Dresses 21 through 25 - Flirty Florals, and 17 FREE PATTERNS!

 Did you know you that you can find all kinds of free downloadable PDF patterns for dresses online?  I searched on Pinterest for them, and also Googled free patterns.  There are many choices.  I have linked SEVENTEEN FREE PATTERNS for you below, suitable for the Dress a Girl program.  As they are free, a few are very small, but can be enlarged to bigger sizes.

First is a Spring bouquet of  Five Florals, made from these downloaded patterns.


Pillowcase dress pattern by LBG studio
Pattern Link

This pattern is just one size, comparable to a size 4/5 DAG.  I used red and white floral, with contrasting yellow print for band at the hemline, pocket and yellow ties. Small green rick rack is used for decoration.

The arm holes are already cut out on the pattern, and the bottom has an option for a contrasting hem or full length main fabric.

I sewed the contrast band pieces together, then the two dress pieces.  I attached the band, then sewed up the remaining side.















The rest is sewn exactly like the DAG pattern.  Remember to finish your seams, by pinking, serging or using a French seam!

I LOVE this one! 💓 The August Dress Pattern from Happy Together by Jess
                                      

web site/instructions
Pattern

The buttons are just decorative, the dress slips over the head.  Sizes 2 to 9.

I will be doing a separate post about construction of this dress, as I plan to make several of these 💓💓





Here are two photos of making the bodice, and my completed floral, in pink and aqua in size 6/7.  Excuse the crazy background, its my bedspread!

 

Peasant Dress by Jamie Sanders for Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom

This is a free pattern, but you have to add to shopping cart.  It will ask for your email and send you the link to the pattern.  Make as a tunic or a dress! 


Main Website

Shopping Cart
Instructions
 



This is a very easy peasant dress pattern.  Pattern has sizing from 12 months, all the way to 14 years.  I cut a front, back and 2 sleeves to make this size 4/6 from only one yard of fabric!    On the left, I  did French seams to connect the sleeve to the body at the shoulder points.  French seams down both sides came next.   Turn under neckline and sleeve bottoms to make elastic casings (I used 1/4 inch elastic).  Hem it, and done! 




















It's Always Autumn - Flutter Sleeve Dress Pattern

The pattern is a 4T.   Lengthen to make a dress.

Pattern
Instructions

Super easy dress. I opted to use eyelet trim as it was the same width as the flutter sleeve pattern.  once the flutter sleeves are attached, enclose the armholes with single fold bias tape.   Bias tape is also used to make a casing around the neckline for elastic.  I made this dress 23 inches long to correspond with the Dress a Girl length measurement for a size 4.


Before and after trimming.  Trim can make all the difference between a nice dress and a great one.

Dress A Girl Around the World standard pattern










 



   


Lovely lavender floral, using the DAG pattern. This is a size 4, and has contrasting purple ties, pockets and pleated hem.  Lavender rick rack decorates the pockets and above the pleats.

Below are twelve more free patterns you can download and make.  HAPPY SEWING!

 


The Pleated Square Tunic by Shwin and Shwin

Webpage/pattern download
Instructions

This is a pretty tunic that can be lengthened into a dress. A  roomy square neck slips over the head.

Girl's Tiered Ruffle Dress by Crazy Little Projects

Pattern
Website and Instructions

Sew straps together with fake button closure.  widen neckline.









Toddler Rickety Rac Toddler Dress by The Stitching Scientist


Website/Pattern









The Summer Picnic Dress by The Cottage Mama

Pattern
Website/instructions
12 months to 4T









Once Upon a Sewing Machine - 4 in One Peasant Dress

Make a tunic or dress, several sleeve options.
Website
Pattern








Oliver and S Popover Sundress

Pattern and website











Floral Jumper by Blooms and Bugs


Website




Pillowcase Dress with Tied Bow by Sweet Mama J's Boutique

Website and Instructions









Easy Summer MuuMuu by Pretty Prudent

Instructions/pattern download

Really cute, I will be making this one soon.








2T Toddler dress from Make Baby Stuff Dot Com

Easy tie in the back dress.  Pattern can be enlarged for older girls.  Tie closures or slip over the head.


Instructions                          

Pattern



Little Geranium Pattern by Rae Hoekstra


Pattern/Instructions

This is a newborn size, but you can enlarge this easily for toddlers.

Spin Around Dress - A Molly Size Freebie Pattern






Pattern

Instructions

Really cute dress size 2T.  Need to modify the back piece by cutting on the fold, cutting neckline lower and omitting snaps, to make it a pull over dress.

Dresses 17, 18, 19 and 20 - Mythical Maidens

Ambassador Monica sent me these two adorable fabrics, both on pink backgrounds, consisting of fairies and mermaids.  These prints will make sweet dresses for the little ones.  I call dresses seventeen through twenty, "Mythical Maidens".

I started with the Mermaids.  I cut the one yard fabric in half from selvage to selvage, so I could make two dresses. These will be size 5s.  I love pink and green as a combo.

I bought some bright green fat quarters, and cut them all the way across.  The quarters were not originally cut straight with the pattern, so I evened it up as best I could.  I placed side by side, then sewed the two short ends together in a French seam.

