Crinkle cotton, known in Turkish as bürümcük, is a lightweight, airy fabric with a naturally wrinkled texture. It is a favourite for children’s summer clothes because it is breathable, needs hardly any ironing and suits almost every pattern. Here are the notes from this embroidered girl’s dress.

Fabric notes

This fabric shrinks by about 5% when it is washed and ironed, so pre-wash it and allow a little extra length before cutting. The seams of a crinkled, lightly stretchy weave can open or crack over time. Reinforce the joins with clear elastic (silicone) tape so they keep their shape and do not split.

The neckline edge is finished with a narrow overlocked edge and topstitched with fine thread, then shirred for a soft, gathered look.

The same fabric works well with almost any pattern, so you can adapt the shape to your own taste. Embroidery, lace trim or simple plain finishes all look good on crinkle cotton.

Here is the same fabric made into a different model, with different sleeves and a different skirt, which shows how versatile the fabric is.

For the armhole ruffle, cut the strip about one and a half times the length of the edge it will be attached to and gather it onto elastic.

With the leftover fabric you can make a matching hat. It looks lovely with the dress in summer and protects a child’s head and face from the sun.