Here in today’s post: 25 free dress patterns for girls and ladies to help you learn how to sew!
The easiest garment to sew for a beginner is a dress, which happens to be my favorite garment to sew. Sewing a dress can be a challenging project for some, but there are plenty of basic dress patterns out there that even a novice can complete. You get a lot of wear out of your sewing time when you make dresses, even if you’re not a novice. Instead of dealing with the finicky fitting and tedious sewing that usually goes into manufacturing pants, you can whip together an entire outfit.
In this post, I will show you the simplest method for sewing a dress and then provide links to 25 free dress patterns for women and girls. Not only are these patterns available in several sizes, but they are also printable, unlike tutorials.
To wrap things up, a lot of these dress patterns would be great to sew for a good cause. I have included some links at the end of the post for anybody who are interested in sewing gowns to contribute.
How to Make a Dress
Buying an existing shirt (t-shirt, tank, sweatshirt, etc.) and attaching a skirt is the simplest method to create a dress. Adding a skirt makes sewing primarily straight lines, so it’s a breeze. The hardest elements of construction, such the sleeves and neckline, have already taken care of. In case you have a t-shirt that is too short or want to spice up an old thrift shop purchase, or if you’re not a beginner, you can still make a dress out of an old shirt. In order to transform an old shirt into a dress, you can refer to these two guides:
If you already own a t-shirt or tank top, you can turn it into a dress by following this shirt-to-dress method. The skirt’s construction from a single rectangle of cloth makes it quite simple to sew. Gathering and attaching the skirt cloth to the shirt is demonstrated in the instruction. You will also find out how to finish off your garments professionally by adding elastic at the waist. You may use the same process for any size; the post just happens to explain how to make a girls’ dress.
You wouldn’t believe how simple this sweatshirt dress is until you see how adorable it is! Make a cute outfit out of an old sweatshirt by layering it with tulle and flexible knit fabric. Images to guide you step-by-step.
This gorgeous baby wrap dress tutorial from Bugaboo City makes it easy to transform a onesie into an outfit for your little one. This guide will show you how to make a wrap dress out of a onesie by gathering the skirt and sewing bias tape across the top.
How to Make a Dress: Pillowcase Dress
Making a pillowcase dress for a little girl is an excellent first project if you want to avoid buying a pre-made blouse. Although the fabric used to make pillowcase dresses is not exactly pillowcases, the shape of the fabric rectangle is similar to a pillowcase. To create a pillowcase dress, all you need is to know the size of your pattern pieces; a printed pattern is not necessary. You can find a detailed explanation of how to create this dress, along with a cutting guide for sizes 3 months to 5 years, in this Polka Dot Chair pillowcase dress tutorial.
Free Dress Patterns
The most effective method for learning to sew a dress, if you prefer something more complex than the alternatives I’ve described, is to utilize a pattern. Each of these dress patterns for women and girls will take you step-by-step, from tracing your measurements to sewing the final product.
You should know that there are primarily two kinds of cloth used to construct dresses, and you should be prepared to choose one of them. One kind of fabric is known as knit fabric, while the other is known as woven fabric. In contrast to woven materials, knits have some give to them. In contrast to button-down dress shirts, which are often crafted from woven materials, T-shirts are typically knitted. If you’re looking for a dress made of flexible fabric, you should realize that there are numerous varieties of knit and woven textiles before you choose a pattern. Weaved and knitted materials are different.
Dresses made from flexible knit fabric are my favorite since they are so comfy to wear all day long. Additionally, it’s not as critical to have an exact fit when sewing with stretch, so your pattern pieces don’t have to be pin-sharp. In addition to being quicker and easier to sew, knit patterns typically do not call for fasteners like zippers or buttons.
For a plethora of free dress patterns, read on! I start with girls’ dress patterns and then go on to women’s clothing patterns.
Dress Patterns for Girls: Knit Fabrics
With the intention of making the most beginner-friendly garment pattern ever, I designed The Play All Day. With just one piece to cut out, this free pattern is perfect for girls in sizes 4–14! In this dressmaking tutorial, you will find out how to put in an elastic waist, hem the bottom and sleeves, and stitch the bodice together. You can use this dress template to make simple nightgowns or dresses to donate.
