Girl's Braided Dress

Need instructions on how to sew a dress? Try the girl's braided dress from Jessica Gerblick, a simple, chic summer dress to make for your daughter. This free long dress pattern is so easy, you won't even believe it.

Materials:

• 1.5 yards of fabric
• Coordinating thread
• 3 buttons
• Pattern

Cutting:

Print Pattern and cut pieces as follows:

Cut (3) 44”L x 3”W pieces of fabric

For Size 2 Cut:

Cut (2) 9L” x 44W” pieces of fabric for skirt pieces

For Size 3 Cut:

Cut (2) 13L” x 44W” pieces of fabric for skirt pieces

For Size 4 Cut:

Cut (2) 16L” x 44W” pieces of fabric for skirt pieces

For Size 5 Cut:

Cut (2) 18L” x 44W” pieces of fabric for skirt pieces

Instructions:

1. We will start with the skirt bottom. Take the 2 skirt pieces and match raw edges right sides together. Sew up the Length side seams on one side fully, and on the other side - sew almost all the way to the top, leaving 2” unsewn from top edge. See Photo:
   
   
    
2. Press seams open.
    
3. Turn bottom hem under ¼” towards the wrong side of the fabric and Press. Turn under again ¼”, enclosing raw edge, and Press. Sew hem closed.
    
4. Sew a line of gathering stitches along the top edge of the skirt and set aside.
    
5. Take the front bodice and back bodice and sew right sides together at ONE side seam. Repeat for lining. Be sure to sew on the same side seam for both fabrics! See Photo:
   
   
    
6. Now, placing the exterior bodice and the lining bodice right sides together, sew along side and upper edges, leaving the bottom edge open. Turn Right side out and press. See Photo:
   
   
    
7. Gather the stitches along the top of the skirt until they are the length of the bottom of the bodice.
    
8. Slip gathered edge inside the bottom of the bodice and pin in place. Sew. See Photo:
   
   
    
9. Sew buttonholes along opening in side of bodice, spaced evenly. Sew buttons on other side to match up. See Photo:
   
   
    
10. Taking the 44” x 3” piece of fabric, start rolling on one side, pinning as you go, until you get to the end. It helps to roll it in cycles, little by little, pinning and unpinning. See Photo:
    
    
     
11. When you get to the end and it is all pinned up, gently put a thin strip of fabric glue at the end of each roll along the entire strip until it is all rolled together.
     
12. For a thicker, more firm roll, wrap fabric around piping and glue at the end.
     
13. Repeat for all 3 pieces.
     
14. Once the fabric glue is all dry, with the three pieces all lined up, take a piece of tape and stick them together to a surface you can work on. Start braiding, be sure to keep even while braiding, until you reach the end. Secure the bottom with tape as well. See Photo:
    
    
     
15. Finding the middle of your braid, attach to the top of your front bodice and pin in place (I found it easier to push the pins through the back). See Photo:
    
     
     
16. Now this part you will have to sew on my hand (unless you have a heavy duty sewing machine). Attach braid to top of dress. As you can see, I hand sewed all along the back, whipstitching it on top, and kind of just securing the bottom (I get lazy with hand sewing, you might want to be more secure...lol). See Photo:
    
    
     
17. At this point I tried the dress on my daughter to see where I wanted the straps to fall, and where I should line the braid up in the back. Once I had that marked we were able to continue...
     
18. Undoing the bottom of the braids, at my marked point, I started weaving them together. Continue this only for about an inch. Then separate braids, and braid as normal again. See Photo:
    
     
     
19. Now, because I wasn’t smart enough to figure out exact placement before, I need to VERY CAREFULLY snip open 2 small areas in the stitching of the top of the back bodice, where I want the straps to enter. See Photo:
    
    
     
20. Slip braids inside, pin and very carefully sew closed.