Fabric Requirements: Size 8Lining fabric- 1 yard White satin fabric- 2 1/2 yards of 60 inch wide fabric Pink

Taffeta fabric- 1 yard of 60 inch wide fabric Pink Soft Tulle fabric- 3 yards inch fabric covered buttons- 9 Hook and eye- 1 yard- white button loop elastic Cutting: Cut 4 sleeve pieces from white satin. Cut 2 front pieces from white satin. Cut 2 right back pieces from white satin. Cut 2 left back pieces from white satin. Cut two placket pieces from white satin (10 inches by 2.5 inches). Girls size 8Cut 6 strips from white satin that are 12 inches wide by the full width of fabric (approx. 56-60 inches). From lining fabric, cut 4 strips that are 7.5 inches wide by width of fabric (approx. 44 inches). Cut one of strips into two pieces, one measuring 15 inches and the other 30 inches.

Sewing the skirt: Use inch seam allowance, unless otherwise indicated. The skirt portion is made with three tiers, each having a bubble attached to the front of it.

For Tier C, sew 3 full length strips together on the short ends, into a circle. For Tier B, sew 2 full length strips together into a circle. For Tier A, finish the strip ends with a serged edge or with a zigzag. Sew the finished ends together, but only 8 inches and backstitch. Press the seam open. Topstitch around the split as shown in the picture below.

For Lining C, sew two strips into a circle. For Lining B, sew one full length strip and the 15 inch length strip into a circle. For Lining A, finish the two ends of the 30 strip with a serged seam or zigzag. Sew your 30 strip together in the same way as your Tier A, stopping 3 inches up. Topstitch around the slit the same way as Tier A. To keep all of your strips in order, use a safety pin to attach a note to each piece that looks like this:

For Tier A and Lining A, the open part of your slit should be the top of the strip.

Marking: Using a dressmakers pencil, mark each Tier on the wrong side of the fabric at each quarter measure. For example, Tier C will have a mark every 45 inches around. These marks will be the middle front and back and the two sides. For Tier A and Lining A, make sure that the split will be in the middle back of the skirt. Mark the Lining pieces in the same fashion.

Gathering: Place a basting stitch with a 1/4 inch seam allowance in the bottom and top of all three Tiers. Place a basting stitch in the top of Lining A, B and C. Make another basting stitch around each of the same places with a 1/2 seam allowance. Do not gather yet. Pin Lining C and Tier C together with right sides facing on the bottom edge of each. Pin together at the marks. Carefully gather the bottom of Tier C pulling only the bobbin threads to adjust the size to match the bottom of Lining C. Because there is so much fabric, and it is thicker fabric, this may take a while. Be patient and very careful while gathering. Sew together using a inch seam allowance. Gather the top of Lining C to measure 60 inches. Pin the top of Tier C to the top of Lining C, again matching your marks. Gather Tier C to match the top of Lining C. Sew wrong sides together using a inch seam allowance. Place right side of bottom of Lining B against the right side top of Lining C. Baste into place using inch seam allowance. (There will be three layers to sew through at this point.) Pin Tier B, right sides together on top of Tier C, matching the bottom of Tier B to the Top of Tier C. Match up the marks. Gather Tier B to the same size as the other layers. Sew all four layers together using a inch seam allowance. Your layers should be as follows: the bottom layer of your sandwich should be the bottom of Lining B. Next should be the top of Lining C. Tier C should be next and on the very top should be the bottom of Tier B (wrong side facing out). Sew SLOWLY, as there is much fabric. Unfold your layers so that the top of Tier B and the top of Lining B are matched together. Gather the top of Lining B to measure 30 inches. Pin the top of Tier B to Lining B at the marks. Gather Tier B to match the top of Lining B. Baste together using a inch seam allowance. Pin the bottom of Lining A to the top of Lining B, wrong sides together. Your stitched opening should be in the middle back of the skirt. Baste together using a inch seam allowance. Pin the bottom of Tier A to the top of Tier B, right sides together, making certain that your opening matches the opening in Lining A, also matching up your marks. Gather the bottom of Tier A to match the top of Tier B. Sew all four layers together using a inch seam allowance. Again, sew slowly and carefully. Unfold your layers so that the wrong sides of Tier A and Lining A are together and the tops lined up together. Gather Lining A to 25 inches. Pin Tier A , matching marks to Lining A. Gather so the tops match in size. Baste together using inch seam allowance. Whew! Skirt portion finishedfor now!

