Maybe the pillowcases were part of your grandmother’s trousseau… or your Great Aunt Millie embroidered a pair for your mother. Perhaps you found them at that fantastic flea market in the south of France. Or, they simply spoke to you on Etsy. No matter the source, your lovingly embellished vintage pillowcases can be transformed into something endearing and useful – like this embroidered little girl dress!
When my daughter Grace and her husband Andy purchased dear, departed Grandma Sally’s home, they also inherited a trove of vintage items, including bed and table linens. Albeit a bit too fussy for their personal living style, the beautiful handcrafted linens were also too precious to go into the “donate” pile.
My daughter Grace knew these lovely vintage linens could be transformed. I agreed. Grandma Sally’s linens were the perfect candidates for a found fabric upcycle. The bluebird embroidery motif on one particular pair of pillowcases inspired me straightaway. I used the two “birdie” pillowcases to make a sweet little girl dress for Grandma Sally’s two and a half year-old great-granddaughter (and my granddaughter), Birdie.
We didn’t have any information about the pillowcases, and it is unknown whether Grandma Sally made them for herself. Hand embroidered linens like these were common bridal shower and wedding gifts in the forties and fifties. Whoever made them, the handwork on the stitching and crocheting are first rate.
Making the Most of Your Found Fabric
It’s always a good idea to inspect your vintage found fabrics closely for any stains or flaws needing treatment or repair. Sometimes stains can be removed. Often, defects in the fabrics can be worked around with judicious pattern placement.
The base fabric on these pillowcases is a tightly woven, thick, cream-colored cotton that has been washed and aged into a luscious softness. Upon detailed inspection, I couldn’t find any issues. The beautiful hand embroidery was all intact, and the cotton crochet lace edge was also in perfect condition. Clearly well cared for, these pillowcases are absolutely pristine, and will make a cute little girl dress.
Picking a Pattern
I looked at a lot of little girl dress patterns, and the style of the Marigold Dress from Sewing Patterns By Di checked all of the boxes.
The Marigold Dress is sleeveless, and has a simple gathered skirt where I could feature the pillowcase’s scalloped edging along the hemline. I really liked the peekaboo opening and tie closure. These design features added some nice interest to the back of the dress. The Marigold Dress required cutting only five pieces total – three for the bodice and two for the skirt – and I was pretty sure our two pillowcases would yield enough fabric for this pattern.
Design Considerations
Each pillowcase provided a large rectangular piece – one for the skirt front and one for the skirt back. As planned, the crochet lace scallop became the finished hem edge, with the bird embroidery motif centered on both the front and back panels of the skirt. I cut the three bodice pieces from the unembellished leftover portions of the pillowcase. All of a sudden, the top of the dress seemed very plain and boring compared to the embroidered skirt.
My first thought was to add a bit of blue embroidery around the neckline. While digging through my embroidery thread box for the right blue, I ran across some really colorful variegated cotton embroidery floss. These bright colors echoed the colors used on the vintage embroidery very nicely. I decided to use this variegated floss to decorate the front bodice with a scattering of little multi-colored daisies. To mimic the little blue daisies featured in the original motif, and visually tie the bodice to skirt, each daisy was finished with a bright yellow french knot at the center.
When in Doubt, Burrito It Out
Though the Marigold pattern calls for a simple unlined bodice, once I embroidered the bodice I felt the need to add a lining. NOt only would a lining make the dress more comfortable to wear, it is the quality finish our little girl dress deserved. I delved into the Fabric Stash and unearth a nice, lightweight cotton woven with yarn dyed tiny blue pinstripes. The regular geometry of the dainty pinstripe worked as a subtle contrast to the flowery embroidery.
Then, I used a little bit of sewing magic called The Burrito Method to attach the lining to the bodice. There are a ton of tutorials and youtube videos online describing how this technique works in various scenarios. I’ve used the Burrito Method when making yoked shirts, and also for sleeveless bodice construction, and I thought it would work in this instance. When done correctly, the Burrito technique results in a clean and precise finish. It was a little tricky to adapt the odd shape of the Marigold Dress bodice to the method, but in the end, the Burrito worked beautifully, and I’m glad I went the extra mile on this one.
Two Heirloom Pillowcases Transform Into a One Heirloom Little Girl Dress
The size five I sewed is a bit oversized for almost 3-year old Birdie, but with the rate that she is growing, I’m hopeful this little heirloom dress will last a least a couple of summers. Birdie is delighted with her fancy dress, and I had a wonderful time creating a new heirloom from Grandma Sally’s lovely vintage linens. It all goes around and around, doesn’t it?
What a special gift this is. Handing down heirlooms from generation to generation. It’s beautiful!
Thank you! I love sewing, but there is extra joy to be found when making a special dress with an heirloom fabric.