Toddler Ball Gown

This past weekend my first little girl became a real-life princess. Her daddy took her on her very first date – to a ball, no less! In the weeks leading up, she told me she wanted a blue dress and this fairy-mom delivered! Sewing her darling ball gown (and my husband’s matching pocket square) was such a joy to create. I was so happy that they got to have that time together and that I could help me it just a little more magical!✨

I had such a fun time creating this blue taffeta ballgown for my toddler.

All my mom dreams came true in this fun moment!

Have you ever imagined your little girl looking like a real-life princess? I swear it was easier to make than it appears!

This toddler ball gown was made using a Vogue for Me Pattern 7681. I looked at a lot of dress patterns before I settled on this one. One of my favorite parts of the sewing process is finding the right pattern to bring my idea to life. I wanted something elegant but also still very princess-y. I also wanted it to be age appropriate. You can find this pattern online but I think it is considered vintage and discontinued for fabric stores. Check Etsy or eBay if you want to find this pattern for yourself!

This gorgeous blue stretch taffeta was purchased from Fabric Wholesale Direct. I also ordered the matching polyester taffeta lining and white crinoline at the same time. This was only the second time in my life I had ordered fabric online. Most times I would just go to my local fabric store and browse the aisles to find what I needed, then wait in line at the cut counter. After this experience of shopping online, I think the only time I’ll shop in person is if I’m in a pinch and need it quickly. Otherwise, I’m going to be shopping Fabric Wholesale Direct FIRST. Shipping took about a week, which is fine because that gave me plenty of time to get the pattern all traced out on my favorite Swedish tracing paper, you know, during the 3 hours a night I use to live my life. 😂

After I had decided that I would be making her a dress for the daddy-daughter dance, I asked her what color she wanted.

I wanted her to be as excited about her toddler ball gown as I was to make it.

But let me tell you, when the fabric arrived I was a bit hesitant. All of that shine of the taffeta fabric folded up made me a little nervous. I was afraid it might end up looking cheap and with all the work ahead of me, that was the last thing I wanted! But I stayed the course and tried not to second guess myself. I feel like I did not disappoint myself and the fabric choice was perfect for a toddler. When so many little girls’ dresses are bathed in glitter and sequins, it was refreshing to see some understated glamour!

These off-the-shoulder sleeves were my favorite part of this sewing pattern. Unfortunately, 2-year-old girls move around a lot, and during her fittings, I noticed there were some nip slips going on. I ended up attaching the ribbon halter straps an hour before the dance. Mostly because I was hoping that after the skirt was hemmed to her height she would stop stepping on the dress, thus the bodice wouldn’t pull down. However, turns out it was just the weight of the full poofy skirt pulling it down. I just hand-stitched the ribbon to the lining and then used some extra fashion tape to give it a little extra security for the night.

Seeing the two of them all dressed up made my heart so full!

Moments like these are why I love sewing so much.

It brings me so much joy to see my loved ones excited and happy about something I created from nothing but a pattern, an online fabric store, and a little imagination. I hope you find some inspiration in this fun toddler ball gown project and know that your little princess can also be the belle of the ball!

So now it’s your turn! If you try this, tag me at @goldengluegun

You can check out more of my sewing posts here! Golden Gluegun Sewing Posts