How-To Cut Out The Basic Princess Dress

This tutorial will take you step by step through the process of measuring your pattern pieces, and cutting out a basic princess dress. There are three shapes to cut out, a little math is involved but I have simplified it as much as possible. Weather you are an experienced seamstress looking for a quick and easy gift, or a new sewer in search of a project at your level you are going to love the basic princess dress.

Materials Needed:
Twine, Thread, or ribbon
Marking Pen, or Marking Utensil
Pins
Yard Stick
Note Pad
Scissor
Fabric
Piece Of Cardboard
One Push Pin

Pictured above are the general shapes that you will be measuring out and cutting for the dress. My Children's dresses with the full skirt use 4-8 yards of fabric, depending on size.

You are going to need the measurements you took earlier. If you haven't gotten the measurements check out my tutorial on how to measure for this pattern.

Skirt Pattern Piece:

I feel strongly about the circle skirt. It takes a lot of fabric to make but it is well worth it. All little girls like there dresses to twirl or float up into the air as they spin in circles. Every StitchesByJeni dress is certified twirlable. The twirl effect is also lovely in photographs, great for fullness with a crinoline under it, and good for hours and hours of spinning fun.

The skirt needs two measurements; waist measurement and waist to floor measurement.

For this demonstration my waist to floor measurement will be 17". This number represents how long the skirt section will be. We need to add one inch for the hem line, and 5/8" for the waist line.

Waist To Floor Measurement + 1 5/8" = Cut Length Of Skirt.
17" + 1 5/8" = 18 5/8"

Write your Cut Length Of Skirt on your notepad for later. It would also help if you keep your finished length written down. My finished length is 17.

What are your bust and waist measurements?

Most children will have bust and waist measurements that are very similar. If the bust and waist measurements are more than 3" apart from each other the basic princess dress will not be the best option for you. In a later post I will discuss making a bodice for older girls but for now this is the most basic version.

Which of the two measurements were larger?

The larger measurement between waist and bust is the measurement to use. Calculate the circumference of our waist circle by appling the following equasion. My bust measurement was largest, so the measurement I am using in the demonstration will be 21" bust size.

Step 1:

Bust, or Waist Measurement / 4 = Elastic Ease

21/4 = 5 1/4"

Step2:

Bust or Waist Measurement + /Elastic Ease = Cut Width Of The Waist

21 + 5 1/4 = 27 1/4

Now we know the Cut Width Of The Waist, and the Cut Length Of The Skirt. We can start drawing out the skirt part of the pattern. What we are doing is drawing two concentric circles. It is just a fancy way to say two circles along the same center point.

The waist of the skirt is the smaller of the two concentric circles. In order to draw that circle we need to do more math. (Thanks Mr. Rumple (my high school geometry teacher for actually teaching me lots of things I still use today.))

We start by finding the Diameter of the circle.

Circumference / pi =Diameter

You already know the circumference of the circle, it is your Cut Width Of The Waist. Pi is a never ending number, but for our purposes it is just fine to use 3.14 for the value of pi. Diameter is what we will need to figure out.

27 1/4 / 3.14 = Diameter

Diameter = 8.678343949044586

Write the Diameter down for later we will need it. Now we find the Radius.

Diameter / 2 = Radius

8.678343949044586 / 2 = 4.339171974522293

I have my Radius, no need to keep all the extra numbers one or two decimal places will do the job for this project. We have now done all the math necessary to actually draw out out skirt pattern.

If math is not your thing you can visit this on line conversion site. Simply add the Cut Width Of The Waist into the field labeled circumference. It will automatically generate the Diameter for you.

Armed with all those measurements and the results from the above equations, it is time to start marking your fabric. I usually use a standard No. 2 pencil to make my marks. It shows up well, doesn't disappear after 5 minutes, and will easily wash out. For this demonstration I used a sharpie in hopes you might see the marks better. You can use what ever marking tool you are comfortable with.

Always start with the skirt portion of the dress. It is by far the largest part of the dress and should be measured and drawn first. The other pattern pieces are smaller and can easily be fit in around the large circle of the skirt.

Your measurements and the width of your fabric determine how you fold the fabric and draw the pieces.
Layout A is the first choice. If your fabric is 44" or close to it this layout is not likely to work unless you are making 3T or smaller. If you have fabric at 54" wide you should be able to use this layout up to about a size 6.

Layout version B has the same size restrictions as version A. Version B will sometimes allow you to cut out the bodice and straps using less fabric than version A. Again depends on the exact measurements you are using.

Layout version C is most likely the version necessary. It allows for a much longer skirt. I am providing instructions for a floor length dress. This pattern is easily adjusted to a shorter skirt. To make it knee length all you have to do is substitute the waist to floor measurement for a waist to knee measurement. Easy as pie.

