Finally another free *jaszmade sewing pattern for Blythe. Today I have an empire style petticoat dress for you. I kept the pattern easy and simple for beginners as well as advanced seamstresses leaving a lot of styling and decor space for you! Just download and print the pattern for free, sew after my tutorial and doll it up to your likings! You are even allowed to sew dresses after my patterns and sell them on your etsy, just don’t sell the pattern or translate it without my permission. If you’d like to share it I appreciate a link to my resource. Thank you!

Step 1: The pattern and fabric choice

Time to start! Click here to download the pattern, print it and make sure the measurements are right. I added two different kind of straps. Strap A is for a tank top look, strap B goes around dolly’s neck and is bound at the back. I love the look of strap B and used it on my finished dress. It is also easier to handle.

Cut out pattern around the outlines. Get your fave fabrics, I recommend light weighted cotton. It is the easiest to handle, especially for beginners. Make sure to choose a fabric that doesn’t stain your doll, especially the one you use for the lining on the inside. I always use white fabric for the lining.

Step 2: Cut

Pin the pattern on the folded fabric (my pattern looks a bit different on the pics as I used the first version, it is exactely the same like yours, just yours is a little more detailed). Then cut out with no seam allowance. Helpful Note: I always cut lining and shell together to be sure, they are 100% the same. When you are done your pieces should more or less look like these:

Step 3: Sew shell and lining together

Stack right sides together and sew along the dark dotted lines (see pattern). I always use the half of my sewing foot (5 mm/ 0.2 “) as a measure where to put my seam.

Step 4: Nipping and Lapping

Carefully nip all curved parts and lap all corners.

Step 5: Pulling inside out and pressing seam

Pull the insides out with the help of your fingers, a chopstick or the peak of your scissors (careful!). Make sure your corners are angled and not too thick. Then press well.The result should more or less look like this:

Step 6: Bring Bodice and Skirt together

If you cut around the outlines carefully you should find a little dent on the upper center of the skirt as well as on the lower center of the bodice (pic 1). Stack right sides together and make the dents meet each other, pin to secure (pic 2). Starting in the middle pin bodice and skirt together. You should stretch the bodice a little while pinning (pic 3).

Helpful Note: As a beginner I recommend you roughly stitch together both parts by hand and remove the needles before sewing them together with the machine. It is much easier than sewing all over the needles and the rough stitch prevents the fabric parts from sliding.

Then sew bodice and skirt together (pic 4).

Step 7: Hide the Mess

Picture 1-3: Nip the curved seam on the inside where bodice and skirt come together carefully, then press the seam open.

Picture 4-9 (optional): For a perfect finish you may want to hide the mess inside. You don’t need to but it looks nicer. Pic 4: First you carefully snip the inner seam allowance (visible shell fabric) to half of its width taking care not to snip the outer seam allowance (lining, for the result see pic 5), then pic 6: fold the outer seam allowance over and press to close the seam. Pic 7: Stitch the seam carefully down to the skirt-part (pic8). Helpful Note: I recommend you roughly stitch the seam down by hand before sewing it down with the machine. As you can see the seam later on the outside of your dress, you may want to have it look evenly and nice. Pic 9: Carefully snip the overlapping.

Step 8: Add Snaps

Step 9: Add Straps

Decide about the straps you want to add. Pic1: Pin both straps of possibility A to your bodice (see pattern marks) and stitch them on by hand. Or Pic2: Fold your ribbon (strap B) in half and sew it to the bodice (see pattern mark). I added a white button as decor, you can use whatever you want (heart-shape, flower… endless possibilities).

And you are done! Hooray!

Now decor your dress to your likings. You can add taffeta for a more petticoat-ish look, ribbons, buttons, trimming, lace, bows, sweet things… whatever you do, please leave a comment below adding a link to your results – eeep! It makes me happy to see what people make using *jaszmade patterns

For more patterns and sewing tutorials, please visit my sewing overview page.