Cinderella Dress – Halloween Costume

 

So, there was no question what she wanted to be for Halloween.  I even offered her a few suggestions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ha.  Okay.  I just wanted to be sure… 

 

 

 

Complete with lots of shine…

 

 

 

And Cinderella’s signature gathered hip detail…

 

 

Also, an easy on/off velcro closure in the back.

 

 

 

This dress may have just put my little girl in the best mood that day.

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I’d say, Cinderella was a good pick for Halloween this year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s how I made mine for my size 4T-wearing daughter.

**Warning:  I tried to fit in every step so there are tons and tons and tons of pictures and explanations.  So be patient while scrolling through, if you already know how to do a certain technique. :)

 

 

I started to make the dress like I do many of my made-from-scratch clothing items,  by using the shape of another piece of clothing that fits, as a guide to make something new. (some examples here, here, and here) 

I decided to use the same top shape as this knit dress…..without those sleeves and without the gather below the bib section.

 

 

 

I measured my little girl and knew that I wanted the dress to be 31 inches long, from the shoulder down to the very bottom of the dress.  I also decided where I wanted the waist seam to hit her (compare to another dress with a waist seam if unsure) and measured that the bodice would need to be 10 1/2 inches, from the top of the shoulder down to the waist line.

 

So I folded the dress in half, matching up the arm pit area and traced around the top bodice of the dress.  I was tracing to make the front bodice piece first, so I made this piece with the scoop of the front neck line but subtracted the sleeves.

 

 

Then I used this paper guide to cut out some of this stretchy knit fabric on the fold, that created the whole front shape after it was opened up.  Make sure that if you’re using a one-way stretch knit, that the stretch is going width-wise and will stretch across the body, not up and down.

 (**I used this stretchy knit for the bodice section so that it would stretch with her and allow my daughter to wear it longer.  Also, I wanted it to fit comfortably while cutting it to fit more snug against her body while not using a more restricting satin for the bodice like I used for the skirt section.  But it’s up to you.)

 

I cut out my entire piece on the fold, adding a 1/2 inch along the top and sides for a seam allowance……and added another two inches to the bottom because my paper pattern wasn’t big enough and I was too lazy to tape more paper on to make it bigger.  (I could have created a bigger pattern piece from the beginning that included the seam allowance and the correct length, but again, I was too lazy.  But you choose what you’d like to do.)

 

 

Then I used my front piece that I kept folded in half, as a guide  for the 2 back pieces…..so don’t cut on the fold this time.  We will be making a back with a velcro closure…..perfect for little ones to get on and off themselves.

 

 

The 2 back pieces need to be cut out exactly the same size except for adding an inch and a half to the center back and making the neck line higher.  Refer to your original shirt to see the slope of the neck on the back if needed.

 

 

Now you have your 3 main bodice pieces: the front and 2 back pieces.

 

 

Now, to make the silver center portion on the front of the dress, I just cut a rectangle out of this shiny silver costume-y material (a syntethic fabric of some kind…..no idea what it is, I didn’t look) as wide as I wanted it for the bottom and then tapered it off up towards the top.  I had plenty of it, so I was willing to mess up and have to cut out a new one…..but create a paper pattern first if needed.  Then I tucked under each edge, ironed in place, centered it on the front bodice, pinned it down………

 

 

Then sewed along each side. 

 

 

Then I trimmed the excess off along the top, following the shape of the bodice below.

 

 

Then I used some silver trim that I found at the fabric store and with one continuous line, created 3 lines of a zig-zag down the center.  I made sure to start an inch from the top and an inch from the bottom……because of seam allowances later on.  Then I sewed the trim right down to the bodice.  (Hint: Use a longer stitch length to sew over bulky trim.  This may help if your needle is getting jammed in all of that fabric.)

 

 

 Then with another continuous line, created another zig-zag……giving it that crossed over and cinched in bodice look with the trim.  Sew this piece in place too.

 

 

Then cut two more piece of trim that are long enough for both sides of the silver section and sew into place along each side.  Trim off excess trim.

 

 

Next, fold under the center back edges of the 2 back pieces, a 1/4 inch, another 1/4 inch….then sew into place.

