Have you ever thought about turning something old into something beautiful? I am heading to Disneyland so I thought I’d turn a $2 thrifted Minnie Mouse sheet into a dress! With some simple sewing skills, you can transform a plain sheet into a stunning babydoll dress with puff sleeves and charming bows on the back! Let’s dive into this DIY project and I’ll show you how to make a sheet dress.

how to make a sheet dress

Let’s start with the video tutorial so you get an overview on what I did. Then, I’ll dive in with more details below:

SUPPLIES

A flat sheet (I’m using a twin size. See below for yardage details)
Three Bow Blouse Pattern (for the bodice of the dress)
Thread matching the sheet
Sewing machine
Scissors for Sewing
Elastic (for the sleeves)
Loop Turner
Pins
Sewing Marking Pen
Rotary Knife
Rotary Mat and Acrylic Ruler
Soft Measuring tape
Magnetic Pin Cushion
Seam Ripper
Sewing Gauge

why make a disney sheet dress?

Having an outfit to wear on a Disney vacation is so fun! But there’s not a lot of official Disney clothes to buy that I like- especially dresses. Another option is to buy a Disney sheet dress pre-made (there’s a few sewists who take 90’s bed sheets to repurpose and sell). But that is an expensive option ($250+).

So if you want to save some money and can sew, making your own is a great option. The vintage Disney sheets are so cute to make dresses with since they have large patterns and fun colors. You get a big look for not a lot of money. There is Disney fabric that can be bought from fabric stores, but it will usually cost more and not give as much of a visual punch.

where to buy vintage Disney sheets

The most affordable place to find vintage Disney sheets is at thrift stores—you can often find hidden treasures for just a few dollars. Antique shops are also a smart choice, and can save you some money too. If you’re in a pinch or hunting for a particular design, eBay has a wide selection of vintage Disney sheets, though be prepared to pay a premium for rare or highly sought-after patterns.

Fabric Yardage from Different Sheet Sizes:

Twin Sheet: Typically yields approximately 3-4 yards of usable fabric.
Full Sheet: Provides about 4-5 yards of fabric.
Queen Sheet: Offers around 5-6 yards of fabric.
King Sheet: Can provide up to 6-7 yards of fabric, making it perfect for larger projects.

step 1- Cut Out the Dress Pattern

To begin, Cut Out the Dress Pattern

Cut out the following pieces from the sheet with sewing scissors:

Bodice Front and Back: These form the fitted top of the dress. For the bodice of this dress, I’m using the Three Bow Blouse Pattern. I crop mine 8″ in the front back. For the neckline, I like it rounded so I use a curve ruler to make that adjustment.
Skirt: Cut a full, flowing piece of fabric for a gathered skirt. For that, cut out two rectangles that are 24″ long by 42″ wide. That makes up the front and back of the skirt.

Sleeves: Cut out two of the sleeves. Please note that these are big and take up a lot of yardage.

Pockets: Optional but highly functional; cut four pocket pieces if desired. Try this tutorial for making your own pocket pattern. I use a pocket pattern from an old dress I’ve made before.

Ties for Bows: Cut four strips to create ties that will form the bows on the back of the bodice. The pattern for this is part of the Three Bow Blouse Pattern
Bodice Lining: Cut a second set of bodice front and back pieces to line the inside for a clean finish. I use a white cotton for this. If there’s enough of the sheet, it can be cut from that too.

Hair Bow: Optional- if you want a matching hair bow, cut out a large rectangle that’s 8″x36″ for the bow section and a small rectangle that’s 2″x4″ for the middle of the bow.

cutting tips

Lay the sheet out on a flat surface and smooth out any wrinkles. Place your dress pattern pieces carefully on the fabric to capitalize on any graphics, patterns, or interesting details the sheet may have. This will help make your dress visually unique! Be sure to avoid any worn or damaged spots that can sometimes appear when using upcycled sheets.

Tip: When positioning your pattern pieces, place larger sections like the skirt or the bodice front or sleeves and cut those out first. Then move onto smaller pieces that aren’t as much of a focal point and use those on the fabric that’s left.

step 2- Assemble the Skirt

Next, Assemble the Skirt

Serge the raw edges of the skirt and pocket pieces to prevent fraying.
Iron a 1″ hem along the bottom of the skirt and sew the hem for a polished finish.

Sew the pocket pieces to the skirt side seams. Attach the pocket to the top of the skirt.
Sew a gathering stitch along the top edge of the skirt. For this, I change my stitch length to a 5. Don’t back stitch and leave a long tail of thread on both sides of the skirt.

Gather the skirt to match the width of the bodice. I do this by laying the bodice and the skirt on a table so it’s easy to see how wide the skirt needs to be. Pull one of the strings with a hand while the other hand gently gathers the fabric to the desired width.

