Hello Pattern Revolution! It’s Crystal here, from Stitched by Crystal. Have you checked out the newest releases from Violette Field Threads? The just released a new dress and adorable pinafore pattern. They are both so cute, but the minute I saw that Rosemary pinafore, I thought it would make an adorable dress! So I tried it out, it was an easy adjustment to go from pinafore to stand alone dress, and today I am sharing how I did it with you!

The pinafore is a vintage style with pin tucks on the bodice and skirt that ties under the arms. To flip it into a dress, I added some little side panels for modesty and to close up the bodice. The dress just pops on with no buttons or zippers, and then it gets tied up a bit tighter with the side bows.

Want to make your new Violette Field Threads Rosemary pattern into a dress? Great! I will show you how!

Print your bodice pieces and cut your fabric for the bodice as directed (there are instructions for cutting the skirt below). Next, you will need to make a pattern for the side panel inserts.

*Please note* I made this dress in a size 2 for my daughter with a 20.5” chest. It fits her great! So if your girl is a size 2, use my measurements. If she isn’t, I crunched some numbers and came up with some measurements but I haven’t tried them out, you may want to consider making a muslin to test the fit before sewing up your dress.

Make your pattern piece by cutting a rectangle the size listed in the chart below.

Next measure over ½” from the top side, and then draw a curve from that point to the opposite side 1.5” down from the top. My size 2 pattern piece is shown below.

Cut 4 insert pieces from your main fabric (2 sets of mirror images) and 4 from your lining fabric.

Sew the bodice at the shoulders as instructed in the pattern and add your ties and collar pieces.

Sew an insert piece to each side of the front bodice, lining the bottom up with the bottom of the bodice and with the long edge of the insert along the bodice edge as shown below. Press the seam allowance towards the insert.

Sew the remaining to main insert pieces to the bodice back in the same fashion. Press the seam allowance towards the insert.

Sew your lining bodice pieces together at the shoulders as instructed. Add your lining insert pieces to the sides of the bodice.

Pin your main bodice and lining right sides together as instructed and sew around the armholes and the neckline.

Sew up the back of the bodice as shown in the pattern. Then open the sides of the bodice, place the front and back of the bodice right sides together and sew up the side seams.

You should now have a completed bodice.

For the skirt, you may want to add some length. I wanted my dress to hit at the knee, since the long length pinafore hits 2” above the knee; I added 2” to my skirt pieces. I also used the whole width of my fabric for the skirt to give a nice full skirt with the inserts added.

Sew up the sides of the skirt BEFORE hemming and adding your pleats.

Gather the top of the skirt so it is the same width as your bodice. Place the bodice and skirt right sides together, lining up the bottom of the bodice with the top of the skirt and matching the side seams. Sew the skirt to the bodice. Your dress is done!