DIY Button down midi dress (with short sleeve and front pocket) | Beginner friendly sewing tutorial

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In today's tutorial, I'm going to share with you how I made my Button down midi dress with short sleeve and front pocket. This dress is the perfect one for the everyday dress this season.

So let’s get started!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

3m of checked cotton fabric
Pattern paper
Sewing machine
Pins
Scissors
Ruler
Long stick
Zipper
Buttons

MAKING THE PATTERNS

Here’s the pattern for the project. To get a clear understanding of all the measurements needed for the pattern, watch the video from 0:36 to 8:45.

Remember, you can adjust these measurements to fit your own dimensions!

THE BACK BODICE PATTERN

To create the back bodice pattern, start by drawing a straight line and a horizontal line cutting each other at one point.
Draw another straight line 2 cm away from the first one.
From the cutting point between the new straight line and the horizontal line, mark up 9 cm (half the neck size of the dress).
Draw a perpendicular line from that mark with a width of 3.5 cm (the depth of the neck at the back bodice).
Extend a straight line from the end of the perpendicular line to cut the horizontal line at one point.
Connect that cutting point to the mark on the second straight line to create a slanted line.
Mark the middle of the slanted line and connect it to the end of the perpendicular line to create another slanted line.
Keep marking the middle of each new slanted line and connect it to the previous marks and cutting points to form a curved neckline for the back bodice.
From the end of the second straight line, mark 17 cm (half the shoulder size).
Draw a perpendicular line from that mark with a width of 2.9 cm (1/10 shoulder size minus 0.5 cm).
Connect the end of that line to the neckline to form the shoulder line.
From the second straight line, draw another line 24 cm away (a quarter of the bust size plus 4 cm), which is the first line of the back bodice.
From the cutting point between this line and the horizontal line, mark up 21 cm (a quarter of the bust size plus 1 cm or more for a looser fit).
Extend the perpendicular line on the shoulder to cut the bust line.
From the cutting point, mark inside 1.5 cm and connect this mark to the end of the shoulder line to create a slanted line.
Mark the middle of this line, then connect it to the marks on the bust line, repeating this process to form a curved sleeve line for the back bodice.
From the second straight line, draw another line 44 cm away (the length from the shoulder to the belly button, or the desired bodice length). This serves as the waistline.
From the cutting point on the horizontal line, mark up 20 cm (a quarter of the bust size).
Connect this mark to the sleeve line to form the sideline of the back bodice.
Mark the middle of the waistline and draw a horizontal line through it to cut the bust line.
From this mark, make two additional marks 1 cm on either side and connect them to the cutting point on the bust line to create a dart.
Add a 1 cm seam allowance to the entire pattern except for the horizontal line, as it will be cut on folded fabric.

THE FRONT BODICE PATTERN

For the front bodice pattern, modify the back bodice pattern.
Create the shoulder line from the first straight line instead of the second.
From the cutting point on the shoulder’s perpendicular line and the bust line, mark 2.5 cm instead of 1.5 cm as done on the back bodice.
Create the sleeve line for the front bodice using the same method.
From the end of the bust line, mark up 9 cm (1/10 bust size plus 1 cm) and draw a horizontal line.
From the cutting point with the waistline, mark down 3 cm on the horizontal line.
Make two marks 1 cm on either side of this point and connect them to the mark on the horizontal line to form the dart.
From the first horizontal line, draw another line 2 cm outside to create the button and buttonhole area (half the width of the desired area).
From the first straight line, mark 15 cm on the horizontal line (the depth of the front neck).
Connect this mark to the end of the shoulder line and draw a slightly curved line to complete the neckline.
Add a 1 cm seam allowance.

THE SLEEVE PATTERN

For the sleeve pattern, measure the total width of the sleeve lines on the front and back bodice patterns.
Draw a straight line and a horizontal line cutting each other.
From the cutting point, mark 13 cm on the horizontal line (1/5 bust size minus 3 cm).
Draw a slanted line with a 24 cm width to cut the straight line (half the total sleeve line width plus 3 cm for added puff).
Divide the slanted line into three equal parts.
From the middle of the first two parts, draw an outward perpendicular line 2 cm long.
From the middle of the third part, draw an inward perpendicular line 0.5 cm wide.
Draw a curved line through these marks to create the sleeve line.
From the top of the sleeve line, mark 30 cm on the horizontal line (the length from the shoulder to above the elbow, or the desired sleeve length).
Draw a straight line through this mark. Mark up 17 cm on the new straight line (half the width at the sleeve’s end).
Connect this mark to the sleeve line to form the underarm line, curving it slightly for a smoother finish.
Add a 1 cm seam allowance, except for the horizontal line, as the pattern will be cut on folded fabric.