Pom Pom Pillowcase Dress

It’s my favorite upcycle of all time – pillowcase dresses!!  So cheap, and they turn out so cute.  Win win.  I’ve made a bunch, and I’m sure I will make a bunch more.  I can’t get enough!

If you are intimidated by sewing projects, this is the perfect start for you! Or, if you want to teach a kiddo to sew, this is great.   Pillowcases can be found for a quarter, so if you mess it up, it’s no big deal.  I stock up at thrift stores and garage sales.  And it’s basic, mostly-straight sewing.  I also love that it’s a blank slate – so many ways to add embellishments and cuteness – like the pom pom trim!  Or you can find super cute vintage pillowcases in florals and more.

Let’s get started!  You’ll need:
–discarded pillowcase
–ribbon, 44 inches long -or- fabric, 4 inches by 44 inches (for the sash tie)
–about 2 yards of pom pom trim

First, create your sash that will tie the top of the dress.  If you have a ribbon, then you can skip this step.  If you have fabric, sew it in a tube and then turn the tube right-side out and sew the two ends shut.

Next I sewed on the trim.  Sewing on trim is pretty easy – just go slow and sew over it to attach it to the pillowcase.  I used the wide hem as a guide and sewed it to that line.

I went around the entire pillowcase (not just the front).  I love the detail it adds to the dress:

The beauty about using a pillowcase for a dress is that you don’t have to hem it – the bottom is already a finished edge.  Check!
So moving on to the top.  You’ll want to adjust to the size of your child.  My girls are 9 and 7 years old and this would fit both of them.  I measured from the bottom hem up 27 inches.  That’s where I cut straight across to take the top off the pillowcase.  It’s more a tunic length on my 9 year old and my 7 year old would be able to wear it as a dress. (the one in the picture is 9)

Then you’ll cut the arm hole – I measured down 6 inches and marked the side, then cut a half a “u”, as shown below.  It doesn’t have to be exact.

Now, you’ve got a couple of options – around the arm holes and along that top edge, you can zig zag sew, or serge it (that’s what I did – with a rolled hem), or you can do a narrow hem.  Just find your favorite way to make it a finished edge in all those spots:

Then turn the dress inside-out, and fold the top down about an inch and a half and iron into place.  Then you’ll sew along the edge (where you see my white stitching).  This will create a casing, or tunnel, for the ribbon. Do this on the front and repeat on the back.

To add a little more interest to the dress, I flipped it right-side out and then sewed a line of pom pom trim along that seam in the front.

Then just use a safety pin to fish the ribbon through both casings:

Stand back and admire your work!  You can do this!  Super cute way to upcycle – –

If you are interested in Pillowcase Dress Upcycling, I have a few other posts you’ll want to check out:

 

Super cute, right?!  Have I convinced you to give it a try?  Because you should – you can do this!!

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