DIY shift dress
Make this dress from one piece of fabric in under two hours-with only a needle and thread!
You can follow my measurements here or make it specific to your body with these instructions.
1. Find the point on the upper part of your breast where you want it to come to a point on the front and down to the point on your legs where you want it to lay. This will be the highest point on the dress, and point one on the drawing. Then add 5cm for the seams.
2. Measure from the point on your sternum where you want the dress to fall down to where you want it to be on your legs--the same as in step one. Then add 5cm for the seam. This will give you the length for point number two and the front and center of the dress.
3. Find where you want the dress to lay on your back and measure from that point down to where you want it to lay on your legs again. This can be the same as the first two points or you can make it longer in the back and then add 5cm again.
4. Measure from belly button around your waist to your spine and then add a few centimeters to make it looser if you want it to be more free-flowing. After those centimeters are added and you have the total for the width of the dress, add 2.5 cm. You don't need the full 5 centimeters because it will be a stitch here to attach the back of the dress, and not a seam.
5. Fold the fabric piece you have in half. The place where the fold is will be where the measurement two will be, but you need to make sure the piece of fabric is tall enough for measuring point one and wide enough for twice the length of measuring point three. When your fabric is folded in half, mark your measurements from your first four steps and cut from point two, up to point one, and swoop down to point four, which should be the width of where your measurement from number three will land.
6. Fold over all of the seams by 2.5 centimeters and sew along them to make a clean edge. You'll want to make sure your thread matches or blends into the fabric. Do this for all of the edges other than it line four where your width lands.
7. Fold the same way you did earlier where the center point that will land on the sternum is along the folded edge, but do it inside-out this time. You can now sew along line four to close the back. You will do this while the fabric is inside out, because when you flip it right side out, it will leave a clean seam.
8. Add your straps
9. Flip right side out and wear!
DIY Wrap Skirt
This is a great beginners sewing project and can be made with just a needle, thread, and some fabric.
1 Measure around hips and add 1.5 inches (for the inseam of .75 inches on each side) and then multiply this number by 1.5 for the width.
2. Decide how long you want your skirt by putting the top of the tape measure at the top of your hip and drag it down to where you want the bottom of the skirt to hit. Then add 1.5 inches for the inseam again.
3. use the measurements to lay out on the fabric, or to make a pattern with paper if it is something you will use with other fabric in the future.
4. Trace out on the fabric and cut a large rectangle from the fabric.
-If you want the edges to have a curve, now is the time to cut the two bottom corners slightly round.
5. Then fold in all of the edges 3/4" of an inch with the pattern side out and sew along these edges. This will make a clean edge around the whole skirt.
6. For the opening for the tie, cut a slit by setting it as a long buttonhole or cut the slit with your scissors and hand-sew around the edge with a blanket stitch. You can find tutorials for this on youtube to have a video for referencing.
7. For the tie, cut the length for the short one and double the height you want. Then fold and place the piece with the pattern facing each other, sewing along two of the edges.
8. Pull the fabric through the opening so the pattern is facing out. Then attach the ties to either end of the top, with the shorter tie closest to the slit that you cut open. Always sew pieces together with the side you want facing out facing each other during the sewing, and attach the side of the tie you have not sewn shut to the skirt.
9. Trim all of the loose strings and you’re done!
