Dolly Classic Ruffle Dress
Written by April of Dandelions n’ Dungarees
All photos, text, and pattern pieces © Dandelions n’ Dungarees 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without express written consent of
the copyright owner.
READ PATTERN IN ITS ENTIRETY BEFORE PRINTING OR BEGINNING.
Introduction
Description:
Dolly’s classic dress with an
adorable ruffled neckline and optional block
hem. With a high waist, faux sash and bow,
and adorable cuffed sleeves this dress is sure
to be a stunner.
Size Range: 15” and 18” dolls
Difficulty
Level: Beginner
Although many of the photos of techniques
shown in this tutorial are done with a serger it
is not required to make this pattern. A sewing
machine can complete just as lovely a look!
Table of Contents:
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Materials Required
We recommend using woven fabrics for this dress. We like quilting cottons, chambray,
and featherwale cordoruy, just to name a few. The options really are endless.
“Always pre-wash your fabric! Treat
your fabric like you would the garment
you are making, for example, if you plan
on washing and drying your dress, wash
and dry your fabric.”
Fabric and Notions Requirements
Main Fabric 1/2 yard
Contrast 1/4 yard
Velcro 3/4” wide - 1 1/2 inches
Buttons or Snaps 3 (1/4” to 3/8”)
You will also need:
*Thread
*Scissors
*Rotary Mat/Cutter (optional)
*Other basic sewing supplies.
This pattern uses a 1/4” seam allowance unless noted otherwise.
Cutting Instructions
Refer to chart below for cutting instructions.
18” Doll
Skirt
(cut 1 of main
fabric)
Waistband
(cut 1 of contrast
fabric)
Button Placket
(cut 1 of main
fabric )
Ruffle
(cut 2 of contrast
fabric)
41”x 6 1/2”
15” Doll
41” x 5 3/4”
16 1/4” x 1 3/8”
18” x 1 3/4”
1 3/4” x 4”
1 3/4” x 3 1/2”
20 1/2” x 1 3/4”
20 1/2” x 1 3/4”
Bow
(cut 1 of contrast
fabric)
16” x 3”
16” x 3”
Bow Knot
(cut 1 of contrast)
1” x 3”
1” x 3”
For Block Hem option use the following skirt measurements.
Skirt (Cut 1 of
main Fabric)
41” x 4 3/4”
41” x 4 5/8”
41” x 2 1/4”
41” x 2 1/4”
I suggest cutting all pattern pieces before beginning to sew. When
cutting your fabric also take into consideration directional prints. You
may need more fabric depending on this.
Refer to each individual pattern piece for cutting instructions. Pay special attention if the
pattern piece needs to be cut as a mirror image, meaning you will need a left and right facing pattern.
Creating the Bodice
1. Take the front bodice pieces, and with right sides
together, pin the front left shoulder seam to the back
shoulder seam. Repeat for the right shoulder seam.
Using your 1/4” seam allowance sew or serge your
seams. Press seams. Do the same for your lining
pieces. Fold the front bodice piece in half alining
the shoulders at the neck edge. Press a crease on
the center front.
2. Take the 2 ruffle strips and make a narrow hem
along one of the long edges. Do this by either
making a rolled hem with your serger (cutting off
about 1/4” as you go) or making a narrow, machine-stitched hem. To make a narrow hem, press
a fold along the edge of your fabric 1/4” from the
edge. Turn the raw edge in to meet the fold the
fold and press. This should give you about a 1/8”
hem. I use a narrow zig-zag to sew over the edge
3. Run 2 rows of gathering along the long edge using a long stitch length. ( We use length of 6.) The
first row will be 3/8” from the edge, and the second
row will be just inside the first row. okay if you
have extra rufle hanging over the bottom edge of the
bodice.
4. Pull the gathering stitches up. Pin to the bodice, starting at the back neckline, pining around to
the center front, then fun your ruffle piece down
the center front of the front bodice along the
crease. okay if you have extra rufle hanging over
the bottom edge of the bodice. you made in step 1.
We suggest having very few gathers for 1/2 right
at the center back as it makes is easier for Velcro
placement later. Repeat for the other side.
Creating the Bodice (cont.)
5. Stitch the ruffle to the bodice along the inside row
of gathering stitches from center back along the
neckline and then down the front. When you are
done stitching, trim the ends of the ruffle even with
the bottom of the bodice.
