Happy Day Big Bow Dress ~ Pattern and Tutorial

Today I'm excited to share my tutorial for the 'Happy Day Big Bow Dress' with all of you. I created two coordinating sister looks from this gorgeous fabric (see previous post here) - 'Sunny Happy Skies' by Riley Blake Designs. The big bow dress is an easy, beginner sewing project that makes a big statement with the over-sized pocket and bow. Yes, there are two button holes, but trust me, you can handle it!

Make this dress for any holiday by changing up the fabric. The dress can also be layered with long-sleeves and tights for the colder weather months. Let's get started.......

Happy Day Big Bow Dress

by The Cottage Mama

Size 12 Months - Size 8

Supplies:

3/4 yard main fabric (varies depending on size)

1/3 yard fabric for bow

Fat quarter of fabric for pocket

1 yard pre-gathered eyelet or ribbon trim for straps

Embroidery floss

Rick Rack trim

Basic sewing supplies

Embroidery and hand sewing needle

Wonder Tape (optional)

Instructions:

Cut the fabric for the main body of the dress. Keep fabric folded with the selvages lined up. Selvage is the edge of the fabric with the name of the fabric line on it. This edge of the fabric prevents it from unraveling. Cut the length according to chart below:

Size 12m-24m: 19"

Size 2/3: 21"

Size 4: 23"

Size 5: 25"

Size 6: 27"

Size 7: 29"

Size 8: 31.5"

The dress I made for Matilda is the size 2/3. You can see where the dress falls on her and adjust yours accordingly depending on if you would prefer a shorter or longer length. If you follow the sizing above, your length should look about the same as her dress.

Turn the main body fabric so that the right sides are facing each other. Stitch the selvages together to make the body of the dress. Do this by sewing a straight line matching up the selvages. This seam will be the back of your dress. Use a 1/2" seam allowance. Press seam open. You won't need to finish the edge because we've left the selvage in tact so there will be no fraying.

Hem the bottom of the dress. It won't matter which side you hem, unless you are using a directional fabric. In which case, you will need to hem what appears to be the bottom. To hem, turn the raw edge up 1/2" and then turn it up another 1/2" and stitch in place all the way around the bottom.

Now cut the fabric for the large bow. Cut TWO strips on the fold, both 5" wide (you will use the full width of the fabric). See picture above. If you are making the 12-24 month size, you may want to shorten the length by about 5"-7".

Now you will have two long strips of fabric that you need to sew together. Put them right sides together and sew one of the short sides together - use a 1/2" seam allowance. This will make one giant long strip of fabric that is approximately 82"-84" long x 5" wide.

Fold the 5" wide strip in half with the right sides facing and make a diagonal cut on both ends. Do this however you think looks best. There's no right or wrong way about it.

With the right sides together, sew the long strip using a 1/2" seam allowance. Leave a 4" opening in the middle of the strip so you will be able to turn it right side out. Before turning, make sure to clip your corners to remove bulk.

Turn the strip right side out by pulling the fabric through the opening. Work out the corners with something sharp line a bone-turner, pen, or paint brush and press with your iron. Normally I would suggest that you hand-sew the opening closed, however, this part of the bow is going to end up encased in the top of the dress so don't even worry about closing it.

For the pocket, you can embroider whatever you would like. I used a water-soluble marking pen and simply wrote 'Oh Happy Day' and embroidered over it. If you aren't sure how to embroider, I will have to do a tutorial for that on another day. But in the meantime, my friend, Jen, started a blog called 'Ginger Freckle' not long ago and she's got a great tutorial for the basics here.

It's kind of fun to have your own hand-writing on your child's garment, so don't worry if you think you don't have neat hand writing........just give it a try.......I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Everything looks better with embroidery on top of it!

Once you've finished your embroidery, cut your fabric down to a 10" x 8" rectangle.

To make the rounded corners, find an object with a rounded edge. I used one of our mason jar drinking glasses that I pulled out of the kitchen cabinet. Fold your square in half and use your rotary cutter to cut around the curve. If you don't have a rotary cutter, simply trace the curve and cut with scissors.

The easiest way to add the rick rack around the edge is to use my favorite product, Wonder Tape. I know I have said it a thousand times before, but Wonder Tape is a double-sided tape that will wash away after a garment goes through the washing machine and it doesn't gum up your needle. It is amazing at holding trims in place. But if you don't have it, just use regular straight pins.

Pin or tape rick rack on the right side of the fabric around the edge of your pocket. Line up the edge of the rick rack with the raw edge of the fabric. Cross over the ends as seen in the picture above. Stitch straight down the center of the rick rack all the way around the pocket.

Use your iron and press the rick rack to the back side of the fabric all the way around.

Pin the pocket piece to the dress. Just use your best judgment about where you would like the pocket placed. Also, mark where you would like the top of the pocket to open. Top-stitch around using a 1/4" seam allowance.

Fold over the top of the dress 2" and press towards the wrong side of the fabric. I finished the top edge with my serger to prevent fraying. If you don't have a serger, you may choose to use pinking shears to finish the edge or a zig-zag stitch before you press the fabric in this step (totally optional).

Measure down from the top of the dress by 1/2" on the right side of the fabric. I made my button holes 1" long, though you could probably make them 3/4" if you would prefer. I also set mine about 1" apart from each other. Before making the button holes, turn the 2" of fabric that you pressed in the prior step back up (you don't want to catch the other side when we make the button holes). We just wanted to press it down so we could mark our button holes appropriately.

I'm going to assume everyone does button holes a little different depending on what kind of machine you have. I have a button hole foot on mine, so that's what I use. If you need a button hole tutorial, you can check out this one from Sew Mama Sew. Do not be afraid of the button hole - they really aren't as hard as they look!

Once you've made your two button holes. Fold the 2" back over and stitch in place to create the casing for your strip of bow fabric.

To thread the bow fabric, use a bodkin or a safety pin on one end of the long strip. Work the bow fabric through one button hole and out the other.

For the straps, I used pre-gathered eyelet, but you could use any kind of strap you like ~ try using ribbon, decorative trim, or you could try your hand at making ruffles from coordinating fabric.

Sorry I don't have better pictures for this part. I got a little excited to be finishing the dress and forgot to snap them. I'm going to recommend measuring your child for the strap length. The straps for the 2/3 dress for Matilda were cut at 10.5" each. If you would prefer to just make a guess, you can add an additional 1/2" - 1" for each additional size up from the 2/3.

Remember when deciding on your strap length that you will be losing about 2" based on sewing the straps in line with the casing stitching (in the step below). So make sure to add 2" to your desired strap length when cutting. Logic would tell you that you'd be losing 2" on EACH side, but the way the bow gathers the top of the dress, you really only end up losing 1" on each side for a total of 2".

You will attach each strap by lining up the raw edge of the strap with the line of stitching that made the bow casing around the top of the dress (the stitching that we did 2" from the top of the dress). Make sure the strap is placed inside the dress. Stitch over that line to attach the strap. Then hand stitched the strap in all four places to the top edge of the dress.

Then tie a big giant bow in the front of the dress, step back and admire your work because you've done it!! You've completed the 'Happy Day Big Bow Dress'.