Last week I shared a sewing tutorial for a girl’s flutter sleeve sundress and said I’d work on getting a pattern uploaded if people were interested. I was excited that so many of you asked for a copy of the pattern! I’ve drawn up the pattern (in size 4T only) and you can download it for free later on in this post. Those of you with girls other sizes could use the pattern as reference along with the instructions from the original flutter sleeve dress post to draft your own pattern – there’s only 2 pieces so it’s pretty simple.
And I thought this same pattern would probably look cute as a top, too, so I included a cut line on the pattern so you can use it to make either a dress or a shirt! Today’s post will give a few more details on how to sew either a dress or top from this pattern.
I used mini (3/8 inch) pom pom trim again to finish the sleeves and hem because it was so darn cute on the first version – and my daughter loves it. I found it at Joann Fabrics for $2.99 for a roll of 2 yards.
The first version I made was cut a little low under the arm, so I fixed that in this version.
(I made this top from a shirt I thrifted for no particular reason other than that I loved the print.)
You can get the free flutter sleeve top and dress pattern in size 4T by clicking here. It’s a 3 page PDF. You’ll want to be sure the printer settings say actual size or 100%. I’ve included a box on the third page that should measure exactly 1 inch when printed.
Print out the pattern and tape it together as you can see below. Don’t trim anything from the paper; just butt the edges up against each other and tape. Then cut out the pattern. Please note that I made this pattern to my daughter’s measurements and she is 3.5 years old and wears a 4T in clothes from the store. However, she’s fairly petite for her age, so if the girl you are sewing for is tall you will want to add some length (once it’s finished you can use a shoulder to knee measurement to decide exactly where to hem). The pattern has 3/8 inch seam allowance built in.
You’ll want to cut 2 sleeve pieces, both on the fold, and two dress pieces, again both on the fold.
Start sewing:
Add the trim and finish the bottom edge of the sleeve:
The under arms and neckline are finished with 1/2 inch single fold bias tape. It’s called single fold, but there are actually two folds in it. It looks like this:
Attach the sleeves to the dress (I’ve used photos from both the dress and top to try to best show the steps):
These steps were a little hard to photograph, so I hope this makes sense. If you’ve never used bias tape before you may want to read this tutorial.
Make a casing for your elastic along the neckline:
When you topstitch (in photo #2 above), do it from the underside so you can sew as close to the edge of the bias tape as possible. Use a safety pin to thread the elastic through. If your daughter is on the short side, you might want to use 21 inches of elastic instead of 22.
If any of the steps seem confusing, you can visit the original flutter sleeve dress sewing tutorial for a few more photos.
Thanks everyone – have a great week!
You might also like:
How to get a great smile from your toddler for photos
How to sew a quick swim cover-up for a little girl
Minnie says
Thanks for the pattern. I make dresses for the Little African Dresses. This simple pattern is just what I needed.
Wonk says
thank you sooooo much for sharing his pattern its beautiful, I’m very glad with the result, my daughter loves it!!! Kisses from Venezuela!
Bianca says
Sooooooo cute. 🙂
Thank you very much for this pattern.
My girls love their shirts.
Bianca
bandar bola terpercaya says
very cute, really perfect for this summer ^^
Mary Alice says
Thanks so much for this pattern. I just sewed up on of these dresses today for my granddaughter. Such a sweet dress.
Sanny says
Made a few of these love the simplicity of it. Still need to try it on my little granddaughter. Thank you.
Jeanne says
Just make the Flutter Sleeve Top this afternoon for my Granddaughter. I sized it down a bit since she is a 2T.
Such a great pattern and so easy! I think there are more Flutter Sleeve dresses and tops in my future.
Thank you!
Christine says
my granddaughter also wears a 2T. wad it hard to size down?
CW42 says
Thank you so much for the pattern and tutorial! This was my first successful attempt at completing a sewing project in awhile. I made a dress from it for my petite 2T daughter and it worked perfectly. At first I thought I would alter the pattern down, then I realized that the length of the elastic and the hem should take care of any variation. This one is definitely a keeper!
Tiani says
Thanks so much for this awesome pattern and tutorial. I have now made 2 of these tops, the sleeve attachment nearly got me both times and I found the pictures in the dress pattern worked better for me because right/wrong side was easier to identify. It was my first pattern using bias binding for sleeves which is very good for practicing straight lines! . Very happy with how they turned out (as is Miss 3) Thanks you so much for sharing!!!
Jeosen says
Thank you for this!! Learned how to finish sleeves and necklines with bias tape because of your wonderful tutorial. And my little girl loves it!
Janet says
I made a top and a dress for my daughter and she loves them, thank you! Did you have issues with the pompom trim fraying afterwards? I’ve washed the items in mesh bags but the trim keeps fraying, just wondering how to prevent it.
Susana Gonzalez says
Mi piacerebbe fosse in spagnolo o italiano ? come si prendono le misure per le maniche?
