How to make a DIY Girls Shirred Sun Dress

Step by step sewing tutorial showing how you can sew a boho girls shirred sun dress, using just a few basic measurements. This could also be used to make a shirred sun dress for an adult!

Supplies and materials

• Sewing machine
• Woven fabric (like linen, quilting cotton, poplin, old sheets, etc. I used this linen fabric from Pure Linen Envy)
• Matching thread
• Elastic thread, 0.6 mm (I bought this big roll from Amazon for all the future shirring projects!)
• 1/4 inch elastic (optional)
• Iron and ironing board
• Measuring tape
• Scissors
• Pins

Step 1 – Take your daughter’s measurements

First you need to take some basic measurements of your daughter. Measure around her chest, just under her armpits, and write it down. Then measure from her armpit down to where you want the shirred sun dress to end.

I made this free printable companion guide, which has step by step instructions and charts to record your daughter’s measurements, as well as calculate the dimensions for the pieces you will need to cut. I also have a chart with the measurements for the 2T dress I made my daughter. Sign up below to get the free guide sent straight to your inbox!

Step 2 – Calculate the dimensions of your pieces

For the width of the dress, take the chest circumference and double it. It really doesn’t need to be precise, so I didn’t even add seam allowances. I was able to get the width for my daughter’s dress out of one piece, but you might need to divide it into two.

The hem ruffle will be 1.5 times that width. You will probably need to divide it between two pieces.

For the length of the dress, the measurement you got will be split up between the main piece and the hem ruffle. Decide how long you want each piece to be. Make sure to add 3/4 inch hem allowance and 1/2 inch seam allowance for the main piece. And 1 inch total seam and hem allowance for the ruffle.

For the strap length, it’s really up to you how long you want them to be. I would say 20 inches would be the shortest. The width will be 3 inches.

For the strap ruffles, decide how long of an area you want them to cover and double it, and add 1 inch. So to cover 7 inches on the strap, I made mine 15 inches long. The width will be 3 1/2 inches.

So, my pieces were (LxW):

• Main piece: 18 x 38 inches (x1)
• Hem ruffle: 5.5 x 29.5 inches (x2)
• Straps: 36 x 3 inches (x2)
• Strap ruffles: 3.5 x 15 inches (x2)
• Loops: 3.5 x 2 inches (x2)

Step 3 – Cut out and notch your pieces

Cut out all your pieces and notch the centers, as well as where you want the ruffle placement to be on the straps. The notches will help to get everything even when you are matching up different parts of the pattern.

Also give your strap ruffles a curved shape. You will be placing the ruffle 1/2 inch beyond where you want the gathered section to be on the strap (because the pointed ends will be inside the seam allowance). So for my 7 inch gathered section, I notched 8 inches from the end of the strap.

The main piece isn’t pictured here, but also notch it.

Step 4 – Sew the seams of the shirred sun dress

Sew the back or side seams of your main piece and finish them.

Step 5 – Curve the front of your dress up for a high low shirred sun dress (optional)

Make the front 2 inches shorter than the back.

Step 6 – Hem the top of the shirred sun dress

To hem the top, fold and iron to the wrong side 3/8 inch twice. Edgestitch all around, leaving a small opening if you want to elasticize this part. You can either leave it just hemmed for a more ruffled top hem, or you can elasticize it (instructions below).

Step 7 – Mark where you want to shirr to

Decide how far down you want the shirring to go and iron a fold there to mark it. I made mine 5 inches down.

Step 8 – Elasticize the top hem (optional)

Thread some 1/4 inch elastic through, overlap by 1/2 inch and sew, then edgestitch closed the opening.

I made my elastic 20 inches long, which is 1 inch more than my daughter’s chest circumference (1/2 inch to overlap, and 1/2 inch ease).

Step 9 – Wind your bobbin with elastic thread

Wind your elastic thread around a bobbin by hand. Don’t stretch the thread as you go, and don’t overfill the bobbin.

