Fabric Requirements: This pattern is a great stash buster!

Pull out a bunch of coordinating

prints. You can use as many different fabrics as you like. For my sample, I used 7 fat
quarters, not including 1 yd for the underskirt. In my pattern picture above, I drew it a little
differently. I thought it would be pretty with a graduation of the same color too (lighter
fabrics on top going down to darker fabrics on the bottom.) So, do it however you want. I
will just give you the totals and you decide how to break it down into different fabrics.

You will need the following yards below for the bodice and straps. The skirt fabric
requirements are on the following page.

Fabric Requirements (in yards)

Size Size 1 Size 2 Size 3 Size 4 Size 5 Size 6

Bodice 1/4 1/4 1/4 1/4 1/4 1/4

Straps 1/8 1/8 1/8 1/8 1/8 1/8

Size Size 7 Size 8 Size 9 Size 10 Size 12 Size 14

Bodice 1/4 1/4 1/4 1/4 3/8 3/8

Straps 1/8 1/8 1/8 1/8 1/8 1/8

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 Fabric Requirements (in yards)

Size Ruffle #1 Ruffle #2 Ruffle #3 Ruffle #4 Ruffle #5 Skirt

1 1/4 3/8 3/8 ---- ---- 1/2

or 1 FQ or 1 FQ or 1 FQ
2 1/4 3/8 3/8 ---- ---- 1/2
or 1 FQ or 2 FQs or 2 FQs
3 1/4 3/8 3/8 ---- ---- 1/2
or 1 FQ or 2 FQs or 2 FQs
4 1/4 3/8 3/8 1/2 --- 1/2
or 1 FQ or 2 FQs or 2 FQs or 2 FQs
5 1/4 3/8 3/8 1/2 ---- 1
or 1 FQ or 2 FQs or 2 FQs or 2 FQs
6 1/4 3/8 3/8 1/2 --- 1 1/4
or 1 FQ or 2 FQs or 2 FQs or 2 FQs
7 1/4 3/8 3/8 1/2 1/2 1 1/2
or 1 FQ or 2 FQs or 2 FQs or 2 FQs or 2 FQs
8 1/4 3/8 3/8 1/2 1/2 1 5/8
or 1 FQ or 2 FQs or 2 FQs or 2 FQs or 2 FQs
9 1/4 3/8 3/8 1/2 1/2 1 3/4
or 1 FQ or 2 FQs or 2 FQs or 2 FQs or 2 FQs
10 1/4 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 2
or 1 FQ or 2 FQs or 2 FQs or 2 FQs or 3 FQs
12 1/4 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 2 1/4
or 1 FQ or 2 FQs or 2 FQs or 2 FQs or 3 FQs
14 1/4 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 2 1/2
or 1 FQ or 2 FQs or 2 FQs or 2 FQs or 3 FQs

*NOTE* A fat quarter is an 18 x 22 piece of fabric as opposed to a regular

1/4 yd cut that is 9 x 45. They are pre-cut at quilt and fabric shops and
usually displayed in a cute little basket or on a table or shelf together.

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This dress is a very easy one to customize to your child. The straps can be tied tighter to pull
the dress up higher, the elastic can be pulled tighter, and the bodice can be made in one size
and the skirt in another if needed. Below are the finished garment measurements so that
you will know which size you need to make and how much fabric to pull together.

Finished Garment Measurements

Size Size 1 Size 2 Size 3 Size 4 Size 5 Size 6

Chest* 21 22 23 24 25 26

Length** 18 20 22 24 27 29

Size Size 7 Size 8 Size 9 Size 10 Size 12 Size 14

Chest* 27 28 29 30 31 32

Length** 30 32 34 36 39 41

The following pages show some past examples of Ruffle Halter Dresses to assist you in
choosing fabrics.

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 Time to start cutting out the pattern!!
1. Cut out ONE front bodice piece and ONE for the lining (pattern piece follows).

2. Cut out TWO back bodice pieces according to the chart below:

Size 1 Size 2 Size 3 Size 4 Size 5 Size 6

2 x 15 2 x 16 3 x 17 3 x 18 4 x 19 4 x 20

Size 7 Size 8 Size 9 Size 10 Size 12 Size 14

5 x 21 5 x 22 6 x 23 6 x 24 7 x 25 7 x 26

3. Cut out TWO straps 3 wide x 20 long.

4. Cut out the ruffles according to the following page.

5. Cut out the skirt according to the instructions on the following pages.

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 Ruffle Cutting Instructions