SleevesStitch sleeve and sleeve lining together at the hem of the sleeve, right sides together. Turn right side out and press the seam. Baste along the curved side, using a inch seam. Set sleeves aside. Button PlacketSew around three sides of the button placket, right sides together. Leave one of the long sides open. Clip corners. Turn right side out and press. Button LoopsUsing the button loop pattern piece, sew along the stitch line, directly on the paper, stopping in between each hash mark to arrange your elastic loops. Trim your paper so that there is only inch from your stitching line to the right side. Set aside. BodiceSew shoulder seams on the lining pieces. Sew shoulder seams on the bodice. Sew the sleeves onto the bodice, matching the center of the curved part of the sleeve to the shoulder seam. Sew button placket on left back bodice portion, using inch seam allowance. The placket should sit 3/4 of an inch below the top of the bodice piece. The placket should be sewn to the right side of the bodice. Sew button loops on right side of back bodice, using in seam allowance. Top loop should sit of an inch below top of bodice piece. Again, sew the paper directly to the fabric, backstitching over each elastic piece a couple of times. Once it is stitched on the fabric well, carefully tear the paper away from the stitching line.

Pin the bodice piece to the lining piece, matching the shoulder seams. Starting at the left bottom back, just below the button placket, stitch all the way around the neck line and back down the right side of the back bodice piece, using inch seam allowance. Stitch arm holes using inch seam allowance. Leave the under-arm seams un-sewn. Carefully clip the corners and around the arm curve. Turn the bodice right side out, very carefully pulling the back bodice pieces out through the shoulder. Check all sewn seams to make sure everything is secure. To sew the side seams, open the bodice again and with right sides together, match the front sleeve seam to the back sleeve seam, pin into place and stitch bodice and lining together. Repeat for the other side. Baste the bottom of the bodice piece to the lining. Gather the skirt top to match the bottom of the bodice. With right sides together, sew together. Finish the seam with a serger or zigzag stitch. Hand stitch the hook and eye at the bodice/skirt seam. Attach the buttons onto the bodice, inch from the placket.

1/2 yard contrast taffeta 3 yards of soft tulle 1 inch wide elastic approx. 25 inches

PettiskirtCut the tulle in strips of 14 inches. Cut four pieces from the taffeta that measure 6.5 inches by 15 inches. Tighten your tension knob on your sewing machine slightly and lengthen the stitch to the longest available. Using a inch seam allowance, sew your first strip of tulle along the long side, gathering as tight as possible as you go. When you come close to the end of first strip, add another, slightly overlapping. Continue gathering and adding strips of tulle until they are all gathered. It should measure about 30 inches in length when you are finished gathering. If it is a little long, tighten the gathers. Return the machine to its original settings. Take two of the taffeta pieces and stitch the short ends together on both sides. Repeat with the other two pieces. Iron one edge of each taffeta piece in by inch on both pieces. Baste the gathered tulle to the bottom edge of one of the taffeta pieces, with right sides together. As you return to the beginning of the tulle, overlap the end slightly. Now add the second taffeta piece on the other side of the tulle, making a sandwich.

Fold the taffeta up and press the taffeta. Topstitch around the bottom edge of the taffeta. Pin the ironed, top edges of the taffeta together. Topstitch around the top edge 1.5 inches from the top, creating the bottom of the elastic casing. Topstitch again around the top edge inch from the top edge, leaving a 1-2 inch opening to thread your elastic through. Thread the elastic and finish the top edge.