I'm betting you'll need to gather the sleeves a bit from the center top about an inch or two in each direction. I usually do those sleeves as set in type. Does the collar have just the two pieces or are there still 4? Yep, I do believe a zipper goes in there. I've made dresses just like this one...they really are very cute when they're finished. Maybe you can get your little darling a special baby doll to wear it when its done


P.S. The pattern I use has 4 pieces for the collar, wrong sides together sew 2 pieces together around the curved edge leaving the top notched edge open, clip the curves, turn and press. Match the notches on the collar to the dress, baste, flip the collar, then stitch bias strip over the raw edges for a nice flat seam. Make sense?

It probably won't need a zipper. Just a placket in the back seam should do and then a button at the neck. It is a darling dress and I have made many just like it when my kids were small. I wish it were mine!! Good luck!

Thanks ladies I'll have to check back in as I work on it, because I have very little idea how to do this. I've never put anything like this together.

Okay so I have thin cotton muslim, will that be fine for the lining? I'll just so ahead and line everything, except maybe the puffy sleeves.

What you see is what I have. Not even a single extra scrap of this fabric. I'll measure and send DH off to buy a zipper for it today. I have one but I'm certain it's much to big. If it's meant for 6-9 months it will be easier to get a real baby into a dress if the zipper is there, this fabric has no give at all! :)

I just looked and the line up to sew pattern cuts are there but no zipper notch, it sure would have been nice to have that, I could have put button hole up the back. I have zero experience with button holes. Would that be better than a zipper?

i just love the whole idea of sewing up that little dress. like you have no idea on how you could do it (I am very frightened of garment sewing) but I wish you the best of luck and please post pictures as you progress!

[quote]I hope you reconsider putting a zipper in it. A small, baby button would be much better. Just imagine a baby laying on a zipper - not a real good idea. :wink:

DH brought home a tiny super soft zipper just a little while ago. I was more afraid of the zipper catching or otherwise causing trouble. Not certain if I'd personally want to lay on a zipper or buttons. But I do have buttons in my button box from my dd's baby clothes, I'll see what I have - I'm certain it will take a row of buttons.

I would sew the back seam to about 6 inches from the neck and put one little button at the top. You dont need a button hole, you could put a little loop there to fasten around the button.

A six inch opening along with the neckline opening should be big enough to put over a babys head.

Just my 2 cents worth.

:D :D

I don't know where you see any interfacings. Maybe you don't know what an interfacing is. Those are main pattern pieces. I'm sure the pattern doesn't call for a zipper, baby patterns seldom do. You can put a 6 inch placket in the neckline, on the back seam and put a tiny button at the neck.