Chic Off-the-Shoulder Dress DIY
If you’re looking for a fairly simple project that will produce a very impressive result, this DIY off-the-shoulder dress is for you. This step-by-step tutorial will take you from raw fabric to a finished product that you can be proud of and wear with confidence. Let’s get to it!
Best fabric scissors!
Tools and materials:
- 2 yards of cotton fabric
- Sleeveless dress (to trace)
- Scissors
- Fabric pen
- Measuring tape
- Pins
- Sewing machine
Fold and trace
Fold your fabric in half, and then fold it in half again. Use a dress that fits you well to trace out the neckline and the armholes.
Use a ruler to make a straight side seam, and then trace the hem of the dress at the desired length.
Cut
Then cut your fabric along the lines you marked.
Adjust
Once the front and back pieces of the dress are cut out, you can adjust the depth of the neckline and armholes on the front piece.
Cut sleeves
For instructions on how to measure, mark, and cut the sleeves, see the video from 1:50-2:49.
Gather
Use a basting stitch to create gathers at the top edges of the sleeves. The gathered edges should be equal in length to the measurement you took around your arm.
Cut
Next, cut out some long rectangles for the ruffles at the hem of the skirt. Sew them together to make one long strip of fabric.
Add darts
Add two small darts on both the front and back pieces of the dress to add shaping.
Sew
Now sew down the shoulder seams and side seams.
Finish the bottom edge of the skirt ruffle, and then sew it to the bottom edge of the dress.
Sew the side seams of the sleeves together. Then, pin the sleeves inside the armholes, and sew them in place.
Cut strips of fabric to use as inside binding around the neckline and armholes. Sew the binding onto the front of the dress with a topstitch. Then fold the binding inside, and sew it down with a topstitch, too.
And we’re done! I really love how this came out, and I especially love the quality and pattern of this fabric.
I hope you found this off-the-shoulder dress tutorial helpful. What fabric pattern are you going to use to make this dress?
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Gorgeous!!!!!👍️🤩
So very pretty. I love your material.