Making my Everyday Spring dress (puff sleeves and bustier dress) | Step by step sewing tutorial
Making my Everyday Spring dress (puff sleeves and bustier dress) | Step by step sewing tutorial
Welcome or welcome back to my channel. My name is Jess and I love doing DIY, making clothes in a "simply but pretty" way.
In today's tutorial, I'm going to share with you how I made my Spring dress. This is a perfect everyday dress for this season.
That's why I hope you like it and try it out soon. So let’s get started!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
3m of linen fabric
1m of soft cotton fabric for lining
Pattern paper
Sewing machine
Pins
Scissors
Ruler
Long stick
Elastic band
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 0:42 to 10:58.
Remember, you can adjust these measurements to fit your own dimensions!
THE BACK BODICE PATTERN
Draw a straight line cutting the edge horizontal line first.
From the end of the straight line, mark up 10 cm, which is the half width of the neck of the dress that is wanted.
Then, draw a perpendicular line from that mark. The width of this line will be 4 cm, which is the depth of the back neck that is wanted.
Then, draw a straight line from the end of the perpendicular line to cut the edge horizontal line.
From the cutting point, connect it to the first mark on the first straight line.
Then, mark in the middle of the new slanted line.
After that, connect this middle mark to the end of the perpendicular line.
Mark in the middle of the new slanted line.
Draw a curved line from the first mark to this middle mark and finish it at the end of the second straight line to create the neckline for the back bodice.
From the end of the first straight line, mark up 18 cm, which is the half width of the shoulder size.
Then, draw a perpendicular line from that mark. The width of this line will be 3.1 cm, which is 1/10 your shoulder size minus 0.5 cm.
Then, connect the end of the perpendicular line to the top of the neckline to create a shoulder line for the back bodice.
From the first straight line, keep drawing another straight line 24 cm away from it. It is the quarter of your bust size plus 4 cm.
From the end of this line, mark up 24 cm, which is a quarter of the bust size of the dress that is wanted. It's also a quarter of your bust size plus 4 cm.
After that, continue the perpendicular line at the shoulder to cut the bust line.
From the cutting point, mark to the inside 1 cm.
Then, connect this mark to the end of the shoulder line.
After that, mark in the middle of this new line so a curved line can be drawn from the first mark on the bust line to this mark and finished it at the end of the shoulder line to create a sleeve line for the back bodice.
From the first straight line, draw another one at 42 cm away from it. It's the length from the shoulder to the buttonhole. It is also the length of the bodice of the dress that is wanted.
From the end of this new straight line, mark up 24 cm, which is a quarter of your bust size plus 4 cm. It's the same with the mark on the bust line that was made before.
Then, connect this mark to the end of the sleeve line to create the side line of the back bodice.
Add 1 cm for seam allowance before cutting, except the edge horizontal line.
THE FRONT BODICE PATTERN
Based on the back bodice pattern to make it. At the shoulder line, move it down 2 cm to create the width of the shoulder of the bodice part. This will be the shoulder line of the front bodice pattern.
From the first straight line, mark down 18 cm on the edge horizontal line. It is the depth of the front neck from the shoulder to above the breast.
Then, connect this mark to the top of the shoulder line to create the neckline for the front bodice and make the front neckline a bit curved to make it nicer.
From the cutting point of the perpendicular line and the bust line, mark to the inside 2 cm instead of 1 cm like was done at the back bodice.
Then, connect this mark to the end of the new shoulder line.
After that, mark in the middle of this new line so a curved line can be drawn from the first mark on the bust line to this mark and finished it at the end of the new shoulder line to create a new sleeve line for the front bodice pattern.
Connect the end of the bust line to the end of the side line to create a slanted line under the bust.
After that, mark in the middle of the new line before drawing a perpendicular line from it. The width of this perpendicular line will be around 1.5 cm.
Then, draw a curved line from the end of the side line through this mark and finish at the end of the bust line to create the underbust line for the front bodice.
Add 1 cm for seam allowance except for the edge horizontal line. And the front bodice pattern will be ready after cutting. You will need to cut two pieces of this pattern.
THE SLEEVE PATTERN
Use folded paper to create it.
From the folding line, draw a horizontal line at 7 cm away from it. 7 cm is the half width of the gathering fabric at the top of the sleeve that is wanted.
Then, draw a straight line to cut this horizontal line.
After that, from the cutting point between them, mark to the right 11 cm, which is 1/10 your bust size plus 3 cm.
Draw a slanted line with 21 cm width to connect this mark to the straight line. 21 cm is the half width of the sleeve line at the front and the back bodice pattern.
After that, divide the slanted line into three equal parts.
From the middle of the first two parts, draw an outside perpendicular line with 2.5 cm width.
At the third part, mark in the middle first.
Then, draw an inside perpendicular line from it with 0.5 cm width later.
So a curved line can be drawn from the mark on the straight line to the end of the inside perpendicular line to the end of the outside perpendicular line and finished it at the mark on the horizontal line. This will create a sleeve line for the sleeve pattern.
Also, continue the sleeve line to the folding line as well.
