Time to make a Maxi Dress! Once you see how easy these dresses are to make, you won't want to buy one again. I like maxi dresses because of their versatility. You can dress them down and be casual or dress them up. Good for any occasion!
I wanted a super flowy maxi dress and found a great polyester fabric at Hancock's. Even better it was only $4.95 and I used a 40% off coupon! Since polyesters are synthetic, they don't breath much. You can find a cotton or knit that's a bit more breathable but with how flowy this dress is, it won't be too horrible in the summer heat.
Materials:
2-3 yards of fabric- depending how tall your are
1/2" elastic- enough for your waist
Flexi-Lace Hem Tape (optional)-used this for my straps
To start cutting out your pattern, you need to start with the skirt. If you have a maxi dress or skirt, measure the bottom to see how wide you need the skirt. You want to make sure it won't be too constricting. The first Maxi that I made, wasn't wide enough for the bottom and you can't walk great in it! I cut both panels for my skirt 27 1/2" wide. Measure from where you want your skirt to start down to the floor and add 2". Cut out your skirt. It should be 2 long rectangles.
To make the bodice, I made a pattern out of an old loose tank top. You need something that has straps to make the pattern. Turn your tank inside-out and trace your shirt leaving room for seam allowance. (As you can see, I usually make my patterns out of newspaper or tissue paper.) Measure out how long you want your bodice and add room for seam allowance. The bottom of your bodice needs to be as wide as your skirt so it will sew together properly. Since my original pattern wasn't as wide as my skirt, I had to expand it out to make it 27 1/2". I didn't want to expand the underarm because I wanted it to fit normally and be flowy towards the bottom of the bodice. There's a pic below to show you how I expanded it. I don't like hemming my bodice, so I always cut a lining out too. So, you'll have 4 pieces for your bodice.
To sew your bodice, first start with the front of your dress and the lining. Pin right sides together and zig-zag stitch the sides together, the armholes and the neckline. Keeping the opening between armholes and neckline for your straps. Do the same with your back bodice and lining. Notch around your armholes and neckline, turn inside out and press.
Now that your lining is sewn in, put your dress bodice with right sides together, pin along the side seam and zig-zag stitch or serge and press your seams.
For my straps, I used a Flexi-Lace Hem Tape that I found at the fabric store. You can use whatever you would like. (I just really hate making biased tape to use as straps. It takes FOREVER!) Measure and cut how long you want your straps and add room for seam allowance. Hook a safety pin to the top of your strap and push it down, through one of your strap openings on the front bodice (between your armhole and neckline). Turn it inside out so you can see your strap coming through the inside. Pin your strap in place like this...
Pin your strap the same way on the other opening of your front bodice and serge or zig-zag stitch closed. Turn right side out again. With safety pin attached to the other end of one of the straps, push down through your strap opening. Make sure your strap isn't twisted! Turn your back bodice inside out again so you can properly pin in place. Do this for the other strap. Pin and zig-zag stitch or serge closed. Turn right side out and press your bodice.
Now to the skirt...With right sides together, pin, zig-zag stitch or serge your side seams and press.
To attach your bodice to your skirt, turn your skirt right-side-out and your bodice inside-out. Fit your bodice over your skirt, so both waist lines are together. Since we're going to put elastic in, we have to make a casing for it. You added 2" to your skirt length for seam allowance and for the casing. Pull your bodice down your skirt enough that there's about and inch of your skirt waistline sticking out from your bodice. Once you sew your bodice to your skirt, we'll use the extra 1" to make the casing. Match up your side seams, pin and zig-zag stitch your seam.
To make the casing, press your 1" of your skirt up to your bodice. Pin all around, matching up side seams and zig-zag stitch around, leaving an opening at the end large enough to push your elastic through.
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Your elastic needs to be your waist measurement minus 1". Put a safety pin through one end of your elastic and push it through your casing. Once you get it all the way around, overlap your elastic by 1" and zig-zag stitch closed. Stitch your casing closed.
For the last step, all you need to do is hem the bottom of your dress and you're done!
I also made a shorter dress to show you...
Materials needed:
1-2 yards of fabric
1/2" elastic- enough for your waist
Biased Tape (optional)
This dress is made basically the same way, with a few changes. I made this blue one out of a 100% cotton t-shirt material. (Only $2.50/yrd on sale!)It's super stretchy and very cool. Since it's a thicker fabric than the polyester, I didn't make a lining for it....but I did add pockets! Every dress should really have pockets! I love 'em!
To start this dress, I cut out the front and back bodice. I used a different bodice top pattern for this one but you still have to angel it out for how wide you need it. This dress is 2x the size of your measurement or wherever you want the elastic to fit. I didn't cut lining out for this dress since the fabric is so thick. Put right sides together and pin your side seams and shoulder seams. Sew or serge and press your seams.
Cut your skirt the same way for the maxi, but make it as short as you want it. Remember, it needs to be the same width as the bottom of your bodice and add room for seam allowance, enough room to make your elastic casing (at least 1") and your hem. Cut it into front and back pieces, so you'll have 2 pieces for your skirt.
