Women’s Gathered waist summer dress pattern

A gathered waist dress pattern is the perfect clothing item for summer! Fun and easy to sew, this womens summer dress pattern and tutorial is suitable for all levels. 

Womens summer dress pattern

I love dresses, especially in summer when the weather is too hot to bear! This little womens summer dress pattern is simple but elegant for day, it feels comfortable without compromising style and it looks great on lots of body shapes. I love a lot of things about this dress but the feature I appreciate the most is the slightly higher and loose waist as I kind of hate anything tight on my waist! I also think that it elongates my figure so that I appear slimmer and taller, just like a real super model (just kidding, haha!)

And it’s so incredibly easy to make! This is basically an A line dress with a slightly gathered waist and I wanted to make it as simple as possible by eliminating the use of bias tape for neckline and armholes. Because let’s face it, bias tape can be a pain when used to finish those tricky areas.

I wanted a quick and easy sew and that’s what I got! I think the dress looks simply fabulous! And I had so much fun making it and modeling, with my little 6 years old niece taking the photos; it was a hoot! Isn’t she so talented? 

You can make this dress using any A line dress to draw your pattern then follow this simple tutorial or you can use my pattern if you are a size 8 (European 38). 

Womens summer dress pattern & tutorial

Materials:

• Fabric for dress 2 yards (I used a soft cotton) – similar here
• fabric for lining 2 yards (I used white chiffon)
• 1/8″ elastic
• button
• fabric pen
• pins
• scissors
• matching thread
• sewing machine
• pattern (optional)

Directions:

• Start by washing and ironing your fabric and lining. 
• Make your pattern using an A line dress or download mine from here. This is how your pieces should look like once assembled.

• Cut the fabric and lining pieces, on the fold, making sure to add 1/4″ allowance and about 2″ for the hem.
• Match the back pieces for dress and lining.

• Fold in half

• And cut a slit of about 6″ just down the middle

• Match the dress pieces, right side together, pin at the shoulders and sew. Do the same for the lining pieces.

• Make a tiny button loop. Take a small piece of fabric of 3″ by 1/2″, fold in half and iron, then fold each side in half and iron, then fold one more time using the initial fold and iron. You will probably find this loop to long and will need to trim once you attach it to the dress.

• Match dress pieces and lining pieces, wrong sides together and pin all around the neckline.

• Insert the little strip of fabric you just made as in the photo below.

• Turn the dress right side out by dropping the lining through the neckline.

• Trim the corners then gently push the out .

• Sew around the slit as close to the edge as possible.

• Sew around the neckline a 1/4″ seam then again as close to the edge as possible.

• Sew the sides together on both the dress and the lining, making sure they’re facing inwards so they’re enclosed when the dress is done. Serge or zig zag to finish the seam.

• With the dress right side out, work on the armholes. Turn the seam inside, all around the armhole, on both the dress and the lining so that the raw edges are facing together. Pin and sew, first the dress then the lining. 

• Match the dress and the lining at armhole, pin together and sew on the seam you just made before, when sewing the armhole towards the inside. Then do another stitch as close to the edge as possible.

• Measure 7: down the armhole and make horizontal marks on the dress. This will be the waist. Then pin all the way around the waist making sure to catch both the dress and the lining.

• Fold the dress inside, following the pins mark, then remove the pins and pin a shown below

• Make sure the dress and the lining are aligned at the hem before proceeding to the next step.

• Sew a 1/4″ seam all around the waist following the pins mark, leaving a 2″ opening.

• Thread the elastic through the waist, using a safety pin, then sew the opening closed.

• Your waist should look like this now. Spread the gathers nicely so they’re even all around the waist line

• Now all you have to do is make the hem on both the dress and the lining. Because the fabric was so thin, I wanted to make a narrow hem and I used this method here. 
• Add the button and you’re done! Enjoy your beautiful summer dress!

Easy Women’ Skirt tutorial

Bubble skirt tutorial

Batwing top from a scarf