- 1). Purchase a knee-length skirt that is moderately pouffy. Select a bold, deep color, such as navy blue, dark teal, crimson or black.
- 2). Measure the bottom of the skirt. Cut a length of lace, then pin it to the bottom of the skirt. Carefully sew the lace to the bottom of the skirt, removing the pins as you go.
- 3). Obtain a white blouse or shirt, preferably one with bouffant or pouffy, peasant-like sleeves. The shirt provides the base for the top of the German dress.
- 4). Find a dark-colored tank top. Use fabric glue to adhere two strips of the embroidered lace down the front of the tank, about 3 to 4 inches apart.
- 5). Use ribbon to make a corset-like tie up the front of the tank. Start by inserting a wide-eyed needle threaded with ribbon through the cloth near the lower inside edge of the embroidered ribbon. Make another stitch across the tank, near the other embroidered ribbon, upward about an inch from the first step. Continue stitching upward, alternating sides, until you reach the top of the tank.
- 6). Begin sewing downward. Add a stitch directly across from the stitches you've already made as you continue the lacing downward. At the end of the tank, cut the excess ribbon.
- 7). Flip the tank top and the skirt inside out and pin the edges together. Sew the skirt to the tank top to make a dress.
- 8). Slip the German dress on top of the white blouse.