6. Find the front placket piece. Press in 1/4” on
each long edge. lay it over the top of the center
front at the raw edges of the ruffles. Pin, then topstich down both sides. Cut off any excess at the
top and bottom.
7. Pin your lining to your bodice piece, right
sides together matching center backs and shoulder
seams. Pin in place. Starting from the center back
bodice, stitch the back seam up to the neck line,
around the neckline and down the other center
back seam. Sew from the side with the ruffle attached so you can sew along the same seamline.
When you are finished, pink the seam with pinking shears, or clip the curves.
8. Turn the lining to the inside,
so that you have wrong sides
together. Press well. Baste the
lining to the front bodice at both
armscyes.
Creating the Bodice (cont.)
7. Run 2 rows of gathering stitches along the top
edge of the sleeve pieces. Start 1” from the side
edge of the sleeve and end 1” from the other end.
Run 2 rows of gathering stiches along the lower
edge of the sleeve in the same manner. The first
row of gathering should be 3/8” from the edge,
and the second should be just inside that row.
9. Gather the top of the sleeve. Fit it to the armscye of the dress, matching the notch with the
shoulder seam. Pin in place. Attach it to the
armscye of the dress by sewing along the previous
gathering line in a 3/8” seam. Trim the seam allowance to 1/4” and finish the edge. Press well.
10. Press the sleeve cuff in half wrong side together along the long direction of the cuff. Pull the
gathering threads along the bottom of the sleeve
up to match the length of the cuff. Pin in place.
Sewing along your previous gathering line, attach the cuff to the bottom of the sleeve. This will
make a 3/8” seam. Trim the seam to 1/4” and finish the edge. Repeat for the other sleeve. Press
both sleeve/cuff seams well.
11. Turn your dress inside out. Right sides together,
pin the side seams together starting from the edge
of the sleeve cuff, matching cuff seams, underarm
seams, and bottom edge of bodice. Sew the seam
using 1/4” seam allowance, pivoting at armscye
seam. Finish the seam. If using a serger, stitch this
seam with a sewing machine, and then finishing the
edge edge with your serger. Finish the edges and
press seam toward the back.
Attaching the Waistband and Skirt
1. Pin the waist band piece to the bodice starting at center back and leaving 1” of
the waistband piece extending past the back bodice on both sidess. Attach with a
1/4” seam. Finish the edge. Press the seam toward the waistband. Top stitch in
place.
2. Hem the side edges of your skirt. Make a narrow hem by pressing in 1/4” and
then pressing in 1/2” again. Top stitch the edges of the skirt.
3. Gather the top edge of the skirt using 2 rows of gathering 3/8” and 1/4” from the
edge. Start the gathering rows at the top stitching on one skirt section and ending at
the stopstitching at the other end. Lining up the edge of the skirt with the edge of
the back bodice, pull up the gathers and pin the skirt to the waistband. Sew this seam
with a 3/8” seam with right sides together. Trim to 1/4” and finish the edge. Press
toward the waistband. Topstitch in place.
Attaching Waistband and Skirt (cont.)
4. Fold the overlapping 1” to the wrong side of the
bodice and press. Fold the raw edge to the inside
of the crease you just made and press again, making sure to make a good crease along the bodice
back edge. Pin in place if desired.
5. Hem the bottom of your skirt. Do this by making a
narrow hem. Serge the bottom edge of your skirt and
trim off 1/4”. Then press up 1/4” and topstitch in place.
You may also make a narrow hem by folding up 1/4”
and pressing, then folding up 1/4” again, pressing, then
topstitching in place.
6. Attach Velcro along the outside edges. Cut 3 pieces of
Velcro of 1/2” Attach the hook side to one side of the dress,
and the loop side to the other side of the dress, as illustrated
in the picture. Make sure that the center pieces of Velcro are
centered over waist band edge that you folded in on step 4.
Sew around all 4 edges of the Velcro.
Optional Block Hem
1. With right sides together pin your contrast hem
to the long side of your skirt. Sew or serge your
seam and press. 2. For a nice finish top stitch your seams on your block
hem.
3. Finish constructing the skirt piece following
instructions given in “Attaching the Waistband and
Skirt” on page 11.
Buttons, and Bows
1. Attach 3 buttons or Snaps the Center front of the
2.With right sides together, fold your bow piece
in half length wise. Fold the corners of the bow
piece from theraw edge to meet the fold and
press. Trim along the pressed line. Starting about
2 inches from the center of your bow sew or serge
your seam. Repeat on other side, again about 2
inches from the center.
