How to make a loose shift dress
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Sew a shift dress in just over an hour |
It’s been hot in Cape Town. And . . . I can’t stop eating. I have wanted a shift dress just like this one for a while. You know how life gets in the way. Finally I got around to making one. And you know how it is? Once you make one, you wonder why you never did it sooner?
Shift Dress Pattern |
This dress is basically a cylinder shape made up of four rectangles. Unfortunately you have to cut the four pieces and sew them back together because you need space for your arms and head to pop through.
Cut four equal size rectangles of fabric |
I am a UK dress size 10. Most fabrics are 115 centimetres wide. If you are around my size you only need purchase your length in fabric.
Choice of fabric? I would say heavy woolens would be tricky. And anything overly textured like organza probably wouldn’t work either. Nice drapey light to medium weight fabrics are perfect. I used plain black cotton.
I normally say cut a pattern, but this is so easy you don’t need to. To make your pattern, measure the widest part of your hips and add 20 centimetres to get the width of you pattern. Then measure from the top of your shoulder to your knee to get the length. Cut four equal size rectangles along the width of your fabric.
Sew centre back and centre front |
You need: –
fabric
matching colour thread
scissors
sewing machine
You do: –
Sew up the centre back from bottom to top. Sew up the centre front stopping about 30 centimetres
Fold V neck open. Pin in place. Pin shoulders. |
from the top to fold back for a V neckline.
Pin back and front together and sew up the side seams also stopping about 30 centimetres from the top on either side for your arm holes.
Fold the V neck open and pin in place. Pin the shoulders in place. Fit to make sure you are happy with fit. Take care not to poke yourself with pins.
You can have a plunging neckline or higher neckline by adjusting the V fold.
Sew shoulders in place.
Fold back around neckline and armholes and sew a hem. I made a double seam hem.
Fold back around neck and armholes. Sew in place. |
Fit shift dress once again and check for lower hem line. Pin in place and sew.
Press your shift dress and that’s it! Voila.
Visit the Greenie Galleries at the top of this page for loads more DIY fashion ideas.
See you next week with another make-your-own fashion tutorial.
Greenie.
Wow ! Looks great! Would you use a stretch fabric? And I can't see clearly, do you cut out the triangle you fold ?
No, I wouldn't use stretch. Maybe at a push a really heavy but not too stretchy knit like trilobal???
This is a straight up and down shift and the texture of the cotton helps keep the shape.
It is soooo flattering. I'm not a string bean but I feel good in this dress coz it's not clingy.
Yes, I cut the excess fabric away AFTER I folded and sewed the V neckline in place.
I made this dress in muslin first, so I could alter if needed. I added to the side seams for a longer sleeve, but the stitching line was the normal line for the circumference previously measured. I was able to cover the “bat wing” arms I inherited!!
I have received many compliments on the dress and have more fabric for a second or third or….
Thanks for a terrific idea and pattern.
So glad you are happy. This is my absolute favourite dress. Greenie.
It looks like the sleeves are double capped. How did you do these? Thanks!
Nope. Not capped at all. It's the way the dress falls. I'm a pear shape. I used my hip measurement which extends past my shoulders. So the top of the dress sits slightly wider than my shoulders. The fabric is fairly firm. Look at the last pic to see the sleeves.
How would you recommend altering the pattern to make this a button-front dress?
That's a tricky question. The dress is meant to be a smart caftan. It's loose and slips on.
The dress also runs from collar bone to knee. So, not sure that amount of buttons would work.
You could possibly extend the centre front area to allow you to fold back on both sides. And then make button holes on the one side. Good luck.
what weight and type of material would be best for this dress please.
I used a lightweight cotton. Poly cotton blends could also work. I would avoid knits and stretch fabrics.
Hi, Still having a question about the shoulder (specifically on the black dress that is on the model.) It does certainly look like there is a “cape” or additional piece of fabric at the shoulder/sleeve. Is that a fold? from extra fabric? -there is an obvious “break” and the appearance of 2 layers of fabric showing in that image. the top layer looks like it is edged with a hem – it doesn’t appear bulky enough to be a “fold”. Could you maybe post a photo of someone wearing the dress?? I really love it, but I do want my upper arms covered like they are on the mannequin – and the grey fabric image of the dress looks like it would fall on the shoulder – rather than over the shoulder. Might I have to cut it a bit wider at the top? or would that mess up the drape of the dress? Thanks so much
No, there is no cape and no additional fabric. What looks like a break – is the fabric falling on itself. I have not sloped the shoulders as is normal in a pattern – so there is fabric that falls.
This is a straight up and down dress. The wider you cut it, the more it will extend on your shoulders. And also on our hips.
Perhaps try cutting it a bit wider to get the coverage on your arms and shoulders? You can always take it in if it’s too wide. Or you could sew it tapering narrower at the hips than the shoulders.
It’s meant to be a loose fitting dress.
I am an American. Are there American measurements available?
Thank you so much.
Sorry Laura, I don’t know American sizes. Perhaps an Internet search will help?
Dear Greenie, thank you so much for the detailed instruction for this innovative dress making!
Just one detail which can be useful for ladies with big breast. If you have big breast, you should use for the rectangles measurement calculations the volume of breast rather than the widest volume of hips.
Thanks for that handy tip Maya.
Great tutorial – thanks! Love the little bit of pouf on top as I am also pear shaped and it helps to, um, balance things out. I’m American and have no trouble at all converting cm to inches using online calculators. Can’t wait to make this darling dress. Well Done 🙂
Thanks Erin. I live in this dress. It’s so comfortable and cool. Dead easy to make.
Dear Greenie, I have made this dress and would like to express my sincere gratitude for this pattern. I used black cotton with some additions and got flattered dress what is very important for me. I am looking forward to wear it. You really inspired me for the further sewing. You see I have not sewn for a long time and was afraid to cut fabric, to make complicated patterns,etc. But now I am ready for the new sewing projects. I admire people who share their experience, patterns, recipes with other even unknown people. Thank you much !
Thank you for your comment Maya. Glad to hear.
All the very best.
Greenie.
I was going to try this pattern but guess I won’t. With the picture in black, kind of difficult to see anything except the outline and I can’t make heads and tails of the pattern. One reason I guess is I don’t understand the centimeters thing being in the USA. Cute dress though, at least looks like it would be.
Maybe I must make this dress in another colour? I love it so much I could do with another one.
Sorry about the US size thing. It’s kind of the same for us, we can’t imagine sizes in another system.
All the best,
Greenie.
You can Google a conversion for pretty much any unit of measurement including cm to inches. I was taught the metric system in school and I’m from the US. 1 inch=2.54 cm. The metric system actually makes a lot of sense and is easier than the one we use.
1 inch = 2.5cm,
30cm = 12 inches! Easy Peasy !
Most tape measures have inches and centimeters. Just measure in cm instead of inches.
Light bulb moment!!
Thanks Kathleen.
Hi Greenie, I just came across your pattern, and can’t wait to make it.. I have a feeling I will be owning this dress in several colors. Thank you so much for sharing this.
I LOVE this dress. Don’t use too firm a fabric or the shoulders will come out a bit Star Wars.
It’s so easy to knock up.
All the best,
Greenie.
I just saw this pattern, Greenie, and love the look. I was wondering, if it might be possible to cut two pieces instead of four, if your fabric were wide enough, then cut a skit on the fold in front to make the v? That way, one would only need to see the side seams and finish the edges.
Great tutorial!
I shall have to try that.
Thanks the idea.
Greenie.
Hi Ginny, I just started working on my dress. What you suggested is, I think absolutely doable. What I have done so far is cut the front center length, I like the idea of a front seam but not a back. So I am leaving the back as one piece. Also, I am sewing the seams wider than normal, that way when I get to the v there will be no probable doing a nice roll over. I will do the same when I sew the shoulders, to make a nice roll over back…The last will be sewing both sides and doing the hem…Can’t wait to finish but have to purchase red thread as I thought I had plenty and didn’t…We sewers need to watch our thread supplies, LOL!!!!
