retro shift dress {chic & simple sewing}

 

Alterations:  Adjust Fit, Add Pockets and Hem Band

 

MATERIALS...

Dress Front and Back - 3 options: 

• 1 yd (with selvedge) Non-Directional 45" Fabric 
• 1+1/8 (without selvedge) Non-Directional 45" Fabric 
• 1+1/2 yds Directional 45" Fabric  

Neck Band, Pocket and Hem Bands:  1/2 yd 45" Fabric  Pocket Bottoms:  1/6 yd 45" Fabric  
Hem and Armholes:  2+1/4 yds Bias Tape  (2+2/3 yds if you're trimming Pockets too)

PATTERN NOTES...
Size Large (10-12): 36-37" bust, 28'-29" waist, 38"-39" hip  
Dress Front:

• Subtract 5/8" from fold line (armholes fit well, but body of dress too baggy).
• Draw a straighter neckline and decrease armhole height: Mark 1+3/8" down from neck along armhole.  Draw a line 4+1/2" long from armhole mark straight across to neckline.  Recut neckline along this line (decreases gape at armhole, smooths yoke). 
• Shorten hem 6.75" (tunic/mid-thigh length with bottom band + bias tape hem).

Dress Back:

• Make pattern "cut two" instead of "cut on fold".
• Shorten hem 6.75" (tunic/mid-thigh length with bottom band + bias tape hem).

Neck Band:  

• Use Back Neck Band twice (better boat neck shape).
• Move notch 1" towards center front (gives armholes more room).

Hem Band:

• Cut four 3" x 25" strips (cut 3" strip from edge of fabric, trim to 12.5" on fold). 

 Patch Pockets:  (from the Made by Rae tutorial)  

• Cut two 2" x 13" strips for Pocket Band (from scrap Neck Band Fabric)
• Cut four 6" x 8" squares for Pocket Bottoms - Use a cup/saucer/embroidery hoop to trace rounded corners on bottom two corners and cut along traced lines.

STITCHING NOTES... 
Seam Allowance is 3/8", unless otherwise noted. 

Stitch Neck Bands together at short ends to create two circular Collars.  Press seams open.   

• Baste 3/8" around one Collar's outer edge.  Turn under to stitching and press.
• Stitch Collars together around inner/neck edge.  Pink seam allowance, turn right side out + press. 

Fold Pocket Bands in half and stitch along long top edge and side with 1/4" seam.  

• Clip corners, turn right-side out, gently poke corners out, press Pocket Bands.

Stitch Pocket Bottom pieces together around sides + curved bottom using a 1/4" seam.  

• Leave top edge open, turn right-side out and press.
• Fold Pocket Bottom in half - Stitch a 1/2" seam, 1/2" long from top edge of Pocket to create center pleat.  Press pleat flat.

Pin Pocket Bottom and one edge of Pocket Band together (right sides facing) and stitch.  

• Flip Band over Bottom and press under open edge of Band just along stitching from last seam.
• Topstitch along folded Band edge to finish.  Optional:  Topstitch bias tape over seam for accent.

Position Pockets about 6" from Hem and 3" from center front.  Pin in place and stitch around Pocket sides + bottom, using a zig-zag or triple zig-zag stitch and heavy backtacks.

Stitch Back together along center back, using 5/8" seam allowance to hide selvedges (if they were included in the pattern) or a French Seam (if pattern was cut without selvedges).

• Press center back seam open and attach label 3" from neck edge (if desired).
• Stitch Hem Band to Dress Back using a French Seam or trimming the seam allowance with Pinking Shears.

Stitch Hem Band to Dress Front, using same seam method as you used on the Dress Back. 

Pin Dress Front and Dress Back together, stitch side seams, using French Seam or pinking the seam allowances.

Cut two 15" lengths of Bias Tape and press in half.  Sandwich Bias Tape around armhole, edgestitch in place.  Repeat with second armhole. 
Baste 1/4" from edge along neckline of Dress Front.  Pin un-folded edge of Collar to Dress Front and Back neck edges, matching notches with armholes and matching center backs.  

• Gather Dress Front along basting until it fits between notches, pin in place.  
• Stitch Collar to Dress Front and Dress Back, stitch along unfolded Collar sleeve edges to prep for ironing edges under.
• Press seam towards Collar and pin/press Collar Facing so that sleeve edges meet and folded Facing lies neatly above Collar seam line along Dress Front + Back.  
• Carefully edgestitch along folded Collar all the way around dress.

Press remaining Bias Tape in half, then sandwich and stitch around Hem Band, overlapping ends for a smooth finish.  

Add embellishments at Collar or Front as desired!