What Size Do I Need?
The dress is made from a stretchy knit fabric and is intended to be a comfortable fit on the body with ease in both the bodice and skirt. Fitting ease is also included in the pattern so you can adjust and take in for your own personal measurements. The size I made for myself I am calling the Medium. My measurements are high bust (around the back and over the bust high under the arms) 36, Bust 37, Waist 32, Hips/Thigh widest point 40.
The amount of stretch and drape in the fabric will alter the fit and feel of the dress so use this table as a guide only.
| Bust | Waist | Hips | |
| Small | 32-34 | 25-28 | 34-36 |
| Medium | 36-38 | 29-32 | 38-40 |
| Large | 40-42 | 33-36 | 42-44 |
| Extra Large | 44+ | 37+ | 46+ |
Features:
- Cross-over bodice
- Optional tie belt
- Waist seam with optional elastic waist
- Pleats on front bodice
- Separate sleeves
- Straight skirt
- Multi-sizes pattern from small to extra large
Making up your pattern
Your pattern is conveniently split into 4 pieces to make it more manageable. Each is labeled with a letter and number. Numbers run top to bottom and left to right. Cut off or turn under the page edges and match the borders with the adjoining pages. If you need more information on how to put together your pattern, you can read more in the Summer Drape Top.
The bodice back pattern consists of 6 pages starting B and should be laid out as below.
The left bodice front comes on its own and it prefixed with L, pages 1-9. Laid out 3 rows of 3 sheets.
The right hand side bodice piece and the sleeve come on 12 pages, prefixed with R and are set out as below.
And lastly the skirt piece is prefixed S, pages 1-8 as below.
{UPDATE} – a new digital pattern is now available to download. It replaces this hand-drawn one from 15th June 2014. It is easier to print, uses 20% less sheets and should be easier to put together. There are 28 sheets, and these are set out 1 to 7 in each row. Once assembled, it should look like this –>
What Size Do I Need?
The dress is made from a stretchy knit fabric and is intended to be a comfortable fit on the body with ease in both the bodice and skirt. Fitting ease is also included in the pattern so you can adjust and take in for your own personal measurements. The size I made for myself I am calling the Medium. My measurements are high bust (around the back and over the bust high under the arms) 36, Bust 37, Waist 32, Hips/Thigh widest point 40.
The amount of stretch and drape in the fabric will alter the fit and feel of the dress so use this table as a guide only.
| Bust | Waist | Hips | |
| Small | 32-34 | 25-28 | 34-36 |
| Medium | 36-38 | 29-32 | 38-40 |
| Large | 40-42 | 33-36 | 42-44 |
| Extra Large | 44+ | 37+ | 46+ |
If you fall in between sizes, you can also cut between the lines, and you can ‘grade’ from one size to another by, for example, cutting a large in the waist curving out to an extra large at the hip if you need to.
Always test the fit using the paper pattern pieces, or an inexpensive test fabric before cutting your expensive fabric for this dress. If in doubt test the larger size and adjust for fitting at the side seams during construction.
Adjustments to length. The dress is designed to fit an average height – I am 5’6″, and hits above the knee. If you are taller or prefer the skirt to be longer, simply add some length to the skirt piece at the bottom.
Cutting your fabric
I was able to comfortably cut the size Medium from 2 yards of 54 inch wide fabric, with some left over.
Wrap Dress Sewing Instructions
Seam allowances – 5/8th of an inch throughout unless mentioned. Use stitches appropriate for stretch such as a narrow zigzag or a stretch stitch if your machine has one.
Start with the right hand front bodice piece and using a disappearing fabric marker, draw lines from the inward and outward points of the zig-zags at the side seam, following the length shown on the pattern, making all lines finish evenly.
Pleat those lines together, matching the lines carefully and evenly and pin in place. You should make 4 pleats.
Sew along the lines marked.
Press pleats downwards. Don’t worry if they are a bit uneven (like mine), it will look just fine.
On the left front bodice piece, mark the pleat on the wrong side, pin and then sew.
Press the pleat.
With right sides together, match shoulder seams, pin and sew. You may choose to stablise with a stay tape such as this knit stay tape at the shoulder seam (optional). Press shoulder seams open.
Iron on stay tape to the whole front cross-over edge on both bodice pieces and along the back neckline.
Turn over a 5/8 inch hem along the whole edge and top stitch.
Cross over front bodice pieces with the right hand piece on top, showing the 4 pleats. Match up the center front and notches, then pin and baste into place close to the edge, along both of the side seams and the waist seam.
Optional – add a stay tape to the bottom edge of the sleeves.
Pin the sleeves to the bodice, matching the sleeve center with the shoulder seam and ease the sleeves to fit the opening. Sew. Trim seam and finish edges (optional.)
Pin side seams and sleeve seam. Try on to check fit. Adjust as necessary.
Sew side seams and close underside of sleeves all in one seam.
Optional – trim seams and finish edges.
With right sides facing, pin skirt side seams. Try on for fit, adjust as necessary and sew side seams.
With right sides facing, match bodice with skirt at waist seam. Match center front and center back of bodice with center of skirt pieces and match side seams. Pin in place, then try for fit and adjust if necessary.
Sew waist seam with 5/8th inch seam allowance. You may either leave as is and trim and finish the seams, or add an optional elastic waist.
To add elastic waist, make a casing by closing edges of waist seam without trimming, using an overcasting foot and stitch, or by sewing close to the edge. Leave an inch open and thread through a narrow 3/8th inch elastic.
Adjust to fit waist comfortably then stitch elastic ends together with a zig-zag stitch and close casing.
Try on and check skirt length. Optional – iron your knit stay tape all along the bottom hemline of the skirt for a crisp wrinkle-free finish.
Turn up skirt hemline and finish. I prefer a twin needle finish, but you can finish with a narrow zig-zag if you like.
Turn up hem on sleeves and finish with twin needle or using your preferred method.
Cut 6 inch wide length of fabric for tie belt. Test to check what length works best for you. With right sides together, sew close to the edge with a narrow zig-zag stitch along the whole length and to close one end, either square or to a point. Turn tube the right sides out, turn under a small hem on the open end and finish either by hand or with a machine top stitch.
You may also like the belt made from a contrasting fabric or use an existing belt. The dress can also be worn without a belt if you prefer.
And you are finished! Wear and enjoy your new dress and don’t forget to send me your photos.
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