Have you ever come up short when deciding how to make your new dress? We know the feeling! Struggle no longer!
We compiled some of the ways we and various customers have made their dresses. We may not have instructions for all of the ideas and a few of them may only have limited instructions but we hope you can find inspiration anyway!
Instructions for olive dress below. Made with Rib Knit fabric.
I laid my bodice and fitted skirt together on the fold overlapping at the waist to take out the seam allowance.
I measured the bottom of the bodice and took that times 1.5 and moved it away from the fold that many inches.
I also drew a straight line at the waist for my guide for the string elastic.
I sewed only one shoulder seam together and then sewed a casing at the neck and strung elastic through it. Sew the other shoulder seam and put on sleeves. Only sew one side seam and then sew your string elastic rows around the whole waist sewing over the one side seam before sewing shut the second side seam.
Try using elastic thread for gathering or smocking. Try it for the waist, bodice or sleeve!
Instructions for dress below.
I usually pioneer it with my ideas, so I didn’t have a pattern but I’ll try to explain it.
Cut a tapered ruffle, that lengthens in the center. Gather it and sew it on. The back of the sleeve, the part you sew on to the bodice is straight. It almost looks like an upside down sleeve before you have it sewed on.
The striped dress below on the right is made with a Sew Basic Girl’s Pattern. It is size 14 eliminating the darts and adding elastic.
How to make a non-functional button down dress When you cut out the bodice (or cape instead if your making a cape dress) about 1″ – 1.5″ wider depending on the button size. It is important to make sure you cut it wider by pulling it away from the fold, where the neck line is.
Keeping your skirt and top still folded, sew along the fold the distance you need to fit your buttons on. Continue to see your dress normally, making sure the folds you sewed line up; top and skirt when you sew them together.
Now you’re ready to stitch the buttons on the fold, Tip: put two threads on your needle to make it go faster when stitching them on.
Hi Rhoda, they are available here on Beth’s Creations website. They are linked in the blog above, or you can look for them in the pattern category under the sewing supplies.
I’m curious where I can purchase a sew EZ dress pattern?
Hi Rhoda, they are available here on Beth’s Creations website. They are linked in the blog above, or you can look for them in the pattern category under the sewing supplies.