How to Make a Butterfly Dress in a Few Simple Steps

The SILEM
by The SILEM
6 Materials
$15
1 Hour
Easy

This DIY butterfly dress is the perfect chic dress to wear to a summer event. You’ll move freely and comfortably in a short butterfly dress and depending on the fabric you choose, you could even wear a short kaftan to a wedding.


A short butterfly dress is one of the easiest dresses to sew even with basic sewing skills. Ready to make cute butterfly dresses? Let’s get sewing your short kaftan dress!

Tools and materials:

  • 2 yards fabric
  • Tailor’s chalk
  • Measuring tape
  • Scissors
  • Sewing machine
  • Bias tape
Making a butterfly dress pattern

1. Make the pattern

Fold your fabric in half to your preferred length with the right sides showing. Measure along the fold to find the center of the fabric. Mark the center.

Marking the depth of the neckline

Mark the depth of the neckline at 4 inches down the center line with a small horizontal line.

Measuring the width of the neckline

Measure the width of the neckline along the fold. Mark 4 inches on either side of the center line for a total of 8 inches. Draw a curve towards the depth mark, connecting the neckline.

Making the butterfly dress pattern

Measure your bust, waist, and hips. Divide each of your measurements by 4. Mark your bust, waist, and hip line with a small horizontal mark along the center line.


Confused? Watch from 1:10 to 1:40 to see what I do. Mark your bust, waist, and hip measurements at their marks on either side of the center line. Add 1-inch seam allowance to both sides.

Connecting the points together

Connect all these points together.

Cutting the fabric

2. Cut the fabric

The only cutting you’ll do is to cut the neckline along the marks. 

Sewing the butterfly dress

3. Sew the dress

Start sewing from the bust measurement all the way down past the hip line.

How to sew a butterfly dress

Sew along the markings directly on the right side on both sides of the dress.

Making and adding bias tape

If you know how to use bias tape, sew the bias tape to the neckline for a finished neckline. Sew bias tape to the unfinished edges and dress bottom. See how I sew bias tape from 5:20 to 7:45.


If you’re not comfortable using bias tape, fold in the neckline, raw sides, and dress bottom, and sew a hem.

How to make a butterfly dress

How to make a butterfly dress

I present to you the simple, chic, and beautiful short kaftan dress. Please let me know in the comments if you made this and where you wore it. Thanks for joining!

Suggested materials:
  • 2 yards fabric
  • Tailor’s chalk
  • Measuring tape
See all materials

The author may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page.

Comments
Join the conversation
Next