This dress should be perfect for me. Dumb question time: after you measure your hips and add 20 cm, do you divide that number by 4 to get the rectangle width?
Not a dumb question at all. The answer is yes – you take the measurement – including the extra 20 centimetres – and divide that amount by 4.
The 20 centimetres adds a bit of room to move in the dress to your 4 pieces.
You’re not using stretch fabric or cutting on the bias therefore you need a bit of give.
The American women who commented surely understand that it is them..and them alone!…in this whole world who don’t use the metric system!
Get educated on it. It is the way of the future for you.
Whether you use centimeters or inches doesn’t matter. Just use your regular tape measure to get the needed measurements. I haven’t made this dress yet, but I don’t anticipate any problems with measuring.
as an American woman I had zero problems figuring out the measurements or making this. I have no idea what their problem was!
Love this. It is so easy to get a dress finished in a short time. Thank you so much for sharing ??
Thank you for your comment. All the best. Greenie.
Is there a way to make this dress sleeveless?
thank you!
Hi Barbara
It sort of is a bit sleeveless.
You could try cutting narrower at the shoulder to bring it in. I love it exactly as it is so not tried that.
I used this pattern to make the dress I wore to my niece’s wedding; blue matte satin. It was perfect with a mid-calf length; very comfortable. Thank you!
Am delighted to hear this Kristi. Thanks for letting me know.
Greenie.
Wanted to make floor length dress. Had 2 yards each of two different fabrics. Split them in half lengthwise and sewed each color to the other one. Followed the pattern and Voila! Lovely simple thing ! Guess who’s going to make more? Thinking of making one in solid color then a matching one for jacket.
PSE CONFIRM IF TRILOBAL 130GSM NEEDS TO BE MARKED “ONE-WAY’
Hi Daya
I’m so sorry but I have no idea what that means.
All the best,
Karen.
Tri-lobal should usually be marked one way before cutting out so that all pieces have the same nap. Sometimes tri-lobal has a matt finish then it doesn’t matter too much. There was a comment higher up that very soft drapey fabrics would not suit this pattern style very well, so be aware that your finished dress will not look like the dress in the photo.
You wrote: “I am a UK dress size 10. Most fabrics are 115 centimetres wide. If you are around my size you only need purchase your length in fabric.”
I am a UK dress size 20. Is there a standard fabric width that would work without alteration, and if so, what is it?
If not, what width fabric do I buy, and how do I change the instructions so that it will fit me?
Hi Laura
You have thrown a bit of a curved ball at me.
I make patterns and clothes to fit myself. One size up or down shouldn’t make too much of a difference to the fit.
But more than that it could affect the structure of the garment. I know when they do pattern grading (sizing up and down) they add 1/2 centimetre here and 2 centimetres there and as much as 4 centimetres to other parts of the pattern.
Why don’t you try draping whatever fabric you have around your body and pinning it. That way you will get a sense of whether the fabric is the right size and where to make the armholes etc.
Not much help, sorry,
Greenie.
Laura you;d need to buy 150cm wide fabric to get this pattern to fit you, or you could go the extra-wide and still super soft cotton or poly cotton sheeting or duvet covers fabric
How would this dress look maxi length. A little bit longer than mid calf ????
Hi Barbie
I’m sure it would look just fine a bit longer. My mother has a similar dress which is calf length and it looks fabulous.
All the best,
Greenie.
You might need to add a slit in back or on sides to make it easier to walk if it is narrow at the hem.
Thanks your comment Barbara
Only if you make it long.
Around knee length there’s enough room to move.
Thank you so much for sharing your sewing ideas! I’m going to try the dress first!
Thank you LaVonne.
Greenie.
i am new to this site and am so very excited to make this dress. Images a beginner sewer and this sounds great…. thank you so much for sharing your knowledge
Thank you Jacqui.
Good luck.
Greenie.