Hello Everyone!
With the summer heat now fast approaching, it is time to sew up a few cool summer dresses. I made this dress as a sample and used a soft-flowing polyester that is fast-drying and needs very little ironing. The pattern I drafted is for a size 10 (32-inch bust).
The dress is super light, cool, and perfect for any holiday destination.
Other fabric suggestions are:
Viscose, Silk, Crêpe de Chine, and Crinkle Polyester.
You will need about 2.6 m (2 7/8 yd) of fabric.
Matching sewing thread
Vilene
To make the dress:
Fold the fabric right sides together and pin the pattern pieces to the straight grain of the fabric. Cut all panels out and neaten the raw edges.
1. With the right sides together, pin and stitch the side backs to the centre back panel, matching notches. Press the seams.
2. With the right sides together, pin and stitch the side fronts to the centre front panel, matching notches. Press the seams open. Pin and stitch the front and back of the sides together and press.
3. Sewing the loops
Cut a strip on the straight grain that is 4 cm by 40 cm long. Press 1 cm to the wrong side on the long edges. Fold the strip in half lengthwise, press, and topstitch.
4. Cut the loop strip into 5 equal lengths and fold it to form loops. With raw edges level, tack and sew the loops to the right side of the fabric where the fabric is marked.
5. Sew the ties the same way as the loops, and fold one end of each tie 1 cm to the wrong side. Topstitch the ties and across the folded ends. With raw edges level, tack the ends of the ties to the right sides of the dress front.
6. Iron interfacing to the wrong side of facings. Neaten all the raw edges. Stitch the back facing to the front facing at the sides. Press. If you want to line the dress, then now is the time to cut and sew lining from the same pattern. Attach lining, or facing, or both to the top edge of the dress. Trim and clip the seam allowance. Understitch the facing.
7. Neaten the raw edges of the hemline. Turn 1/2 cm up and topstitch the hem in place. Press the garment.
Have a great week!