Recently my siblings and I planned a big family vacation to Disneyland.
For this trip I made my girls and nieces some adorable Princess Peasant Dresses. I wanted to make the dresses so that they could wear them to Disneyland and be comfortable. Also, I didn’t want to spend a ton of money on a dress that might potentially end up with pop, cotton candy and other amusement park goodies imbedded into every crease.
I headed to the fabric store and bought my VERY FIRST PATTERN: Simplicity 2377. Why the pattern? I was about to make 8 dresses ranging from size 4 to size 8. I wanted to have a base pattern for each size so I didn’t have to spend all my time measuring the girls and figuring out sizing. Basically, the pattern was the easy way to go…this time. And it made my mom so proud that I was sewing “old school.”
Instructions:
I traced all the sizes I needed on to tissue paper and cut them all out.
I washed, dried, and ironed all the fabric. After reading the pattern instructions a couple of times, I got busy sewing!
Cinderella:
For the Cinderella dress, I made the bodice and skirt according to the instructions in the pattern. However, before I gathered the skirt and connected it to the bodice, I cut rectangular shapes that would wrap around my 4-year-old’s waist. I serged and hemmed the raw edges and sewed them to the skirt. Then I gathered the top of the skirt and connected it to the bodice per pattern instructions.
Tinkerbell:
For the Tinkerbell dress, I made the bodice and skirt according to pattern instructions. Then I made a leaf pattern and cut 6 large leaves. I serged and hemmed the edges and sewed them to the skirt then created the gathers. I sewed both the bodice and the skirt together and attached a thick white grosgrain ribbon around the waist for a tie. Burn the edges of the ribbon in order to prevent fraying.
Snow White:
For the Snow White dress I followed the pattern, but before I assembled the sleeves I sewed strips of red satin ribbon on them. I did everything else according to the pattern. I sewed some red satin ribbon around the waist as a tie (like the Tinkerbell dress) and burned the ends to prevent fraying.
Rapunzel {Tangled}:
The Rapunzel dress was the most time consuming, but it was not hard to make. I took the front bodice piece of the pattern and cut it into three pieces by folding it in half and cutting a 4 inch wide piece out of the middle {#2 in the picture below}. I did the same thing with the skirt, but added a 10 inch wide piece in the middle. Because you eventually gather the skirt, this piece had to be bigger. {FYI: When you add pieces to a pattern make sure to add seam allowances to those pieces.}
Once I had all the pieces cut and ready to create the dress, I added the gold ribbon x’s to the middle bodice piece first. Start the gold x’s 1.5” from the top so you have plenty of room for the elastic casing of the neck. I sewed the gold ribbon down using clear thread then I sewed the two small purple pieces to the middle pink piece creating the front bodice. I did the same thing with the skirt front and then sewed the rest of the dress together using the pattern instructions. It sounds more complicated than it really is…I promise!
I was just as happy as my daughters and nieces were with the finished product! It was great fun to sew such easy and adorable dresses.
After making 8 dresses with the same pattern, I learned 2 things:
1. I actually didn’t hate following a pattern.
2. Just because you follow a specific pattern does not mean you can’t make it your own!
Do you use a pattern when you sew or do you just wing it?
NEW! Part Two of the Princess Peasant Dresses!
They had so much fun when we got there! The video gets funnier EVERY time we watch it!
Gracias
How exciting! Hope you have the best time!! This is one of my go to patterns. My daughter has a Snow White version, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Tinkerbell is cut out but not sewn yet. 🙂 I loved having her in these cotton (durable and cool) dresses at Disneyland! She also has several other peasant style dresses- mostly with circle skirts for maximum twirliness. Here’s my blog post with the princesses and dresses: http://replicatethendeviate.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-happiest-place-on-earth-part-one.html
Emily, your daughter looks like she had a blast! How wonderful! Thanks for sharing.
I made a princess dress from pattern. Added a detachable princess cape with snaps. Thank you for inspiration
Great dresses! And I totally get the video. We told our 5yr old on New Year’s Day that we were going to Disney World later that week and fully expected him to not get into it much. We were a bit surprised at how violent his reaction turned out to be- not just an “oh. ok.” but an immediate, “I don’t want to go!” He’s into maps and didn’t want to drive that far (we’re in NC) and then swore that he’d get car sick. Tears eventually ensued. It wasn’t until later that day that he started to buy into it. Later in the week he started to get excited and now all he wants to do is go back… but that first day… your video looks REAL familiar! 🙂
Oh my heck, that is a classic story.
