Children’s Monte Carlo Maxi Dress

If you are shirring the back, follow the steps below. If you are doing the elastic casing on the back, skip to step 2. 

Pin your top back and top back lining, right sides together.

Using a ⅜ inch seam allowance, stitch along the top edge (the top edge is the longer edge).

Trim the seam so it is nice and neat, then press the seam allowance towards the lining.

TIP – Pressing the seam allowance towards the lining helps make sure the lining isn’t showing when we turn the back right side out in the next step.

Turn the back pieces so they are right side out and press.

 OPTIONAL – If you would like a slightly wavy top edge to the top of your back, topstitch along the top edge approximately ⅛ inch from the edge. This will stretch the fabric out slightly once we’ve shirred the back and give a slightly wavy appearance to the top edge.

If you don’t want this wavy look, do not topstitch. Just skip to the next step.

If you are familiar with how to do shirring, prepare your shirring elastic and skip ahead to step 1.9.

If you are new to shirring, first we need to prepare our bobbin. It is your bobbin that the shirring elastic goes onto. You use regular thread on the top part of your sewing machine.

Take an empty bobbin and gently start winding the elastic around it by hand. Leave the end of the elastic hanging off and just hold it out of the way. Wind several times around the bobbin.

Once you’ve wound the elastic over itself a couple of times around, you’ll find it secure enough that you can cut the trailing piece from the beginning off.

Continue to wind the rest of your bobbin with the elastic. Go gently and slowly, being careful not to pull or stretch the elastic as you wind. 

Stop when the bobbin is about ¾ full.  Do not put too much on there so that the elastic bulges out over the edge of the bobbin.

Put your bobbin into your machine as you would normally.

If you have a top loading machine, check the elastic is running through the tension notch just like regular thread would. If it is not running through there, you’ll find the elastic makes squiggly lines on the back of the fabric and it won’t gather nicely.

Continue to set your machine up as you normally would when you change your bobbin thread.

For most top-loading machines you’ll find it easier to get it all set up and put the bobbin cover on last once the thread is up under the presser foot. If you have a side loading machine just do things as you normally would.

Now practice, practice, practice….

Before you go any further, I highly recommend you now test your shirring elastic by sewing a scrap of fabric to make sure it’s set up how you want it. 

On some sewing machines you’ll find your regular straight stitch will be fine.  On some machines you will need to lengthen your stitch slightly.  Not all the way, but just a little. Practice until you are happy with how your stitching looks.

TIP – Make sure to use a locking or back stitch at the beginning of each row. If you don’t the elastic can slip out along the row and unravel your stitches.

If this is your first time doing shirring, I also recommend you practice several rows of shirring on a scrap piece of fabric before you do your actual shirring on the garment.  Much easier than having to unpick if you make a mistake!

And on that note – if you make a mistake, the easiest way to unpick shirring elastic is to snip through the elastic at the beginning right next to your locking stitch.  Repeat at the other end.  Then pull out enough elastic for you to get hold of it with your fingers.  Then pull the elastic all the way through.  The thread on the other side will just fall off once the elastic has been removed.

With the right side of the fabric facing up (and the lining facing down), stitch a straight line along the top of the back approximately ⅛ inch from the edge (or from the top stitching if you did topstitching in step 1.3).

The right side will look like regular stitching; the back will have elastic on it, so it gathers the dress.

We will now stitch more rows next to the first one to give the ‘shirred’ effect.

You can space your rows as close or far apart as you wish. For the look in the photos, space them ¼ inch apart from each other. 

TIP – If you space your rows of shirring ¼ inch apart, you can use the edge of your presser foot (or a marking on your presser foot depending on the model) as a guide. Keep the previous row of shirring lined up with the edge of the foot as you sew, and you’ll get perfectly straight lines!

Continue stitching rows of shirring until you are ½ inch from the bottom edge.

OPTIONAL – Thread a piece of elastic through the very top of the back piece and stitch in place at both ends.

As you pull the elastic through, keep an eye on the end tip of it. Once it gets close to disappearing into the back, pin it down on the seam allowance at the start. 

Continue pulling the elastic through and pin down the other end when the tautness of the elastic matches your shirring. If you’ve pulled it too tight, slacken it off, then pull again so it is the same as the shirring. Once you’re happy with it, pin it down on the seam allowance at the end.