Sew the front and back of the skirt together at the side seams, ensuring the pockets are aligned and functional. Sew 4″ down from the waistline and 2″ up from the bottom of the pocket side. This creates the perfect size opening for the pocket. Without this step, you get a gaping hole and things fall out of your pockets.

step 3- Create the Bows

For the next step, Create the Bows

Fold each tie in half with the right sides together.

Sew around each tie with a 1/4″ seam allowance, leaving one short end open.
Clip the corner of the tie to reduce bulk.
Turn the ties right side out. Use a loop turner to help with this step (it can be tricky without this tool).
Press them flat.

step 4- Sew the Bodice

And now, Sew the Bodice

Pin the ties to the back bodice according to the pattern placement markings.
Make sure the arrows of the ties are facing the same direction for a neat and consistent look.

Sew darts on the front bodice and lining pieces. Use the pattern marking to transfer the marking of the darts on the bodice. Pin the darts in place and then sew on the marked lines.
Iron the darts towards the hem.

Attach the lining to the front of the bodice: Sew the lining to the bodice pieces along the neckline. Press.
For the back of the bodice: Sew the lining to the bodice pieces along the neckline and on the middle opening (which stitches the ties in place).
Turn the bodice right side out.
Serge any raw edges where the pieces are not sewn together to prevent fraying.

step 5- Make Puff Sleeves

Next, Make Puff Sleeves

Sew tunnels for the elastic on the sleeves- there will be one tunnel in each of the shoulders and one tunnel for the hem of the sleeves.
- To make the tunnel on the shoulders, iron over 1/2″, repeat by ironing over 1/2″ a second time.
- Sew at the edge of the tunnel.

- Insert 14″ pieces of elastic into the shoulder tunnels. Use a safety pin to push the elastic through the tunnel.
- Sew the elastic into place to secure it.

Repeat for the hem of the sleeves

- To make the tunnel on the hems, iron over 1/2″, repeat by ironing over 1/2″ a second time.
- Sew at the edge of the tunnel.
- Insert 9″ pieces of elastic into the hem tunnels. Use a safety pin to push the elastic through the tunnel.
- Sew the elastic into place to secure it.
Serge the raw edges of the sleeves.

step 6- connect the dress together

Attach the bodice to the sleeves:
- Start pinning at the armpit: Pin the front bodice to the sleeve, ensuring the pieces line up smoothly.

- Pin the sleeve seams together.
Sew the front bodice to the sleeves.
Sew the sleeve seam to complete the attachment.
Tie bows out of the 4 ties on the back of the bodice.
Attach the gathered skirt to the bodice. Pin the skirt to the dress. Sew together.

step 7- Make a Matching Hair Bow

Finally, Make a Matching Hair Bow

Fold the 8″x36″ rectangular piece of fabric in half with the right sides together (do not iron).
Cut off the corners at a 45-degree angle to shape the ends of the bow.
Sew along the edges, leaving a small hole in the center to turn it right side out.
Turn the bow right side out and iron it flat.
Fold the bow so it resembles a breast cancer ribbon.
Pinching the middle of the bow. Tie the center with a piece of string or floral wire to hold its shape.
Fold a small 2″x4″ rectangle of fabric into thirds. Press.
Use hot glue to attach this folded rectangle to the center of the bow.
Glue a barrette to the back of the bow to finish it off.

Note, I don’t have pictures for each step. But this blog post goes into detail on how to making hair bows in this style.

after

Here is the finished Disney sheet dress! Isn’t it so cute?!

There is something SO special about using an upcycled sheet for this project. For me, the 90’s sheet is super nostalgic print. Plus I love that I was able to rescue this well used sheet from the thrift store!

Giving new life to an old sheet not only saves it from the landfill but also allows you to create a unique, sustainable piece. The fashion industry is one of the biggest polluters in the world, and sewing a sheet dress is a beautiful, creative way to combat waste.

price breakdown

For this project, I spent $2 on the sheet that makes up the dress. I had the rest of the supplies on hand.

Also, I already owned the Three Bow Blouse Pattern, that would have been $19 to purchase.

Other supplies/tools you may need to purchase to make this project:

In conclusion, I hope you love this Disney Sheet dress! I really appreciate that this is such an eco-friendly project. There are so many cute vintage Disney sheets, each one would give this same dress a totally fresh look. I got tons of compliments when I wore this to the parks and felt so cute. Do you have any questions? Please let me know in the comments.

For another alternate on this same pattern, you can switch the front and back of the bodice. With that change, all you need to do is add darts on the the front bodice and not put them on the back. I tried that with another dress and it’s probably my favorite dress I own! Because the front now has an opening, I also sewed in white fabric for modesty on the front.