How to Sew a Romantic & Vintage-Inspired Puff Sleeve Dress

Tools and materials:

• Puff sleeve dress sewing pattern
• 2-3 yards fabric that drapes easily
• 1 yard lining
• Fusible interfacing
• Matching thread
• Glasshead pins
• Scissors
• 18-inch zipper
• Elastic - ½ inch for sleeves
• Sewing machine
• Iron
• Clapper

1. Prepare the fabric

Print out the pattern and cut the pieces out. Lay them on the fabric as directed and cut the fabric to match the pattern. Cut the lining. Iron the fusible interfacing onto the fabric pieces.

2. Start sewing

Sew the back darts on the dress fabric and the lining. 

Pin all the pieces of the main fabric for the bodice. Sew the princess seams and side seams. Press all the seams to lay flat in one direction. 

Join the lining and the bodice at the neckline by pinning and then sewing.

Once that’s sewn, press. Use the clapper to cool down the fabric. 

3. Sew the sleeves

First, prep the armholes. Pin the lining to the fabric and sew around the armhole. Then pin and sew the side seams of the sleeves.

Press the seams in the armholes and the side seams of the sleeves. Cool the fabric with the clapper. 

Fold the sleeve edge to make a casing for the elastic. Press to flatten. Pin and sew, leaving a small space unsewn to thread the elastic through.

Use a safety pin at the edge of the elastic to pull through the casing. Once it’s pulled through, join the two ends, secure them with sewing, and sew the opening closed.

Repeat this process for the second sleeve.

4. Add the sleeves to the bodice

Follow the pattern instructions on how to gather the sleeves at the top. Pin and sew the sleeve to the armhole. 

5. Sew the skirt

Sew the side seams on the main dress fabric and the lining. Press these seams to one side to flatten. Cool with the clapper. 

Gather the waistline of the skirt on the main fabric. Join the skirt to the bodice at the waistline and do the same for the lining. Press the seams.

Then, sew the center seams of the skirt and the lining, leaving space the zipper. Open the center seam and press it flat. 

Pin the zipper, following the instructions on how to insert an invisible zipper. 

Place the invisible zipper foot into the sewing machine. Insert the zipper. Once it’s sewn in, press the zipper flat on the wrong side of the fabric.

Finish the raw end of the zipper tape.

6. Finish the dress

Hem the dress and the lining separately. Press the hem and cool. 

Give a final press to the entire dress and enjoy!

How to sew a puff sleeve dress

I hope this overview tutorial on how to sew puff sleeves on a dress helps you make this gorgeous eye-catching dress!

Please let me know in the comments if you’ve made this dress and share photos so I can see your beautiful work!