No complicated zippers, buttons, or sleeves are involved with this Crafterhours Racerback dress pattern, making it a breeze to sew. It takes around one yard of knit fabric and is available in sizes ranging from 12/18 mo to 7/8. The course covers a variety of skills, including printing and cutting pattern pieces, binding a knit neckline, and more.
This babydoll dress pattern by Me Sew Crazy is another simple choice for girls. Here you can find instructions for sewing a gathered skirt to a bodice and an alternative to hems for finishing sleeves: the sleeve cuff. You can also find directions for making a pocket out of contrasting fabric in the pattern. Sizes 2T-10 are available for girls in this pattern.
Dispersed Reflections on a Trade In sizes 3–12, Mom has two styles of t-shirt dresses. A T-shirt dress is essentially a t-shirt that has been lengthened to a dress, making it incredibly comfortable and adaptable. Learn how to sew a dress with set-in sleeves and find a wealth of other useful information in this free dress design.
Another design from Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom, the long sleeve t-shirt dress features a charming ruffled bell sleeve.
Elegance and Elephants offers the Bubble Sleeve Dress Pattern, a take on the classic t-shirt dress. The outfit is really similar to the ones I mentioned before, except it has these adorable bubble sleeves. They have it in infant sizes as well! The ages range from six months to nine years.
Dresses can be sewn from scratch without a printed pattern if you’re an experienced sewer. Because of this, you can create a dress in whatever size you choose! Following this guide, you can use an existing t-shirt as a pattern to construct a midi dress in any size. Although the garment in the post is sized for girls, the same method may be applied to create gowns for ladies.
Dress Patterns for Girls: Woven Fabrics
Due to the lack of stretch in woven textiles, proper alignment is more important while sewing them than with knit fabrics. For that reason, if you’re seeking for a woven dress that is straightforward to create, go for one without sleeves, like this Vintage Sundress from Simple Simon and Co. Sizes 3–8 are available in the pattern.
The Cottage: A Festive Gown Baby Mama is super comfy because it has a lined bodice and all the seams are covered. Because there are no buttons, zippers, or sleeves, sewing it is still a breeze. For someone just starting out, this dress pattern is perfect.
With its sleeveless design, the Sewing Rabbit Knot Dress is another beginner-friendly sewing pattern for girls. This free design is available in a doll size, two toddler sizes, six regular sizes, and a size with a charming back cutout.
A peasant dress is a great choice if you’re looking for a simple dress template with sleeves. Girls can enjoy their handmade peasant dresses for years to come because to their generous cut and ease of sewing. Random Musings of an Artistic From one year old all the way up to fourteen, Mom’s Simple Peasant dress design is available in a wide range of sizes. Two different lengths of sleeves are available.
For a wonderful example of how to insert sleeves into a woven dress, try the Sweet Rose design. With its flannel fabric and long, gathered sleeves, this dress is perfect for the cooler months. This design is available up to a petite size 10.
Dress Patterns for Women: Knit Fabrics
Women can find an incredibly easy-to-follow knit dress pattern in So Sew Easy’s “Wear Everywhere” collection. This form-hugging knit dress is a breeze to sew thanks to its two-piece pattern and non-separate sleeves. The bust sizes range from 31 to 40 inches.
See this simple swing dress pattern for a woman’s incredibly comfy garment. Learn how to hem elastic knit fabric, bind the neckline, and set in sleeves with this design. This free pattern is only available in women’s size L, but you should be able to get away with an XL thanks to the generous cut and elastic fabric.
Using this technique, you may create a t-shirt maxi dress if you either have a t-shirt pattern that fits or are comfortable tracing a t-shirt to create a pattern. (A free, downloadable t-shirt pattern in size L is used in the post.)
A wrap dress is the latest free pattern offering from Sew Easy. There are a lot of pictures and thorough directions to help you make this dress, even though it’s a bit more complicated than the average. It comes in sizes S-XL for ladies.
