The Snappy Dress Tutorial

Prudent Baby has a few very adorable dress tutorials, and although I intend to try them all, the Snappy Dress Tutorial is the one I've done thus far.

Not only is it DARLING, but it gives an opportunity to use the bias tape tutorial where you learn how to make your own coordinating bias tape out of fabric you have on hand instead of purchasing boring ol' prepackaged stuff.

The size of the tute defaults to an 18-24 mo. size because that is who she made it for, but this can be adjusted by enlarging/reducing the pattern on your copier. JUST REMEMBER: enlarging/reducing the pattern also enlarges/reduces the seam allowance, so you'll have to either use math (!!!) or trial & error to adjust accordingly.

Some other dress patterns on my list to try, specifically from Prudent Baby, are:

One-Shoulder Dressy Dress

Hipster Swing Dress

Sweet Shirred Summer Dress

I've been wanting to try shirring for a long time, and this looks like a great jumping off point!

Skirt Tutorials

Skirts. Why on earth would I purchase a pattern in order to make a simple girl's skirt when there are a gazillion tutorials already available? Granted, there are some lovely ones for inexpensive PDF download that are worthwhile, but you won't see me paying $15 to Butterick or something unless it's got a serious something special, that's for sure.

Dana-Made-It: The Market Skirt Tutorial
Everyone needs pockets for stashing all their hidden treasures. Something not to miss about this tutorial is the basic mathematic ratio that works for adjusting pretty much ANY of the skirt patterns mentioned below.

Many pattern tutorials are presented as just for 2t, or just for 5, or whatnot, but that's because a lot of experienced sewers just use the model they have on hand, or presume you already can figure out sizing adjustments. So if you're at all unsure about resizing a skirt tutorial to work with your own child, be sure to go to the very end of this Dana-Made-It tutorial. Or you can just send me a message and I can try to help. =P

Oliver + S: Lazy Days Skirt Tutorial
Easiest. Skirt. Ever.

Izzy & Ivy designs: Halloween Skirt Tutorial
Now, this one is presented as a Halloween skirt, but that is all dependent upon the material you use. I love the flouncy tiers, and although I don't care for puffy dingleballs, I can see this looking precious with eyelet lace on a spring skirt.

Grand Revival Design: Ruffled Skirt Tutorial
This skirt has two tiers and a yoke, rather than three full tiers, but with a lot of fabric combinations I think it would work infinitely better. I adore this style.

House On Hill Road: Twirly Skirt Tutorial
No tiers on this one, just a simple skirt with a contrasting band and waist line, but it's very full for maximum twirl!

Going Sew Crazy: Drop Waist Twirly Skirt (two layers!) Tutorial
I like that this one has two layers beneath a yoke, with the bottom layer slightly longer. It's lined, and you can make it as interesting you want it to be with fabric combinations - but I really like the lightness of the simple white cotton bottom layer, so I'll probably stick with that.

Simply Modern Mom: 2-Layer Skirt Tutorial
No fabric on hand? No problem! The cool thing about this tutorial is she shows how to make it using an old t-shirt on hand. You can upcycle an existing shirt (yay environment!) and spare yourself a trip to the fabric store (yay bigger bank account!).

Although not a free pattern, my favorite pattern designer (Little Lizard King) is in the process of polishing a skirt with tiers and tiers of flouncy ruffles. I had the honor of test driving it, and as soon as it's available for purchase (usually around the $7 mark) you can be sure I'll add it.

As I go through and make each and every one of these tutorials, I'll add my personal photos to this post for reference.

After all, my goal is to try EVERYTHING I have bookmarked. Eventually.