaining neckline half.
- Attach a large safety pin to one end of a ribbon length. Leading with the safety pin, thread the ribbon through one of the neckline casings, making sure to keep the fabric layers flat. Repeat this process with the remaining ribbon length and the remaining neckline casing.
- Adjust the two ribbons so they are of equal length within the casings. Secure the ribbons in place by machine-stitching through the midpoints of the casings.
- To complete the pillowcase dress, tie the ends of the ribbons into bows, which serve as the adjustable shoulder straps.
Download Free PDF:
