- 1). Measure enough fabric to fit the top part of the dress pattern (bodice), including any sleeves or interfacings. Cut the fabric and set aside the rest for the skirt.
- 2). Fold the fabric for the top of the dress in half, right sides together, matching the selvage edges of the fabric. Lay on a flat surface.
- 3). Place the pattern pieces for the top of the dress on the fabric according to the instructions and pin them in place. Note that you will probably need to place the front dress pattern piece and the front neckline interfacing piece on the fold of the fabric so that when you cut them out, you will have one of each. The back pattern piece and back neckline interfacing will not be placed on the fold because you will need two of each of them.
- 4). Cut the fabric around the pattern pieces and set them aside.
- 5). Measure the length of the skirt portion of the dress from the waistline to the desired length. Add 3 inches to this number and divide by four. Measure the waistline of the person who will wear the twirl dress. Add 1 inch to this number.
- 6). Fold the remaining fabric in half, right sides together, matching the selvage edges of the fabric. Lay on a flat surface.
- 7). Draw a quarter circle with a fabric marker at the folded corner of the fabric that is the length of your waist measurement divided by four. Make sure the two ends of the quarter circle meet at the edges of the fabric -- one point at the folded edge and the other point at the cut end of the fabric.
- 8). Measure down along the edges of the fabric from the waistline mark you made in step 7 to the desired length of the skirt part of the dress. Measure according to the figure in step 5. Make a mark on the fabric to identify the length. Repeat this at several points around the waistline quarter circle. You should have a small quarter circle to represent the waistline and a dotted line to represent the skirt length.
- 9). Cut along the lines. Keep the fabric folded after you cut. Lay this piece on top of the remaining fabric. Line up the folds and side edges of the skirt piece and remaining folded fabric perfectly. Trace around the skirt piece with the fabric marker. Cut a second skirt piece.
- 1). Make the bodice of the twirl dress according to the pattern instructions.
- 2). Match the two skirt pieces together at the sides, right sides of the fabric facing in, and pin them along the edges. Machine stitch the side seams, 1/2 inch from the edges.
- 3). Pin the skirt to the bodice, right sides together. Be careful to match the side seams and the center part of both the front and back. Machine stitch 1/2 inch from the edges. Remove the pins as you sew.
- 4). Machine baste 1/2 inch from the raw edge all around the bottom of the skirt. This allows you to hem the skirt without puckering the fabric due to the round shape of the skirt bottom.
- 5). Turn up the bottom of the skirt 3/4 of an inch, just above the machine basting stitches, and pin in place. Press with a hot iron. Remove the pins and fold the bottom up again at the raw edge of the skirt bottom. Pin in place and press again with a hot iron.
- 6). Hand stitch the hem in place. Trim all loose threads.
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