DIY T-Shirt Dress: A Simple Tutorial by Anita by Design

What's up, folks? The majority of you have probably already seen the "Sewing 4 Haiti" t-shirt dresses I made. In case you missed it last week, you can read that entry HERE. The children of Haiti remain a focus of our prayers.

Still in the mood for sewing for little girls, I whipped up a few more dresses. In order to demonstrate how stunning the dress looks when styled and worn, I enlisted the help of a few young girls this time. I made sure to incorporate some of their favorite colors and patterns into the dresses I made for them. You'll soon see that the design and styling possibilities for this seemingly straightforward dress are virtually limitless. This dress could be worn year-round with the addition of the right accessories and layers.

Do you need a fantastic present idea?    The ease with which the dress can be sewn will astound you. A NEWCOMER COULD FINISH THIS QUICKLY It takes only an hour to sew, so it's perfect for last-minute presents or additions to your daughter's wardrobe. So, test it out. Get your daughter involved in the process of picking out the shirt and fabric. Don't limit her to just one set of solid colors or patterns. She'll be overjoyed to learn that she contributed to the creation of her dress. This is such a simple dress to make that it would be great if she could lend a hand while you construct it. You could have a special day with your mom, grandma, aunt, niece, or mentee. Have a good time with whatever it is you end up doing.  

The girls and their mothers came up with a few different outfit combinations that you can try! The girls totally killed it, and we loved working with them. This tutorial is photo-based.

CEMO Photos

In this tutorial, you can either:

1. Instructions in Writing - If you'd rather read than watch, I've included a detailed walkthrough of the entire process in this blog post.
2. At the bottom of this post is a video tutorial for those readers who learn better with visuals and sound.

Materials Required:

1. Tee shirt (made from one hundred percent cotton).
2. Trimmings: half a yard to a yard of fabric (I used 100% cotton).
3. Interfacing with Fuses
4. Scissors for Cutting Fabric
5. Needles without kinks
6. Gauge Tape
7. Measuring Stick or Grid Ruler
8. Thread
9. Chalk for tailoring, also known as a chalk roller
10. Optional: Press Cloth (Not Shown)

Not required (but helpful)

To begin, go out and buy some fabric and T-shirts.

T-SHIRT I bought three T-Shirt Mart t-shirts for ten dollars each because they are made of 100 percent cotton. T-shirts can be found in most department stores, discount stores, and boutiques that cater to women and girls. Furthermore, t-shirts can be purchased from JoAnn Threads Also, Michael's To save a ton of money, redeem this coupon good for fifty percent off.

You will need half a yard to a yard of fabric. I went to JoAnn Fabrics and bought some flannel, which is cotton but thicker than regular cotton.   The length of the skirt you want will determine how much fabric you need to buy. Get more fabric, divide it into two panels, and sew them together to create a fuller skirt.

2nd Step: Get the T-Shirt Ready

In this phase, you will pre-treat and measure (illustrated below).

Follow the care instructions found on the tag of your t-shirt for the best results. The shirt needs to be dried and ironed flat. Take a measurement on both sides, beginning at the bottom of the armhole opening and ending where you want the shirt to hit. I made a depth measurement of 3 inches Drive a straight pin into it there. If you're not sure where to cut the shirt, have the girl you're making it for try it on and mark the length with chalk. Then, after taking the shirt off, pin it on both sides at the same length.

SHIRTCUT (For reference, see images below)

(1) Align the pins on both sides of the t-shirt with your ruler or yard stick.

(2) Use a chalk roller or tailor's chalk to make a straight line from one end to the other. It's also acceptable to use marking utensils for this purpose.

To do step 3, you'll need a pair of fabric scissors and a straight edge.  

Be sure the cut is straight by checking point #4. Get rid of the sharp corners.

T-SHIRT INTERFACING - We'll be applying interfacing to the t-shirt's raw edge before sewing on the skirt to keep it from stretching. (Camera images follow.)

Using a measuring tape, go from one side of the tee (along the slit) to the other. Basically, you need to double that and add half an inch. Allow an extra half an inch for the side curves and interfacing shrinkage. Take down the dimensions  

(2) To illustrate, please reverse the shirts inside out. Make an interfacing strip that is half an inch wide and as long as the measurement you just took. For the best results, cut this strip in a straight line along the non-stretchy selvage edge of the interfacing. You know you've miscut your strip of interfacing if you can pull it and it stretches. Place the interfacing so that the glue side is facing the t-shirt and align it with the cut edge.

