Anyone sew their DD's T shirt dresses?

[Quiver0f10]

I have had a sewing machine for ages and can sew basic stuff, but I have never really made a dress and I am thinking of making my 5 yo some T shirt dresses for fall. Any advice or web sites to get me started?

[Chris in VA]

Here's a link to instructions--it looks easy, but I'm not a seamstress.

TShirt Dress

[Chris in VA]

Here's another, with pictures--and you can put the skirt fabric around the cuff of the t-shirt to make it match better (or leave off this step)

Another Tdress

[3lilreds in NC]

I haven't done a t-shirt dress yet, but I've done some gathered skirts, and my mom would really like me to tell you what I learned from that experience. You want to mark the skirt in halves for gathering, and make sure you gather evenly.

 

We made skirts for my girls for Halloween one year, and my mom got frustrated with gathering them so she handed them to me. I started merrily working away, and she said something about paying attention to the middle. I said, "Middle? What middle?" The look she gave me - I would be dead today if looks could kill. And my mom really likes me, LOL! :lol:

[Sandy in Indy]

I made several of these years ago when I was working for a publishing house. (Added a jacket made from the same fabric and voila!; work outfit!). They're really quite simple. Cut off the hem of the t-shirt. Sew the ends of the fabric together to make a circle. Sew a gathering stitch. Divide in half and then in half again. Divide the shirt the same way. Pin the fabric to shirt and gather evenly. Stitch together. Hem.

[GSMP]

I have made bunches of them. That is what got me through elementary school with my daughter. She was/is so tall...I couldn't find anything appropriate for her to wear to Christian school.

 

They are simple.....You can also make them with sweatshirts and flannel. I made my daughter a bunch of those one year.

 

I bought some special buttons to put on the front of the sweatshirt/t'shirt to perk it up.

 

Instead of doing gathers you can do pleats. I didn't like the t'shirts cut at the waistline. I would cut mine a little higher....like empire waist.

 

There is a trick to gathers......I'll see if I can explain this without pictures.

 

Once you sew the pannels together.....Start at a little above your 5/8 seam allowance.

 

Place the material under the pressure foot and drop the foot.

 

Grab the thread and pull a huge piece of it out.....make it as long as your waist is wide.

 

Set your machine onto the largest zig zag stitch you have......

 

Start sewing....you want to feed the thread that you just pulled out along the waist while you are zigzagging over that piece.

 

When you have zigzagged all the way around....mark your center.

 

Then take the thread you just zigged over and start pulling it through to create your gathers......

 

A friend showed me that trick....it makes life so simple when having to do a gather rather then trying to do a basting stitch.

[Quiver0f10]

Thank you all for the tips, links and info! I hope to try one this week and see if I can do it.

[jmgconner]

Here's a variation on the t-shirt dress that turns out so cute! I've made two for my DD. http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=170402.0

[Quiver0f10]

Here's a variation on the t-shirt dress that turns out so cute! I've made two for my DD. http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=170402.0

 

 

Thanks!

[GSMP]

Here's a variation on the t-shirt dress that turns out so cute! I've made two for my DD. http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=170402.0

 

That is absolutely adorable!!!!

 

I want to go out and find some little girls to make them for now.....hmmmm who do I know...(tapping finger on chin):lol:

[Athena]

A friend showed me that trick....it makes life so simple when having to do a gather rather then trying to do a basting stitch.

 

I just saw in my mind how you do that! That is brilliant! I love t-shirt dresses and my daughter has a few but the gathers are annoying to make. This will be a huge help to me!

 

Thank you!! I learned something new today! :D

 

Blessings,

Christy