Easy ruffle dress

 This is my niece Johnna, she turned six in February.  I wanted to make her an easy dress for her birthday and decided to make her a ruffle dress.  I've been waiting to share this tutorial until my sister sent me a picture of her wearing the dress, but I've decided that might not happen!  It is almost April after all!

 First I bought a cheap t-shirt from Wal-Mart.  I took an old t-shirt and cut a piece of it to make a "slip" to sew the ruffles onto, making it almost the length I wanted her dress to be. The last ruffle will make it a few inches longer.   I just sewed the strip of material onto the bottom of the t-shirt.

I cut five strips of material six inches wide, twice the length of the width of the t-shirt.

 Turn the hems under twice, I use the width of the tip of my finger as a guide.  I turn it twice as I iron it, I believe this is easier than pinning it.  I did a stay stitch on the bottom and ruffled the top.  Of course I could not find my ruffle foot until AFTER I finished the dress.  The hems make the ruffles about five inches wide.  I didn't measure them.

 The t-shirt had cap sleeves, so I put smaller ruffles on the sleeves, these were folded in half with the edges folded in to the wrong side just once.

 Make sure the open side is on top so you won't have to hem the bottom.

See the hair thingy below?  I use them on my bobbins to keep them from unwinding.

This is the new sewing machine I gave my friend.  I had to test it out!

 My ruffles are kind of crooked, next time I will draw a straight line around the t-shirt using a ruler as a sewing guide for myself.  Each ruffle needs to be about a half inch under the previous ruffle.  I would mark each ruffle.

I put a yo-yo on the top to the side of the ruffle.  I had a crooked spot to hide, I was going to put it up on the chest.

 I just love these colors!  Wasn't that easy, I want to make some more!  I wonder how this would look for an adult?  I hate getting old!
Don't forget to enter the apron giveaway here:  http://missyscakesandaprons.blogspot.com/2012/03/apron-giveaway.html  I'll announce the winner on Tuesday, the first day of spring!
Missy