One Shoulder Dressy Dress

I've been hoarding this Alexander Henry Caitlin Stripe cotton I picked up from Fabricworm for a while waiting for inspiration, when it hit me that it would be a great 4th of July print!  It also comes in a few other great colorways.

This one-shoulder dress is much easier to sew then it looks.  It works in cotton but might be even cuter in voile or even terry cloth.  So fun for summer BBQs!

OMG, I have the cutest daughter ever, except for all of your daughters of course.

I can't wait to show you how to make this dress!  Get the full One Shoulder Dressy Dress tutorial after the jump...


One Shoulder Dressy Dress


1. Cut your fabric.  You'll need two strips about 18" long by 1.5 to 2" wide for the straps, another strip double the length of the angled measurement plus two inches (so for me that was 32") by 3.5" wide, and two pieces for the dress. Here are the measurements I used for my 2T.


Remember you need to cut one piece like this and one IN REVERSE. If you cut two of the same your dress will be inside out on one side.


2.  First let's make the straps.  Fold your strips the long way right sides faacing and sew up the sides:

Use a safety pin or loop turner to turn them right side out, then iron them flat with the seam to one side, and tie a knot on one end of each:


3.  Now lay your dress pieces right sides facing:

Cut an armhole in the tall side (a j-shape, for 2T go about 6" long and 3" wide). Sew the shoulder seam and up the sides (not the armhole of course) and finish the edges by serging, sewing with a zig zag stitch or cutting with pinking shears:


4.  Now take a piece of single fold bias tape and unfold it. Pin it to the right side of the dress with the edges aligned all the way around the armhole:

Sew in place along the fold:

Turn the dress inside out, fold the bias tape up, flip it to the inside, and pin in place:

Sew in place along the edge of the bias tape:


5. Now take your long ruffle piece and hem on edge by folding under 1/4" then another 3/8", ironing and sewing in place:

Turn your dress inside out (so wrong side is up) and place your straps seam side down at the spots where you want them.  Lay the ruffle strip on top right side down and pin in place all the way around, beginning and ending on the non-sleeve side:

Sew the ends of the strip together right sides facing and finish the edge:

Sew the strip in place with a 1/4" seam allowance:

Flip it over the right side of the dress.  So cute:

Now starting at the non-armhole side, top stitch 1/2" from the edge all the way around, leaving a hole to feed your elastic through backstitching at the beginning and end:


6.  Now feed a piece of 3/8" elastic through your casing with a safety pin.  Don't make it too snug, try it on your model.

Sew the elastic together flat with a zig zag, push it into the casing and sew the hole closed.


7.  Now just hem your dress by folding the bottom hem in 1/4" and ironing, then another 1/2" and ironing, and sewing in place.  Done!


Have a cup of horchata and call it a day.