PAT says
I need to know if that elastic has to be in the dress/top, I had trouble trying to put it into the bias tape, so I took it out…I couldn’t see how you were able to do the bias tape so I checked out how to put elastic in bias tape and it was after I finished the top/dress not willing to share until I understand your directions better.
Jenny says
Thank you for this pattern! It was easy to follow and fun to make. I used 2 of my husbands old dress shirts as the material and LOVE how it turned out. I’ll be making more! I’d love to share a picture of my finished top.
Wendy Paull says
Just one correction. The sleeves should get seen on WRONG sides together. The picture says right sides together, but shows the correct way to do it. Thanks for the pattern! Adorable fabric too!
mamie gigi says
trop jolie ce modele ainsi que le petit mannequin qui le presente merci pour le tuto sympa
Natalie (QSOgirl) says
Thanks for a great tutorial! I made a top for my daughter out of a T-shirt of mine that I was no longer wearing! Your pattern and tutorial worked perfectly 🙂 https://vegetablog.wordpress.com/2016/07/11/flutter-sleeve-vbs-top/
Maria Simmons says
That’s cute in look! Glad to learn, would try one soon..
Tammy says
So cute! Thank you so much for posting this tutorial and sharing the pattern. I can’t wait to make this dress for one of my grand daughters!
Maca says
Hi! Thanks a lot for this great patter! I have a question: my girl is almost 6, what would be a good way for me to translate your 4T pattern into a 6-6X? Adding X inches somewhere? Thanks!
Holly says
Hi.
I was wondering if this dress can be made without any binding? Can I just turn the edges under and sew them rather than using any binding tape? It’s a darling dress.
Thanks!
Sally says
What a gorgeous pattern!! I was trying to find another tutorial for a flutter sleeve dress and your page popped up in the Google search. This pattern is a lot nicer than the one I was looking for! A real find!! Thank you so much for sharing, modelled beautifully as well! I’ve signed up for email updates and look forward to hearing more about your makes. Thank you.
SharoN says
Thank you so much for the darling pattern. So simple and sweet. I’ve made two for my granddaughter.
Audrielle says
This is darling. Love the trim! Daughters a cutie pie too
Molly says
Thank you so much for the sweet pattern. I’ve been searching for something that is simple and has a whisper of a sleeve to make for the Little Dresses for Africa charity. This will be perfect!
Marisa says
Love the shirt. Made several for my girls. Thank you!
Angela Worrell says
Thanks again I love this style, I’m going to try it for pj’s for my granddaughters
hemlata says
Dear autumn. Thanks for sharing this. I am new to sewing. I drafted the pattern using her some old dress. and it came out perfect except length was little shorter (my mistake). when I put elastic .so I made a bottom ( pajama type) with ruffle. and the complete dress looks awesome. Thanks.
claudia says
thank you sooooo much for sharing his pattern its beautiful, I’m very glad with the result, my daughter loves it!!! Kisses from Venezuela!
Jane says
Thanks a lot for this adorable idea, the free pattern and the explanations! I made a top and I just love it! Unfortunately I have no daughter (she would wear nothing else this summer) so I have to find an other girl I can sew for 🙂
I also like the explanation about how to adjust the pattern to an other size. To know things like that will be also useful for other patterns I think.
Thank you so much for sharing …
Jane
Deepika says
Thank you for this cute little dress pattern. I just made it for my daughter. Reviewed it here. http://sewing.patternreview.com/review/pattern/110990
Aysha says
Thanks for sharing the pattern,i was looking for some thing quick and easy thanks again
Ann says
Perfect pattern – did you use knit or cotton? TIA!
ANNA says
I made one of these the other day, just for fun. Such a quick project and the bias tape really provides a nice finish for the armholes. Thought I’d send you a photo — it will be donated to a local organization that helps moms in need. Thanks for the great tutorial! https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/17203369085/
Maria Tenorio says
Hi, I want to thank you for this pattern and tutorial, and also I want to show you the dress I just made.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mariatenorio/16581074473/
Regards from El Salvador.
Carrie says
thanks–my daughter and I made 2 of these yesterday for her girls!!!
Alice says
Thank a ZILLION…I sew for the under developed countries making drindle skirts for 3 to 14 years but using too much material and elastic and time. I have been looking for this pattern for two years, perfect for the warmer climates and at 81years old it will be less of a hassle and will enable me to keep going for another few years..you have made my day…thanks again Alice R.
Mehtaab says
Hey there, really liked the pattern and the dress, i have already cut out the dress, now i need to build it, wow, its coming good….. Well dear your little one is just so cute…… I will send you the pic, when I finish the dress with my little one.
Take care
Mehtaab
Lauren says
I just whipped one of these up for my almost-4 daughter! It looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it on her tomorow. Thanks for a great pattern.
Jill says
Hi! Thanks so much for sharing this pattern! I’ve turned it into a rainbow tunic for St. Patty’s and am featuring your tutorial in my post tomorrow 🙂 Thanks again!
