Bandana Top/Dress Tutorial

I have really been neglecting my blog. I hope that a couple fun tutorials will make up for it!

Things have been very crazy here the last couple months and I have missed posting tutorials. So to make up for it, I'm going to post more then one this month. Up first...

A girls top or baby/toddler dress made out of bandanas! I got my bandanas at Walmart for $1 each. So you can easily make these for under $5 each 

Supplies:
2 bandanas
1-2 yds of grosgrain ribbon (I am using 7/8")
Thread

Start by making a seam across the top of each bandanas. This will be where we run the ribbon through at the end.




For a baby dress, if you's like it shorter. Trim a few inches off the top. Then sew your seam. On this one I trimmed 4" off the top.

Next we need to mark where the side seam ends and the arm holes begin. Measure from the top 4-6 inches down and mark the fabric with a marker.


You'll have two that look something like this.

I like to pin the bandanas together, stopping where I put my mark. Then sew up both sides, stopping at your mark.


Flip the top right side out and run your ribbon through the top seam. I just have the girls stand here to figure out the best length. But if they aren't around, I like to pull the ribbon through both sides, then pull the looped end out about 2", and have 6" of loose ribbon on the other end. Then I cut the ribbon.


Gather the fabric up a bit. And have your girl put it on. Tie the bow. (sorry the pics aren't better. It's hard to convince a 19 month old to be a model)


Now if you don't want to cut it shorter, you can still use the bandanas to make a toddler dress. Peyton is in 18m, this is her in the top Annsleigh was wearing above. I personally like them a bit shorter though. I think this would fit her better if she were in a 3t.

You can add other embellishments if you wanted. Like trim or a ruffle along the bottom, an applique or embroidery, etc.


Another way to make a summer top for older girls is to make it a tie back halter. For this you only need one bandana.

You do the top seam the same as the others. Then attach a strip of ribbon to both sides. Since it's for Annsleigh, I cut the ribbon's length, the same width as the bandana. I like to get the ribbon placed as close to the middle of the bandana as possible to attach them. For the ribbon length at the neck I double the width of the bandana. Run the ribbon through the seam and you're done! You can do a similar top to this by making the top seam from one of the corner sections. This makes the bottom go to a point.