This simple peasant dress pattern for girls is a great sewing project for beginners. Very customizable sewing project, can be used as a toddler dress pattern up to girls size 10/12. The step by step video tutorial walks you through the entire process.

Girl wearing a homemade peasant dress for girls - peasant dress pattern sewing tutorial

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The Peasant Dress

When I first started sewing dresses for my little girls, my favorite style was (and probably still is!) the peasant dress. It is by far the easiest dress to sew, and perfect for beginners.

It is also sooo customizable! Once you get comfortable sewing the basic peasant dress, you can start adding layers of ruffles, aprons, different prints in the bodice, ties.

There is endless opportunities for creativity!

You can make the sleeves, long short, or 3/4. Add ruffles to the sleeve. You can crop the dress and make it a peasant top.

They are perfect for all ages and sizes. Kids can wear them for many years, because the loose shape and elastic allow for growth.

I even once made myself a peasant style top using the exact same principles!

For this tutorial today, I’m going to give you the measurements you need to sew a 3/4 sleeve length peasant style dress, with an elastic waistband and the option for one ruffle at the bottom.

Once you get good at sewing this basic style, I encourage you to run wild with customizations.

Tips For Making A Peasant Dress

This dress is so customizable. Change up the sleeves by making them long sleeve or short. Add ruffles or belts. So many possibilities.
It makes the perfect toddler dress pattern. Really it can go from newborn to about size 10 girls. I’ve included sizes and cut list down below.
If you don’t have a serger, no worries. Use a zigzag stitch all the way around to finish off the raw edges.
When you are sewing a ruffle onto a dress make sure to sew as close tot he gathering stitch as possible. This will make the prettiest ruffle. Sewing above or below the gathering stitch will not make the ruffle look very good.

Supplies Needed:

3/8″ elastic for the neck

1″ non-roll elastic for the waist

Fabric- 2 yards cotton or linen work great. Avoid stretchy knits.

Coordinating thread

Tools You Will Need:

Sewing machine

Sewing scissors

Pins

Serger- optional.

Watch The Tutorial

Simple Peasant Dress Pattern for Girls Directions

Cut out the pattern pieces

Cut out the main dress pieces (2), sleeves (2), waist tie (1), neck elastic, waist elastic and optional ruffle pieces (2) from the cut list below.
- *If you decide to add the ruffle, notice that the cut directions call for you to decrease the main dress piece by two inches for the smaller sizes and three inches for the larger size.)
With a small piece of paper or scrap fabric, but a rectangle 2″ by 4″ for sizes 12 months through 4T and 2″ by 5″ for 5T through 10/12.
Now draw curved line to round off one edge of the piece. (Refer to the photo below.) This will be your pattern piece to create arm hole areas on the bodice.
To create the armholes from the paper pattern you just created, fold one main dress piece in half with right sides together.
Line up your little patter piece with the outside and top edges of the bodice.
Cut around the pattern piece. Repeat for the other main dress piece and the two sleeve pieces.

Sew the peasant dress together

Line up one sleeve piece with one main dress piece along the armholes, with right sides together. Sew around the curved armhole with a narrow 1/4″ seam. Repeat with the other sleeve piece along that same main dress piece. (Refer to the video if this is confusing.)
Now that the sleeve pieces are sewn onto one of the main dress pieces, it is time to bring in the other main dress piece. Line up one sleeve with the other main dress piece along the armhole, with right sides together. Sew along the curved sleeve with a 1/4″ seam.
Repeat with the other sleeve, so that the four pieces (the two main pieces and the two sleeve pieces) are attached in a circular fashion.
Fold the dress in half with right sides together, so that the bottom raw edges of the two main pieces are lined up. With the front main piece and back main piece lined up at the armpit, pin from the bottom of the hem all the up around the armpit and to the bottom of the sleeve.
Repeat with the other side of the dress.
Sew the up the side seam and down the inside of the sleeve with a 1/2″ seam. Repeat with the other side.
Finish off the raw edges inside with a serger or tight zigzag stitch.

Add the neck casing and elastic

Fold the top edge of the dress down 1/2″ and then another 1/2″, with the raw edges hidden inside.
Press in place.
Sew the neck casing down with a 1/2″ seam, leaving a 1″ space open for the elastic.
Use a safety pin to push the 3/8″ piece of elastic through the casing. (Refer to the sizing guide for the length.)
Overlap the two ends of the elastic about 1″ and back a forward stitch several times over the elastic to attach it together and make sure it doesn’t come out.
Sew the elastic opening closed with a topstitch.

Hem the sleeves

Press the ends of the sleeves up about 5/8″” and then another 5/8″, hiding the raw edges inside.
Sew the sleeve hem in place with about a 1/2″ seam.

You can make the sleeves longer for a long sleeve dress, or crop them for a short sleeve dress. It is also cute to add elastic to the ends of the sleeves, especially in styles for younger girls.

Add the waist tie and elastic waistline

On the short ends of the waist tie piece, press over ½” toward the “wrong side” of the fabric.
Fold the waist tie piece in half all the way down the long side, right sides together, and sew a ¼” seam. Leave the two ends open at this point.
Using a large safety pin at one corner, turn the waist tie piece right side out.
Press the seam flat.
Line up the middle of the waist tie piece with the middle of the dress and pin it in place. *Refer to the waist tie placement guide below to find out how far down the waist tie should go for the size that you are making.
- For example, after I centered the waist tie on the dress, I placed the top of my size 8 daughter’s waist tie 7″ down from the finished neckline.)
Sew a narrow seam along the op of the waist tie, from one side seam to the other.
Repeat with the bottom of the waist tie piece.
For the two ends of the waist tie that are still hanging off the dress, topstitch all the way around with a narrow seam.
Push the 1″ elastic piece through the waist tie, attached to the front of the dress, with a large safety pin.
Secure it at both ends of the elastic, near the side seams with several back and forward stitches to hold it in place.
Stitch just beyond the elastic on both side seams to hide the elastic inside.

