Dress sewing patterns to make you look and feel good
I’m a bit of a newbie to sewing, so when it comes to sewing patterns, I’m not the most confident. But I do feel quite adventurous. Having spent years almost exclusively in jeans I am rediscovering the joy of dresses. So I’ve decided to make one or two of my own. I’ve been squirrelling away the best dress patterns – some with long sleeves, so with (gulp) invisible zipper (or zip as we say in the UK). I love linen fabric and other high quality fabrics, so I’ll share a few of my favourite places for sourcing these too.
My sewing skills are definitely still at the beginner stage, but there’s only one way to get better isn’t there? I’m going to take a deep breath and just get stuck in.
Dress sewing patterns on Etsy
Always the first place I start looking for ideas, here are my favourite dress sewing patterns from Etsy with ideas for all skill levels.
Ada dress pattern with long sleeves and ruffled hem
Pretty and I’m thinking linen gingham or maybe a soft washed denim would be an amazing fabric to use.
Liston smock dress sewing pattern
This one is right up my street. Comfortable, simple and stylish.
The Garden dress
I’m obsessed with this one. It’s a bit pricer than other patterns but I absolutely love it. My only hesitation is whether my sewing skills are up to the task. It’s suitable for Intermediate level sewists and beyond, so I’m not confident. It assumes knowledge of basic sewing techniques and terminology as well as being able to make alterations to a toile. Techniques include transferring drill marks and fold lines onto fabric, sewing pin tucks, hand basting, bias bindings, inseam pockets, turning ties and a button loop closure. Assuming you can master all of that, it sounds like you’d end up with a great fit and a dress of timeless elegance.
It’s a relaxed fitting dress with side ties just above the waistline which can be adjusted to suit a desired silhouette. The construction of the dress features a front and back bodice filled with pin tucks, a three quarter length sleeve with pin tucks surrounding the cuff, inseam pockets, a simple slit and button loop closure at the back and a wide faced hem. There are 4 options included with this pattern; the v-neck dress with sleeves which rests just below the calf, the v-neck blouse with sleeves which rests just above the hip, the crew neck dress without sleeves, and the crew neck blouse without sleeves. Put it that way and it doesn’t sound pricey at all.
The Willa Dress
this one is really pretty too if puff sleeves are your thing… https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1686124442/the-willa-dress-pfd-pattern
Wilder Dress sewing patterns
Beginner level and really gorgeous, flattering design.
Or how about this Felicia pinafore pattern with added sleeves?
Vogue Dress sewing pattern
As brand patterns go, I can’t help retaining a long-held love of the Vogue pattern. There’s something so iconic about the Vogue label – and often stylish about their simple lines. This pattern has two length variations so you could either make two totally different dresses or just go for long and glamorous or short and fun. It looks like the panels are how you create the fit and shape so there’s no bust dart to worry about. Which is an attractive prospect for me.
Butterick is another brand that has a longheld place in my heart. My mum made my first sschool summer dress from a Butterick pattern and I loved it dearly. There are so many gorgeous designs to choose from among the Butterick sewing pattern misses’ dresses but this one is my current favourite.
Before we move on from Vogue patterns, I just wanted to share this beauty with you too. It’s such a chic dress. Not sure my sewing skills are up to making this (yet!) but I have confidence in you!
Butterick dress pattern
I’d make the longer version with sleeves but probably leave out the ric rac. A good quality linen or cotton fabric would work beautifully. Butterick B patterns are paper patterns which means you don’t have to convert a PDF onto paper. For me, that’s a real benefit, even if you have to wait for it to arrive in the post.
A Burda’s favorite dress pattern, I’d also have to include this one:
If you chose the right core fabric (with the design running upwards from the hem), it would be really stunning don’t you think?
New free sewing pattern ideas
The Mood Sewciety blog is a great resource for finding free sewing patterns, including dresses. https://www.moodfabrics.com/blog/category/free-sewing-patterns/dress-patterns/
Designer Helen Castillo has some fab designs and tutorial videos on there (all free), including this stunning bodycon evening gown https://www.moodfabrics.com/blog/the-rosalina-bodycon-dress-free-sewing-pattern/ This super helpful youtube tutorial (above) takes you through all the steps. A super sleek runway dress – for just the price of the fabric you choose!
A few of my favourite places for sourcing core fabrics:
My Fabrics is a useful resource. This dusky pink linen/cotton mix is pretty https://www.myfabrics.co.uk/p/lightweight-linen-blend-pre-washed-light-dusky-pink/1298206.0.m.html
Wild Linens is another favourite – a great resource for finding ethically produced linen
My local charity shops have been a great source of lovely fabric over the years. Oxfam sells a selection of haberdashery online which is worth a browese.
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