A hooded summer dress is light, practical and shields a child’s face from the sun. The pattern looks simple, but two construction details decide how well it lasts: the elastic in the seams and the interfacing.

Use clear elastic on stretchy fabric

On a flexible (stretch) fabric, put clear silicone elastic in the shoulder and waist seams. It stops them from stretching out or breaking as the child moves and as the dress is washed.

Choose woven interfacing

Use woven (cloth) interfacing in the facings and cover pieces, rather than paper-backed interfacing, because paper-type interfacing can come apart in the wash.

Our interfacing guide explains how to match the type and weight to your fabric.