DIY Cinderella Ball Gown

This latest project was so worthy of a blog post, I decided to crack open the computer to share all about making this Cinderella costume. I will also film a YouTube tutorial going over the process and update this post when that is live. For now, here is a look at the DIY Cinderella Live Action Gown and some important details about the sew.

Materials for Cinderella Costume

As you can imagine, this dress requires a bit of prep and planning. Here are the items I gathered to make the costume. (Some links may be affiliate links- if you purchase through the link, a small portion goes to me and helps support the blog-thank you for shopping through the links).

FABRIC:

1 meter Cotton Poly Fabric – this was used to line the bodice and sew the skirt waistband.

4 meters Taffeta fabric in Turquoise – this was used to sew the bodice, corset lace up portion, skirt underlayer, as well as, the skirt yoke.

11 meters Crystal Organza in turquoise – this was used as an overlay for the bodice, the shoulder drape, and the gathered skirt top layer

40 yards tulle bolt– this was used to create the gathered skirt layers

Hemline boning and satin covered boning– both used in the bodice

Sewing Pattern – out of print Simplicity 1026 used as a base with modifications. Check ebay for available listings.

Thread- I used Gutermann All Purpose Thread in the color #385– I used 2 spools and should have bought 3

Butterflies- I found this clip on pack at Hobby Lobby in the Christmas aisle. There were several colors. This is another great option from Amazon.

Petticoat – I found one at a thrift store and altered it to fit my daughter. The one I purchased is similar to this one from Amazon.

Pattern Modifications

The Simplicity 1026 was a great pattern base but I made a few changes to make it look a bit more sophisticated.

Bodice Changes- I redrew the front area of the bodice to have a more defined point. I omitted the center back pieces and zipper. In their place, I added corset lacing to both sides of the middle back pieces. I then straightened out the center back panel and used it to create a modesty panel. The corset lacing is made from 1.5 inch strips of taffeta, cut on the bias, and sewn into a narrow tube. The sleeve pieces are sewn slightly different to include a casing for elastic, rather than sewing the elastic directly on the sleeve. I left off the piping, as it was not a detail my daughter wanted and therefore I didn’t feel it was worth the work. The lining is made from cotton lining that I added boning to for support. The main bodice is taffeta with an organza overlay. For the overlay drape, I used organza only instead of net and I used clip on butterflies that were easy to move around and didn’t require any sewing.

Skirt Modifications:

For the skirt I sewed the base from taffeta, using the skirt front piece and 4 side/back pieces from the pattern. Then I gathered the top of the skirt using a ruffler foot and it was super easy to use, creating great, even gathers. Then I measured the hem and doubled it (330 inches for me) and cut panels from the tulle at 330 inches by 42 inches tall. I gathered each panel and stacked it on to the taffeta. Once all 4 layers of tulle were stacked on the taffeta, I basted them in place. I sewed those layers into the lining yoke portion. The top skirt piece was made from organza. I cut one center front piece and six side/back panels and gathered the top to make a full skirt. I could have used two more side panels if I would have had the fabric. I sewed the organza into the taffeta yoke piece and then sandwiched the yokes into the waistband (which I cut from cotton). I omitted the back zipper and used hooks and bars to secure it closed.

To help get the skirt a nice and full look, I added a petticoat underneath. All together, it made a beautiful Cinderella dress for my little princess. I am so glad I took on this project, despite the many hours it took to sew it.