Okay, so this has been a long time coming, but I did make it in under a year! Ever since I posted The Fat Quarter Pillowcase Dress Tutorial last year I have wanted to post a sizing guide. After a flood of requests this spring, I finally sat down and crunched some numbers, made some samples, and even added a front or back tie option, an elastic no-tie option for infants, and a fun lined option with bottom trim. I now have it sized for as little as 3 months on up to a children’s size 6 for use with fat quarters and fabric cut off the bolt (with fabric requirements). There are also a couple suggestions for older girls.
Enjoy!
Fat Quarter Pillowcase Dress Sizing and Cutting Chart
The purpose of using fat quarters is they come in fun coordinating colors, making for a fun and cohesive look without being too matchy-matchy. Most fat quarters come in a generous cut of 18″ x 22″, however you may find that some measure slightly smaller. If you find this when making a 5T or 6T just add a little to the bottom panel to compensate.
When buying fabric off the bolt for this pattern, you will need a 1/4 yard of five fabrics. This will give you 5 pieces measuring 9 x 44, which is plenty for the sizes listed below on the guide. You can certainly use fabric scraps for this dress, just cut to size.
Use the print button at the bottom of this post to remove any unwanted text when printing.
For larger sizes, you can use 5 different fabric combinations cut to size. To make the dress longer, just add length to the dress panels, and to make wider add width to the dress panels. You can also make this as a top for tweens on up. Here are a couple measurements as a guideline:
- Girls size 7/8 – cut 8 dress panels 6″ x 24″ and 2 bottom panels 6″ x 22″
- As a top for Girls 9 and up – cut 8 panels 6 1/2″ x 19″ and 2 bottom panels 7″ x 26″ (before cutting arm holes try on girl and cut length if needed)
Of course the beauty of a pillowcase style dress is that it can grow with your girl. The dress I made for my little girl at age 2, looked adorable with a pair of leggings when she turned 4. As she gets older she will be able to wear it as a fun top with jeans.
It is also an all seasons piece, just add leggings and a shirt for the winter months.
I hope you have fun with this, and if you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments and I will answer them there.
~Destri
p.s. I worked pretty hard on this, so I would appreciate you linking to the post rather than taking the chart and posting on any blog or website. Thanks so much!
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{ 64 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for the measurements!
We love this so much that we want to make it for ourselves (Adult Version)!
This is PERFECT!!! Thank you so much.
I’m an amature seamstress so hope this question doesn’t sound stupid! I’m a little confused on the armholes for the fat quarter pillowcase dress. Size 2T says cut 3 1/2 down and 4″ in, but looking at your picture it looks like you cut 2″ by 3″. Do I just go by your measurements and not pay attention to the picture?
Hi Sandy, no worries! Yes, just cut according to the instructions. The pictures is just to demonstrate how you will cut at an angle on the dress. Good luck and let me know if you have any more questions!
Im starting it today! It will be perfect for my little girl this summer.
Thank you for all the tutorials!
You’re welcome!
Cute idea so swett and simple. Thank you for doing all the work of sizing it out for us. I can hardly wiat to make some for my granddaughters. :)
Thank you! What would this world be without grandma’s who sew? So glad to see we’ll have a fresh generation to carry it on :)
Sorry, I can spell just can’t type.
Hi this is a VERY silly question I know…. but what is a “fat quarter” it says you need 5 fat quarters, what is that???
Not a silly question at all! It is a pre-cut fabric piece that is loved by quilters normally that comes in bundles from a collection. You can find them just about anywhere they sell fabric. But really, you can have the fabric just cut off the bolt from a collection and get the same coordination. Just get 1/4 yard of 5 and you’re set.
Hope that helps!
Hey Destri,
I made this dress for my daughter not that long ago, it was my first sewing project and it came out perfect. Now a friend want me to make one for her daughter, a size 18m. It says to cut bottom panels in 6″ x 22″, that makes it 4″-5″ to long (after sewing the dress panels together it messure 15.5″) Am I correct, or did I do something wrong?
Thank you for a great tutorial,
Monica:)
What a sweet friend you are!
Okay correct me if I’m wrong, but I think your talking about the length of the bottom panel when pinned to the top panels? That bottom panel is cut down to match the length of the panels, so you just trim off the access.
But then maybe your talking about the length of the dress at 18 months? Your panels should come in at 16 inches long for that size, then you have the bottom panel which after folded in half gives you an extra 3 inches, and when sewn together that gives you a length of about 18.5″. Then after you add the casing you have about 17.5 inches.
I hope that was clearer than mud! Let me know if that answers your question! I’ll be back on tonight to check :).
