A dress for spring:
I’ve been wanting to make a dress for my mum for the spring and summer, something loose, flowy and easy to wear. She’s always on the go, so the aim was to create a low-maintenance piece that she can effortlessly slip on and off as part of her busy lifestyle.
Rather than starting from scratch, I decided to recreate a dress she already loves and wears all the time. That way, I knew it would be a winner and just as loved and worn as the original.
I came across a beautiful lightweight viscose-cotton blend in a olive green shade, with abstract floral patterns that feel perfect for the warmer months. It also has a subtle crinkle texture woven in, which means no ironing is needed which is always a win!
The design:
The dress is made up of 13 pieces in total: 2 bodice panels, 2 sleeves, 4 skirt tiers, 4 pocket pieces and bias binding for the neckline.
The only changes I made compared to the original dress were adding pockets (because everything is better with pockets!), slightly increasing the length so the dress finishes at the ankle and adding a higher neckline.
Materials Used:
- Fabric scissors
- Thread
- Pins
- Fabric pen
- Measuring tape/ ruler
- 3m of 60” wide lightweight fabric
- 20” of 1cm wide elastic
The sewing:
This was a fairly quick make overall, with the gathering being the most time-consuming part of the process.
For the pockets, I followed a tutorial that gave them a much cleaner finish, helping them sit neatly while remaining hidden within the seams.
Bias binding can require a lot of fabric however I used this helpful guide that minimises fabric waste and can be made using leftover fabric. Inserting bias binding around the neck can be tricky as its quite easy to stretch the neckline out of shape, I used this tried and tested video by Thuy Sewing which works perfectly everytime.
And to finish off the hem at the bottom of the dress, I used a nifty hem roller which my brother 3D printed for me. It worked a treat and saved a lot of time and effort and made the process so much easier.
I finally overlocked all the raw edges to prevent fraying and a cleaner more polished look.
The final piece:
Although it was a quick and easy make, the gathers and frills really give the dress a lovely sense of movement and impact. Most importantly, it fits my mum beautifully and she loves it!
If I were to make this again, I’d make the neckline slightly larger and adjust the sleeve gathers so they sit just around the shoulders. As a personal preference for my mum, I’d also make the bodice about an inch longer.
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