Princess Costume Dress

This enchanting princess dress is sure to set your little girl’s imagination alive, with its sequinned bodice and layered tulle skirt. It’s super-easy to stitch too, so can be whipped up for an impromptu fancy dress party or dress-up session! The top is an embellished plain white vest and the skirt features a simple gathered waistband. She’ll feel like a true princess! Make this winter princess costume for under £10.

Essentials

Fabric: satin, sequinned, blue, 100cm x 150cm;
Netting: turquoise, 85cm x 120cm; white, 110cm x 120cm
Ribbon: silver, 5mm x 100cm
Vest top, white thread, coordinating interfacing, fusible, lightweight webbing, sequins, snowflake, silver seed beads, silver glue

Dimensions List

Age 8 years

Sew a Winter Princess Dress Costume

Select a white vest top to fit your child and cut lightweight fusible interfacing to fit the front, going from the bottom edge to just under the armholes, and side seam to side seam. Iron onto the inside front of the vest. This will give the top some stability.
Make a template to cover the front section of the vest top. Start 3cm up from the bottom edge, measure straight up the side seams, then from each armhole, draw a curved line to meet in the centre to form a sweetheart shape.
Draw the shape of the template onto fusible webbing, then roughly cut out and iron onto blue sequin satin fabric. Cut out carefully, peel off the backing paper, then position onto the front of the vest top and iron into place. Machine sew a wide zig zag stitch around the outside edge of the shape.
For the sleeves, cut two 11cm x 25cm rectangles of blue sequin satin material. Round off the corners at one end to make a semi-circle. Cut two lengths of silver ribbon, each measuring 25cm, and pin along the curved edges of the sleeves. Machine stitch in place.
Sew a running stitch all the way along the straight edge, then pull to gather up the sleeve. Work a few stitches to hold it in place, then position it in the centre underneath the shoulder seam of the vest top. Sew into place.
Position snowflake sequins onto the vest and use a little fabric glue to secure them into place. Sew a silver seed bead into the centre of each one. Cut a length of silver ribbon measuring 28cm, tie in a bow, and sew into the centre of the neckline.
For the skirt, cut 54cm x 150cm of blue sequin satin fabric. Adjust the length accordingly if you would like the skirt to be longer or your child is taller. Pin and stitch the two short edges right sides together to form a tube. Press the seam open.
Turn the hem under by 1cm, pin, and zig zag stitch along the bottom edge. Turn the opposite edge over by 2.5cm, pin and straight stitch to form a channel. Leave a gap at the seam to thread elastic into. Press carefully.
Take 110cm x 120cm of white netting and double it over lengthways so you have one edge shorter than the other by about 10cm. Press along the folded edge. Mark the middle of the folded edge with a pin, line it up with the seam in the satin skirt, then pin and tack around the skirt to sit beneath the stitch line. You should have a gap at the front of around 14cm where the net doesn’t meet.
Cut 85cm x 120cm of turquoise netting and double over lengthways so you have one edge shorter than the other by about 5cm. Press along the folded edge. Mark the middle of the folded edge with a pin, line it up with the seam in the satin skirt, then pin and tack along the top of the white netting. Machine sew and remove the tacking.
Cut a piece of elastic measuring 70cm (adjusting the length for your child accordingly) and thread though the waistband using a safety pin to help. Once you’ve pulled it all the way through, overlap the edges of the elastic slightly and sew together.