Yes, I was talking about the lenght of the bottom panel. I got it, I just trimmed the access off. Thank you, it came out so cute. I’m going to make one more for my niece:))) I love this dress:)
A wonderful tutorial! I just tried it with scraps I bought long ago and never used, cause I lost interest in them… it turned out so very nice, I even like the fabric now!
Most helpful for me is your size-and-cutting-chart. I put a link on my blog redirecting to your site. For my own work I “translated” your chart to metric system (all my measuring items use centimeters ;-) ) and I would love to post this translation but wanted to ask for your allowance before. I would link that back to you of course giving the full credits.
Have you ever thought of making a top out of this for yourself? Maybe I will try that tomorrow?
thanks for the great work!
Hi, I was just wondering if you could tell me how much fabric I would need if I were to make it out of just one fabric, rather than the separate 8 pieces? (For a size 12 months)
Such a pretty dress, can’t wait to make it!
Thanks
Hi Kay,
The great thing about pillowcase dresses, is they are so very forgiving. I would say if you cut each side at 16 inches wide, that would be great. Then just add the panel and such per the instructions. Keep in mind that by nature, pillowcase dresses are big, so if you have a slender 12 month old, you could adjust that some.
I hope this helps, let me know if I can help more, and I would love to see pictures!
I’m doing this exact same one. Just using one fabric and for size 12 months. How did it work out doing 16″ panels? I’m so new at sewing and this is my first item so I have a lot of questions. Cut the length 15.5″ or is that going to be the length when finished? Does that mean I leave a couple more inches when cutting the fabric?
Hi! Thanks so much for the cute tutorial and sizing chart:) When you’re talking length on the size chart, is that from where the dress sits on the chest down to the bottom hem or from shoulder to bottom hem or maybe underarm? Thanks!
This is so awesome! Thank you SO much for taking the time to make a size chart, it is soooo helpful! Especially for a first time sewer like myself! Can’t wait to try this dress for my little one….
Oh I hope you make it! It really is a great dress to learn on, lot’s of straight lines :)
Let me know how it goes and if I can help in any way.
I made this dress for my granddaughter. I only need to add the ribbon at the neckline. Do you have a ballpark figure on how much I should use? Since my granddaughter lives in another state I cannot try it on her first. Thanks you for this wonderful tutorial. It is the best one on the web.
Thanks so much Vickey, quite the compliment! Sorry for the delayed reply, I’ve been changing servers and it has tied me up the last couple days. For the tie, it really depends on how long you want it. Some people like then long, but then the girls can pull on them easier so some go for the shorter. Which version are you making, and for what age? Then I can give you a better number and some links to examples. Sometimes it is easier if you have a visual.
Let me know!
Thank you for sharing all of these adorable ideas!!!
Thank YOU SO much for these sizes! I applied them to just one fabric and it turned out SO adorable! I’m sure I will blog about it soon! It’s for a sweet little 1 year old’s birthday party and my version is very vintagy! Should be fun! :)
I absolutely love your website. It is so full of useful knowlege, encouragement and step by step tutorials. Great job. You all should be very proud of yourselves. I made this dress several times with all different types of fabric. They are a hit here! Thanks so much for your site and inspiration! I have pictures of the finished dress on my homestead page on FB.
I’m looking at the sizing chart….what is the length on the girl? from where to where on a girl? I’m making two dresses for a friend and the girls are coming over tomorrow for measurements. I want to make sure I measure them correctly.
It really depends on how they wear them, but I would say from the collar bone down to just above the knee. You could also ask what size they are wearing now – and then use that size of measurements. I tried to make the pattern so you wouldn’t need measurements, and the pillowcase dress design itself is pretty forgiving. Let me know if this helps, or if you are trying to achieve a specific length!
Hi really cute !What a great way to use fat quarters beside for quilts! I wills tart one for my Only grandaughter. thank you
Thank you for the measurements and tutorial! I can’t wait to make a fun pillowcase dress for my daughter.
Hey Des…you’re sister is getting old, can you please darken up the chart so when I print it out, I can actually read it? Pretty please? xoxoxo
I want to use your fabulous pattern to make matching mother/daughter dresses or a dress for the daughter and a top for the mom. Do you have dress sizing/cutting charts for adults? Thank you! Love your page!!
sorry i do not see d cutting size for the arms or am i reading it wrong im tryin to do it for a baby 6-12 mos
Hello there, you will find the measurements for the arm holes on the original tutorial. Let me know how it goes!
Thanks Destri for sharing your creativity and insight for making such a simple but yet beautiful dress with fat quarter panels. My two granddaughters will certainly benefit from your help!!!