Very cool poll. I tend to draft my own patterns and it drives my “old-school” mom crazy. 🙂
That’s hilarious! It’s one of those videos you would see on one of the night shows (like telling your kids you ate all their halloween candy!) Hahaha! So cute! And such cute dresses!!!
haha…we seriously were shocked when they started crying. You would have thought I told them I ate all their candy. 🙂 Glad you like the dresses.
haha…that video was hilarious!! thanks for the tips for the princess dresses! we already went to Disneyland (the same time as you…I saw/met Kari–but missed out meeting you!)…I am still wanting to make my girls some dresses for dress-ups!
That’s right, Kari mentioned meeting you. So fun to meet our followers!
I would love to be bored of Disneyland…are 3 day stay was not long enough. Oh and those dresses are wonderful, Annelies!
Okay, so first thing I thought of was HALLOWEEN costumes!! These would be fabulous! Oh, and your video was hilarious! We surprised our kids with a trip to Disneyland a couple of years ago but told them they were going to Grandma’s house to stay for the weekend…when we woke them up early that next morning with the surprise, they cried their eyes out because they wanted to go to Grandma’s and didn’t want to miss school. I believe the conversation went something like this: “What?! Seriously?! You mean we’re NOT going to Grandma’s house?? But I want to go to Grandma’s house!” “And I DON’T want to miss school!” They complained all they way down to Delta and then finally got over all the drama…It was so funny! Although, I think next time we won’t tell them and load them in the car and just drive.
Becky, great idea about the Halloween costumes. How easy! And I am glad to hear that my kids aren’t the only ones disappointed by the idea of going to Disneyland. Hysterical!
my mom is like yours. she’s adamant that tutorials are not the way to sew ANYTHING and that ONLY an actual pattern is appropriate. i’ve only RECENTLY convinced her that PDF patterns are even better. (Because I refuse to purchase another paper pattern. Ever. LOL…. I want to be able top print the darn thing out ONLY in the size i need and then print it again later in the OTHER size i need… LOL…)
I’ve taken advantage of those 99 cent sales for a year now, so i have a significant pattern stash and honestly i find it easier the first time i’m making something to at least use their pieces. but honestly, i rarely read the directions past the initial now-how-does-this-go-together-again general read through. they seem to deliberately choose the MOST difficult wordy way to do stuff.
your video? hilarious. we had a similar reaction 8 years ago to kidlet getting to have Breakfast with his hero Spiderman at Universal in Orlando… he fought and cried for DAYS that he wasn’t going…. right up until he saw spiderman. LOL….aren’t kids funny?
You are my kind of sewist. I totally agree that PDF patterns are the way to go. It must be a generational thing. 🙂
Well, Yellowstone would top Disneyland for me!
So funny! We forget their perspective sometimes but this is priceless. I LOVE dad trying so hard not to laugh at them.
Oh my husband was quite entertained with the whole thing.
Hard to say what was the funniest part! Son and Dad or the girls. Glad they had a good time.
Thank you. Hysterical, right?
I love that my husband is like “worst surprise video ever.” 🙂
That is a fantastic idea. Love it. I will have to pick that pattern up. Thanks for sharing
You are more than welcome.
This video is hilarious! My husband and I both got a kick out of it. I was wondering if your dresses have elastic at the chest/bodice? I have a peasant dress pattern sort of like this but it has elastic. Thanks!
Thanks!
Hi there,
The pattern doesn’t have elastic in the chest/waist area…just a bunch of gathers. Thanks so much for visiting Ucreate.
What a crack-up!
I know, right? I watch it when I need a good laugh.
OMG – That was SO funny! Kids – you never know… lol…
I know right? Who would have expected that reaction?
Bwahahaha! I love it! That would so be my luck if I tried to do something like that! I am glad they had fun though!
I NEVER thought I would get that kind of reaction. I expected tears of joy…not sadness.
