A really easy dress to sew to keep you cool during hot summer days!
What time is it? Summer time! And what comes with it? Heat waves.
I live in the tropical monsoon climate and in my hometown, it is both hot and humid during summer. The temperature often stays at above 30 degrees Celsius, some days up to 45 degrees, combining with humidity of above 80%, which prevents your sweat from evaporating, all make the air almost unbreathable. Your skin will be sticky and irritated with sweat and you can’t feel better even if there is wind. The wind will just make things worse because it just brings you hot air.
You will have a temptation to stay in the air-conditioned room forever. But that is impossible, you know, we must go out anyway. I think you all understand the feeling of going out in the scorching sun of the tropical region – your skin will begin to be burnt in no time. You can see how women in my country protect themselves from ruining their skin – by wearing sun-proof dresses when heading out (of course they will take them off after getting inside). I often joke that in Vietnam, we can never see a beauty on the street at daylight, we only see ninjas who are covered from head to toe in unattractive and ridiculous outfits.
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| Image: Woman in the sun-proof dress, really funny huh? Source: afamily.vn |
During the hottest days, what I really need is something that does not make me hotter – I don’t even need something to keep me cool, because almost everything I put on will be soaked in sweat after I go out for a few minutes. And I also need something that look decent, something I can go out in. And that’s why I choose the tunic dress. Although it does not look very attractive, it is modest enough for a casual work day. The loose fitting of the tunic dress and the light and sweat-absorbing fabric I choose help me feel comfortable, like I am wearing nothing on (ha ha).
The pattern I share today is a classic tunic dress pattern with slit neckline, half sleeves and knee length. The pattern has zipper at the back, but to those who are a newbie at sewing, you can skip the zipper and just sew the pieces together because of the loose fitting and the removal of the darts of the dress. You can just save yourself some time sewing and pulling the zipper up. This tunic dress is so easy and so comfortable that I’ve made a few of them to wear during hot days. I think you would love to have it in your closet.
This pattern is also versatile. If you want to wear it to work, keep the sleeves on. If you plan to just wear the tunic at home, you can skip the sleeves, and you will have a sleeveless tunic which is even more comfortable during hot summer. I have both in my closet and love them all.
The pattern is created in pdf format. You download the pattern of your size (check in the Size Chart) and print it on A4 paper at actual size/no scaling/100%. There is a test square where you can check if the pattern is printed true to size. If your size is different from the one shown in my blog, please comment your measurements below, and I will make a pattern closest to your measurements.
Again, happy sewing! I hope to see your masterpiece!
XOXO
Tiana the Little Sewist
Download link: Classic Tunic Dress (Size XXS – XXL)
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where does it say how many yards of fabric to order?
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I'm sorry, I do not have this in the pdf file, you can calculate how much fabric you need using this link:
https://sewguide.com/how-much-fabric-do-you-need/
Thank you!
Could you make this available to print on Letter sized paper please?
Hi, I am re-making this dress and will update it in a few days, please wait for me, thanks 🙂
Hi, the pattern is updated. I made a 3D simulation on a model with hip measurement of 122 centimeters and it fitted well, so I guess you will be fine with this pattern. Regards,
Tiana
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE SIZE OF THE COLOUED LINES.
DO YOU HAVE A TUTORIAL FOR THIS PATTERN? I COULD NOGT FIND IT NOR THE SIZING?
THANK YOU
Thanks for the pattern! I’m looking forward to turning some of your patterns into garments.
I’m sure it’s just me but I can’t find instructions to put the pattern together. It really is a puzzle.