New #26: Make a Pillowcase Dress

Dress a Girl Around the World is a nonprofit with a simple dream: that every little girl has at least one dress of her own. And to do a part in making that happen, the project shows people how to make a gown out of nothing more than a pillowcase. These dresses are then brought overseas by missionaries, who personally hand out the apparel to children who might not otherwise have a dress - let alone any clothes at all. I can definitely say I've never made a dress out of a bedding before, making this a perfect new - and an awesome half way mark in my new year's resolution.

As you're probably catching on, domestic duties do not place very high on my list of talents. Sewing included. Luckily, this pattern was easy enough to follow that even a domestically dense person such as myself could figure it out.

Here is my version of the directions I found on the Dress a Girl Around the World website. I also tried to take photos along the way ... when I wasn't too stressed out or tied up.

1. It starts with a plain old pillowcase. I found a super cute pink polka dot one at a local thrift store. There was a huge, colorful selection, each only costing about 99 cents.


2. You begin making the dress by chopping off the closed end of the pillowcase. The bottom opening is already conveniently hemmed and will be the bottom of the gown.


3. Next, cut the arm holes. Laying the pillowcase flat, measure a J shape about 3 or 4 inches wide. Then flip it over and traced it on the other side of the dress so that both arm holes are the same shape.

4. Now it's time to bust out the sewing machine and begin hemming. First, fold under the top edge of the dress about 1/2 inch. Sew along the bottom of the fold.

6. Here you'll need a 7-inch piece of elastic (about 1/4 to 1/2 inches). Pull it through the inside of the casing. (I actually did this by placing the elastic in the fold before even sewing it shut, pinning one side of the elastic to one end of the fold. Then, after it was sewn, I pulled the elastic through to the other side with tweezers).

7. Sew the elastic in place on both sides. You now have your gathered top.


8. Repeat steps 4-7 on the other side.

9. Take double folded bias tape, 1/2 wide, and cut the arm hole ties. These should be about 32 inches long - enough to tie a bow at the top.

10. Fold one tie in half to find the center. Line it up with the center of the armhole and work outward from there to both sides. Pin the open ends of the bias tape over the raw edges of the arm hole. The ties will extend evenly over each top.

11. Sew the bias tape over the arm holes.

12. Tie the bows and top and Viola! You've turned your pillowcase into a dress.

My finished dress.

The project ended up taking me about an hour - but most of that time was consumed by trying to thread needles and remember how to use the sewing machine in the first place. Like I said, sewing is not my strong suit. The pattern itself was pretty simple, though. As cliche as it sounds, if I can do, anyone can.

Now I just need to send it to the organization (Hope 4 Women International, P.O. Box 74010, Phoenix, AZ 85087). From there, someone will take the dress overseas and give it to a little girl in need. It's amazing what something as simple as a pillowcase can do.

A photo of the little girls who benefit from Dress a Girl Around the World.
Photo borrowed from the nonprofit's site.