The Non-Sewer's Guide to Pillowcase Dresses: A How-To

I made them!

A few days ago, out of the blue, I decided I needed to make Millie a dress. It seems like a mom thing to do, and my mom made me dozens of dresses as a kid. The problem with this idea is that I can't sew at all. (I can mend a ripped seam or something easy like that, but using a sewing machine is beyond me.) 

A friend suggested I make pillowcase dresses. I'd never heard of them before, 

but they turned out to be so easy and fun, I know I'll be making more! 

So I'm posting how I made them, for crafty girls and wannabes like me. 

The best thing about a pillowcase dress is that your stitches can look horrible, and it won't matter since none of them show- the other nice thing is that it takes less than an hour to make. 

I made Millie's while she took an afternoon nap.

If you'd like to skip the pictures and step-by-step, you can also read the directions at the end of the post.

You’ll need:

*A pillowcase. (I bought a standard size 2 pack at Walmart for $5, so $2.50 per dress.)

*Spool of ribbon. (3/8 was used for Millie’s baby size, 7/8 size for Ayden’s 5T size. I used grosgrain, because it will hold up through washings.)

*Sewing needle, thread, scissors, tape measure, iron.

Optional- You could easily dress it up even more with cute buttons, fancier ribbon, or embroidery.

Lay the pillowcase out flat, making sure the seam is on one side.

Cut the sewn together end based on how long you want the dress, remembering to make a little bit longer so you have enough to sew at the top. The recommendation is around tea length, but you can make it any way you want. I prefer to measure the kids to see where the hem will hit them, but these measurements could also work:

 6 months - 14 1/4in

12 months - 16 1/4in

18 months - 17 1/4in

2T - 18 1/4in

3T - 19 1/4in

4T - 20 1/4in

Fold it in half vertically. 

Cut a J shape into the folded side. This makes the armholes. You’ll need to measure it approximately 1.5in wide and 3in deep for a baby or smaller kid. For a larger kid, cut it 2in wide and 4in deep. 

When you unfold it, you will panic like I did and think you cut the armholes where the neck should be.

Nope! Fold it to get the armholes lined up on the sides. You’ll notice that the seam is now going down the back.

Now hem each armhole. I fold it in, then fold it in again. It will keep it from fraying that way.

After you’ve hemmed both armholes, you’ll need to also hem the neck. I ironed the folds down
so it was easier to work with, and I turned these under twice as well.
Remember that this hem needs to be much bigger- a little larger than the ribbon you’re using. You’ll string it through next.

When both sides of the collar are done, you can use my mom’s safety pin trick to thread the ribbon through. 

Clip the safety pin to the end of the ribbon, then thread it into the hole where you hemmed.

Scrunch the fabric up on the pin, then un-scrunch it, and keep working until the ribbon is all the way through.

Once you have a ribbon on each side, be sure to knot each end to keep it from fraying.

The pillowcases I bought came in a little fabric pouch with a snap.
I decided to sew a strip of wide ribbon inside and turn it into a matching purse.

Aren't they sweet?

Millie approves.

Ayden with the purse.

So fashionable.

Easy Pillowcase Dress

You’ll need:

*A pillowcase. (I bought a standard size 2 pack at Walmart for $5, so $2.50 per dress.)

*Spool of ribbon. 

(3/8 was used for Millie’s baby size, 7/8 size for Ayden’s 5T size. 

I used grosgrain, because it will hold up through washings.)

*Sewing needle, thread, scissors, tape measure, iron.

Optional- You could easily dress it up even more with cute buttons, fancier ribbon, or embroidery.

Lay the pillowcase out flat, making sure the seam is on one side.

Cut the sewn together end based on how long you want the dress, 

remembering to make a little bit longer so you have enough to sew at the top. 

The recommendation is around tea length, but you can make it any way you want. 

I prefer to measure the kids to see where the hem will hit them, but these measurements could also work:

 6 months - 14 1/4in

12 months - 16 1/4in

18 months - 17 1/4in

2T - 18 1/4in

3T - 19 1/4in

4T - 20 1/4in

Fold it in half vertically. 

Cut a J shape into the folded side. This makes the armholes. You’ll need to measure it approximately 1.5in wide and 3in deep for a baby or smaller kid. For a larger kid, cut it 2in wide and 4in deep. 

When you unfold it, you will panic like I did and think you cut the armholes where the neck should be. Nope! Fold it to get the armholes lined up on the sides. You’ll notice that the seam is now going down the back.

Now hem each armhole. I fold it in, then fold it in again. It will keep it from fraying that way. 

After you’ve hemmed both armholes, you’ll need to also hem the neck. I ironed the folds down so it was easier to work with, and I turned these under twice as well. Remember that this hem needs to be much bigger- a little larger than the ribbon you’re using. You’ll string it through next.

When both sides of the collar are done, you can use my mom’s safety pin trick to thread the ribbon through. Clip the safety pin to the end of the ribbon, then thread it into the hole where you hemmed. Scrunch the fabric up on the pin, then un-scrunch it, and keep working until the ribbon is all the way through.

Once you have a ribbon on each side, be sure to knot each end to keep it from fraying.

The pillowcases I bought came in a little fabric pouch with a snap. 

I decided to sew a strip of wide ribbon inside and turn it into a matching purse.