Check Out How I Made a Gorgeous Linen Dress With Embroidery

10 Materials
$20
3 Hours
Medium

If you ask me, embroidered dresses are absolutely stunning. They’re classy and elegant and so eye-catching. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how I made my own linen dress with embroidery from scratch. It was such a fun project and I am so happy about the results. If you want to see how I did it, and maybe even try this out for yourself, just keep reading.

Tools and materials:

  • Pre-embroidered linen fabric
  • Pattern
  • Sewing pins
  • Sewing machine
  • Scissors
  • Iron
  • Serger
  • Marker
  • Measuring tape
  • Invisible zipper
Linen dress
Sew in your darts


Using my pattern, I cut out the parts I needed for the bodice. The piece I used for the lining didn’t have any embroidery on it. I took the front piece and pinned in some french darts. This is a princess cut, so darts aren’t necessary, but I do like the way they look and wanted to have them. I tied off the ends of the dart instead of backstitching, as that would create too much bulk. Then I pressed the darts down with my iron. I repeated the whole process on the lining piece.

Floral linen dress
Make the straps


I cut out two 2” strips of fabric and folded each one in half lengthwise, right sides together, and sewed them. After I stitched them I serged the edges to make them neater. Then, pushing a safety pin through the tubes, I turned them right side out. Once my straps were made, I pinned them to the front of the bodice and sewed them in place. 

Easy linen dress
Attach the back of the bodice


Next, I took the back pieces of the bodice and pinned them to the front pieces along the side seams, then sewed and serged the edges. I then took the other side of each strap and pinned it to the back piece of the bodice. 

DIY linen dress
Add the lining


Once the back was in place, I was ready to add the lining. I took the lining and pinned it to the bodice so that straps were essentially sandwiched in, and pinned my way along only the top of the bodice. I then stitched and serged it all together. 

How to sew a linen dress
Add some understitching


I opened up the bodice and cut a little snip at the dip of the sweetheart neckline. Then I flipped the bodice right side out and pressed it down with my iron. I then went back over to my sewing machine and understitched on the lining side of the fabric, making sure the seam allowances were pressed toward that lining side. Then I stitched as far as I could, and continued doing the same thing along the top and sides of the bodice. 

Custom linen dress
Add the pockets


I cut out the fabric I needed for the skirt and made a mark at 3” down from the waist. I placed my pockets, right sides together, on both ends of my skirt piece and sewed them in place. I then pinned the front and back piece of the skirt together, going around the pockets and down the side seams. I then stitched along where I pinned and serged off the edges.

Linen dresses for women
Create the pleats


I measured the length of my bodice and marked the center. Then I lined up the center of the bodice with the center of the skirt and attached them with about three pins. Now it was time to create the boxed pleats at the bodice. So I folded up some of the fabric, placed a pin on either side of the fold, then distributed the fabric down flat and pinned it down. To get a visual of this, go to minute 8:00 in the video. Once my pleats were in place, I sewed them down. I ended up with two boxed pleats in the front, and two in the back. 

Linen dress DIY
Install the zipper


I was now ready to install my invisible zipper. For details on how to do that, check out the link in the video’s description, where I break down exactly how to do it. I pinned my zipper in place, then loaded my machine with the invisible zipper foot and sewed it down on both sides. Then I put my regular foot back on, and starting at the top of the zipper, I continued that back seam down to the end.

Make your own linen dress
Hand sew the lining


The last step in this project was to hand sew the lining to the inside seam of the dress so that it was seamless and perfect. After that, my dress was done! 

Completed linen dress


Linen dress from scratch


You guys, I love this dress! I am so happy with the way it turned out. It’s gorgeous, comfortable, and the embroidery makes it super elegant, too. It’s perfect for summer and pairs nicely with a cardigan and boots for a winter look as well. I’m just thrilled with the outcome. If you decided to try out a similar dress, I’d love to see pictures of your results in the comments!  

Suggested materials:
  • Linen fabric
  • Pattern
  • Sewing pins
See all materials

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