Just an FYI, there is a great free peasant pattern at: http://www.pages01.net/fabriccom/CKDLMarilynsSlimFitPeasantDressandTop/?cm_re=category-_-crhdqtr-_-Free%20DL%20CK%20Peasant%20Dress it’d be great to work off of if you don’t want to spend the money on a pattern. I use it for my little girls’ dresses. These are awesome!
Thank you.
Love, love, love that reaction! My oldest would probably react the same way. Looking at making these or similar dresses for our upcoming Disney trip. I hope my girls are happy to go. 🙂
I am sure they will have a blast. The dresses were perfect for them to enjoy the park and still look “fancy”
I have a video like this of surprising my girls with Disneyland. so glad I’m not the only one!
Oh good, it wasn’t just my crazy kids. 🙂
Just put a link to this post on my blog christinafancypants.blogspot.com . I am pattern illiterate I cannot follow a pattern to save my life. Good job with the dresses, they are adorable!
Thank you, Ricci. I swear this pattern is SUPER easy. I have never read a pattern before this one. You could totally make these dresses.
Oh I wish I had a little girl to make these for!! They are SUPER ADORABLE!!! Did you make anything for your son? I would love any ideas (I have 3!) and we are going to Disneyland in 2 years so I am preparing 🙂 I bet your girls just love those!
I did make a Mickey Mouse shirt for my son for all the characters to sign. Maybe I will post that soon.
I have a peasant dress pattern, but never thought to make princess dresses with it. They are so comfortable for her, and more durable than the ones you can buy. Thanks!! Now I have Halloween covered, too!
You are so welcome! My daughters (and nieces) love their dresses.
Perfect! Those polyester/satin gaudy licensed dresses give me the heebie jeebies!! I made my daughter a “cinderella” dress too (out of an old blue skirt of mine). Definitely pinning, thanks!
Right?! Those big expensive dresses just don’t look comfy.
I love them!!!!!! I have been in Disneyland 2 weeks ago and these dresses were so expensive!!!! 🙂 I love your idea!
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment.
We called it “The Great Asparagus Farm” when talking about it in front of our kids. 😉
Great idea!
Fantastic costumes! I was just googling *Disney Princess costumes* to make for my little niece for Christmas and stumbled across this blog post. Thank you so much for posting this!! I totally have that Simplicity pattern already! I think I may just have to make her more than one now:) P.S, hilarious video!:)
So glad you found us! Stop by often, we are glad to have you here. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment!
It really seems easy (I specially love the tangled one) but will I dare?
Of course! You can totally do it. Really, these aren’t hard to make…they just look intimidating.
love everything about this post! Taking our 4 year old daughter to disney in a few weeks so the snow white one is now on my to do list!
Oh yay!! I am so glad you like it!
Thanks so much for posting this! I think i’m going to tackle this for my soon to be 3 year old’s birthday. Did you use Cotton or jersey (so it would stretch) material?
I actually used cotton, but I think knit would be awesome because of the stretch. My girls have grown out of there cotton ones so when I do it again, I just might use knit now. Great idea.
Thank you so much for this post. I used the same dress pattern (my first time sewing from a pattern) to make a “Princess Brooke” dress (for Dutch Wonderland in PA) and an Anna coronation dress, complete with a box pleat skirt, from Frozen for Halloween. So easy, and I was really inspired to make the pattern my own.
SUPER awesome! If you have pictures post them on our Facebook page so we can see them! I would love to see them!
I know this is an old post, but I had to comment. We took our three kids to Disney world a several years ago as a surprise. We drove from Boston! But told the kids we were visiting their grand parents (they assumed in CT) and put them in the car. We drove all night and they woke up in SC. My parents live in FL with a place in SC too. So then the kids got excited to see my parents, but they didn’t show up. They still hadn’t guessed what was going on. So I told the kids we should just go to FL to see them and maybe stop by Mickey Mouse on the way. Once they realized what I was saying, their little faces lit up, so funny!! But let me tell you, packing/planning for a 24 hr car ride and a week away without the kids having a clue what i was doing took a lot of work!
I can’t wait to make these dresses, they look great and it’s awesome that they are all basically the same, so easy. Perfect for dress up.
Wow! You are a rockstar for doing a road trip like that! What a great memory!
I am working on part 2 of this post with 5 MORE princess dress! You will love them!
Brilliant! Thanks for sharing!