Denim Sundress
A charming, made-to-measure sundress featuring a button-front bodice with distinctive yoke construction, curved front pockets, and a slim, fitted silhouette.
When To Wear:
- Everyday Casual: Perfect for comfortable, stylish daily wear in warmer weather.
- Summer Outings: An ideal choice for picnics, beach trips, or relaxed weekend gatherings.
- Nursing: Thoughtfully designed with a functional button-front opening, suitable for nursing mothers (this design is not intended as a maternity dress).
Key Design Features
Silhouette: a slim, fitted silhouette with a seam under the bust, shaped with darts and finished with decorative topstitching, falling to a long midi length.
Neckline: a classic scoop neckline frames the décolletage.
Closure: a functional button placket with 6 buttons runs from the neckline down to the hip at the centre front; below it the dress continues with a centre front seam.
Sleeves: This sundress features a comfortable sleeveless design, perfect for warm weather.
Bodice: The front is designed with a shaped yoke and inset panels featuring bust darts, while the back has an upper and lower panel with vertical darts for shaping.
Pockets: Curved front pockets, jeans-style, set into the lower side front panels.
Back: a paneled back with upper and lower sections and a centre back seam, featuring carefully placed darts to ensure a flattering fit.
Length: Designed to fall to a versatile long midi length, offering comfort and style.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. This pattern involves precise dart work, yoke attachment, button placket construction, and specialized pocket finishing, requiring some prior sewing experience.
Fabric Recommendations
For best results, choose a medium-weight denim fabric with added stretch for comfort and ease of wear:
- Stretch denim
- Denim with elastane or spandex content
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing
- 6 buttons
Cutting Plan
- From main fabric:
- Front Yoke – 2 pieces
- Front Inset – 2 pieces
- Lower Center Front – 2 pieces
- Lower Side Front – 2 pieces
- Upper Back – 2 pieces
- Lower Back – 2 pieces
- Pocket Lining – 2 pieces
- Closure Facing – 1 piece
- Placket – 1 piece
- From fusible interfacing:
- Placket – 1 piece
- Closure Facing – 1 piece
Sewing Instructions
- Stitch the dart on the Front Inset and press it towards the centre. Stitch the Front Yoke to the Front Inset, clipping into the corner of the yoke. Overlock the seam and press it upwards. Topstitch 0.5 cm from the seam.
- Mark and stitch the darts on the Upper Back and Lower Back. Press the darts towards the centre back.
- Stitch the Upper Back to the Lower Back. Overlock the seam and press it towards the upper back. Topstitch along the darts 0.5 cm from the seam.
- Face the pocket opening of the Lower Center Front with the Pocket Lining, turn the lining to the wrong side, clipping the curves. Understitch the seam allowance onto the lining 0.2 cm from the seam. Place the Lower Side Front under the pocket lining and stitch it to the Lower Center Front, stitching the pocket lining in the same seam. (Note: the seam joining the Lower Side Front and the seam closing the pocket lining must follow the pattern outline exactly, without shifting.)
- Stitch the upper front to the lower front. Overlock the seam and press it towards the upper front. Topstitch along the darts and the princess seam of the lower front down to the pocket opening.
- Stitch and overlock the centre back seam.
- Topstitch 0.5 cm from the seams joining the upper and lower parts of the dress.
- Overlock the neckline seam allowance.
- Overlock the outer edge of the Closure Facing. Place the Closure Facing right side down on the right front and stitch along the front edge and the neckline section. Overlock the centre edges of the Lower Center Front from the notch downwards. Stitch the centre front seam from the notch downwards. Turn the Closure Facing right side out.
- Press under the inner edge of the Placket. Stitch the Placket to the left front. Press the seam towards the facing part of the placket. Fold the placket right sides together and stitch across the upper corner. Turn the Placket to the wrong side and press. Stitch the pressed inner edge in place along the attachment seam. Lay the right-front facing over the placket and topstitch a rounded securing line that meets the topstitching on the right front (folding the placket out of the way). Secure the Closure Facing and the Placket together with a vertical bar tack.
- Stitch and overlock the side and shoulder seams of the dress. Press the side and shoulder seams towards the back.
- Turn the neckline allowance to the wrong side and topstitch.
- Overlock the hem of the dress, turn the allowance to the wrong side and topstitch.
- On the right front, mark and work the buttonholes, then sew the buttons onto the left front.
