DOWNLOAD LINK AT THE END OF THE POST
I am introducing my newest design – the Julie drop waist dress. I have posted a sneak peek of this design last week on my Facebook page, and promised that it would come soon, but here I am, late again! So sorry for the wait!
This dress is inspired by the summer, well, you can resist the call of the sun and the wind, especially now we can go outside again! Dress yourself up a bit with extra detail and cut, and be ready to take photos! Let’s have a look at the 3D simulation of the Julie dress:
It has a regular round neck front, and plunge back neckline, with a contrast bow tie.
Or you can skip the bow to show off your sexy back!
Or choose a cheerful floral pattern for the dress.
As usual, the Julie drop waist dress is made in 10 sizes from XXS to 5XL, so you will find yourself a suitable size. You can also lengthen or shorten the hemline to get your desired length – you can even make a midi or maxi dress with this pattern.
The pattern is made using layered PDF, please check for your desired size before printing so you won’t waste your paper. I have included a first page with many details about sizing and printing, so please first read the first page and make sure you know what size you need! If you still do not know how to print a layered PDF, please check for the instruction here.
You can print this using your home printer and A4/Letter paper. I calculated the printing area so that you will be able to use either type of paper to print the pattern out perfectly. Always print the first page first and check with the test square if you are printing at the right scale before you print out the whole pattern – avoid waste of ink and waste of paper, save the earth!
Some PC may print smaller than actual size even when you choose 100% scale – I don’t know why this problem exist, but my HP laptop cannot print true to size. I have to scale up to 103% to get the right size. You may need to check with your PC to see if it prints true to size, if not, scale up a bit.
HOW TO SEW THE JULIE DROP WAIST DRESS
You will need
- Fabric of your choice
- Invisible zipper
- Some fusible interfacing
- Scissors, pencil or fabric marker, ruler, pins
- Sewing machine or needle and thread
What fabric can be used for this project? I’d experiment this dress with any kind of woven fabric I have on hand. Thin, flowy and soft silk for extra feminine feel, or linen for vintage breath. I would also love to see it made in jacquard or denim – even try colorful prints – to add some fun to the look.
How much fabric do you need for this piece of garment? You may need to check how much fabric you need before buying. It will depend on the selected pattern size, the width, and design of the fabric you plan to use. Just to be sure, print all the paper patterns and lay them out at the width of fabric you plan to use (usually from 90 to 150 centimeters or 35 to 60 inches). Measure how much fabric you will need. Don’t forget to account for pieces that need to be cut multiple times and pieces that are cut on the fold.
Cutting instruction:
After printing out and taping all the pattern pages together, you will get something similar to this image:
You will see that there are 2 sets of lines on each pattern size. The inner lines are sewing line (and you sew along these lines), and the outer lines are cutting lines (you cut the fabric along these lines, remember the folding lines where you have to fold the fabric before cutting). The distance between sewing line and cutting line is seam allowance, and it varies from point to point. For example, the side seam allowance is about 1/2 inch (1.2cm), and seam allowance at hemline is 1 inch (2.5cm). This is the reason why I do not remove the sewing lines from the pattern. Please use it as a guide to know how much seam allowance you need to give at each seam.
Fabric will be cut into following pieces:
- Front: 1 piece cut on the
- Back: 2 pieces
- Front Facing: 1 piece self fabric + 1 piece fusible interfacing
- Back Facing: 2 pieces self fabric + 2 pieces fusible interfacing
- Ribbon: 2 pieces cut on the fold
Make sure to mark all notches and other design features such as pleats etc. from the pattern piece onto your fabric. When sewing the garment, pay attention to notches, they must match up.
Sewing instruction:
1. Serge the fabric to prevent fraying. If you use non fraying fabric (like fleece or knitted fabric), you can skip this step.
2. Iron Fusible Interfacing to Front Facing and Back Facing pieces.
3. Fold and sew to close the bust darts.
4. Now take a look at the Front piece – see a cut at the waistline? We are going to turn it into something similar to a dart with one dart leg being gathered. Sew 2 parallel lines with longest stitch length at the longer “leg” of the dart, then pull the thread to gather it until it equals the shorter “leg”. Pin and sew this “waist dart” close. Repeat with the other side and the back pieces.
5. Place the Front Dress and Back Dress pieces right side facing. Pin and sew shoulder seams. Press to open the seam.
6. Place the Front Facing and Back Facing pieces right side facing. Pin and sew shoulder seams. Press to open the seam.
7. Fold the ribbon in half, pin and sew along the edge, leaving the short end open. Turn the ribbon inside out, press to flatten.
8. Place the joined facing to the garment. Put the ribbon between two notches at the back neckline so that the ribbon lies between the garment and the facing, longer end pointing toward the armhole. Pin along the neckline, matching all the notches and points, sew the neckline. Turn the fabric around, staystitch on the facing to keep the facing from turning over. Clip the curve for smoother neckline.
9. Turn the facing out again. Pin the armholes and sew to join. Clip the curve.
10. Carefully turn the garment inside out by pulling the back dress through the “channel” at the shoulder. This can be tricky if you choose a thick, heavy fabric as the bulk will not pass through the channel easily, so I recommend using thin fabric. If you are using thick fabric, consider using bias binding for neckline and armholes.
11. Attach invisible zipper. Sew to close the center back of the dress.
12. Hem the dress, and you’ve made it!
And here is the download link:
JULIE DROP WAIST DRESS (Size XXS – 5XL)
Happy sewing! And don’t forget to share your project on my Facebook page: Tiana’s Closet Sewing Patterns
Tiana
