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Keep on wearing your light linen garments into the fall with this toasty sweater dress. Featuring a loose cut and a sleeveless design, it’s designed to slip over a garment that requires an extra layer of warmth. Plus, its simple design can be swiftly stitched together, so no need to store away your beloved summer dresses yet!
Download the FREE PDF sewing pattern, and sew your own handmade dress now!
1 cm (3/8″) seam allowance included!
Material
- FABRIC: 1.2 m (1 3/8 yd) chunky sweater knit with at least 30% of stretch
- All-purpose thread
- Stretch or ballpoint needle
- Roughly 0.3 m (3/8 yd) of clear elastic, 0.5 or (1/4″) wide
- OPTIONAL: twin stretch needle
Important: Fabric requirements are based on a fabric width of 150 cm (59″). If your fabric is narrower, additional yardage may be required.
Download the free PDF sewing pattern…
… and once you’re done, share a photo of you wearing proudly your new handmade dress with #unfetteredpatterns or tag us @unfetteredpatterns!
Need help to print your pattern? Check our detailed tutorial here! Also, find out how you can customize your pattern for A0 printers and projectors here.
Need help completing the project?
Check our Kofi store for printable sewing tutorials, including detailed sewing instructions, line sketches, a sizing guide, and a list of the materials needed!
Sizing Guide
This pattern is drafted according to the following body measurements. Standard height is 1.64 m (5.4 ft). Check this tutorial if you want to add sizes to your pattern!
| XS | S | S/M | M | M/L | L | XL | |
| Bust | 85 cm (33 1/2″) | 89 cm (35″) | 93 cm (36 1/2″) | 97 cm (38″) | 101 cm (39 1/2″) | 105 cm (41″) | 109 cm (42 1/2″) |
| Waist | 64 cm (25 1/2″) | 68 cm (27″) | 72 cm (28 1/2″) | 76 cm (30″) | 80 cm (31 1/2″) | 84 cm (33″) | 88 cm (34 1/2″) |
| Hips | 92 cm (36 1/2″) | 96 cm (38″) | 100 cm (39 1/2″) | 104 cm (41″) | 108 cm (42 1/2″) | 112 cm (44″) | 116 cm (45 1/2″) |
Finished garment measurements
Ease is included in the measurements below to make the garment larger than the body.
| XS | S | S/M | M | M/L | L | XL | |
| Bust | 87 cm (34 1/4″) | 91 cm (35 3/4″) | 95 cm (37 1/4″) | 99 cm (38 3/4″) | 103 cm (40 1/4″) | 107 cm (41 3/4″) | 111 cm (43 1/4″) |
| Hips | 94 cm (37″) | 98 cm (38 1/2″) | 102 cm (40″) | 106 cm (41 1/2″) | 110 cm (43″) | 114 cm (44 1/2″) | 118 cm (46″) |
| Length | 81 cm (32″) | 82 cm (32 3/8″) | 83 cm (32 3/4″) | 84 cm (33 1/8″) | 85 cm (33 1/2″) | 86 cm (33 7/8″) | 87 cm (34 3/8″) |
Sewing Guidelines
Here are some tips we recommend for a successful sewing project:
Fit and style
- Choose a size based on your bust. Take a look at the body measurements chart to guide you.
- To get your bust size, measure around the fullest part of your chest. Take a nice deep breath before you check the number. Just to make sure the measuring tape isn’t too tight. You want it snug, but not squeezing you.
- On the finished garment measurements chart, see how long the garment is and if it’ll work for your height. It’s a good idea to compare the length with something similar you already own. Just keep in mind that this is a short dress, so the hem should hit mid-thigh.
- If you want to adapt the length of your garment to your height, check this helpful tutorial here!
Fabrics
- Make sure your knit has the right amount of stretch before you start your project. For this style, you’re looking for about 30% stretch; so if you pull a 10 cm (4″) piece, it should stretch to 13 cm (5 1/4″) without much effort. If it starts feeling tight before you get there, it’s probably not stretchy enough.
- Also, pay attention to how the fabric bounces back. If it doesn’t snap back to its original shape after you stretch it, that means it doesn’t have great recovery. This can lead to wavy seams and a stretched-out look by the end of the day. To avoid that, go for a knit that has some spandex (or Lycra) in it. It’ll help everything keep its shape.
Cutting out
- Before you start cutting your fabrics, wash and dry them like you’d do for the finished piece. Keep in mind the fabric type and what it’s made of so you choose the right cleaning method (like how hot the water should be or what kind of cycle to use…). Plus, the dyes used on certain fabrics tend to bleed when washed, so wash yours separately, or with similar colors.
- After you wash and dry the fabric, give it a good press to get rid of any creases. Just make sure your iron is set to the right temperature for the fabric. Generally, synthetic fibers like acrylic, spandex, or polyester should be pressed on low heat, while natural fibers like cotton, wool, or linen can handle higher heat.
- When you’re set to cut the fabric, just fold it lengthwise right sides together. Make sure the fold is straight and doesn’t twist up. If it does, unfold it and refold until it’s nice and flat. Then, lay out the pattern pieces so the grainline runs parallel to the selvages.
- Make sure you don’t cut the notches too long; aim for them to be around 0.3-0.4 cm long (1/8″).
Sewing
- If you’re using a sewing machine to sew with knits, be sure that it’s equipped with a stretch or ballpoint needle. These needles have a rounder tip that prevents snags.
- If your seams are very wavy, you might want to check for a walking presser foot for your sewing machine. On an overlocker, check to increase the differential or the stitch length.
- If the seams crack when stretched or pucker, be sure that you used a stretch stitch, and that the thread is all-purpose polyester, not 100% cotton. You may also need reduce the thread tension. On an overlocker, reduce the tension of the needles, not the loopers, and reduce the differential or stitch length.
Good luck with your sewing project!
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