Kids' Halloween Costume: Simple-Sew Princess Dress

This princess dress will get worn long after Halloween is over. It is perfect for parties, plays and plain old dress-up days. And the best part: It is very easy to make.

By: Jess Abbott

Related To:

A Dress Made for Ruling a Kingdom

Use a recycled T shirt, ribbon and some tulle fabric to make this easy ball gown.

Tools and Materials

To make a princess dress, you’ll need: a T-shirt in your child’s size; 3 spools of 6” x 25 yards of tulle; 2 to 3 spools of 2”-wide ribbon; to download the crown pattern; 2 fat quarters of fabric (18" x 22"); Coats & Clark Phoomph; Fray Check; and basic sewing essentials (scissors, thread and needle).

Cut the T-Shirt

Use scissors to cut 2” slits all the way around the bottom of the T-shirt.

Cut the Tulle

Cut the tulle into 35” strips.

Tie Tulle to T-Shirt

Tie each tulle strip in the center around the slits in the bottom of the T-shirt.

Pile It On

Layer several strips of tulle on each T-shirt slit. Continue all the way around the bottom of the shirt until you have used all of the tulle.

Inside Out

You’ll likely notice that where the tulle meets the T-shirt, there will be some gaps. This is where the extra ribbon comes in handy.

Layer On Ribbon

Tie thick pieces of ribbon in loose knots all the way around the top of the tulle. If you have enough ribbon you can make them into bows. This will cover up the gaps between the T-shirt and skirt.

Make Bows for the Sleeves

Cut the ribbon: two 1-1/2” pieces and two 1/2” pieces. Apply Fray Check to the raw edges of each piece and let dry.

Create Bow

Pinch one of the 1-1/2” pieces together in the middle.

Wrap It in the Middle

Wrap one of the 1/2” pieces around the pinched center, and then pinch those edges together in the back. Use a needle and thread to sew the back center together to secure the bow. Repeat for the second bow.

Attach to Shirt

Stitch the bows to the bottom of the T-shirt sleeves.

Make the Crown

To make the princess crown, you will need to download the crown pattern. Print the template out at full scale; do not resize. Choose which type of crown you would like and cut out that pattern piece. Cut out a piece of Phoomph to the pattern.

Adhere Fabric to Phoomph

Follow the instructions on the Phoomph package and adhere fabric to both sides of the Phoomph. Depending on the pattern of the fabric, you may want to fold the Phoomph in half so that you can place the pattern on the fold (like our mermaid).

Crown Ties

Use scissors or a hole punch to make a hole in each end of the crown to accommodate a tie ribbon. Cut two 15” pieces of ribbon, and tie onto each end of the crown. Place on child’s head and tie around the back to secure.

Finishing Touch

Add a big bow in the back to complete the dress.

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