If you were a reader around this time last year, you may remember Adrianna’s foray into knit princess dresses. She’s done Belle and Snow White. She’s also done the blue version of Sleeping Beauty from the book but I’m told it’ll never see the light of blogworld. Not everything makes the cut.
If you’ve made a knit princess dress, you know how very awesome it is to put your child in a “dress-up” that has none of the itch and discomfort of the store-bought polyester variety. The kid can run, jump, eat and sleep in it with no complaints whatsoever. No fabric-related heat rash. No swishy fabric sound that gets annoying after the first five minutes. (Umm, maybe I’m the only one that gets annoyed at that? Sometimes I can last about six minutes before I need it to stop.)
One of K’s friends was heading to Disneyworld for the first time earlier this month and had a breakfast date with the princesses. Her mom and I talked about making Sleeping Beauty dresses for both of our girls. Only my girl decided she wanted no part of that. She wanted to be another character– and I’ll post that one later this week.
So little R got her own Aurora dress. Made entirely of super-comfy cotton knit. This is still based on the same pattern that we use often by indietutes. We’ve used it so often that it’s tagged “our favorite pattern” in each post that features it.
To imitate the pieced bodice look of the original, I just added a bit of width to the bodice and then sewed seams down the center and diagonally on each side. So maybe you can tell which is which here, but R’s dress looks waaaaaay comfier, right? There’s no way the big girl Aurora could leave the fancy breakfast and head straight to Splash Mountain in HER version.
The shawl-y bit is just tacked at the center front and back and once at each side.
Despite 90 degree forecasts each day, she was ready to trek the parks.
She’s really into what she calls “flappy-uppy” skirts. This took some serious consideration to make sure the skirt was satisfactorily “flappy-uppy”. Not a bad start to her Disneyworld experience, I think.
UPDATE: Just for Jess. Here’s the collar. Double-click the image to enlarge and make sure your printer is printing it at 100%– not scaling it. Cut four on fold, sew two sets of two right sides together along the top and bottom, turn right-side-out, sew ends together, flip again. Gather middle a bit, tack in middle front and back and at top edge on each shoulder. Do happy dance. Or clap hands like seal. Your choice.
P.S. Not to be a nag, but have you started your Skirt Week skirt(s) yet? What’s the holdup? Get movin’!
Oh my goodness this turned out so cute! Love the diagonal lines on the bodice. I completely agree that knit is way better than some artificial stuff. :)
Too stinking cute! My girls would never, ever take it off.
I need to find a girl to sew for soon or I’ll be making myself a knit princess dress….scary… This is very cute!
little R looks like a beautiful princesses in her dress. well done!!
fabulous!! how did you do the collar? I NEED, I mean, Sadie needs, one of these for our trip in October! (and dress up!) love it!
The dress is lovely but what I want to know is how you managed to get NO people in your backrounds at Disney no less!!
Number 1: you are amazing. This is lovely. Number 2: Does that little girl know how amazingly beautiful she is? Seriously, she’s WAY prettier than the actual princess at Disney. Number 3: I love K for the fact that she does her own thing. Sorry to the mommy if too much of our boyness rubbed off on her. She’s still totally beautiful and I promise one day she will come and ask you about make up.
so adorable! I really have to (1) make a knit princess dress now, and (2) test out that fave pattern! :)
Cute! Do you do it in my size? ;o)
aw, Susan. You’re too nice! We really ARE friends! hehe. Seriously, THANKS!
LOVE it! I am making it right NOW. And thanks Jess for asking for the collar-I LOVE your blog too!
Do you Make these to sell?
Nooope, sorry!
It’s just as BEAUTIFUL as the big girl one & so comfy… She seemed to LOVES IT & her big day, so job well done Mom.. I truly Love it all!!!!!! Thanks for sharing…. Linda Lee
Awesome! So, for a knit fabric, how much did you gather the skirt at the top? I’m thinking of making a snow white version and wondering whether to go 1.5 or 2x her waist measurement. Also, is the skirt just a rectangle or more of an a-line type pattern. Thanks for the tips! These are so cute!
Thanks! Skirt is a rectangle! It’s been a while, but I’m thinking 2x the waist. Gathered to meet the width of the top.
This is adorable! Any tips for making the triangle part around the waistline?
Where is the actual pattern? I tried to go onto Indietutes but couldn’t find it.
Hi there! More of a tutorial than pattern, and it’s here: http://indietutes.blogspot.com/2007/07/peasant-blouse.html
Hi Susan,
This lead me to a peasant blouse. Is there a specific tag that I should look for? Thank you! The Aurora dress is a request by my four-year old daughter for her birthday.
Hi again! The peasant blouse is the base pattern that I added a gathered skirt to. The collar is included in the post. The waist piece is an add-on. What’s in the post is the best I’ve got on this, but if you’re looking for a full princess dress pattern with all of the parts I’d bet Pinterest can help you find a paid pattern with exactly what you’re looking for with all of the pieces and parts fully spelled out. Good luck!
I’m so glad older posts don’t disappear from Pinterest! I just finished making this dress for my two year old granddaughter and it turned out so cute. Thanks for sharing your creativity!
Me too, and YAY! Glad you enjoyed it. :)