NOTE – This is optional. Doing it will help keep the top of the back flat against your back when wearing it. If you don’t do this, the dress will still fit, however over time the shirring elastic may relax slightly, and the top of the back may gape slightly. With a really good quality shirring elastic, this shouldn’t be necessary, but if (like me!) you have a variety of shirring elastics in your stash and can’t remember how old some of them are, it’s a good preventative step to take just in case.

Stitch over the elastic on the seam allowance at either end a few times to secure it. Trim off the excess.

Skip to step 3.

If you are doing the elastic casing on the back, follow the steps below. If you have done the shirring in step 1, then skip to step 3. 

Pin your top back and top back lining, right sides together.

Using a ⅜ inch seam allowance, stitch along the top edge (the top edge is the longer edge).

Trim the seam so it is nice and neat, then press the seam allowance towards the lining.

TIP – Pressing the seam allowance towards the lining helps make sure the lining isn’t showing when we turn the back right side out in the next step.

Turn the back pieces so they are right side out and press.

OPTIONAL – If you would like a slightly wavy top edge to the top of your back, topstitch along the top edge approximately ⅛ inch from the edge. This will stretch the fabric out slightly once we’ve elasticized the back it will give a slightly wavy appearance to the top edge.

If you don’t want this wavy look, do not topstitch. Just skip to the next step.

Now we are going to mark with pins where your stitching lines will go that will create the casing for the elastic. 

Measure down the side of the back approximately every ½ to ¾ inch from the top of the back and mark with a pin.

Leave a ½ to ¾ inch gap at the bottom for the bottom seam allowance.

There should now be pins marked down the side every ½ to ¾ inch. They should be evenly spaced all the way down to the seam allowance at the bottom (which should also be ½ to ¾ inch).

For 0 months to 24 months this will end up as approximately 2-3 rows of elastic casing. For 2 years to 12 years, it will be approximately 3-4 rows of casing.

NOTE – It doesn’t matter how many rows of casing you put in so long as there are at least 4. The more you have, the more tightly gathered your back will look. However, they need to be far enough apart that you can thread your elastic through easily, and that you leave a ½ to ¾ inch gap at the bottom for the seam allowance. 

Using the first pin as a guide, stitch a line horizontally along the back.

TIP – When you first put the back piece onto your sewing machine, check where the edge lines up with. On most machines it will line up with the ⁴⁄₈ inch mark on your sewing plate. Keep it lined up with this as you sew along, and you will end up with a straight horizontal line.

Continue to stitch lines along the back where each of your pins are marked. 

TIP – Use the previous line as a guide to make sure each of your lines are straight and equally spaced.

Take a piece of your back elastic, attach a safety pin and thread it through the top casing.

Pin it at either end to secure.

Thread your remaining pieces of elastic through the other casings and pin to secure.

There should be elastic in all of the casings, with the seam allowance left open at the bottom.

If you can, try it on your model at this point by holding the back piece up against their back. If you need to tighten the elastic, do this now. The back piece should sit flat against their back when stretched from one side of their back to the other (e.g. from underarm to underarm across their back).

Stitch down each side of the back to secure the elastic using a ¼ inch seam allowance.

Fold each strap right side to right side lengthways. Using a ⅜ inch seam allowance, stitch down the long side to make each strap into a tube.

Turn through each strap. 

TIP – If you don’t have a special tool for this, use a safety pin by pinning it to the end, turning the safety pin around and threading it through the strap, pulling it right ways out as you go.

OPTIONAL – Thread clear or thin elastic through the strap, pull so that it gathers the strap slightly and secure at either end. This is a very helpful option to do if you used a fabric that stretches quite a bit as it will keep the straps from stretching and ending up getting longer over time with wear. 

Pin one end of a strap to the top point of a top front.

Stitch in place using a ¼ inch seam allowance.

TIP – Hold the threads taut out of the way before you start stitching. When sewing such a small little piece of fabric, it’s easy for the threads to get sucked into the machine and/or the foot to get stuck and not get traction. Holding the threads taut out of the way, helps avoid both of these problems.

Pin the top lining right side to right side with the top. Stitch the left and right sides using a ⅜ inch seam allowance. Leave the bottom open.

