Looking for a cute costume or dress up outfit for your doll? Find out how to make a whimsical fairy costume with this clever pattern hack from Jane of Sweet Pea Fashions!
Giveaway Update: Our winners are Susan and Pam who had some very clever costumes! Thanks to everyone who entered!
(Click on the cover image to find the pattern on Pixie Faire.)
One of the best things about the Wrap & Tie Halter Dress is its versatility. In this pattern hack, we are going to use the pattern as the basis for a cute fairy costume.
While these instructions show an American Girl®-sized dress, you can also use them with the WellieWishers™-sized pattern.
Here’s what you will need:
- Sweet Pea Fashions Wrap and Tie Dress pattern
- Knit fabric in the amount to make the short version (I’m using a two-way stretch knit faced with foil)
- Tulle in the amount to make the short version
- Lining fabric for the bodice
- A pattern for wings and the necessary fabric to make them
- A pattern for panties and enough of your knit fabric to make them
- Ribbon to match
Cut out the pieces for the bodice from the knit, the tulle, and the lining fabric. Cut the skirt piece out of the knit and the tulle.
After cutting out the pieces, fold the skirt pattern in half, and in half again. Make a mark at the bottom of the skirt pattern piece in the center. Measure about halfway up each of the two folded sides of the piece and make another mark. Connect the marks with a slight curve. Cut the pattern on the curve. Keep the pattern piece folded.
Fold the tulle and the knit for the skirt in half three times so that you have eight layers. Pin or clip the folded pattern that you just modified to the folded fabric. Cut the skirt along the lines you made.
Follow the instructions in the pattern for making the lined bodice, using the tulle and the knit as a single piece, and using the ribbon for the straps and ties.
It is not necessary to hem any of the edges of the skirt. Follow the instructions for gathering and attaching the skirt, treating the knit and the tulle overlay as a single piece. Attach the skirt to the bodice, and make the buttonhole.
Using your favorite pattern, make a pair of wings. Put the dress on your doll.
Pin the wings in your desired location on the back of the dress above the waistline. Mark the location where the wings should be attached on both the wing and the dress. Mark the wings where they meet the ribbon strap around the neck.
Make a buttonhole on each wing at the location you marked at the neckline. If you don’t want to make buttonholes, you can make thread loops on the wings. Attach the wings to the back of the dress. Make sure that you are attaching the wings to the side of the bodice where the buttonhole is located.
Make a pair of trunks for your doll from the knit fabric using your favorite panty pattern.
To put the fairy dress on your doll, thread the waist tie through the waistline buttonhole, and tie around the waist. Thread the neck straps through the buttonholes on the wings, and tie behind the neck.
Giveaway Time!
How would you like to win this delightful fairy outfit? Jane is giving away one American Girl®- sized outfit and one WellieWishers™-sized outfit to two lucky winners!
Costume parties are so much fun! To enter, leave a comment below finishing this sentence...
"The best costume I ever wore was....."
We'll pick a winner on Monday, September 11th, and get in touch via email. Thanks for entering and good luck!
For Pixie Faire,
Jane & The PF Team
53 Comments
The best (and simplest) costume I ever wore was a clear plastic bag with arm and leg holes cut out. I filled the body with small, inflated balloons of every color and was a walking, talking gumball machine! Great fun, but I couldn’t sit down while I was in costume…..!
This summer I took my mother back to Ontario for a family reunion. As the eldest living sibling at 98 with 3 surviving siblings from a family of 9 there were lots of stories and reminiscing. As she considered herself the “old crow” of the roost I made her a crow costume and she greeted everyone wearing it the evening of the family dinner. She was the hit of the party. It will always be a wonderful memory. She “cawed” her way through the whole venue, much to every ones enjoyment. It was worth the many hours of sewing fabric feathers!!!!
A man’s suit. I dressed up as a man with bits of hair glued to my face for a beard and my hair slicked back with black spray on hair dye, no one recognized me, it was a hoot.
Best costume I ever wore was the E.T. costume my mom made me years ago. Fully padded and embroidered it was beautiful and intricate! Job well done mom! Many thanks!! Love you!!
I always sewed costumes for all six of my children. They loved each and every one of them and it gave me much pleasure to do so. Best of times!