Glada St. Clair says
Thanks a lot. I want to make a hundred of these cute little things for my granddaughter. Bless you.
beverley MILLER says
Thank you so much for sharing this precious little pattern and tutorial. I know that I will be making many of them for all the precious little angles I know.
MariaC says
Hi there, Great pattern and tutorial. Would love to make this in a size 5 or 6 what tips would you have to make the pattern larger?
autumn says
Hi Maria! It’s a very easy fit dress, so you could probably just make the bodice part wider and the sleeve part taller to size it up. Check out this post for a little more info on how I made the pattern in the first place: https://www.itsalwaysautumn.com/2014/06/15/simple-girls-sundress-flutter-sleeves-sewing-tutorial.html
good luck!
MariaC says
Thank you! I will take a look 🙂
Deb Watts says
Very cute top and generous of you to provide pattern and tutorial. I would like to make a size 3. What would I need to do to amend the pattern – perhaps print it at a percentage less than 100%?
Thanks
Deb
autumn says
You know, Deb, I bet you’d be just fine using the pattern as is and making it a little shorter and pulling the elastic in the neckline a little tighter. Otherwise, if you want to draft the pattern in a true size 3, there’s a tutorial for that in this post: https://www.itsalwaysautumn.com/2014/06/15/simple-girls-sundress-flutter-sleeves-sewing-tutorial.html
Ruth says
Can I make for girls with a cotton fabrics? I always make with cotton fabric
Debra says
Just whipped this out tonight for my little girl since most of the school clothes we bought are for fall. Made a big boo boo and sewed the collar bias to the wrong side but it coordinates, so I didn’t even bother switching it. She loves it and it’s super cute! Thanks a bunch!
Marie says
Love the dress pattern. Looking forward to more of your great ideas.
Segwyne says
I loved making this! It took me an hour and a half (I do have lots of experience sewing clothes), and about a yard of fabric. I didn’t have the pom-pom trim, so I just serged the edges of the sleeves, turned them, and stitched them down. About half way through the first sleeve, I realized I had turned it the wrong direction, toward the right side instead of the wrong side for a hem. My daughter now has beautiful serged sleeve decoration. I decided I liked how it looked and continued instead of ripping it out and fixing it. It might be useful to add that for the neck bias tape, the ends should be folded over and butted instead of overlapped so you have an opening through which to thread the elastic.
This was an awesome tutorial. Thank you very much.
Anna E says
I’ve just made this in a couple of hours – thanks for sharing, it’s so pretty and I have a delighted little girl!
autumn says
Awesome – I’d love to see a photo!
pixiedust says
thanks for this pattern. i followed your board because most of your DIY’s are easy to follow. i have also a 3 1/2yo daughter so your patterns really fit her size. God bless u more!
Jill says
I added length and made the cutest flannel nightgown for my granddaughter! She loved it and now I’m working on another one. Love that it’s easy enough to finish in an afternoon.
PuI hua says
Thanks for sharing the pattern for this lovely dress, love the simplicity & it’s so kind of you. And your little girl looks so adorable!
Danita says
THANK YOU SO MUCH! I was looking for something quick and easy to make my SIZE 4 granddaughter to send in the mail. This is perfect!!! I am getting too old to cope with paper patterns and I look to wonderful bloggers like you for inspiration. My piles of fabric are starting to go down…and my husband can’t believe it! So thanks again for such lovely and uncomplicated designs! Beauty and simplicity in one!
P.S. I found you on Pinterest and I will sign up for your blog asap! 🙂
Tanja Grauls says
Thanks a lot fot the pattern!!! I made the top and the dress! My daughter loves them!!!! xxx Tanja from Belgium
Sarah Johnson says
I love your patterns
Jessie says
This is very cute.
sherry bradley says
What a little cutie, dressed like a little doll. This would be so cute on MY little doll ! Thanks.
AmberO says
Oh, my… Super-cute top, and what a DOLL your little girl is ! I’ll be making this one for my little doll. Thanks!
Linda says
Thank you for sharing! Love the top, and what an adorable little girl!
Jean says
Made this up this afternoon. So cute and perfect! It would have gone even faster if I had not made so many dumb mistakes!
Janey says
Do you mind me asking how much fabric you needed to make this? I want to order some online but not sure how much to order. Thanks in advance x
Bonnie says
Thank you for this most recent and awesome tute! (I love all your tutorials). And can I just say your daughter is ADORABLE?! I think it’s her smile, especially 🙂
Jenn says
And what an adorable little model you have! Sweet T is in a 4T. Makes me wish I could sew.
Barbara kulp says
where is the actual pattern to cut the material found?
Beth says
Love this! Thanks for sharing the pattern.
Jessica says
What was the pattern number because I want to buy and make smaller size
Kathy says
So cute…can’t wait to see them in person.
Mareike says
Oh, thanks a lot!!!! I’ll sew up a bunch of them for this summer! Can’t wait to start sewing 😉
Mareike says
Oh, thanks thanks thanks! I love both of your versions! Really cute! I’ll sew up a bunch of them for this summer! All the best!