Making a Toddler Dress (The Cheater Way)

Our little family went to a surrealist art show and ball at our friends gallery. I knew exactly what I want to wear, something I made years ago but didn't have anywhere to wear it. My husband is going to wear his EggMan outfit, a Leopard print sports coat, antlered top hat and a paper mache egghead. We will be taking out toddler princess with us, she loves dress up and tutus and I just know when she see us dressed up she will insist on dressing up too. As she should! So I had to think of the perfect surrealist style outfit for her to wear. So I did some Pinterest research and decided to make her a Moon Princess dress with fabric and trims I already had.

Of course I made it in such a way that anyone can do it, so I figured share some of the process with you! In case you want to make an easy dress for your toddler.

I didn't end up using all of the fabric pictured. I ended up adding some black starry georgette fabric and black glittery tool for some volume. I used one of her t'shirts as a pattern to create the top. When I put it on the fabric to cut it out I added about a half inch of seam allowance. The fabric I used as the bodice fabric wasn't as stretchy as I thought it was so I added about another 8th of an inch to make sure it would fit her. and I wouldn't need to put in any closures. I cut a lining as well using the same method.

I sewed the shoulder of the bodice fabric together but didn't sew the sides, I will sew them together after sewing on the sleeves and skirt.

I put the bodice a side and started working on the skirt.

I chose to cut many layers for the skirt and add ruffles at the hem. I layered the fabric, silver glitter fabric, stary georgette, glitter fabric, tool, and two layers of blue chiffon. Roushed the skirt to fit the length of the bodice before sewing it together.

Once the skirt is added to the front and back of the bodice I add the ruffles to the hem of the selected layers. I decided to add some moon and star trim to the bodice and hem of the sleaves to embellish the moon princess theme. I sew on the trim before sewing the front of the bodice to the back. Once the sleeves, trim and skirt are sewed on to the bodice I sew the sides together. To finish the dress I sew the lining to the neck but sewing the face sides together and flipping the lining inside so the neck is finished. I did sew on the ruffles to the shoulders after sewing on the lining to keep the lining in place.

The start of this project is the easiest, the skirt and sleaves are the part were you get to have fun and the most creative freedom but it can get a bit tricky.

I love how this dresses turned out and put together with all the accessories makes it the perfect costume of my moon princess.