Marilyn
Thanks so very much ! I am having so much fun with your ideas and really appreciate you sharing these with us.
Thanks Mary!
I love everything about these dresses!! They are so cute! Your tutorial is VERY easy to follow!!
Question though… What sizing would you use for a newborn or 0-3month? TIA
Hi Cathy, Thanks so much!
I would just do the 3 to six months with the elastic neckline so there is some room to grow into it. Make the top ties so that you can adjust them and you should be fine. It will be a little big, but that is the beauty of a pillowcase dress, they’re supposed to be. Let me know if you have anymore questions!
Im very new at sewing, absolutely dumb question, am I cutting 8 seperated peices??
Never a dumb question when it comes to sewing! Yes, you will have eight side panels and two bottom when you are finished cutting. Let me know if you have anymore questions!
Thank u so much;)
Thank u for the guide for making pillowcase dresses of different fabrics. I will really use the guide I have a 5yrs and she love the dresses. thanks again
Thank you for taking time to do the measurements. I’m attempting 8 dresses for my graddaughters unborn thro 10 years……praying I can finish for Christmas. Thank you again for your valued time!
You’re so welcome! Be sure to let me know how it goes – and thanks so much for taking the time to comment!
This is precious! I am making this for a size 4 & size 8 little girls. Out of one fabric with an additional fabric for a border around the bottom. Can you please
help me figure out how much to cut for each girls dress? Im sorry, just need things dumbed down some as i am very new at sewing. Thanks!
Thanks so much for the tutorial, my dress turned out so well! I appreciate all the work you put into your site. We also made Dinner in a Pumpkin, it was good too.
Hi, just wanted to say a huge thankyou. I’m brand new to sewing and just managed to make my granddaughter the cutest pillowcase dress thanks, for the most part, to your brilliantly clear instructions… Who knew I could sew?!? Thank you :-)
Yay! Best compliment ever from someone new to sewing :)
This is a perfect solution to all that fabric I have amassed over the years – the dresses will be donated to charity!! Thanks so much for the free post.
Hello Destri,
I just wanted to say thank you so much for putting all the time and effort into the pillow case dress series! You have really made it possible for me to sew something!! Yeah!! :) Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!
You’re so welcome!
I tried making this yesterday and was actually amazed at how it turned out. I have tried other “easy” patterns and have never had them actually turn out as well. This was great. Thank you so much for sharing!
I don’t have a sewing machine but this looks simple enough to do by hand
I am so excited to try this..only one question though. I bought the fat quarter pack and the length is only 21 inches. I know this will work for the vertical panels but I am concerned with the botton panel that will only be 21 inches… do you think it will work or should I buy a different fabric so that it is 22 inches?
Hi Signa, what size are you making?
LOVE THIS!!!! I am trying to make one for a baby that isn’t born yet and trying to get sizing correct is frustrating. Instead of trying 8 panels, I have just one solid piece of fabric that I want to use…so…the 3-6 month size…those panel measurements include seam allowance? or do I need to take 3/8 inch off the size so I don’t end up with something really big?
Thank you so much!!!
Christina
Hi Christina,
Yes, you would need to deduct the seam allowances so about 1 1/2 inches of the front and back piece- or just let it be a fluffy dress, with more gathers at the top. That’s what is nice about a pillowcase dress, it’s pretty hard to get it wrong :)
Let me know if you have anymore questions!
Thanks so much! Just to clarify though, for size 7/8, wouldn’t the bottom panel be 9×22 instead of 6×22? Thanks again!!
Annie
Hi Annie, you can make it any width you want! I just prefer the band at that size. I also, really like this style as a top for this age girl, rather than a dress, just try the 4T measurements and you have a little tunic :)
Let me know if you have anymore questions!
Thank you so much Destri! I love these as tunic tops. Just that my girls pretty much live in dresses in the summer and they have been bugging me for a pillowcase dress so I figured I do that first and then use any left over for a tunic. Perhaps even make the 4Ts for my nieces. I was asking about the band width simply because my girls are very tall for their age. I had already planned on using a small size for the width as to not overwhelm their size and add length.
thank you again for such thorough tutorial. I can’t wait to bust out all that fabric I have stashed away :)
Hi – love this tutorial. I am new to sewing and just finished one for my 7 month old. I am now making one as a gift for my neighbor’s daughter. She’s turning 5 and I want to make it as a top to wear with jeans. What size do you recommend I make so that a 5year old can wear it as a top?
Hi Jen,
Thank you so much, I am so glad you love the tutorial!
My daughter is now in a five and she wears the size three that I made her as a top.