Baby doll dresses follow the current fashion look of flowing material falling from just under the bust. It’s meant to maximize the bosom and minimize the tummy. These dresses work well at an evening affair. If you can ruffle material, you can make a baby doll dress in a few hours without any trouble.
First, measure your bust size using the tape measure. Take that measurement and purchase elastic shirred material that is 24″ long and equal to your bust plus 3 inches for ease in width. Use your tape measure to determine length from just under the bust to the knees. Take this number and divide it by 3. This is the length of yardage you will need to buy for each of the three layers in your dress.
Stitch up the back seam of your shirred material. It will cling to your body from the top of your bust to your hips and will form the base of your dress. Make fit adjustments so that the bust doesn’t gap. Sew each strip of material together making one seam that will be at the back of your dress. Use your sewing machine to hem the top and bottom of each width of ruffling material. Change the stitch length and make a double row of long running stitches in the slipper satin layer. Pull the threads to ruffle the material until it is the width of the shirred material.
Pin it to the bottom of the shirred material. Adjust both the ruffles and the fit if necessary. This is your lowest bottom layer. Machine-stitch the ruffle to the shirred material. Place the next layer a third of the way up to your under bust. Ruffle and stitch. This piece hangs over your bottom layer. Place the third ruffle just under the bust to finish off the dress.
At last, embellish your baby doll dress with stretch lace trim at the top or use eyelet trim and ribbon to secure the top of the bust.