Choosing fabric. You can sew the entire dress from one fabric or you can combine fabrics. In any case, main fabric must be stretchy. Stretch factor on DOGS must be: 10% – 30%, and on grain-line: 5% – 10%. More about stretch factor here.
When using a combination of fabrics for a dress:
- if you want to combine with non-stretch fabric, remember that only the center front piece must be made of non-stretch fabric.
- if you want to combine two fabrics, both being stretchy, remember that the center front must be cut from the fabric that is least stretchy.
Recommended fabric: knits, jersey. For non-stretchy fabric or fabrics with little amount of stretchiness used only for center front piece: medium to thick lace, soft leather, artificial soft leather.
Prepare your fabric. Identify DOGS and Grain-line directions. See here how. Fold the fabric on grain-line. Place pattern pieces as shown in the diagram bellow. Trace seam allowances of 0.7 – 1 cm.
Prepare your interfacing fabric. Identify Grain-line direction. Fold the interfacing fabric on grain-line. Place pattern pieces as shown in the diagram bellow. Trace seam allowances of 0.7 – 1 cm.
Cut the fabric and interfacing pieces. Before unfolding, transfer back dart and notches on underneath pieces. Unfold pieces. You should end up with the following fabric pieces.
Here are my pattern pieces I’ve just cut; they are still unfolded and paper pieces are still pinned on fabric.
