Basic Dress

           

Mini or maxi or anywhere in between, strappy or strapless, make it the way you want it.

This dress is simple to make, basically a big tube of fabric with elastic to provide shaping, it does not require a pattern, meaning it can be easily adapted and customised so you can make it the way you like. Based on body measurements for a perfect fit.

This tutorial is for lightweight woven fabrics that drape well, there will be separate tutorials based on this design for sheer fabrics with lining ( like organza or lace) and for stretch knits (t shirt fabric).

  

You'll Need

Light weight  fabric, washed and ironed. A fine fabric that drapes well works best for this dress, such as  very light cottons, satin and other light synthetic fabrics. Depending on how you want the finished dress to look, you may want  fabric in a contrasting colour, light to medium weight.

Pins 

Thread to match both fabrics

Elastic, 2cm / .78 inches wide

Hand sewing needle

Safety pin

Small sharp scissors, not essential but useful

Fabric or household scissors

Chalk - a dress maker's pencil or a small piece of chalkboard chalk in a colour that will show up clearly on your fabric. You can use a coloured pencil, but you'll need to mark very lightly, as it might not wash off too well

Unpicker, not essential but useful if you make a mistake

Not pictured -   sewing machine and iron

The scissors, pins, unpicker, thread and tape measure are available at some supermarkets.

The wide elastic is available from fabric stores, you can also get it at online fabric/haberdashery stores and Ebay.

Decide how you want your dress to look

This dress can be made to any length, you can have the contrasting bands or sew the bands on the inside so they don't show. This dress works well strapless or add any width of straps that you like. You can change the dress along the way, but it is a good to start with a rough idea of how you want it to look. 

How much fabric and elastic you'll need

Main dress fabric

To work out how much of each you need, you'll need to take some measurements. 

To get the width of fabric needed, measure yourself where you are widest. If this around your breasts, wear the kind of bra you'll wear under the dress when you measure. If you are widest around your belly, hips, thighs, etc undress, so you are measuring just your body, not your clothes as well.

To your body measurement add 20cm / 7.8 inches, this gives the dress some fullness, some width. You will be able to reduce this amount, if it is too much. You can add more if you want, but it many make the dress puff out too much around the top.

The dress will be made of two panels. To get the width of each panel, we use the body measurement plus the 20cm / 7.8 inches divided by two and add 3cm / 1.18 inches seam allowance (1.5cm / .59 inches each side) to each panel. 

Body measurement  + 20cm / 7.8 inches = basis for width measurement divided by 2 + 3cm / 1.18 inches = panel width

Using my measurements, making the dress pictured:

126cm + 20cm = 146cm  divided by 2 = 83cm + 3cm = 86cm

The length can be whatever you want. You can base the length on a dress that fits to a length you like, or you can stand in front of a mirror with a tape measure, holding one end where you want the neckline to be and raise and lower the other end until you find a length you like. If you are not completely sure of the length you want, you can make a rough estimate and get some extra fabric and play around with the length until you are happy with how it looks.

To your length measurement add 1.5cm / .59 inches seam allowance (top edge only) and the hem. A narrow hem will need 3cm / 1.18 inches. A wide hem will need about 6cm / 2.3 inches. I think a wide hem suits this dress, it makes the skirt section fuller, makes it stand out slightly wider. For this dress, I am making a maxi length and and putting a huge hem, 32cm / 12.5 inches. This is so I can wear it short in winter with tights and in summer let it down and wear it as a maxi. 

length + seam allowance + hem = panel length 

Using my measurements, making the dress pictured:

81cm + 1.5cm + 32cm = 114.5cm

Bands

You will also need fabric for the bands that house the elastic and the straps. The band size is based on the size of the elastic and the body measurement plus 20cm / 7.8 inches. 

Elastic + 1cm / .39 inches ease (this gives some room to get the elastic in) + seam allowance (1.5cm / .59 inches each side) = band height

Using my measurements, making the dress pictured:

2cm + 1cm + 3cm = 6cm

body measurement + 20cm / 7.8 inches + seam allowance  (1.5cm / .59 inches each side) = band width

Using my measurements, making the dress pictured:

146cm + 3cm = 149cm

Straps

I am making straps that match the width of the bands, you can make them any way you like, or have a strapless dress. 

Base the length of the straps on a top that fits the way you like, or bra strap length, add 5cm / 1.9 inches at least, 10cm / 3.9 inches is better, so you can play with the strap length. 

The finished width of the straps will be the same as the finished width of the bands. 

Band height - seam allowance x2 + seam allowance (1.5cm / .59 inches each side)  = fabric width required for a strap. 

Using my measurements, making the dress pictured:

6cm - 3cm = 3cm x2 = 6cm + 3cm = 9cm

Not to scale, below is all the fabric pieces you need to make this dress. 

Dress panels

Body measurement  + 20cm / 7.8 inches = basis for width measurement divided by 2 + 3cm / 1.18 inches = panel width

length + seam allowance + hem = panel length 

Bands

Elastic + 1cm / .39 inches ease (this gives some room to get the elastic in) + seam allowance (1.5cm / .59 inches each side) = band height

Body measurement + 20cm / 7.8 inches + seam allowance  (1.5cm / .59 inches each side) = band width

Straps

Band height - seam allowance x2 + seam allowance (1.5cm / .59 inches each side)  = fabric width required for a strap.

Length as required.