Cut your bust elastic to length by stretching it out along the bust edge (the long side) of the top. It should be slightly shorter by approximately 1 inch (excluding the shoulder strap). The goal is that when the elastic is stitched to the top it will make this edge slightly stretchy, but not so much that it looks gathered.

Pin it at either end to the seam allowance on the long side of the top.

Stretch the top out so the elastic is straight and pin again approximately in the middle of the elastic.

TIP – Making sure the fabric side (not the lining side) is facing upwards when you pin this, means you will be pinning to the fabric seam allowance (not the lining seam allowance). This should then ensure that if the elastic pulls the fabric a little that the lining won’t then roll to the outside.

Lengthen your stitch slightly (to about half way between a regular stitch and a basting stitch – on most machines this will be a setting of about 3.5). You can use a straight stitch here rather than a stretch stitch. 

Stitch the elastic down onto the seam allowance.

NOTE – The point to this bust elastic is to slightly elasticize the part of the top that crosses over the front, so the top never gaps. This is the area that gets pulled as the dress goes on and off so it’s prone to stretching. Some fabrics will stretch more than others and this piece is cut on the bias (diagonal), so it is far more likely to gape no matter how careful you are. Adding a slightly stretched elastic here will help avoid it stretching and keep the fabric sitting flush against the chest. 

Repeat step 3.5 to attach bust elastic to the other side of the top.

Trim the very top point of the top. 

Removing this bulk will help when you turn through the top to get a nice clean line here, however, be careful not to snip into the seam allowance.

Trim the seam allowance from the underarm seam in half (the one that does not have the elastic on it). Trim any of the rest of the seam allowance that needs it so it is nice and neat.

Turn the top right side through and press.

NOTE – You could top stitch along the left and right side seams of the top if you want a really clean finish to the top. However, be aware that this will reduce the effectiveness of the bust elastic and will stretch the top slightly if you have used a knit/stretch fabric for the top. If you want to do this, do not do it now. Wait until we have already attached the back as otherwise you won’t be able to finish the side seam fully.

Trim the seam allowance that pokes out from the bottom of the top.

Repeat steps 3.3 to 3.9 with the other top piece, top lining, and strap.

NOTE – The photos for this step show the narrow strap version with elastic casing back, however this step is the same regardless of which options you chose; elastic casing or shirred back. 

We are going to join the front and back sections of the top by bagging them out. If you haven’t heard of ‘bagging out’, it simply means to stitch two pieces of fabric together on the wrong side of the fabric. Then turn them through to the right side of the fabric.

To do this, lay your back piece right side up.

Place the right hand side top piece face down onto the left hand side of the back.

Open the side of the lining up.

Fold the lining over around the back so that the back is now sandwiched between the side seam of the front piece.

Stitch this side seam using a ⅜ inch seam allowance.

Trim the seam allowance so it is nice and neat.

Unfold the top so it is right side out. You have now ‘bagged out’ the top.

Repeat steps 4.1 to 4.3 to attach and bag out the other side of the top to the back.

Mark the center point from the pattern piece on both sides of the top.

Match these two center points and cross the top over there.

If possible, try the top on your model now. Every body type is different and within each size range there will be size differences. If needed, adjust the cross over to get the best fit (e.g. cross it over more or less depending on the fit you want). 

Once you’re happy with the fit, baste along the bottom of the cross over to hold it together.

OPTIONAL – Either hand or machine tack (a short little stitch) at the top center of the top to hold the cross over in place. The benefit to doing this is it makes sure the cross over doesn’t ever slip open. Doing this is a great help for retaining modesty or if you’ve used a particularly stretchy fabric, or one that you know may easily pull out of shape. However, it does restrict the top slightly when getting in and out of the garment.

If you are using a woven fabric and are NOT using a serger/overlocker follow the steps below. Otherwise, skip to step 6.

We are going to do French seams to stitch the skirt pieces together. The reason we will be doing a French seam is because it hides all the raw edges and gives a much cleaner finish. If you haven’t done these before, don’t worry, all the steps are below so you can just follow along.  

With the wrong sides together (right sides outwards), pin the two skirt pieces together. 

Stitch ¼ inch from the edge along the straight edges (which will be the side seam). Backstitch at both ends.

