Handmade Bunny Dress with Simplicity Pattern 1208
Handmade bunny dress made using the Simplicity Pattern 1208! A cute girl’s dress for Easter and spring.
With Easter coming up this weekend, I thought it would be fun to make this sweet Easter bunny dress for my daughter. I have had this pattern, Simplicity 1208, for a couple years now. I picked it up during one of JoAnn Fabrics’ pattern sales – my favorite time to buy patterns! This pattern was only available in sizes 3-8, larger than my daughter at the time, but the kitty and bunny dresses looked so cute I knew I’d use it someday!
For the skirt, I used a beautiful stripe fabric from Contempo’s “BoBo Baby” collection by Maggie and Flo. Making the bunny applique on the front of the dress was my favorite. It is so sweet especially with the cute ears tied in a knot! You can see a few in-process pictures below.
The dress closed in the back with buttons. I used white flower buttons I found in a shoebox of buttons my grandmother gave me. It was fun searching through the buttons trying to find three that matched. These were perfect!
The only problem I ran into with the dress was the button loops. The pattern had me create three loops for the buttons made from the same fabric as the bodice. I didn’t get a picture of them, but they looked so sweet. It wasn’t until after I stitched on my three white vintage buttons that I found I couldn’t get the fabric loops to work with the buttons. The loops were two thick and two stiff. I ended up taking them out and replacing them with small ribbon loops using 1/4″ ribbon. This worked perfectly and I was able to keep my vintage buttons.
This dress turned out so cute and is perfect for Easter and the entire spring season. The pattern came with another dress featuring a little kitty so I’m hoping to make that one too! :) Here are a few more dresses I’ve made using commercial patterns from Simplicity or McCalls!
Choo Choo Train Dress – with Free Train Applique Pattern – Simplicity 1205
Little Black Cat Dress – Simplicity 1205
Little Red Riding Hood Dress – Simplicity 1205
Woodland Part Dress – McCalls M5791
Fourth of July Nautical Baby Dress – Simplicity Sew Easy 1447
Have a wonderful week!
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I would so appreciate your help on the bodice instructions. I am making Dress C, so on Bodice C. I am confused on Step 18 if you could clarify as I do think the instructions and picture are not clear. Thanks so much!
Hi! I checked the pattern and agree that Step 18 can be confusing. In Step 15 they have you stitch the bodice to the bodice facing along the center back edges stopping at the large dots. After you flip it right side out and understitch the neck and armholes they want you to finish stitching the center back edges but this time you are just stitching bodice to bodice and facing to facing. Everything above the large dot is for the button closure and meant to be open – everything below the large dot is not part of the opening and needs to be closed so you can attach the skirt. Start with the bodice (not the facing) and with right sides together finish stitching the center back seam. Then do the same to the facing back seam. So above the dot the facing and bodice are attached and below the dot they are separate! Another way to say it – above the large dot the center back is open and below it is sewn closed. I hope that helps and makes sense!! If it still doesn’t email me at craftingcheerfully@gmail.com and I can send a little doodle to help!! :) I hope you are able to finish your dress!
Hi how did you finish off the bodice as I don’t understand the pattern instructions!
Hi! I’d be happy to see if I can help! I made this a few years ago but I still have the pattern so you could let me know what number step you are stuck at.