Step 10 – Set up your machine for shirring and practice on some scrap fabric

I have a detailed blog post on how to shirr fabric here, including how to shirr with a Brother sewing machine. So if you’ve never done shirring, I recommend checking it out. But here are some quick steps:

• Place your bobbin with elastic thread into your machine
• For a Brother sewing machine, increase the bobbin tension first and make sure the elastic thread goes into the tension slit
• Start out with the highest needle tension and a slightly long straight stitch (3.5 on my machine, 2.5 is normal and 5 is longest)
• Experiment on your scrap fabric, lower needle tension for more gathering
• Once you’re satisfied with how your shirring is looking, it’s time to move on to your actual dress!

Step 11 – Sew the shirring on the dress

Starting at the back seam or one of the side seams, you are going to shirr continuously around. Position your needle 3/8 inch from the top edge of the dress, right side facing up. Sew a straight line all around until you get back to where you started. Then, with the needle down, raise the presser foot and pivot, sew down along the seam a few stitches, pivot again, and continue sewing 3/8 inch from your previous line in the same direction. Make sure to stretch the fabric flat as you go, so that you’re not sewing in any folds.

You will most likely run out of elastic in your bobbin. Simply rewind it and start sewing an inch or so before where you left off, then tie the elastic tails together after.

Shirr all the way down to your marked section, backstitching at the end. Don’t forget to set your machine settings back to normal, and your bobbin tension if you had to adjust it for a Brother sewing machine.

Step 12 – Gather the hem ruffle

Now sew 2 lines of gathering stitches (longest straight stitch, needle tension low, no backstitching), along the top of your hem ruffle, right side facing up, 3/8 and 5/8 inch from the edge.

For a full guide to sewing gathers, you can check out my post here.

Step 13 – Attach the hem ruffle to the shirred sun dress

Pin the hem ruffle to your skirt, right sides together, matching notches and seams. Pull the bobbin tails to gather the ruffle until it fits the skirt. Add some more pins and sew together with a 1/2 inch seam allowance.

Remove the gathering stitches, finish the seam, and iron it up towards the skirt.

Hem by folding and ironing 1/4 inch twice, then edgestitching.

Step 14 – Prepare the straps and loops

For the straps, iron the long edges and the short edge that’s not by the notches to the wrong side by 1/2 inch, then fold in half lengthwise and iron again.

Iron the long edges of the loops in by 1/2 inch, then fold in half lengthwise and iron again.

Sew the loops only closed with a top stitch along the long edge.

Step 15 – Hem the strap ruffles

Hem your strap ruffles by folding and ironing to the wrong side by 1/4 inch twice. You will be hemming the straight side (picture below).

Step 16 – Gather the strap ruffles

Sew 2 lines of gathering stitches (longest straight stitch, needle tension low, no backstitching), right side facing up, 3/8 and 5/8 inch from the curved edge.

Step 17 – Attach the ruffles to the straps of the shirred sun dress

Pin the ruffle to the strap, right sides together, between the end and the notch. Match the center of the ruffle to the center notch. Pull the bobbin tails to gather.

Repeat with the other strap, making sure to pin them on the other side, so that you have two mirror image straps.

Sew in place with a 1/2 inch seam allowance and remove your gathering stitches.

Step 18 – Pin and top stitch the straps

Fold the strap closed and secure with pins. Then top stitch 1/8 inch or so from the edge, making sure that you are catching the underside when you get to the ruffled part.

Step 19 – Try the shirred sun dress on to determine strap and loop placement

Try the dress on your daughter and place safety pins where the straps and loops should go. When you take it off, make sure they are even, as the shirring might have stretched a little unevenly when she put it on. My straps were about 4 inches apart, and so were the middles of the loops.

Step 20 – Attach straps and loops to the shirred sun dress

Pin the straps and loops to the top of the dress, wrong sides together, with the raw edges a little less than 1/4 inch from the top. Sew 3/8 inch from the top edge.

Fold the straps and loops up, covering the raw edges, and sew from the right side, 1/8 inch from the top edge. This is what they will look like from the inside.

And your adorable shirred sun dress is complete!

Isn’t it just the pretties little dress ever? I hope you enjoyed this tutorial, and I would love to know if you give it a try this summer! Be sure to let me know if you have any questions 🙂