Since this put a seam in the middle of the strip, I moved my usual center back seam to the side, so the fabric would be unbroken across the front and back.  I hemmed the bottom, then put the final French seam on the side.  I used bright green ties, and a pink pocket with dark pink trim and green button on one, and  and two rows of bright green rick rack and a pink button on the other   Here they are.

 The next Mythical Maidens are the fairies.   The fabric was borderline too thin, so I went ahead and lined them.  I know that a dress someone has lovingly made might be rejected if its too see though.

First, I sewed a bright pink solid across the bottom.  I did not use a French seam here, as the lining, once attached seamed sides together, will cover the raw edges. Once the lining was added, this became a sturdy dress that will last quite a long time!  I added white rick rack around the top of the contrast band, and decorated the pockets.  Bright colored ties complete these dresses.

Now to put labels on them, and off they go to Monica!

Dresses 15 and 16 - Little Foxes

Dresses Fifteen and Sixteen are all about adorable foxes.

The Fox went out to the chase one night,
Prayed to the moon to give him light,
He had many a mile to go that night,
Before he reached the town-O!
Town-O!  Town-O!
            Folk song sung by Burl Ives

I first bought the fabric with the white background at Joann.  Not long after, Val received some donated items for decorating DAG dresses that she is making.  She shared some with me, and it included some appliques - foxes!  When I went back to Joann, I found a coordinating print to the one I had, with a robin's egg blue background.   I had about one yard each.  I decided to split the fabric and swap out some with the other.  

                                                                                                    

The top and bottom pieces were sewn to the body portion with French seams. Once the three portions were together, I hemmed the bottom. Finally, the seam was sewn down the back.   I added gold rick rack at both the top and bottom seams.   Elastic was sewn into the front and back channels.

POCKETS

Now for the fun part.  I had two different fox appliques. First, I ironed them on the pocket squares I cut out.  I knew there was no way they would stay on after washing, so I sewed all around the edges on the sewing machine.  I made a coordinating pocket to go with the appliqued one.

MAKING BIAS TAPE FROM QUILT BINDING.

I didn't have any matching gold bias tape for the ties, but I did have gold quilt binding.  It was very easy to turn into bias tape.

Below on the left, is blue regular double fold, double wide seam binding, used for the shoulder ties.  On the right, is gold bias tape quilt binding. 

As you can see, when opened flat, the gold is twice as wide as the blue.

I split the quilt binding and ironed flat.  Then I folded the sides to meet in the middle, and then in half again to enclose the first fold.   Instant bias tape!   I sewed on as usual.

I attached the pockets, and sewed on the label.  Here are the two dresses, ready to go.

 

Rachel, the Pink Cowgirl

I received this adorable pink western fabric from Ambassador Monica.   I immediately thought of the founder of Dress a Girl Around the World, Rachel Eggum Cinader.  Several of her photos show her in a cute, pink cowgirl hat.


Rachel, dresses thirteen and fourteen are dedicated to you, the "Pink Cowgirl."






Rachel founded Dress a Girl Around the World in  October 2009, and according to a recent post she made "We’ve distributed 1.5 million dresses to girls in need in more than 82 countries!"    Photos of Rachel below are from the DAG official Facebook page. Link Here

I received one yard of the pink fabric.  I wanted to make two dresses.  I cut the yard in half from selvage to selvage.  This gave me two 18 inch pieces to start with.

On my last trip to Walmart, I raided the remnant bin.  I got 3/4 yard of Waverly fabric called onyx bandana, for $1.  It coordinated perfectly with the cowgirl print.  I would be using it as the bottom print on the dresses. 




One thing I noticed was the pink print was a bit thin.  The true test is to hold it up to the light.  In this photo, the screen door is easily seen through the fabric. 

If you have a thinner fabric that is cute but may not be usable, there is a simple solution -  line it!   It takes very little extra time.








As you can see in the photo on the right, I cut the skirt lining to the same size as the pink fabric.  I sewed the back seams of both, creating two tubes.





I have always bought gently used sheets from thrift stores to line clothing I make for myself.  They are very soft from several washings.  Once the two tubes are sewn, insert the lining into the fashion fabric, and baste together at the top.  By putting the two seam allowances facing each other on the inside, no seams are showing.

Next, since the pink was only 18 inches long, I added the black and white fabric to the bottom, making it approximately 27 inches, long, after the black was sewn to the bottom.





As seen below left, the inside, lined fashion fabric is sewn with a French seam to the black, and right photo, the outside.  I did not line the black, it is thick enough.

Next, I made my elastic casings, and inserted a 7 1/2 inch piece in the front and back.  Then I added the bias tape ties, 36 inches long. making sure both the lining and the fashion fabric were pinned down good before sewing.
 
 


Left - Here is the dress before trims are added.   


Below.  White rick rack is added between the pink and black fabrics.   I had a fat quarter in a black and white print that matched, and used it to make the pockets.  Remember to line the pockets and make them sturdy for all the treasures to be collected.   Two rows of pink rick rack and a pink button finish off the pocket.                                              
                                                       

Add the labels, and all done!