Using your chalk, mark and cut the pieces.

Elastic

You need need three lengths of elastic, one to go around your upper chest, one below your breasts and one above the waist. Take these measurements add a little extra, 5cm / 1.9 inches to 10cm / 3.9 inches to each, this will give you room to adjust the fit of your dress. 

Sewing the Seams

Place the two panels together, wrong sides facing out. The wrong side is the side that will be on the inside of the finished dress. The right side will be on the outside - the side you see when you're wearing the dress. 

If you don’t have an overlocker, pin the side seams together and sew, 1.5cm / .59 inches in from the edge.

Press the seams flat as shown.

Turn the raw edges under by about .5cm / .19 inches and press flat.

Sew the raw edges under, as shown. 

This gives a neat finish that will not fray.

If you have an overlocker, overlock the raw edges first, then pin the edges together, 1.5cm /.59 inches from the edge, so the right sides are together. The right side is the side that will be on the outside when the skirt is finished, the wrong side will be on the inside. Sew the side seams and press flat.

Elastic Placement

Right now you've made a big tube of fabric. Turn it so the right side is facing out, and put it on, over the kind of bra you'll wear with the dress. Using your lengths of elastic, tie them where you want the top of the dress to be, under your breasts and above your waist. Don't worry about the fit of the elastics too much, you will be able to make sure that is just right later on, they just need to be holding the cloth to the body. Now you want to work out exactly where the fabric bands to hold the elastic will go and to see if you have enough fabric or too much. Move the fabric around so it is not all bunched in one spot, you want it to be a bit even (doesn't have to be perfect). If you need to take the dress in pin one of the side seams, measure the amount, mark with the chalk, pin and resew. Remember you will need to shorten the bands the same amount. If your breasts are proportionally smaller and there is too much fabric at the top but the lower half fits well you will need to take some fabric from the top only, see note one.


To work out where the bands will go, move them around, to decide where you want the top of the dress to sit and where the bands that will hold the elastics should sit. Once you are happy, place a pin at the top edge of the lower two elastics. Take the dress off and measure from the top edge to the two pins. These measurements tell you where the top edge of the bands will go. Add 1.5cm / .59 inches to each measurement, to allow for the upper edge seam allowance.

Mark the upper edge placements for the two lower bands and mark 1.5 cm / .59 inches from the top - seam allowance for the top edge.

Fold the top edge along the marked line and press flat.

Mark the seam allowance along the edges of the bands. 

Fold along the marked line and press flat.

Mark the seam allowance at both ends, fold and press flat.

Pin the bands to the dress, matching the fabric edges along the top and following the marked lines for the lower two bands. 

Start and finish at one of the side seams, matching the start and end of the bands to the seam line. Match the ends so they sit evenly and and close together. The ends will be left open, to thread the elastic through. 

Sew close to the edge, using a medium straight stitch. 

Check around all the bands, that the they are stitched down firmly, that no spots have been missed. Any areas that need to be sewn again, like above, pin and resew.

It's important that the bands should ends be even and close together, as above. This is so

the ends can be hand stitched together neatly after the elastic has been fitted.

Pin the safety pin firmly to the elastic.

 Thread the pin into the band opening and pull all the way through. Be careful that the other end of the elastic doesn't slip into the band. 

Pin the ends of the elastics together using pins or safety pins, to stop the ends slipping back into the band.

Straps

Mark the seam allowance along the edges of the straps, fold and press flat. Fold in half and press flat. 

Pin the edges together.

Sew down both sides, very close to the edge.

Adjust the fit of the elastic and straps

Put the dress on and adjust the elastic lengths to fit. Pin the elastic ends close to the openings of the bands. Pin the straps in place so they cover your bra straps. 

Attach the straps

Fold the seam allowance under on the straps, place the fold line just below the lower stitch line on the underside. Pin on the outside. If your your bands on the inside of the dress, pin and sew on the inside. 

Sew over the existing line of stitching, both top and bottom rows. 

 Sew the elastic

Cut any excess elastic, leaving 1.5cm / .59 inches seam allowance. Over lap the elastic ends and pin. 

Sew back and forth to ensure the elastic sewn securely. I have sewn in white so you can see the stitches more clearly. 

Stretch the bands to pull the elastic so it is all on the inside and the gathering is even all the way around. Hand stitch the band openings, as shown. Secure each end with little three stitches in the same place before cutting the thread.

Hem

For a narrow hem, fold  2cm / .78 inches of the fabric over to the wrong side, then under 1cm / .39 inches and pin. For a wide hem fold over 6cm / 2.3 inches of the fabric over to the wrong side, then under 1cm / .39 inches and pin. Stitch close to the top edge of the hem. 

Sew close to the upper edge. Check that the hem is sewn all the way around, that no bits were missed, trim any threads and iron. 

Your dress is ready to wear and enjoy! I would love to see pictures! Please let me know if it's ok to post them. If you need help with this tutorial, please contact me.

 Email makingfattyfashion@gmail.com 

Tumblr makingfattyfashion.tumblr.com

Note one

 If your breasts are proportionally smaller and there is too much fabric at the top but the lower half fits well you will need to take some fabric from the top only. Pin to fit at the top, measure the amount it needs to be taken in. Divide it by two, so you will be taking it in on both seams. Mark, sloping down to the hem to keep the fullness there. A long gentle slope  will maintain the shape of the dress.