Trim the seam allowances approximately in half.

TIP – You are trimming here so that when you encase the seam in the next step all the threads and raw edges are hidden. I generally try to trim my seam allowance in half as I like to make sure absolutely nothing is sticking out. However just neatening up the edge here will also suffice.

Press this tiny seam allowance to one side. Turn the seam inside out and press from the other side as flat as you can. Make sure that the seam line is at the exact center of your fold.

Pin and stitch again approx. ¼ inch from the edge. Press. This will encase the raw edges so you can’t see them (a French seam).

Press the French seam towards the back and then turn the skirt right side out.

OPTIONAL LINING – If you are lining the skirt, repeat steps 5.1 to 5.3 with the skirt lining. Then baste the two layers together around the top using a ¼ inch seam allowance. From here on, treat the skirt as if this was one layer.

Skip to step 7.

If you are using a knit or stretch fabric (or a woven fabric and you have access to a serger/overlocker), then follow the steps below. Otherwise skip to step 7.

We are going to follow the same steps as for step 6 to join the side seams, however instead of doing a French seam, we will stitch and then overlock-finish the seam.

Place the skirt pieces right side to right side.

Stitch the side seam using a ½ inch seam allowance.

NOTE – If you have a 4 thread overlocker that stitches and overlocks the seams in one, you can do this all in one go. However, make sure to check how well the seam stays together when you pull on the fabric. Some overlockers are great at this, however the side seams on a skirt can be placed under quite a bit of stress by the skirt being stretched as the user walks/runs/jumps/stretches etc. To avoid any small holes, it can be really helpful to first stitch the seam, then overlock after.

NOTE – The seam allowance for serging is ½ inch so it matches the exact skirt width you would have gotten if you did the alternative French seam OPTION in step 5. If you do not wish to serge off such a large seam allowance, feel free to do a smaller one. Your skirt will be marginally wider, but it will not affect the end look.

Either using an overlock or finishing stitch on your sewing machine, or your serger/overlocker, finish the seam allowance.

OPTIONAL LINING – If you are lining the skirt, repeat steps 6.1 to 6.2 with the skirt lining. Then baste the two layers together around the top using a ¼ inch seam allowance. From here on, treat the skirt as if this was one layer.

Skip to step 7.

If you are doing the skirt ruffle, then follow the steps below, otherwise skip to step 8.

Join all four ruffle piece side seams into one big circle using either the instructions in step 5 (for woven fabric where you are not using a serger), or in step 6 (for knit/stretch fabrics or for wovens using a serger). 

We are now going to stitch two rows of gathering stitches across the top of the skirt ruffle. 

Set your sewing machine to a gather stitch. This will be the longest stitch length possible with no locking stitch at the beginning or end, and a loose tension. Depending on your machine you may also need to loosen your bobbin tension.

Stitch your first row of gathering stitches close to the edge of the fabric (approximately ⅛ inch). Stitch your second row of gathering stitches approximately ¾ inch from the edge.

When you do your rows of gatherings stitches, I like to start at one seam and sew to the next seam. This gives several sections of gathering which are much easier to gather later than one big long section. Cut your thread, leaving a long tail of thread hanging off (like in the photo). Start stitching again just after the side seam, and stitch around to the next seam. 

You should now have two rows of gathering stitches all the way across the top of your skirt ruffle.

RUFFLER FOOT OPTION – If you have a ruffler foot attachment do not do this step, but instead align the skirt ruffle as described in step 8.3 and use your ruffler foot to attach the ruffle to the skirt. 

TIP – stitch in the same direction for both rows of stitches (e.g. clockwise or counter clockwise). It doesn’t matter which direction so long as both lines of stitches go the same way. It’ll make gathering a lot easier.

TIP – use a different colored top thread to your bobbin thread. That way you can differentiate them more easily later when you come to gather it. Plus, it’s a great way to use up all those left over bobbin threads I find I have!

Fold the skirt ruffle into quarters to find the center front, center back, left side and right side. Place pins in all 4 places then unfold it again.

Repeat with the skirt. 

Both the skirt ruffle and skirt should now be back in their circle shape but with pins at the center front, center back and side seams.

KNIT / SERGER OPTION – Now we are going to attach the right side of the skirt ruffle to the right side of the skirt. To do this, your skirt should be right side out and your ruffle should be inside out.

