Tartan dresses for a little Scottish girl

One of my grandchildren, Jane, was born in Scotland, although she moved south near to London soon afterwards. For her fourth birthday, I made her two little tartan dresses to recognise her heritage. Here's the green one. I also made a classic red one.

They were made from two different patterns. To find out about the patterns and how I made these dresses, read on.

Even though she's pulled this on over a pair of trousers. It can be worn over a jumper for nursery school on a cold day, or, as she's wearing it here, asa sleeveless pinafore dress on a warmer day.

This girl loves wearing dresses, and bows! 

The free pattern I used was from Teri of Climbing the Willow. This is an A-line pattern that comes in sizes from 18 months to 5 years. (Could be adapted to be larger or small I think. Currently Climbing the Willow seems to be off-line, but I have the pdf saved, which I'm willing to pass on.) The pattern itself is just for the basic A-line, with just back and front pieces, and a tutorial for making facings if required. But she had also done a post (again seems to be off-line at the moment) for what she calls the Caroline dress, with a tutorial for a front pleated version with pcokets, which I used here for the red tartan dress. In case it never appears again, here's my tutorial. (And you could do this with any basic A-line pattern, for example this one from Small Dream Factory in sizes up to 8. This is slightly less flared than Climbing the Willow's pattern.)

First take the front of your A-line pattern. I'm assuming the straight right hand line is the fold line.

Mark a horizontal line across it thus creating a top yoke part and a lower skirt part. I measured down 2.5" from the neckline for the age 5 pattern, but this would need to be reduced on smaller sizes. You can eyeball it. You need to split part way down the armhole seam, but not so close to top or bottom of the armscye that you interfere with the shoulder or side seam. Cut the pattern on this line. (If you want to keep the original, you could just fold it and draw round it. I cut a new little pattern piece for the yoke.)

 Now add sufficient for a seam allowance to the bottom of the yoke and the top of the skirt part - I add 3/8th inch or 1cm. Also, add 3" to the width at the fold line. (Or you can just place the pattern 3" from the fold. For a smaller child, you might want to reduce this to 2 1/2". (Green lines are the new shape of the pattern pieces.)

Cut out the front pieces, and cut out the back as per the original pattern. Then, before sewing the dress together, do the following.

1. Take the skirt piece and press the fold line. Then press a 3" fold either side of this. Then bring the 3" fold line together to meet the original fold line. For my version, I folded the pleats outwards, but you could equally well fold inwards.

2. Pin and tack the pleats at the top

3. Attach the skirt part back to the yoke at the seam line you created.

4. Proceed to make up the dress as usual. (Shoulders seams, side seams, facings, (or you can do facings then side seams), pockets, and hem.

I didn't have facings, because I fully lined the dress. (I used the original pattern, not the one with the pleat, to make the lining.)

The second tartan dress follows this tutorial from Ikatbag. Her original pattern can be found here. This is a pattern I've wanted to try for ages, it looks so good in the boy shortalls version. 

Her pattern only comes in a 2-3 size, so I had to enlarge it somewhat for Jane, who was going to be 4. I never got round to making the shortalls version for any of the grandchildren, much though I admire it. It's not that easy to get on and off for a children that may still need to be able to undress quickly for toilet breaks. But that wouldn't be a problem for the pinafore dress version - once it's on, it can stay on. 

 

I dispensed with the pockets, and added a pleated skirt, matching the tartan pattern all round. I used to fastne at the shoulders so there was some adjustment for height. But she could pretty much slip it on and off without undoing it. 

Here, Jane decided to model it in a rather drooping version, before I had shortened up the straps for her. Maybe one day I'll get a proper picture of it in use.

As indeed I did, almost a year later. Still fits albeit a little more cosily, becausue of the adjustable straps.

Back:

Front:

I also made it a bow that could be buttoned on (and taken off for washing). I knew it would get lost eventually, but hey ho, she had a bow. (It buttoned through one of the shoulder fasteners.)