How to Make a Peasant Dress
How to Make a Peasant Dress
I admit, I like easy sewing projects. Peasant shirts and dresses are super easy to sew because you really only need some 2 sleeves and 2 body pieces!
I also love that they are the perfect blank canvas to mix and match fun fabrics and for applique. You can ruffle them, cuff them or simply hem them. Cap sleeves, short sleeves, long sleeves, ruffled sleeves, etc. Honestly, the possibilities are endless!
Make a plain white peasant blouse to go under a jumper or a pair of overalls. Or make a long flowing peasant dress with an empire waist for a princess costume.
Like I said when you learn how to make a peasant dress:
Peasant Dress + Possibilities = Endless
Learning how to make a peasant dress is fairly simple!
Basically you are going to end up with 4 pieces of fabric. The front and back of the dress and the sleeves. (I use the Portrait Peasant Dress pattern from YouCanMakeThis.com)
How to make a peasant dress:
1. Cut out your pattern pieces (be sure that your fabric is washed, dried and ironed). Check your pattern or tutorial for instructions on length and sizing.
2. Serge or zig zag the top and bottom edges of the sleeves and the body pieces. I made a ruffled sleeve and neckline, so I went ahead and pressed the bottom and top of my sleeves down 1 1/4 inches and the the top of the body pieces 1 1/4 inches as well. Go ahead and unfold the pressed edges for now.
3. Now you’ll want to sew one sleeve to the right side of a body piece. Right sides together. Repeat on the other side (also sewing the 2nd sleeve to the right side of the body piece).
4. Lay both sides on top of each other (right sides together) and match up the alternate sleeve with the other body piece. Sew the sleeves to the body pieces.
5. Match up body pieces and sleeves at the sides. Sew up either side to close off the body of the dress and the sleeves.
**Sorry no pic of this step. Kids woke up!**
6. Now you’ll want to fold those pressed edges back into place on the sleeves and the neckline. Because I was making ruffled edges, I first sewed a continuous line 1/2 inch from the top edge (of both the neck and the sleeves). Then I went down 1/2 inch further and sewed another line around, leaving a gap opening to insert the elastic.
7. Now grab your elastic (measure your child and add about 1 to 1 1/2 inches to the arm measurements and chest measurements to determine how much elastic you should use) and put a safety pin into your elastic to thread through the gaps in the neck area and the sleeves. It should be encased within the two lines of stitches you sewed in the previous step.
8. Grab the elastic and zig zag either end together. Then close up the gaps on the sleeves and the neckline.
9. Now it’s time for your hem. You can either serge or zig zag the edges, press to the desired hem length and top stich. OR you can add a cuff or a fun ruffle. I opted for a cuff.
If you learned how to make a peasant dress using my tutorial, I’d love to see it!
Did you enjoy learning how to make a peasant dress? Check out my Crafty Site A Southern Mom!
Wow, I wish I could sew like that! What a cute, cute, cute dress! And, yes, pink cowboy boots do indeed go with everything 🙂
You can! You just have to practice a lot 😉
Awesome. Thank you! Now I just need to have that littler girl so I can make things like this! 😉
LOL, easier said then done! 😉
Oh, and the whole buy a serger deal… I TOTALLY agree with you. That’s part of why I don’t sew my own clothes! I feel like if I had a serger, that I’d actually use my sewing machine more and could actually make our desperately needed couch and love seat covers.
Honestly it was such a great investment. I can whip up a pair of pants in about 20 minutes now!
So cute! You are such a super mom, Heather!
So are you Miss Katie!
OMG that is too cute. My mother totally got me the sewing machine I asked for two Christmases ago and I have yet to touch it except for the one sewing lesson she gave me. I think that might be my summer project. My daughter would totally wear the pink boots…both of them would actually.
I just wanted to tell you, also, that I didn’t know about your blog until that webinar a few weeks ago, but now it is one of my favorites. You have great content. I look forward to what you will post next. =)
You are SO sweet! Thank you so much.
Pull out that sewing machine and get to sewing lady! 😉
Just wanted to add that my 18 year old daughter wore her pink cowboy boots to prom! She had a pink fluffy ballgown to go with her pink boots…yes they DO go with everything! 🙂
This is so cute!! Your daughter is a doll!
I don’t have a sewing bone in my body, but my daughter would be so excited if we tried this!!
Thanks!!! This is actually super simple!