To make the pockets, I cut out (4) 5x7 rectangles of fabric. I wanted my pockets to start about 5" down, but have to add another 1" to account for the casing. So, mark 6" down on either side of each of your skirt pieces. Pin your 5" side of one piece of pocket to the right side of your skirt starting at the mark you made. Repeat pinning the pockets onto the right sides of your skirt. Once pinned, zig-zag stitch and press.
Once your pieces of pockets are sewn down, put your skirt pieces with right sides together, lining up your pockets and side seams. Pin, zig-zag stitch or serge down your skirt, around your pocket and back down the rest of your skirt and press your seams.
Put your bodice and skirt together, just like for the maxi. Turn your skirt right side out and turn your bodice inside out. Place your bodice over your skirt, lining your skirt up 1" below the top of your skirt. Pin and zig-zag stitch together. Press your seam and fold your casing down over your skirt. Pin and zig-zag stitch the casing, leaving an opening to thread your elastic through.
Use a safety pin to hook onto one end of your elastic and feed it through your casing. Your elastic should be the measurement of your waist minus 1". Once your elastic is pushed through, overlap your ends by 1/2" and zig-zag stitch together. Sew your casing closed.
Hem the bottom of your skirt. And for this dress, I used double fold biased tape to put around the armholes and neckline (since I really hate hemming round necklines and armholes). It makes it soooooo much easier! Of course, you don't have to buy it, you can always make it but it takes way too much time for me. Pin the double fold biased tape around your neckline and armholes and top stitch it down. If you haven't used biased tape, the double fold opens up and you can put your neckline and armholes in the middle so if folds over on the front and the inside of your dress.
Now you have two great dresses for Spring and Summer! Hope you enjoyed the tutorial! Next week, I'll hopefully be putting up a tutorial for a romper. Go figure, I LOVE rompers! Every romper I find just doesn't fit right so I'll show you how I make them!
Have a great week!
Materials needed:
1-2 yards of fabric
1/2" elastic- enough for your waist
Biased Tape (optional)
This dress is made basically the same way, with a few changes. I made this blue one out of a 100% cotton t-shirt material. (Only $2.50/yrd on sale!)It's super stretchy and very cool. Since it's a thicker fabric than the polyester, I didn't make a lining for it....but I did add pockets! Every dress should really have pockets! I love 'em!
To start this dress, I cut out the front and back bodice. I used a different bodice top pattern for this one but you still have to angel it out for how wide you need it. This dress is 2x the size of your measurement or wherever you want the elastic to fit. I didn't cut lining out for this dress since the fabric is so thick. Put right sides together and pin your side seams and shoulder seams. Sew or serge and press your seams.
Cut your skirt the same way for the maxi, but make it as short as you want it. Remember, it needs to be the same width as the bottom of your bodice and add room for seam allowance, enough room to make your elastic casing (at least 1") and your hem. Cut it into front and back pieces, so you'll have 2 pieces for your skirt.
To make the pockets, I cut out (4) 5x7 rectangles of fabric. I wanted my pockets to start about 5" down, but have to add another 1" to account for the casing. So, mark 6" down on either side of each of your skirt pieces. Pin your 5" side of one piece of pocket to the right side of your skirt starting at the mark you made. Repeat pinning the pockets onto the right sides of your skirt. Once pinned, zig-zag stitch and press.
Once your pieces of pockets are sewn down, put your skirt pieces with right sides together, lining up your pockets and side seams. Pin, zig-zag stitch or serge down your skirt, around your pocket and back down the rest of your skirt and press your seams.
Put your bodice and skirt together, just like for the maxi. Turn your skirt right side out and turn your bodice inside out. Place your bodice over your skirt, lining your skirt up 1" below the top of your skirt. Pin and zig-zag stitch together. Press your seam and fold your casing down over your skirt. Pin and zig-zag stitch the casing, leaving an opening to thread your elastic through.
Use a safety pin to hook onto one end of your elastic and feed it through your casing. Your elastic should be the measurement of your waist minus 1". Once your elastic is pushed through, overlap your ends by 1/2" and zig-zag stitch together. Sew your casing closed.
Hem the bottom of your skirt. And for this dress, I used double fold biased tape to put around the armholes and neckline (since I really hate hemming round necklines and armholes). It makes it soooooo much easier! Of course, you don't have to buy it, you can always make it but it takes way too much time for me. Pin the double fold biased tape around your neckline and armholes and top stitch it down. If you haven't used biased tape, the double fold opens up and you can put your neckline and armholes in the middle so if folds over on the front and the inside of your dress.
Now you have two great dresses for Spring and Summer! Hope you enjoyed the tutorial! Next week, I'll hopefully be putting up a tutorial for a romper. Go figure, I LOVE rompers! Every romper I find just doesn't fit right so I'll show you how I make them!
Have a great week!
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