SLPC Betty’s Ultimate Flounce Circle Skirt Dress

Simple Life Pattern Company have done it again with a beautiful dress pattern – right in time for your holiday sewing!

Betty’s Ultimate Flounce Circle Skirt Dress pattern* includes:

• Size 2T – 12
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Double or single flounce flutter
• Side panel color blocking
• Side panel bows (or ties) and pocket bows
• Sleeveless or sleeved
• Gathered circle skirt with optional ruffled hem or simple gathered dress skirt
• Designed for woven fabric
• Button/snap closure at the back

My version was made with some blue chambray denim from JoAnn (remnant, yay!), and the skirt is from a chambray sheet set I got on clearance at Target a few months ago. The buttons were in my collection a while and my daughter insisted she had to have them! I used a darker denim for the bows. I found the lace at JoAnn too.

The biggest challenge for me in this dress was getting the sizing right for my daughter. She is a 4T waist but size 7 for height, so I had to combine sizes to get the fit right. I adjusted the bodice, including the armscye, to accommodate her height, and used a size 7 sleeve, but I think this sleeve is a bit too wide for her. So, not sure… I highly recommend making a muslin of the bodice (just 1 sleeve, 1 front, and 1 back) to ensure a perfect fit.

Most of the instructions for this pattern are pretty good, though there are some areas where I’d suggest doing things differently. First, if you’re putting bows on your pockets and want to use your sewing machine, it is much easier to attach them to the skirt BEFORE you construct the skirt.

The instructions have you top stitch the entire bodice. I think understitching looks better, so I did that instead.

Something to note is that the sleeves are cut on the fold and installed on the flat. At least in the tester version that I made, there was no additional ease in the sleeve cap. Depending on your perspective on things, this may or may not be a problem for you. Personally I prefer a set in sleeve on a woven garment.

Overall though, this is a cute dress and the bows just make it so beautiful. I have plans for a black and white version — I had hoped to get it done last week but unfortunately that didn’t happen!

To celebrate the release of Betty’s Ultimate Flounce Circle Skirt Dress*, Simple Life Pattern Company currently has this dress pattern on sale with 20% off until November 7. All other patterns are on sale for 30% off through November 19th (with coupon code found in their Facebook group – excludes new releases). Time to stock up on all the pretty dresses!!

*This post contains affiliate links. I receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) for any purchases you make after following these links. 

I received a free copy of this pattern in exchange for testing it.