How to Make a Self-Smocked Little Girl's Sundress

Sewing clothes for your children is a great way to save money. You enjoy the options of choosing fabrics and prints to create one-of-a-kind pieces. Smocking is a shirred sewing technique that provides a lovely bodice to children's clothing. Using elastic thread, smocking creates a form fitting, but flexible tube around your child's torso. Quickly make a self-smocked little girl's sundress in an afternoon and she will be wearing it for preschool the next morning.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• 45-inch wide cotton fabric, 3/4 yard
• Measuring tape
• Scissors
• Iron
• Straight pins
• Disappearing ink pen
• Yardstick
• Elastic thread
• Sewing machine bobbin
• Sewing machine
• Regular sewing thread
• Spray bottle with water
• 1/4-inch wide ribbon, 2 yards

1. Cut a 27-inch wide by 45-inch long piece of cotton fabric. This will produce up to a size 4 self-smocked little girl's sundress. Fold one long edge to the wrong side a 1/4 inch and press. Fold another 1/4 inch, press and pin. Sew the pinned edge. This is the top edge of the sundress.

2. Place the fabric on your work table with the right side up and the long edges running horizontally. Measure down from the top hemmed edge a 1/2 inch and mark with a disappearing ink pen. Lay a yardstick, horizontally, across the fabric at the 1-inch marks. Using the yardstick as a guide, trace a line along the marks. Measure and mark a 1/2 inch below the line and draw another one. Repeat every 1/2 inch four more times.

3. Place the fabric on your work table with the right side up and the long edges running horizontally. Measure down from the top hemmed edge a 1/2 inch and mark with a disappearing ink pen. Lay a yardstick horizontally across the fabric at the 1-inch marks. Using the yardstick as a guide, trace a line along the marks. Measure and mark a 1/2 inch below the line and draw another one. Repeat every 1/2 inch four more times.

4. Spray water, heavily, over the sewn lines. Wait a few seconds for the pen markings to disappear. Iron the fabric over the wet stitch lines. This will cause the elastic stitches to shrink, creating a self-smocked fabric.

5. Measure around the chest of your little girl. Use this measurement across the top and bottom edges of the smocked fabric and mark. Lay a yardstick vertically, matching the two marks. Trace a line, connecting the marks. Replace the elastic bobbin thread with regular thread. Sew along the drawn line, using a short stitch setting. This will prevent the elastic from slipping out when the smocking is cut. Cut a 1/4 inch outside the drawn line.

6. Fold the smocked fabric in half with the right sides facing and the 27-inch cut edges together. Pin the 27-inch edges together and sew using a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Iron the seam open. This is the basic shape of the sundress.

7. Measure from the top of your little girl's chest to a 1/2 inch below the desired hem length. Use this measurement to measure from the top edge of the self-smocked dress down. Cut away the excess fabric on the bottom of the sundress. Fold the raw edge a 1/4 inch to the wrong side and press. Fold another 1/4 inch, press and pin. Sew the pinned edge, creating the hem.

8. Cut four lengths of 1/4-inch wide ribbon, 18 inches long. Place the sundress on your little girl. Adjust the seam to run down the center of the back. Determine the spacing of the two straps on the front of the dress and mark with pins. Insert an end of one ribbon a 1/2 inch below the top edge on the inside of the dress at the mark. Pin the strap. Repeat at the other mark. Turn your child around and attach the two remaining ribbons in the same way. Carefully remove the dress. Stitch the ribbons to the dress. Place the sundress back on your little girl and tie the ribbon straps in a bow over the shoulder.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are worried about sticking your little girl with a pin when removing the dress, use safety pins to hold the straps or use the disappearing ink pen to mark the dress, pinning the straps after the dress has been removed.