Start by slipping the skirt inside the skirt ruffle. Match the side seams and pin these together. 

Then if you wish you can also match the center front, and center back points where you put the pins in the previous step. The benefit to also matching the center back and center front is that when you gather in the next step you can then do it in quarters, and you’ll know your fabric will be more evenly gathered. 

WOVEN NO-SERGER OPTION – Do the same as above but with the fabric wrong side to wrong side. This will be another French seam when finished.

We are now going to gather the skirt ruffle. The best way I find to do this is in quarters. The way you do it is the same whether you are using a serger or not.

Starting at a side seam, find a pair of bobbin threads and very gently pull on both equally to gather the skirt ruffle. Gather the ruffle all the way across the quarter you are working on until the skirt ruffle in that section fits the skirt.

You will need to spread the gathering out gently with your fingers, so it looks evenly gathered.

Then move on to the next quarter and so on until the whole ruffle has been gathered and now fits the skirt.

NOTE – Your skirt will still look far too wide at this point to fit your top. Don’t worry, we will gather the skirt later and attach it to the top.

Stitch in between the two lines of gathering.

Remove the gathering stitches by gently pulling the ends of gathering thread so that they come all the way through the ruffle. Find the thread from the underside of the ruffle and pull this out too. 

TIP – You may find the thread snaps if you pull it too hard or your fabric is quite thick. If this happens, just pull the other end and the rest of the thread should come out there.

KNIT / SERGER OPTION – Either use an overlock stitch on your sewing machine, or your serger to finish the edges. 

WOVEN NO SERGER OPTION – Trim, press and turn the seam as you did in step 6. Stitch again ¼ inch from the edge to enclose the seam. Press towards the back.

We are now going to gather and attach the skirt to the top using an internal self-casing method. This means we will use elastic to pull the top in under the bust and support the weight of the skirt. The elastic casing will be hidden inside the garment which means there’s no visible casing or band from the outside of the garment. It is very similar method to a French seam. Don’t worry if you haven’t done it before, all the instructions are here so you can follow along. 

Stitch THREE rows of gathering stitches across the top of the skirt. I find the easiest way to do this is from side seam to side seam. Stitch using gathering stitches from one side seam to the next. Then stop, cut your threads leaving the ends long. Then stitch again from that side seam back to the start. Repeat for all three rows.

If you have not done this before, see the instructions on step 7.2 on how to sew gathering stitches.

Your gathering stitches should be ⅛ inch from the edge, ½ inch from the edge and 1 inch from the edge.

NOTE – It is unusual to do three rows of gathering stitches. Technically you could just do one or two. However, doing three at these distances from the edge means that as we create the self-casing, you’ll always have a row of gathering stitches on each side of the seam you are stitching, making it much easier to keep your gathers even.

Fold the top into quarters to find the center front, center back, left side and right side. Place pins in all 4 places then unfold it again.

Repeat with the skirt. 

Both the top and skirt should now be back in their circle shape but with pins at the center front, center back and side seams.

Now we are going to attach the wrong side of the top to the wrong side of the skirt. To do this, your top should be wrong side out and upside down. Your skirt should be right side out and right way up.

Start by slipping the top inside the skirt. Match the side seams and pin these together. 

Then if you wish you can also match the center front, and center back points where you put the pins in the previous step. The benefit to also matching the center back and center front is that when you gather in the next step you can then do it in quarters, and you’ll know your fabric will be more evenly gathered. 

We are now going to gather the skirt so that it fits the top. The best way I find to do this is in quarters. 

Starting at a side seam, find all three bobbin threads and very gently pull on them all equally to gather the skirt. Gather the skirt all the way across the quarter you are working on until the skirt in that section fits the top.

You will need to spread the gathering out gently with your fingers, so it looks evenly gathered.

Then move on to the next quarter and so on until the whole skirt has been gathered and now fits the top.

NOTE – At this stage, your skirt should fit the top. The top will be inside the skirt (not visible in this photo) and will still be wrong side to wrong side with the skirt.

If you used a stretch or lightning bolt stitch, change your stitch type back to a regular straight stitch for steps 8.5 and 8.7 only. These seams will end up gathered once the elastic is in the casing, so a straight stitch is fine. Plus, a straight stitch will more easily stitch over the gathers than a stretch/lightning bolt stitch.