To determine exactly how to lay out your fabric, you will need more math. What is the width of your fabric? Mine is 44". What is your Cut Length Of The Skirt? Mine is 18 5/8". What is the Diameter of your of your smaller circle? Mine is 8.68"

(Cut Length Of The Skirt * 2)+ Diameter = Width Needed To Cut Out Your Skirt

18 5/8 *2 + 8 68/100 = 45 93/100

Sadly I missed the cut off by just under 2 inches. I will have to use layout C this time. When using Layout C you will have to seam together two half circles of fabric to make your full skirt. Version C will have side seams. This just means that there is a seam allowance to think about. Make a line running parrallel to the edge of the fabric 5/8" away. From this point on you make your marks on the line you just drew. If you are using version A or B disregard the comments about seam allowance.

Now that you have your fabric properly folded, and smoothed down you can start placing marks. I have put arrows on the diagram above to represent the marks you will make. From one edge of the fabric(A) measure your Cut Length Of The Skirt. Place a little mark(B), keep it on the very edge of the fabric. Next measure from the mark you just made the distance of your Diameter(D). Make another small mark.

At the same time you measure the Diameter you can also mark the Radius of the circle. Fold your fabric in half matching the two dots you just made (B and D). The Radius of the smaller circle is at the fold line you just made. Make a small mark at the fold line.(C) While your fabric is folded you can also mark the hem of the skirt on the opposite side (E).

Break out the twine, or ribbon or whatever rope-like object you have around the house. I just happen to have some bias tape in a contrasting color. It was a little too stretchy for this project but easy to see. You should use something with out stretch. For example elastic is a bad choice. I usually use some hemp twine I have laying around.

Fold a piece in half. Now place the tip of your marking device in the loop end. Measure the tip of your marking device the distance of your Radius. Place a mark, or put a push pin in through the twine, the center mark (C), and a piece of cardboard.

Grab that piece of cardboard and put it under your fabric. The piece of cardboard will need to be at least as big as the 1/2 circle you are about to make. If it is too small you will have a poorly drawn circle. Put your marking device back in a loop and simply follow the curve to make a perfect circle.

Important to note if you used Layout C you need to measure in seam allowance before you make your marks. Place your push pin at the center point 5/8 inch below the edge of your fabric. Use that push pin point as your center for the rest of the skirt.


My circle is not looking as perfect as it should, due to the bias tape I am sure. You get the point. The hard part is over. Now to finish the job.


I like to do a check with my yard stick to be sure my hem line stays on track. I line up the yard stick with my center point. Take note of the distance from center point to the line just drawn. I want to be sure that no matter how I position the yard stick (as long as the end is on the center point) it will be the same distance to the line all around. When I am happy with that, I make one or two marks on the hem line using my yard stick.

To mark the hem line you simply measure from the center point out the Cut Length Of The Skirt + Radius length. I just place a dot in about 3 places. This is not necessary and many of you will find that you are cutting at a distance greater than 36" if that is the case you will just have to trust the next step.

Hopefully you still have your push pin in the exact same spot you used for the small circle.

Now we make the large circle. You need to make yourself a new loop. Make a nice big loop. Put in your pencil and measure from the tip the distance of the Cut Length Of The Skirt. I like to place a mark at that point. I can follow the mark to be sure that it is running along the line of the small circle. From that mark measure the distance of your Radius, that is where your pin goes. Follow your guide. Mark the whole circle.



Time to cut out the bodice and straps. What was your Nape of Neck to Waist measurement? What was your Over The Shoulder measurement? What is the Cut Width Of The Waist? Those are the measurements we need for the next step. Check your notebook.

Bodice Calculations

Cut Width Of The Waist + 1 3/4" = Cut Width For Bodice(A)

Nape Of Neck To Waist - (Over The Shoulder / 2) = Cut Length Of Bodice(B)

Shoulder Strap Calculations

Over The Shoulder + 1 1/4" = Cut Length of Straps(C)

3" = Cut Width of Straps(D)

I won't go into detail about the layout of these pieces. Just fit them in as closely as you can. Waiste as little fabric as possible. These are both rectangular pieces which makes it easy to line them up with the grain line. Keep them parallel or perpendicular to the edge of the fabric.

You are all marked up. Time to cut, cut, cut.


This is my finished bodice all cut out and layed out so you can see the shape of an actual cut dress.


This is the skirt all cut out and unfolded. This skirt pictured above is actualy a shorter skirt so it was cut out using layout A. It isn't full length. It was easier to photograph a shorter skirt. So if yours is much longer, and in two pieces don't freak out you are on the right path.

Next step in the process is to start sewing the basic dress together. Hopefully this will help you to cut out the perfect little play dress, if you are having any issues please send me an e-mail I am happy to answer questions. I would also love to see your version of the princess dress. I am attaching a link up so you can add your project photos.

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