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A guide to making a girl's dress

In the past few years sewing has come back into fashion and now making your own clothes is seen as a trendy way to show off original style. Making clothes for yourself and your kids is also a great way to save money, as you can buy patterns and fabrics for a fraction of the cost of a shop-bought item.

Girls dresses are one of the simplest things to make and a great starter before you start creating your own wardrobe. By making clothes for your daughter you will be making a substantial saving, which can then be used to splurge on one-off special items, which are perfect for spoiling your little one on her birthday or for a special occasion. Designer clothing for little princesses can easily be bought online, so even if you don’t live in a city with access to designer stores, you can shop for your favourite designers from your home! Before you splurge, make some savings by creating a wardrobe of dresses for your daughter.

Can I start with something simple?

Yes! If you are new to sewing, or haven’t used a sewing machine for a while, you can always start with a simple girl’s dress before you progress to something more advanced. It is even possible to make a cute garment with the most basic of home-made patterns. Download a simple two-piece pattern from the internet and find a fun printed fabric. Two pieces cut from the fabric will provide the front and back of the dress, with lengths of ribbon acting as straps. If you have never sewed before you can practice your stitch by sewing the ribbon to the fabric, and use tailor’s tape rather than thread for the hem. Simple!

Where can I find more advanced patterns?

After you have progressed from something easy, you can move on to more advanced patterns and styles. Most haberdashery shops stock patterns for dresses in a range of sizes and ages. Alternatively, you can find a huge variety of patterns on the internet, at sites such as simplicity.com and gotopatterns.com. Some websites provide downloadable patterns for free, whilst others charge a small sum. If you are stuck and are looking for step-by-step guidance, use Youtube.com to search for video tutorials which act as a great guide.

Where’s the best place for fabric?



Haberdasheries will always stock a huge variety of fabrics and often have catalogues, allowing you to order in something you like which is not in store. However, if you are looking to save money there are more cost-effective alternatives. Charity shops often sell fabric off-cuts, or you could purchase a large second hand item of clothing in a pretty fabric and use this to create a dress for your daughter. Second hand as well as new fabric can also be bought cheaply on sites like ebay.

So, what are you waiting for? Start creating original pieces for your daughter and use your savings to treat her to a designer piece for a special occasion!


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