Lengthen your stitch length on your machine so that you are now using a long straight stitch. For very lightweight fabrics you only need to lengthen it a little, for medium or knit fabrics you will need to lengthen it to either your maximum length or close to it. This will help your machine stitch through the gathers. As the casing will have elastic in it, the long stitch length won’t affect the final finish of the garment.

Stitch just over ⅛ inch from the edge. Your stitches should be in between the first and second rows of gathering stitches, but as close to the first row as you can. Make sure to do a backstitch or locking stitch when you finish stitching as normal. 

TIP – The skirt is quite tightly gathered so you may find it difficult to keep the edge of the gathers flat as you stitch over. Try holding them down with a pin just before the presser foot so that they are flat as they go under the presser foot. Be careful to keep your fingers and pin away from the needle and moving parts.

Trim the seam allowance in half as best you can without going too close to the stitching. This tidies it up and will give maximum room in the casing for the elastic.

Press the seam allowance up towards the top.

NOTE – Normally we would remove the gathering stitches at this point, so they don’t get tangled in the stitching in the next step. However, because the skirt is so tightly gathered, leaving them in will make the next step much easier.

Turn the garment inside out so the top is now right side to right side with the skirt.

Pin as best you can along the seam. This can be a little tricky as there is a lot of fabric around the gathers. Go slowly and use lots of pins.

Stitch using a ½ inch seam allowance, leaving a 1 inch gap near the side seam on the back. This creates the casing and leaves a gap to thread the elastic through later on.

Remove any visible gathering stitches, making sure to get those on the outside of the casing (that will still be visible on the skirt from the outside of the garment).

We are now going to thread the chest elastic through the casing. If you have a special tool for doing this, use this. Alternatively, I like to use a bobby pin.

To do this, fold the very tip of one end of your elastic over and using the end of your scissors, snip a small hole in it. Thread one side of the bobby pin through the hole. Now you can use the bobby pin to pull the elastic through the casing.

Pin the loose end of the elastic to the skirt so it doesn’t accidentally get pulled inside the casing.

Thread the other end with the bobby pin on it through the casing. 

Keep threading the elastic through until it has gone all the way around and comes back out the same hole.

Overlap the ends of the elastic by 1 inch and secure with a pin.

If possible, try the dress on at this point and adjust the elastic so it is comfortable but still with enough tension to hold the dress flat against the wearer.

Stitch the elastic together and trim any excess off the ends. Let it slip back inside the casing.

Stitch the casing closed. You will need to stretch the fabric out slightly as you do this so the top is as flat as possible as the elastic now in the casing will pull it close. 

If possible, try the dress on and mark how long you want the straps and where you would like them attached. 

Baste in place and try it on if possible, to check the fit.

NOTE – The straps are designed to be long enough to cross over at the back. If you want them to be straight and you are unable to try the dress on to check the strap length, then you will need to trim approximately 1 inch off the length of the strap to allow for the fact the strap is going straight rather than crossing.

Once you are happy with the fit, place a pin on the strap where the strap meets the top, so you know exactly how long you’d like. Remove your basting stitches. Leave 1 inch extra beyond your pin marking on the strap then trim the excess. 

Fold the end of the strap under approximately ½ inch towards the outside of the dress (so that the raw edge is hidden when you stitch it on next).

Pin it to the back as marked on the pattern piece (or where you would prefer it as per when you tried it on). 

Stitch close to the edge of the back, and again close to the folded edge of the strap.

NOTE – This step is the same whether you did the optional ruffle or not. If you did the ruffle you need to hem the bottom of the ruffle. If you didn’t do the ruffle, then you need to hem the bottom of the skirt.

The seam allowance for the hem is 1 inch. If you can, try the dress on again now and check whether this is the length you would like. If not, mark where you want the hem instead.

The instructions below show how to do a turned under hem. However, you could also do any other type of hem you know, such as a roll hem using a serger, roll hem using a sewing machine, lettuce hem, or blind hem.

If you wish to do a turned under hem, turn under the raw edge by ½ inch and press. 

Turn under another ½ inch and press again.

Stitch close to the folded edge all the way around.