Hem The Skirt (Option 1)

Fold the bottom hem up 5/8″ and then another 5/8″, hiding the raw edges inside.
Press in place.
Sew all the way around with a 1/2″ seam, making sure to back and forward stitch.

Add The Ruffle (Option 2)

Stitch the two ruffle pieces together at the two short ends, with right sides together, with a 1/2″ seam.
Use a serger or tight zigzag stitch to finish off the raw edges.
To sew a hem in the bottom of the ruffle piece, press the bottom of the ruffle up about 5/8″” and then another 5/8″, hiding the raw edges inside.
Sew the hem in place with about a 1/2″ seam.
Sew a gathering stitch in the top of the ruffle piece.
Pull the gather strings until the size of the ruffle piece matches the bottom of the dress piece.
Pin the ruffle piece to the main dress piece with right sides together, and the side seams lined up.
Sew the ruffle to the main dress piece, sewing closely to the gathering stitch.
Use a zigzag stitch or serger to finish the seam.

Peasant Dress Pattern Cut list

Size 12-18 Months

For the main dress:

Cut 2 – 21″ long by 18″ wide

For the sleeves:

Cut 2 – 14.5″ long by 10″ wide

For the waist tie:

Cut 1- 47″ long by 3.5″ wide

Waist tie placement- 3.5″ down from the finished neckline

Neck elastic- 18″

Waist elastic (optional) 11″

To add a ruffle (optional) Cut 2- 4″ wide by 30″ long and decrease the length of the two main dress pieces by 2.5″.

Toddler Dress Pattern Cut List

Size 2T

For the main dress:

Cut 2 – 22.5″ long by 18″ wide

For the sleeves:

Cut 2 – 15″ long by 11″ wide

For the waist tie:

Cut 1- 50″ long by 3.5″ wide

Waist tie placement- 4″ down from the finished neckline

Neck elastic- 18.5″

Waist elastic (optional) 11.5″

To add a ruffle (optional) Cut 2- 4″ wide by 34″ long and decrease the length of the two main dress pieces by 2.5″.

Size 3T

For the main dress:

Cut 2 – 24″ long by 18″ wide

For the sleeves:

Cut 2 – 15.5″ long by 11″ wide

For the waist tie:

Cut 1- 53″ long by 3.5″ wide

Waist tie placement- 4.5″ down from the finished neckline

Neck elastic- 19″

Waist elastic (optional) 12″

To add a ruffle (optional) Cut 2- 4″ wide by 36″ long and decrease the length of the two main dress pieces by 2.5″.

Size 4T

For the main dress:

Cut 2 – 25.5″ long by 18″ wide

For the sleeves:

Cut 2 – 16″ long by 11″ wide

For the waist tie:

Cut 1- 56″ long by 3.5″ wide

Waist tie placement- 5″ down from the finished neckline

Neck elastic- 19.5″

Waist elastic (optional) 12.5″

To add a ruffle (optional) Cut 2- 4″ wide by 38″ long and decrease the length of the two main dress pieces by 2.5″.

Size 5T

For the main dress:

Cut 2 – 27″ long by 19″ wide

For the sleeves:

Cut 2 – 16.5″ long by 11″ wide

For the waist tie:

Cut 1- 59″ long by 3.5″ wide

Waist tie placement- 5.5″ down from the finished neckline

Neck elastic- 20″

Waist elastic (optional) 13″

To add a ruffle (optional) Cut 2- 4.5″ wide by 40″ long and decrease the length of the two main dress pieces by 3″.

Youth Girl’s Size Peasant Dress Pattern Cut List

Girls Size 6

For the main dress:

Cut 2 – 28.5″ long by 22″ wide

For the sleeves:

Cut 2 – 17″ long by 12″ wide

For the waist tie:

Cut 1- 62″ long by 3.5″ wide

Waist tie placement- 6″ down from the finished neckline

Neck elastic- 20.5″

Waist elastic (optional) 13.5″

To add a ruffle (optional) Cut 2- 4.5″ wide by 42″ long and decrease the length of the two main dress pieces by 3″.

Girls Size 7

For the main dress:

Cut 2 – 30″ long by 22″ wide

For the sleeves:

Cut 2 – 17.5″ long by 12″ wide

For the waist tie:

Cut 1- 65″ long by 3.5″ wide

Waist tie placement- 6.5″ down from the finished neckline

Neck elastic- 21″

Waist elastic (optional) 14″

To add a ruffle (optional) Cut 2- 4.5″ wide by 45″ long and decrease the length of the two main dress pieces by 3″.

Girls Size 8

For the main dress:

Cut 2 – 31.5″ long by 23″ wide

For the sleeves:

Cut 2 – 18″ long by 14″ wide

For the waist tie:

Cut 1- 76″ long by 3.5″ wide

Waist tie placement- 7″ down from the finished neckline

Neck elastic- 21.5″

Waist elastic (optional) 14.5″

To add a ruffle (optional) Cut 2- 4.5″ wide by 47″ long and decrease the length of the two main dress pieces by 3″.

Girls Size 10/12

For the main dress:

Cut 2 – 34″ long by 24″ wide

For the sleeves:

Cut 2 – 19″ long by 14″ wide

For the waist tie:

Cut 1- 72″ long by 3.5″ wide

Waist tie placement- 8″ down from the finished neckline

Neck elastic- 22″

Waist elastic (optional) 15″

To add a ruffle (optional) Cut 2- 4.5″ wide by 51″ long and decrease the length of the two main dress pieces by 3″.

Check out some of my other sewing tutorials