Hey y’all – I am so thrilled with the Halloween costume theme my kids and their cousin chose this year – I mean, how perfect an Alice in Wonderland does my niece make? Today I’m going to show you how I used the Fiesta Frock pattern (free in size 3T) to make her Alice in Wonderland costume.
Once upon a time, a girl named Alice took her sister's book - which had no pictures, what's the use of that?! She was getting bored when a White Rabbit ran past her.
Well that was more interesting! Alice chased after the rabbit, who was saying something about being "late for a very important date!"
And just as Alice was about to catch the White Rabbit, he hopped down a rabbit hole, still looking at his watch.
And Alice followed him right in, into a CRAZY adventure. At one point, she got chased by a Card Soldier, which was rude, because after all she had just helped him paint the roses red.
But in the end, Alice made it home to her family with a great story.
To make Alice's costume, I used the Fiesta Frock, following the directions exactly. There are both free and paid versions of that pattern at that link. Then I used the pattern to make her apron too.
To make the apron, you'll need 1 1/2 yards of white fabric. Cut
- Only 1 skirt piece, making it 3 inches shorter than the pattern calls for
- 2 44 inch long by 6 inch tall rectangles of fabric
- 2 bodice fronts (see modifications below)
- 4 bodice backs (see modifications below)
To modify the bodice to make the apron, start with the bodice front. Redraw the neck curve and the armscye curve about 1/2" in. Then cut straight down from the innermost edge of the armscye curve to the waist. Cut two of these pieces on the fold of the fabric - see image below.
Next, match up the new shoulder from the front bodice to the back bodice shoulder. Redraw the curve of the back bodice neckline, then measure the width of the shoulder. Draw a curve from the outer shoulder edge to the center back of the bodice. Cut 4 of these pieces as in the image below.
Pin the bodice back pieces to the bodice front, right sides together, and sew shoulder seams. Repeat with the other bodice pieces.
Take one strip of fabric and make a narrow 1/4 inch hem on one long edge. Cut the strip in half to make two 22" pieces, then sew basting stitches on the top edge of each. Gather the edge as much as you can to form the flutter sleeves as shown below. Need help with gathering? See this post.
Take your 44" long strip and cut in in half to two 22" long pieces. Fold each strip right sides together, matching long edges. Cut off one end of each piece at a 45 degree angle as shown above. Stitch open long edge and angled edge to create a tube. Clip corners and turn right side out; press. Repeat with other strip.
Pin the flutter sleeves to one of the bodices, right sides together, centering them on the shoulder seams. The raw edges of the ruffle should be pinned first, then the gathered edge. You will have a little corner bit right before the gathering starts that will stick out; you can cut this off after you baste the flutter sleeves into place.
Pin the sash edges to the side seams of this bodice 3/4" above the waist seam. Then fold the sashes out of the way; you may want to pin them to the center of the bodice front because you're going to be sewing along the neckline and sides in the next step.
Roll the flutter sleeves up onto the bodice shoulder, making sure they're free of the neckline and the shoulder seam. Pin the other bodice piece right sides together with this one, matching the shoulder seams and sandwiching the sleeves and the sash inside. Sew along the neckline and outer edges, leaving the ends of the back bodice piece and the waist edge open. Clip curves.
Turn bodice right side out and press. Push the raw edges of the back bodice and the waist 1/2" to the inside and press again.
Hem 3 sides of the skirt piece, then sew basting stitches along raw edge to gather it. Gather the skirt to the width of the bodice.
Insert the skirt in between the two layers of the bodice at the waist, making sure that the hem of the skirt and the hems of the sleeves are on the same side. Pin the skirt, then topstitch around the edges of the bodice to secure the skirt inside and to close the openings in the back bodice. Sew a button and button hole on the edges of the back bodice and you're done with this Alice in Wonderland costume!
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