A month or more ago, a special someone on the board found an amazing garage sale find, chock full of little girl fabrics and sent it to me. (Okay it was Loretta isn't she the greatest?) So I went through it all, and I found lots of little bundles all of which I carefully took apart, until I found this on particular bundle with an ancient corroded pin in.

Carefully removing the pin I found the following pieces of what is clearly a little girls dress. It appears to have a Peter Pan color, and since the fabric is a bit see through it might need a lining, but other than that I think it is darling.

But I can't figure out how to put it together... I've never done a Peter Pan collar, and what I thought was a hat, there at the top of the photo I now think is the puffy sleeves.

So while I don't forsee it fitting my daughter (who seems to be getting taller and taller every time I look at her), I still think that after all this time the dress should be made. Does anyone have any suggestions or knowledge that might help me out?

It looks to me like you have short little sleeves and a round collar.

Yes, I think so too, but do you see how narrow that neckline is? that collar curve doesn't line up no matter which way I turn it, and I make up my own patterns, I've never done anything like this before.

I only have the fabric no pattern.

If you sew the shoulder seams and then see how the collor and sleaves line up. Maybe who every cut out the material didn't cut the neck and arm cyles correctly. Looks to me like the sleeves and collor will work as they are.

Ok . the 2 pieces are sleves , you want to sew the sides first. then you will do the sleeves. they are little puff sleeves. then you need a zipper . you will be able to see how the collar is once you get the sleeves on. to me this needs a lining or a partial lining. I keep looking at your pic. diffently need linning on your collar parts.
try sewing , sides back about 4 to 6 inches then look to see how the shoulders match . sew top of shoulders . sew each sleeve the 2 small straight part together.
then match up to sleeve holes. start from the bottom of the sleeve first . you need a needle and thread to make the pucker for the puff of the sleeve. you should be able to figure out the rest . if you need help let me know

My guess is the collar needs to be lined and probably lining around inside at neckline. You sould use bias tape to cover the seam at the neck instead. Sew the shoulder set in sleeve, sew down the side seams and sad news but fairly sure there would have been a zipper in the back.

HI , The Reason I say there is a zipperr in it . If you look on the right side of the picture there is a notch for zipper place ment. it maybe just the picture . but that is what I see . This a very cute print and simple summer outfit looks to be may a 6-9 mos. I just hopes I have helped..

I don't know why but I see the pieces as the clothing from the paper dolls we had as girls. It would be fun to applique the pieces onto a quilt back of a quilt made with a paper doll motif. You could add the little tabs and even embellish the collar and hem lines.

Elizabeth, most clothing patterns use a 5/8" seam allowance. Your collar will need a lining, like white cotton, and after you sew your 5/8 seam around the outer edge of the collar, it will make the inner edge much smaller, and it should fit around the neck just perfect then. Your neck will need a binding or a facing on it too. I dont do things the proper way. This is how i do them. Do your zipper first, get it done and over with, then sew up the rest of the centre back seam 5/8 seams. Then do your shoulder seams. Then gather your sleeves with a loose running stitch, and pin to sleeven. Now sew the sleeve in. Now hem your sleeves, now sew your side seams. Now do your collar. I know, i do things in the wrong order, but easier lol, now hem the dress :)

Whoever cut that out even went to the trouble of matching the pattern. My guess is that it wasn't sewn together for lack of lining. You can't put that collar on without lining it first. If you sew liniing to the right side and turn it, you will have a collar ready to be sewed to the dress. And yes, you'll need a zipper for the back. I'd be tempted to line the whole thing.