Size Ruffle #1 Ruffle #2 Ruffle #3 Ruffle #4 Ruffle #5

1 5 3/4 x 44 5 3/4 x 55 5 3/4 x 66 ---- ----

2 6 1/4" x 44 6 1/4" x 55 6 1/4" x 66 ---- ----

3 6 3/4x 44 6 3/4x 55 6 3/4 x 66 ---- ----

4 5 3/4 x 44 5 3/4 x 55 5 3/4 x 66 5 3/4 x 77 ---

5 6 1/4" x 44 6 1/4" x 55 6 1/4" x 66 6 1/4" x 77 ----

6 6 3/4 x 44 6 3/4 x 55 6 3/4 x 66 6 3/4 x 77 ---

7 6 x 44 6 X 55 6 x 66 6 x 77 6 x 88

8 6 1/4 x 44 6 1/4 x 55 6 1/4 x 66 6 1/4 x 77 6 1/4 x 88

9 6 1/2 x 44 6 1/2 x 55 6 1/2 x 66 6 1/2 x 77 6 1/2 x 88

10 6 3/4 x 44 6 3/4 x 55 6 3/4 x 77 6 3/4 x 88 6 3/4 x 90

12 7 1/4 x 44 7 1/4 x 55 7 1/4 x 77 7 1/4 x 88 7 1/4 x 90

14 7 3/4 x 44 7 3/4 x 55 7 3/4 x 77 7 3/4 x 88 7 3/4 x 90

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 1
Place on Fold

Designed by Laura Johnson

Copyright February, 2013
www.ellieinspired.com

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2

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 1
Designed by Laura Johnson
Copyright February, 2013
www.ellieinspired.com

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 1 Designed by Laura Johnson
Copyright February 2013
www.ellieinspired.com

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Place on Fold

Ruffle Halter 3
ELLIE INSPIRED
Front Bodice and Lining
Cut 1 on Fold of Each 4

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 14
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Designed by Laura Johnson
Copyright February 2013

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www.ellieinspired.com

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Ruffle Halter
Front Bodice and Lining
Cut 1 on Fold of Each
ELLIE INSPIRED

Place on Fold
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Designed by Laura Johnson
Copyright February 2013
www.ellieinspired.com

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 Complete any embroidery or embellishments on the
front bodice, if desired.

Stitching the Shoulder Straps:

1. Fold a shoulder strap in half, lengthwise with right sides
together. Stitch the raw edges together (figure A). Pull
right side out and press well. Top-stitch each edge
(figure B.)

A. B.

2. Repeat with the other shoulder strap.

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Attaching the Shoulder Straps:
1. Place each shoulder strap on the
front bodice with right sides
together and raw edges lined up.
The straps should be placed at the
dots on the front pattern piece.
Baste in place.

2. Place the front bodice lining on

top of the bodice, right sides
together with the shoulder
straps in the middle.

3. Beginning at the bottom of one

armhole, stitch around curve up
to the top of the bodice and down
to the other armhole. Leave the
side seams open.

4. Clip close to the curves and fold

right side out. Press well.
Do NOT top-stitch at this time.

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Finishing the Back Bodice with Shirring:
Note: If you are finishing the back with shirring, you will not need the
back bodice lining.

1. Press the top edge of the back bodice piece to the inside .
Press again , enclosing the raw edge and stitch the narrow
hem. Or, use a rolled hem setting on your machine and finish off
the top edge.

2. Hand-wind the bobbin with elastic thread. Do not pull too tightly
on the thread.

3. Using regular thread on the top of the fabric and the elastic
thread on the bottom, stitch the rows about apart, beginning
at the top edge of the back
bodice. (Use a longer 1/2 inch
stitch length for this usually
4, and leave long tails at
the beginning and ending
of each row to tie off the
elastic thread later. Also, 1 inch
keep the fabric flat or the
dress will get progressively tighter with each row). THE LAST ROW
SHOULD END ABOUT AN INCH FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE BACK
BODICE.

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4. Tie the ends of row 1 and 2 together in a secure knot at
each end. Repeat with rows 3 and 4 and all subsequent
rows. Place on an ironing board and steam with a hot iron.
The shirring should shrink up.

5. Leave the knots in the ends of the threads. And check the
bodice against the blocking guide. Tighten or loosen
accordingly.

Back Bodice Blocking Guide

Sizes 1 2 3 4 5 6

Width 6 6 7 7 8 8

Sizes 7 8 9 10 12 14

Width 9 9 10 10 11 11

6. With a straight stitch, machine stitch slightly

inside that line to secure the shirring.

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Finishing the Back Bodice with Elastic:
1. Place the back bodice lining on top of the back bodice piece and
stitch the top edge with a seam.

2. Turn the lining to the inside and press. Top-stitch in place.

3. On the back bodice, measure from the top edge (1 for sizes 1-3 and
1 for sizes 4-8). Draw a line across the width of the bodice. Stitch
on this mark

4. Measure 1 again from the line just drawn. Draw a line again and
stitch on this mark as well. This completes the first channel for the
elastic.