Make sure to bring the top of the sleeve line 1 cm higher than the original one.
From the top of the sleeve line, mark down on the folding line 32 cm, which is the length from the shoulder to above your elbow. It is also the length of the sleeve that is wanted.
Then, draw a straight line from that mark.
After that, draw a perpendicular line from the end of the sleeve line to cut this straight line to create the inside sleeve line for the sleeve pattern.
From the new straight line, keep drawing two other ones at 5 cm on two sides of it. The one outside will be the outside sleeve pattern, and the one inside will be the inside sleeve pattern.
Add 1 cm for seam allowance after that, except for the folding line.
After cutting, move one inside sleeve line 1 cm inside the other one. Then, redraw the sleeve line for the half of the sleeve pattern to create a front sleeve line.
Make sure to use the right pattern when cutting the inside sleeve and the outside sleeve.
THE SKIRT PATTERN
Draw a rectangle with 40 cm width, which is 1.5 times the width of the curved line at the front bodice pattern, and 100 cm length, which is the length from the belly button to the ankle.
From one end of the length line, mark to the outside 18 cm, which is the height of the curved butt line at the front bodice pattern.
Then, connect this mark to the end of the other length line to create a slanted line.
Add 1 cm for seam allowance after that, except for 2 cm at the end of the skirt.
And the front and the back skirt pattern will be ready after cutting.
THE SIDE POCKET PATTERN
Cut a rectangle with 20 cm width, which is the width of the pocket that is wanted, and 30 cm length, which is the length of the pocket.
On one length line, mark in the middle first.
Then, connect this mark to the top of the other length line by a curved line.
SEWING THE DRESS
THE BODICE PART
Connect the back bodice and two pieces of the front bodice together at the shoulder lines.
Also, do the same for the lining part of the bodice.
After sewing, connect the main part and the lining part of the bodice together at the neckline. Make sure the outside face will face each other.
Before sewing, add the bow tie in the middle between them. To do this, cut two long rectangles with 4 cm width, which is 4 times the width of the tie that is wanted, and around 30 cm length, which is the length of the tie.
Connect two length lines of the rectangle together and sew.
Then, use a small hair clip to turn it right-side out later and iron it to make the seam stay nicely.
Now, add each tie to the end of the neckline of each front bodice.
Then, sew to connect them all together.
After sewing, make an inside stitching together on the end fabric to the lining part before ironing.
And here's the final look of the neck of the bodice after all.
Connect the side line of the front and the back bodice together.
Make sure to connect separately the side line of the main part and the lining part.
The next step is to connect the sleeve line of the main part and the lining part together.
Also, connect the ending line of the bodice between the main part and the lining part as well and sew.
THE SLEEVE PART
At the end of the outside sleeve part, draw a horizontal line at 1 cm inside the ending line first.
Then, add the ending line of the inside sleeve to the horizontal line later and sew.
After that, fold the ending line of the outside sleeve to the inside around 0.5 cm first.
Then, keep folding it again to the inside sleeve to create a fabric hole with 1.5 cm width and sew.
Cut an elastic band with 1 cm width, which is smaller than the fabric hole just created, and 28 cm length, which is 4 cm bigger than the width of your arm.
Use a small hair clip to help the elastic band go through the fabric hole.
Then, sew two ends of the elastic band to two ends of the sleeve to keep it from moving.
After that, connect two inside sleeve lines together from the outside sleeve to the inside sleeve.
Then, turn the right face of the outside sleeve over the inside sleeve to have their sleeve lines meeting each other.
Then, sew to connect them together.
After sewing, make two loose seams there first.
Then, create a gathering fabric there.
Make sure the final width of the sleeve line will be the same with the sleeve line at the bodice part.
And the gathering fabric should be at the top of the sleeve.
CONNECT THE SLEEVES TO THE BODICE
Now, connect the sleeves to the bodice part at the sleeve line.
THE SKIRT PART
At the front skirt part, mark down at 8 cm from the top of two sides. They are the position of the side pocket that is wanted.
Then, add the pocket piece there and sew.
Do the same for the back skirt part before connecting the front and the back skirt together at the side line.
To create a depth for the side pocket, mark down 14 cm from the top of the pocket at the width of the open area of the pocket where you can put your hand in.
Then, sew the rest together.
Finish the end of the skirt by folding the end fabric inside two times with 1 cm each time and sewing.
At the top of the skirt part, make two loose seams first.
Then, create a gathering fabric there.
Make sure the final width of the gathering fabric will be the same with the width at the end of the bodice part.
So they can be connected together later.
Making my Everyday Spring dress (puff sleeves and bustier dress) | Step by step sewing tutorial
And I finished this DIY. Here’s my final result!
This cute little dress is perfect for spring. The V-neck with a bow tie and the double puff sleeves make it really pretty, while the gathered fabric at the bottom makes it super comfortable. It’s an easy everyday dress to wear.
I hope you found my step-by-step guide helpful and inspiring.
If you’re interested in making your own, give it a try and let me know how it goes!
Until then, happy sewing!
