Updated: December 6, References. Were you looking for a cute and simple dress but could not find one, or maybe they where just too expensive.

Picture of a sheath dress line art brand unflattering

You should not go through that much trouble to find a dress whether you need it for a party, funeral, or wedding you can always make one.

It is easy just follow these simple steps. This tutorial makes what is called a kerchief dress or a Mexican style dress.

However, you will also find help for making other styles of dress as well. You can use any fabric you want, like satin, linen, rayon, or cotton.

Then, cut out a neck hole, sew the top edges together, sew the sides together, and hem the bottom. If you want a cinched waist, you can also sew elastic into your waistline.

To make your dress showier, you can sew in lace trim, a lace back, or belt loops so you can match it with your favorite belt. For more tips, including how to make a dress from an old bed sheet, read on!

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Article Edit. Learn why people trust wikiHow. To create this article, 15 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time.

Together, they cited 5 references. This article has also been viewedtimes. Learn more Putting It Together. Making Other Dresses.

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The picture of a sheath dress line art

Article Summary. Part 1 of All rights reserved. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.

Take your measurements. Measure from the top of your shoulder usually where the seam is on a shirt down to where you want the hem of the dress to be.

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Next, measure around your hips at their widest point. Add ” to the shoulder-hem measurement and at least 4″ to the hip measurement, for seam allowances more if your shoulders are broader than your hips.

If you want the skirt to be a bit more full, add “.

19.02.2020 – I want to make this dress. Sign up! This vintage looking gown oozes elegance.

This means that I will want a piece of fabric that is ideally 42″ wide and 42″ long, although it can also be 42×21 and still work. Technically the fabric will be broken down into four identical rectangles one side length measurement by one quarter hip measurement, plus seam allowances.

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That means that as long as you have four pieces of fabric in that rectangle size, you can use them just fine. Choose your fabric.

You can use any fabric that you want. White or brightly colored summer fabrics are most traditional, but you can also use an old tablecloth, curtains, or scarves too.

Stretchy fabrics like jersey work well for this dress but are difficult to work with. You need very particular settings on your sewing machine most notably a perfectly set, loose-but-not-too-loose foot.

Picture of a sheath dress line art guide

Tread carefully. Cut the fabric into rectangles. Cut the fabric into four identical rectangles.

As mentioned above, they need to be the length of your shoulder-hem measurement with the seam allowances. They also need to be as wide as your hip measurement divided into quarters and a seam allowance for each of those quarters to be joined.

Using the measurements from the first step, our example rectangles would need to be 42″ long and Part 2 of Sew the shoulders together. Take two of the rectangles and pin a short side on one piece to a short side on the other, with the facing sides of the fabric touching.

This will form the shoulder seam. When you pin two pieces of fabric, your natural inclination might be to make the pins outline the imaginary line you’ll be sewing along.

Pin one end to one side of the dress inside the seam allowance line and then pin the other side to the other side. Picture of a sheath dress line art Simply align the edges with the facing sides together and then create a seam around the waist.

However, you want the pins to go perpendicular to the sewing line, so that you can sew right over the pins without having to remove them although you should.

Pin the sides and measure for the neck opening. Sewing the shoulders together should have left you with two very long strips.

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Place the strips facing sides together and then pin them along one long side. This will become the center line for the dress.

Your dress is Fabulous! Picture of a sheath dress line art Looking for backless wedding dresses? If using a plainer fabric then I urge people to look at the many different neckline designs and try one for yourself.

Now measure and then mark how low cut the dress should be in both the back and front. For each side, measure down from the shoulder seam and then mark that spot on the fabric with sewer’s chalk or similar.

Sew the strips together. Now, sew up from the bottom hem, moving toward the shoulder on the side that you pinned. Stop when you reach the mark for either the back or front neckline.

Lock in your stitches, cut the threads, and then repeat from the other side.

Hem the bottom of the dress. Take this opportunity to hem the bottom edge of the dress, pinning it either half an inch or an inch up depending on how much of a seam allowance you left yourself and then sewing straight across.

Measure the waist band. Now you’ll want to make an elastic waist. Measure around your waist at the smallest point, as well as around your waist 2″ above and 2″ below that line.

Now, measure down from your shoulder to the smallest part of your waist. Using that measurement, mark the same line on the dress, as well as the 2″ above and below lines.

June 22, at am. summer print sheath dresses plus size I made a plain deep grey but will make another one with colour panels.

This design using three levels of elastic creates a puffed, Boho type of look. You can stick with just the center waist elastic and just do one cinched line if you prefer.

You do not have to create this elastic waist, however. You can also just a belt to cinch the dress at the waist. This may work better than the elastic if the material is very thin, silky, or intricately patterned.

Cut and pin the waistline.

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Cut the elastic strips so that they are at the same size as your waist when they are not stretched. Then, cut those in half, one half for each side of your waist.

Pin one end to one side of the dress inside the seam allowance line and then pin the other side to the other side. Find the middle and pin that at the center of the dress.

Now, stretch the sections and pin them to the fabric evenly.

When you release the elastic, the dress should gather in a way that looks nice. Don’t forget to do this for each side of the dress, both front and back.

Sew in the waist elastic. Once the elastic is pinned in place, you can sew it to the fabric. Don’t forget to lock in your stitches, just like you did with the center seam.

Pin and measure for the arms. You should now have one large rectangle with a neck hole at the center. Place the panels so that the facing sides of the fabric are touching again folded at the shoulder seam and then pin the two remaining long sides together.

Measure 5″ or more depending on how large an opening you need for your arms down each long side from the shoulder seam and mark this like you did with the neck opening.

Measure around your arm and then divide that number in half. Add at least 1″ to make sure that the sleeves are comfortable.