Build a bear dress tutorial

My daughter got her first build-a-bear on her birthday.  Build-a-bear is all about the clothes so I knew some more clothing options were necessary.  I took a build-a-bear shirt 
(we don't have a dress at the moment) and made a template.  
After some thought and some tweaking, I am pleased with it and am sharing it here.  
You can use this tutorial to make a dress like this.  

Supplies:  

36"x14" piece of fabric

18" x 6" fabric for the lining

18" x 2" fabric for the band (or ribbon)

3" of velcro

I used a 1/4" seam allowance.  

A kind soul (Thanks, Spacefem!) created the pdf of the pattern.  The link can be found here.

  

Pin the template to your main fabric and cut it out.  Do the same with the fabric you're using for lining.
After you cut out the two pieces of fabric, pin them together like this.

You will sew everything except the bottom and the top of the shoulders.  

 

 Flip that right side out (make sure you poke all of the corners out) and iron it.  Iron the bottom hem of your skirt piece as well, and the band if you are using fabric.  I folded the fabric of the band so it overlapped in the back.  My final band is about 7/8" wide.  Hem the bottom of the skirt as well and place the band aside. 

Do a very loose straight stitch across the top of the skirt part and do not back stitch.  You're going to hold the bottom thread in your hand and gather the fabric until it is bunched up and matches the length of the top.  After that, pin the pieces together so the raw edges will be on the outside of the outfit.  They'll be covered up with the band later.  Sew the top and skirt together. 

Pin your band to the dress, making sure to cover the raw edges.  Sew the edges of the waist band in place.  It helps to give your child a lot of stickers to keep them occupied. 

It doesn't matter what side you sew the velcro on to, but make sure you place the pieces in a way that will allow the dress to close.  I prefer to place the scratchy side underneath the fabric and let it stick out.  The soft piece of velcro is placed on the underside of the other side of the dress and sewn in. 

All that's left now is the shoulders.  With the dress inside out, pin them together.  Then sew them and cut the edges with pinking sheers or serge (tight zig zag stitch) them. 

Your dress is done!  

Here is another one I made with a ribbon instead.  

 
Let me know if you have any questions!