I have a daughter that is playful, messy, independent and likes to wear dresses and skirts. She’ll play hard and get muddy, but she wants to do it with her own feminine flair. I loved the Mini Tania. It is so fun for my daughter to wear shorts that look like a skirt. It’s perfect for her when she’s playing hard. Since I loved the Mini Tania so much, I wanted to make a dress that could play just as hard. I decided to combine the Mini Briar and the Mini Tania to make a perfect playful romper. Rompers are so easy for playing and wearing, and I love that this romper looks like a dress but wears like a romper!
The problem with a romper is figuring out a way to get it off. It’s very common to make a button placket at the front, but I didn’t think my 3-year-old would be able to unbutton and button it fast enough. Instead, I created an elastic neckline with a ruffle. She can pull it up and down quickly and easily. I used a 100% modal so the fabric has a beautiful drape which is perfect for this romper. This romper works best if using fabric recommended for the Mini Tania.
SUPPLIES
- Mini Briar Pattern
- Mini Tania Pattern
- 2 yds of drapey, woven fabric
- Sewing Supplies
- 1/4″ wide elastic
- 1″ wide elastic
INSTRUCTIONS
- Straighten the hem of the briar. (You can use this tutorial for straightening the hem of the Briar.)
- Slash and spread the neckline to make it wide enough to go over the shoulders and down the body. I made a size 2/3 and added 1.5″ on the front and the back. Since the pattern is on the fold I added 3″ to the front and 3″ to the back for 6″ total. Make sure when you slash and spread that you aren’t cutting into the shoulder seam allowance or the side seam allowance. Redraw the neckline curve.
- Measure the new neckline length on the front and the back. Subtract the seam allowance. This is the length of the new neckline. Cut a piece 6″ by the length + seam allowance.
- Sew the short sides with right sides together. I sewed the short sides together with a French seam to make the under side look nice.
- Sew the ruffle on the neckline. To do this put the right side of the ruffle on the inside of the bodice neckline. Sew with a 3/8″ seam allowance.
- Pull the ruffle to the outside. Sew a casing around the top of the ruffle 3/8″ from the edge leaving a 2″ gap. Insert the 1/4″ elastic in the casing you created with a safety pin. Pull through and sew the two ends of the elastic together.
- Close the casing.
- Cut some bias binding from your fabric 1″ wide. Use it to finish the raw edges of the armholes.
- Sew the side seams. I also sewed these seams as French seams. Add a sewing tag if you want.
- Construct the culottes and stop before you put on the waistband.
- Cut the waistband in half lengthwise and add 5/8″ seam allowance. Cut two waistbands instead of one.
- With right sides together sew the short ends of the waistband together.
- With right sides together sandwich the waist of the culottes between the two waistbands and sew at 5/8″ seam allowance.
- With right sides together sew the bottom of the bodice to the outer waistband at 5/8″ seam allowance.
- Fold the inner waistband up and over covering the stitches and pin in place. Make sure the raw edges are tucked inside.
- From the outside sew an edgestitch around the waistband sewing the pinned edge inside. Leave a 2″ hole to insert elastic.
- Insert the 1″ elastic into the casing with a safety pin. Pull through and sew the two ends of the elastic together. Sew the hole closed.
I made the bodice a little extra long, so it’s slightly too big for my daughter. I wanted some growing room so it’ll fit her all summer and throughout the fall. I love to see her wearing it and playing with it. So far, she picks it first before her other clothing which is a win in my book!
