How to make a plush toy dress

1. Materials & tools

Materials (20 cm plush toy)

• Main fabric (lawn, broadcloth or double gauze — thin) — about 40 × 30 cm (16 × 12 in)
• Tiny snap fasteners or narrow hook-and-loop — 2–3 sets
• Narrow bias tape (about 6 mm / ¼ in finished) — about 50 cm (20 in)
• Optional: narrow lace or ribbon

Tools

• Sewing machine (or needle and thread)
• Fabric marker or pencil
• Ruler and scissors
• Iron
• Pins or clips

2. Make the pattern (auto-generated in Katagami)

With the Katagami pattern tool, you just enter the finished size and it drafts a seam-allowance-included pattern, tiled to print at actual size on Letter or A4.

1. Open the tool
   Open the pattern tool and choose “Accessories” → “Plush toy dress” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter the plush toy's chest, bodice length, skirt length, shoulder width, skirt fullness and ease. Presets cover 10 cm and 20 cm plush toys and a 30 cm doll.
3. Set the seam allowance
   Use the slider at the bottom (beginners: 1.0–1.5 cm / about 3/8–5/8 in).
4. Print
   Press “Print (actual size)”, then in the print dialog set Scale = 100% and turn “Fit to page” OFF. Check the 50 mm calibration box on the first guide sheet with a ruler.

3. Cutting the fabric

1. Measure the toy
   Measure the chest at its widest, the shoulder width and the length you want. Lay the tape on gently — plush toys compress.
2. Trace the pattern
   Trace the front bodice (on the fold), the back bodices and the skirt. Use a mechanical pencil.
3. Cut
   Cut one front, two backs (a mirrored pair) and two skirt panels. Fold the fabric right sides together and cut through both layers to get a mirrored pair. Each back has an overlap beyond the center back for the snaps.
4. Finish the edges
   Seam allowances are 5 mm — pinking shears handle this better than a zigzag.

4. Sewing

4-1. Sew the shoulders

1. Sew both shoulder seams with a 5 mm allowance.
2. Press the allowances to one side rather than open.

4-2. Finish the back opening

1. Each back has an overlap beyond the center back for the snaps. Turn that edge under twice — 5 mm and 5 mm — and stitch.

4-3. Bind the neckline and armholes

1. Sew narrow bias tape around the neckline, turn it in and topstitch. Fold each end of the tape in by 1 cm at the back opening.
2. Bind the armholes the same way. Wide tape will not follow these curves.

4-4. Sew the bodice sides

1. Sew both bodice side seams from the underarm to the lower edge, backstitching at the underarm.
2. Lap the right back over the left with the center-back lines together, and baste them within the seam allowance at the lower edge.

4-5. Make and attach the skirt

1. Sew the two skirt panels together at both sides to form a loop.
2. Run two rows of long stitches along the top edge and pull until it matches the bodice hem.
3. Pin the skirt to the bodice right sides together, spreading the gathers evenly, and sew.
4. Match the center front, sides and center back first, then even out the gathers between those points.

4-6. Hem and fit the snaps

1. Turn the skirt hem under twice — 5 mm and 5 mm — and stitch.
2. Fit two or three snaps, or narrow hook-and-loop, on the back overlap. To dress the toy, step it into the skirt, put its arms through the armholes and close the back.

✏️ Use a 5 mm seam allowance throughout and thin fabric. A standard 1 cm allowance on something this small makes the side seams so thick the dress will not go over the toy.

5. Tips & variations

• Hook-and-loop: much easier than snaps if the outfit is going to be changed often.
• Tiny prints only: a large print puts no complete motif anywhere on the garment.
• Measure your own: two toys both described as 20 cm can be completely different widths.