3. Turn bow inside right and press opening under.
Topstitch around entire bow.
4. Fold your bow piece one end crossing over the other and then pinch thru the center.
Taking a needle and thread sew straight thru the pinched portion. Again take your needle
straight thru the center. Now begin wrapping your thread around the center, wrap until it is
held tightly in place and creates a bow. Send your needle back thru the center and tie off.
Next, center one end of your center bow band on the back of your bow. Stitch in place.
Press 1/4” on each side of the bow knot piece. Wrap the bow nknot of your bow around
the bow, trim off the excess from your bow band so that both raw edges are hidden in the
back. Stitch in place. Finally, attach your bow directly under your front buttons on the front
waistband. You may sew or pin in place. . You’re Done!! Congratulations and Great Job!
The Sewing Dictionary
We compiled a list of sewing terms and symbols you might see in our patterns. Every seamstress
should know what that doo-hickey really is called, right?
Baste: Basting is when you use a wide stitch to
secure more than one layer of fabric to another.
Most often basting stitches are not seen or will
be picked out later. This helps hold the garment
in place until the final stitch is made.
Backstitch: Backstitching is used at the start
and end of a seam. Usually you go back 1-2
stitches, this helps secure the thread from unraveling.
Facing: Fabric sewn to the inside edge, often
used on necklines, collars, and cuffs. Helps
provide a clean finished edge.
Scant Seam: Scant seam is used to stitch very
narrowly to the edge of fabric, typically about
1/8”.
Seam Allowance: Seam allowance is the excess of fabric used to sew on. It is not calculated into the garments finished measurement.
Most of our patterns will use a ½” seam allowance. Meaning your stitches will be sewn
½” from the edge of the fabric.
Transfer Markings: Markings made on the
pattern pieces that will need transferred to the
fabric once cut. Usually done with a fabric
marking pen.
Gather: Gathering is the technique used to
ruffle or ruche. There are many ways to do this. Twin Needle: Has two needles, great for
Some include using a long basting stitch and
hems and parallel stitching. Joints into one
pulling at the thread ends, others use 2 basting near the top for use in all sewing machines.
stitches, and some use elastic to gather.
Symbols
This is the symbol we use to
identify gathering points. It will
need transferred to the fabric.
(Not all our patterns will have
this symbol)
Grain: The straight grain of the fabric runs
parallel to the selvage. These are the strongest
threads in the fabric weave. A double arrow
symbol on pattern pieces show which way the
pattern piece should be cut in relation to the
grain.
Lining: used to finish seam edges and hide the
construction of the garment, also helps cover
“itchy” seams on children’s clothing
↕
Overlocking Stitch: A stitch done in addition to your straight stitch, most often used to
prevent the garment from fraying on woven
fabrics. A zig-zag stitch can be sewn parallel
to the straight stitch in the seam allowance to
▶
This symbol is used when the
grain of fabric is necessary to
the direction the pattern needs
to be cut. (Not all our patterns
will have this symbol)
This symbol is used when
notches need to be made to
line pattern pieces up together.
You will cut a triangle shape to
the outside edge of your fabric.
(Not all our patterns will have
notches)
Printing and Pattern Piece Instructions
1. Before printing the pattern be sure to
check that your printer settings are set to
actual size and no scaling options are
selected.
2. Pattern pieces are printed on a one
inch grid, test your printer settings for
accuracy by measuring 2-3 grid squares
in various areas.
3. Cut your pattern pieces out and pin to
fabric. Refer to Cutting chart on page 4
of tutorial.
Join our group on facebook for helpful hints and tips!
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arees/
Fold
!8” Size
Dandelions n’ Dungarees
All Sizes
Fold
Classic Ruffle Dress
Back Bodice
Cut 4 (or 2 of fabric and 2 of lining)
Mirror images
Dandelions n’ Dungarees
Dandelions n’ Dungarees
Grain
Center Back
18”
Classic Ruffle Dress Sleeve
Cut 2 on fold
15”
18”
15”
Fold
Classic Ruffle Dress
Front Bodice
Cut 2 on Fold
Or one fabric and 1 Lining
Classic Ruffle Dress
Sleeve Cuff
Cut 2 on fold
Dandelions n’ Dungarees
15”