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Debbie Shore's Dressmaking Studio: Wrap Dress
Moderate |
Quick Links: What you'll need Project steps
Our lovely, smart summer wrap dress has a simple tie waist and short sleeves. It has a waist seam and bodice darts, which will help you get a flattering fit.
About the project
This short-sleeved, flirty wrap dress, which is designed to finish above the knee, is perfect hot-weather wear. The front/neck edge is finished with bias binding, which is turned completely to the inside of the dress (known as invisible binding), giving the dress a sleek, neat finish. The bodice has four darts – two on the front and two on the back – enabling you to get a neat fit. The darts on the front are French darts, which go into the side seams, whereas the ones on the back are vertical and go into the waist seam.Fabric choices
This pattern is designed for light- to medium-weight woven fabrics with little to no stretch. Fabrics with a soft drape, such as viscose, will hang beautifully, while crisp, lightweight cottons or linens will produce a more structured silhouette – try Tencel™, viscose/rayon and viscose blends, lightweight cotton, cotton lawn, cotton chambray, lighter-weight linen or linen blends. I used a linen-mix fabric for my dress.Sizing and fit
Before cutting out your chosen fabric (especially if it’s expensive), it’s always recommended that you make a toile first in cheaper fabric, to test for sizing and allow you to make any alterations. For this dress, a toile will help you check the position of the bust darts and the height of the waist seam as well as the length of the dress, so I encourage you make one. I lengthened my dress by 6in (15cm) so it would end below the knee, rather than above it. This pattern is designed for someone approx. 5ft 7in (170cm) tall. If you are much taller or shorter than this, you may need to adjust the length of the bodice and/or skirt pieces (see Lengthening and Shortening Patterns). The patterns come in two size sets. The first one, for sizes 4–18, is designed for a B cup while the second, for sizes 16–32 is designed for a D cup. This means that for sizes 16 and 18 you can choose which cup size is best for you and select from the appropriate set. In terms of dressmaking, a B cup means that the high bust (your body circumference just under your armpits) is 2in (5cm) smaller than your bust measurement (measured around the fullest part of the bust) and a D cup means that the high bust is 4in (10cm) smaller than your bust measurement. Always choose the pattern size according to your measurements rather than simply opting for your usual dress size as different companies use different body sizing for their patterns.Make it your own!
- Lengthen the skirt pieces if that’s your preferred look, as I did: see Lengthening and Shortening Patterns.
- Make a sleeveless version – you can trim the armholes a little, as desired, and finish the edges with binding following the instructions for binding the front of the dress. .
- Add a deep, full frill to the bottom of the dress to turn it into a maxi.
- Make a feature of the ties by cutting them much wider and longer so you can tie them in a generous bow.
By the end of this project, you’ll have:
- Made a beautiful dress.
- Sewn two types of darts.
- Learned how to make dress ties.
- Discovered a neat way of finishing exposed edges with invisible binding.
The Templates
Size charts are included on the template pages. There are six options to choose from:
- Click here to download the A0 pdf pattern for sizes 4–18 (B cup)
- Click here to download the A0 pdf pattern for sizes 16–32 (D cup)
- Click here to download the A4 size pdf pattern for sizes 4–18 (B cup)
- Click here to download the A4 size pdf pattern for sizes 16–32 (D cup)
- Click here to download the US Letter size pdf pattern for sizes 4–18 (B cup)
- Click here to download the US Letter size pdf pattern for sizes 16–32 (D cup)
The cutting layouts and sizing
Press the Instructions button to download the cutting layouts for all sizesPress the Instructions button to download the sizing information for all sizes Don’t forget to check out the dresses that other members have made for inspiration (see right) and, if you have any questions about making this pattern, remember to refer to the forum. You can also chat to other members via the Half Yard Sewing Club Facebook page!
Note: use a ⅜in (1cm) seam allowance unless otherwise stated.
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You will need:
Equipment
- Sewing machine with a needle suitable for your fabric
- Printer paper, scissors and tape if printing the pattern at home
- Fabric shears
- Optional: overlocker for finishing the seam allowances
- Rouleaux loop turner, turning set or strong thread and a darning needle for turning the ties right side out
- Removable fabric marker (I prefer heat-erasable)
Materials
- 59in (150cm) wide fabric: 1¾yd (1.5m) for sizes 4–12 (B cup), 2.1yd (1.9m) for sizes 14–18 (B cup), 2½yd (2.3m) for sizes 16–22 (D cup) or 3yd (2.7m) for sizes 24–32 (D cup) OR for 54in (137cm) wide fabric: 2.1yd (1.9m) for sizes 4–12 (B cup), 2½yd (2.2m) for sizes 14–18 (B cup), 2¾yd (2.5m) for sizes 16–22 (D cup) or 3yd (2.8m) for sizes 24–32 (D cup)
- 1½in (4cm) wide double-fold bias binding (¾in/2cm wide when folded): you will need up to 2¾yd (2.5m) for pattern set sized 4–18 and up to 3¼yd (3m) for the set for sizes 16–32
- Sew-on snap fastening
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Project steps:
Step 1
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Step 2
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