Four kids and Mum: Pillowcase dress

I was very luck and got my hands on a pile of pillowcases and since Miss 3 loves dresses and will wear one every day of the week if I let her, it seems like the best idea to make some dresses out of them. Now I know there are a lot of tutorials out there for pillowcase dresses, but I wanted to show you how to use part of the case to make the binding for the arm hole (so no need to have any other fabric on hand) and it will always be in coordinating fabric. So if you new to sewing this is a very easy and simple project to do.

What you will need.
A pillowcase
ribbon
scissors
pins
ruler
measuring tape
iron
sewing machine
overlocker (optional)

Lay out your pillowcase and cut all the way across the opposite end to where the opening is (this will end up being the top of the dress). At the top you need to cut an arm hole on both sides, once this is done you can run the top seam through your overlocker or if you don't have one set your machine to zig zag stitch and stitch across the top to stop the fabric from fraying.

Now turn your pillow case inside out and cut away the small section that would tuck over the end of the pillow, this will be turned into the binding for the arm holes. The trickiest party of this project is making the binding which need to be cut on the bias but it's not that hard and when you do it once you be fine doing it again and again (because you'll want to make lots of these).

To cut on the bias means to cut on a 45 degree angle to the grain of the fabric, when you cut the fabric this way there is 'give' and makes it easier to fit around the curve of the arm hole. Lay out your section of fabric length ways and grab your ruler and cut 2 inch strips at a 45 degree angle (you should get 5 strips).

Attach all the strips in one big long line and press the seams open.

Now it's all a big long strip, you'll need to fold and press it so no raw edges are showing. To do that fold and press with a hot iron one side of the strip into the centre (watch your fingers with the hot iron) and then do the other side.

Fold it in half so that the raw edges are facing inward and give a final press. Cut the strip into half and you will be using one strip of each arm hole.

Pin each of your strips over the raw edge of the arm holes and stitch down, go slowly and take care sewing around the curve

then trim off the excess of the bias strip.

All that is left to do now is to make the casing for the tie around the top of the dress. With your hot iron and measuring tape press down 1.5 inches along the top on both sides, when that's done sew it down along the overlocked/zig-zag stitch. And you have finished! (and it only took me about 45mins give or take, I needed to break up the kids fighting)

I've seen patterns that make their own tie but I find it easier to use ribbon, you'll just need to attached a safety pin (or I use a bobby pin) to the end and feed it though the casing on both sides. I take my ribbon out before washing and just leave them in the laundry and feed it back though after washed and dry.