5. For sizes 6-7, you will stitch a SECOND channel so measure again 1
and mark and stitch that line to form the second channel.

6. For sizes 8-10 , you will stitch a THIRD channel. Repeat step 5 to
complete the third channel.

7. For sizes 12 and 14, you will stitch a FOURTH channel. Repeat
step 5 one more time to complete the fourth channel.
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8. Cut the pieces of elastic the following measurement.

Cut ONE piece of elastic

Sizes 1 2 3 4 5

Elastic: 8 9 9 1/2 10 10 1/2

Cut TWO pieces of elastic

Sizes 6 7

Elastic 11 11 1/2

Cut THREE pieces of elastic

Sizes 8 9 10

Elastic 12 12 1/2 13

Cut FOUR pieces of elastic

Sizes 12 14

Elastic 13 1/2 14

9. Attach a safety pin to one end of one of the elastic pieces and
feed through the first channel. Stitch a vertical line, securing
each end of the elastic. Repeat with any other remaining piece
of elastic in the following channels and stitch the ends in place.

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Finishing the Bodice:
1. Place the back bodice piece on top of the front bodice, right sides
together. Stitch each side seam. PULL THE FRONT BODICE LINING OUT
OF THE WAY SO IT IS NOT CAUGHT IN THE SIDE SEAM.

2. Fold the lining over the back bodice and match up the side seams.
(The front bodice will be right side up on the bottom, the back bodice
piece will be wrong side up in the middle, and the lining will be wrong
side up on the top.) Stitch the side seams, enclosing the raw edges.

3. Fold the lining back to the inside of the garment. Top stitch around
the top and armscyes of the front bodice.

4. Baste the linings to the front and back bodices around the bottom.

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Stitching the Skirt:

Place the two skirt pieces right sides together. Stitch each
side seam with a finished seam edge.

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Attaching the Ruffles:

1. Place the pieces of each ruffle right sides together so that the side raw
edges are matching. Stitch each side with a finished seam edge.

2. Repeat step #1 to join each of the ruffle lengths.

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3. Hem the bottom of the ruffles now by pressing of the bottom
edge to the wrong side. Press again , enclosing the raw edge.
(You can also do a rolled hem with a serger or a decorative stitch on
the sewing machine to finish the edge.)

4. Stitch close to the folded edge.

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Stitch the Remaining Ruffles to the Skirt:
1. For Sizes 1-3, you need to find the middle of the skirt. You can
measure the length of the skirt and divide by two or you can just
fold it and press the center line with your iron. This is where the
middle ruffle will go. The bottom ruffle will be attached to the
bottom and the top ruffle will start at the top of the skirt. See
the diagram for instructions.

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2. For Sizes 4-6, you need to divide the skirt into thirds. You can
measure the length of the skirt and divide by three or you can
just fold it so that it creates three equal sections and press the
each line with your iron. The bottom ruffle will be attached to
the bottom and the top ruffle will start at the top of the skirt.
See the diagram for instructions.

1st Ruffle

2nd Ruffle

3rd Ruffle

4th Ruffle

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2. For Sizes 7-14, you need to divide the skirt into fourths. You can
measure the length of the skirt and divide by four ; or you can
just fold it in half and then fold each half in to the middle. Press
each line with your iron. The bottom ruffle will be attached to
the bottom and the top ruffle will start at the top of the skirt.
See the diagram for instructions.

1st Ruffle

2nd Ruffle

3rd Ruffle

4th Ruffle

5th Ruffle

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Attaching the Bottom Ruffle to the Skirt:
1. Using the longest stitch length on your machine, start stitching
about from the top of the raw edge of Ruffle #1. Stitch another
gathering row right below this. Leave long tails of thread when
starting and stopping. Use these to pull the fabric into gathers.

2. Place it on the bottom of the skirt, right sides together and raw
edges matched up. Adjust the gathers so that it fits the bottom of
the skirt and so that the side seams are matched up.

3. Press seam up and top-stitch in place.

4. Repeat step #1 for each of the following skirt ruffles.

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5. The remaining ruffles (EXCEPT FOR THE TOP ONE) will be attached
with right sides to the skirt, upside down. Attach the top ruffle with
the wrong side to the right side of the skirt, raw edges together at
the top. Stitch in place. See the below diagram.

6. Stitch each ruffle close to the raw edge. Flip the ruffle down and
press. Top-stitch the top of the ruffle to the skirt, enclosing the raw
edges underneath, and to make them lie flatter.

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Stitching the Skirt to the Bodice:
1. Stitch two rows of gathering stitches
around the top of the skirt. Turn the
skirt inside out and place the bodice inside.
(VIEW A). Place the bottom of the bodice
to the top of the skirt, right sides
together and raw edges matching.
Adjust the gathers to fit and stitch
together.

2. Turn right side out and top-stitch in place.

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