Pillow Case Dress Tutorial

Welcome! If you have found this post through a forum or website, please leave a comment & let me know where you came from. Check out the rest of my blog for giveaways & other sweet stuff.

This post will mainly be a photo tutorial, click on any picture to make it larger. If you have any questions, let me know.

Supplies/Tools Needed

• 1 pillowcase


• bias tape (optional, you can also use the extra pillow case for this)


• elastic


• safety pins


• scissors


• measuring tape

First measure you child. You will need to measure across the chest. You will also need to measure the length that you want the dress to be. This measurement is from the chest to knee or mid calf. (ie. Hatties measurements are: chest - 6 inches, length - 20 inches.) The chest measurement is for the elastic.

Standard (American) Dress Lengths for Little Girls

6 - 9 months: 14 inches

12 months: 15.5 inches

18 months: 17.5 inches

2T: 19.5 inches

3T: 21 inches

4T: 22 inches

5/6: 24 inches

7/8: 26 inches

Next you will cut the pillowcase. When you cut acroos the top of the pillowcase (i.e. lenght), add an inch to the length for your casing fold. For the arm holes cut a 'J' edge, along the side seams, that is about 3 - 4 inches high/3 - 4 inches wide.

If you want to make your own bias tape from the pillow case selvage, you should cut that now. For a 1/2 inch bias tape, you need to cut 2 1/2 inch strips. Cut two strips.

Next you will iron the casing for the elastic in the front & back of the pillow case. Starting at the raw edge, iron a 1/4 inch fold then fold & iron a 3/4 inch fold.

Finally sew the casing closed. Sew as close to the edge as possible, leaving a 3/4 inch casing. This step does not have to be perfect. The roaching from the elastic will hide a multitude of mistakes.

Now while you have the iron out, iron the bias tape. This is how I make bias tape, if you make it differently, make it how you usually make it.

First Iron in half, open. Then iron both raw edges to the center. Finally fold & iron in half again.

Your project should now look like this.

Now you will feed the casing with elastic. You will want to cut the elastic the length of the chest minus 1/2 inch. You will need 2 pieces of elastic the same length. Attach a safety pin to either end of the elastic for feeding purposes.

Feed the elastic through the casing. Then sew all four raw edges of casing, sewing the elastic into the casing.

Now pin the bias tape to both arm edges.

Starting at the edge of the bias tape, begin sewing the tape closed. Continue sewing closing the dress in the tape. Make sure you give yourself enough room to catch both edges.

Finish off the bias tape by using your button hole stitch on the diagonal.

Snip all of your seams. Viola, finished dress.

For personal use only.