3. Attach the interfacing to the shirt by pressing it on all around. (You should use a press cloth to avoid getting glue on the bottom of your iron while doing this. Just snip off any excess interfacing that has accumulated at the very tip. Just cut another strip of interfacing to the desired length to cover the shortfall.

SPLIT T-SHIRT IN HALF - This will ensure an even attachment of the skirt to the top. Photos are below.

The first step is to pin the shirt together at the seams.

To make the folds at the front and back of the shirt, (2) bring the side edges together and lay the shirt flat in front of you. Place straight pins at the creases. This is a picture of your shirt cut into quarters. Don't worry about your shirt while we get the skirt ready.

Thirdly, get the skirt ready.

SKIRT SIZE MEASUREMENTS – (For images, scroll down)

First, unfold your fabric so that the printed side is facing you. If your fabric has a border at the selvage end(s), cut it off with your fabric shears or rotary cutter. There is a white border around some fabrics, and in that space, the manufacturer often prints details about the fabric. Among them are those that simply feature a white (or colored) area. We're cutting away the border so that when the seam is sewn together, there won't be any visible border on the right side of the fabric.

Set the fabric's top edge even with the t-shirt's bottom hem (2). Get out your measuring tape and cut to size. If you want your skirt to be exactly that length, add an additional 1 1/2 inches to that number. Make note of this dimension

We will use the above measurements to determine the length of the skirt to be cut. As evidenced by the images below:

Align the selvage edges by folding the fabric in half lengthwise.

To begin (2), using your rotary cutter or fabric scissors, cut across the width of your fabric to create a straight edge at the top. Before cutting with scissors, use a yardstick or ruler to draw a straight line across the fabric. Cut across the width of the fabric using the above-mentioned measurement as a guide, starting at the top and working down to the desired length.

SKIRTS WITH A SEWN-IN SEAM: (Check out the images down below)

1. Fold skirt in half lengthwise, with right sides together. Stitch the hem of the skirt to the waistband, backstitching at the start and finish, leaving a 1/2-inch seam allowance. You can choose how to finish the raw edges of the seam allowance. Any seam allowances I have to finish will be done so with a serger.

(2) Flatten and press the seam on both sides. To get the best results when pressing your garment, I recommend using a press cloth.

Step Three: Press the Seam on the Inside of the Skirt to One Side

After step 3, reverse the skirt so the outside is facing you. Press the seam again.

TO GET READY FOR THEM: (For examples, see the images below)

(1)   Stitch around the hem of the skirt with a 1 inch seam allowance, backstitching at the beginning and end (guide stitching).

(2) Stitch a fold along the raw edge as a guide. The skirt's stitching is meant to be visible from the reverse side.

(3) Fold it in half and press it

(4) Lift the fold and bring the raw edge to meet the folded edge (at the guide stitching).

(5) Revisit the folding technique A new result is a double fold.

(6) Stitch the double fold around the entire hem of the skirt.

SEW HEM : (Camera images follow.)

Hem the fabric, making sure to backstitch at the beginning and end, using a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Sewing can be done from either the front or the back of the fabric.

Get the party ready: (Below are some examples of pictures that can be used)

One, sew two rows of basting stitches into the skirt's upper edge. Start stitching the first row at the 3/8-inch mark. Attach the second row of stitches halfway into the seam allowance. We're using a 3/8-inch seam so that any basting stitches we use to attach the skirt to the shirt won't be visible on the right side.

(2) Use the same method as for the t-shirt to divide the skirt into four equal parts.

Join the skirt to the top. (Click on the pictures below to enlarge them.)

(One) Tuck tee into skirt until the hems meet.  

Place a safety pin down the seam of your skirt and the back of your top. Sew the skirt to the shirt down the center front and both sides using matching pins.

Pining as you go, bring up the gathers on one side of the skirt, and then distribute them evenly. Alternately, on the other skirt side.

Fourth, disperse the accumulated goods without clumping anything together and pining as you go. Steps 3 and 4 are repeated on the other skirt side.

5. With a 1/2-inch seam allowance, sew the t-shirt to the skirt. Apply your chosen seam finishing technique to the edge.

F The INISH DRESS: Photos are below.

(1) Pressing the seam flat

Two, on the inside of the dress, press the seam toward the t-shirt.

Dress seams should be pressed toward the outside (3)

The fourth step is to topstitch the t-shirt, catching the seam allowance underneath and stitching 1/4 inch from the seam.

The hem of your dress is nearly done. Finish it off with your preferred adorable touches and hit send. The finishing touches of buttons, bows, flowers, and pins make this an adorable outfit for your precious little one.

Images for a Tutorial by Anita Morris

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Always keep in mind that God shines brightest when you are operating within your DESIGN.

Anita