 

 

Then place your front bodice piece down as a guide as you lay the two back pieces on top, matching up the sides, the bottom and the two shoulders.  Overlap the two center seams and pin in place.  This is how far of a fold-over you’ll need to keep the bodice of the dress in the right proportion. 

 

 

Sew velcro along both edges of the back center seams, keeping the same fold over proportion.

 

 

Next, place the front bodice piece together with the back bodice pieces with right sides together.  Sew along the top of each shoulder…..using a zig-zag or overlock stitch (like I did) to allow for stretch in the knit.  Use a 1/2 inch seam allowance.

 

 

**And this is where I’m a creature of habit.  I know it’s easier to create tops by leaving the bodice open at the sides, attaching the sleeves to the bodice and then sewing along the sides of the bodice and sleeves.  I do that when I remember.  But when I’m winging it and not using pattern pieces that I have created………I make the whole bodice first and then make sure the bodice fits, take it in or out if necessary, and then cut out sleeves that will fit in the arm hole opening.  I know, it must make my mom and grandma sick (they are more precision driven seamstresses) but sometimes I just want a quick top, am not using a pattern, and need to make the bodice first and then make the sleeves to fit.  This way, I only have to adjust the bodice once if needed and not have to adjust the sleeve.  Does that crazy talk make any sense??????  Maybe not.  But it carries over into my tutorials many times.  But if you have planned ahead with pattern pieces and have a sleeve cut out, attach the open sleeve to the bodice before sewing down the sides……then sew along the sides in one full sweep.  Whew.  I had to explain my insanity. :)

 

And once again, my habit took me this route again.  So onto the sleeve after the bodice was already sewn together…..even though it was all cut out and ready to be attached.  Oh well.

 

Okay, if you’ve never made a gathered puffed sleeve before, this is the shape if it.  This is the shape of a short sleeve and will be gathered along the top and a bit at the bottom by the band of the arm hole.  (This is where using a store bought pattern in the past helps with pattern making experience just a bit.  Just to know how things look and are attached.)  But even if you’ve never made a puff sleeve, you can still give this a try with some scrap fabric.  But I measure my little girl’s arm and decided that 8 1/2 inches around would fit comfortably loose for the band around her bicep area.  So I made this puff sleeve shape, made it about 12 inches wide to allow for a seam allowance and to give the bottom of the sleeve some gathers too…….and then the top curve of the sleeve shape will automatically give the sleeve more of a puffy gather at the shoulder.  If you want it more puffy, increase the width and the circular shape at the top.

 

 

I cut out 2 sleeve shapes the same size and two bands that were 3 x 9 1/2 inches. (that included enough for seam allowances….don’t forget.)  This is satin material…..nice and perfect for Cinderella sleeves.

 

 

Next, I folded each band in half lengthwise, with the right side (shiny side) facing out, and ironed flat.

 

 

Then I made a basting stitch along the top slope of the sleeve, starting and stopping about 2 inches from each end.  I also made a basting stitch along the bottom that was about 5 inches long, centered right along the bottom.  (Need help with gathering and basting stitches?  Click here.)

 

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Then start pulling on the top basting stitch and gather the bottom edge of the sleeve.  Then pin the sleeve to the band.  Make sure you are pinning the raw edges of the band, not the folded edge.

 

 

Then sew along the raw edge with a 1/2 inch seam allowance.  Then zig-zag or use some sort of finishing stitch to seal off the edges.

 

 

Then open it up and iron the band down.

 

 

Then fold the sleeve in half with right sides together and sew along the inner edge with a 1/2 inch seam allowance.  Then zig-zag to finish it off.  (Or if you attach your sleeves to the bodice first……skip this step and attach the open sleeve to the open bodice.  I didn’t because of that creature of habit thing that I explained up above.  Ha.)

 

 

If you’re doing it my way, turn the bodice inside out and sleeves right side out and slide each sleeve into the arm hole openings of the bodice, matching up the side seam of the bodice with the side seam of the sleeve.  Then gather the top of the sleeve enough to allow a perfect fit inside of the arm hole of the bodice.  Make sure to pin the sleeve and bodice together with right sides together.