Spring is here, and what better way to celebrate than by creating a fashionable new outfit?
Welcome! If you're new to sewing or just looking for a fun and easy project to get started, you're in the right place. This step-by-step guide will walk you through the process of creating your own stunning sweater dress with ruching and a keyhole neckline. With just a few basic sewing skills, some cozy knit fabric, and a bit of compression tricot (optional: it's used for the body con element) you'll be able to whip up a stylish and comfortable dress that's perfect for any occasion. So grab your fabric, thread, and sewing machine, and let's get started on creating a wardrobe staple that you'll love to wear!
Here's the items you'll need in addition to basic sewing supplies:
About 2.5 yds* of a sweater knit fabric (dress & shrug)
About 1.5 yds* of compression tricot (dress lining)
Jersey knit needle (recommended)
McCall's pattern M8348 (shrug)
An old tank dress, that fits you well
* These are the approx. amounts I used. Measurements depend on your size and desired length. Be sure to measure the template dress you're using to help gauge how much fabric you'll need. Also factor in the width of the fabric, this can alter how many yards of fabric are needed.
Step #1 - Trace & Cut: Using Your Old Dress As A Guide
Now that you're all set up with your fabric and equipment, it's time to get started on the first step of making your bodycon sweater dress. To begin, you'll want to grab an old dress that fits you well and use it as a template or pattern for your new dress. This step is a great opportunity to make any adjustments to the fit or style of your dress (ex. neckline, width of shoulder straps), so feel free to get creative and make it your own!
It's time for the fun part! Now that you have your template or pattern, let's trace then cut out the pieces for your new dress.
Start by folding your template in half lengthwise. Use a fabric marker or tailor's chalk to trace the outline of your template or pattern onto the fabric. Make sure to trace around the edges carefully to ensure a precise fit. Being that we are working with knit fabrics and I was going for a bodycon type fit I didn't add seam allowance to this dress. Depending on how your previous template fit you, you may want to add seam allowance. If so, generally 5/8" will do the trick.
If you're using a compression tricot (as lining), simply trace to your desired length for the front and back pieces.
For the sweater knit layer, you'll want to follow the same steps you did with the compression layer. However, when it comes to the length; we're going to do something different.
Begin by measuring from the fullest part of your hips to your desired length of the dress, and then double or triple that measurement depending on how ruched you'd like your sweater dress to be. This will create the ruching effect that helps give this dress its signature bodycon look by accentuating the hips a bit.
Once you have traced out your new pattern, using sharp fabric scissors, carefully cut along the traced lines to create your front and back pieces.
Step #2 - Constructing The Dress
Just to give an overview: we're going to begin by bringing the front pieces together followed by the back pieces, in the same way. Hem the armholes, then sew the shoulder and side seams. Lastly complete the hem of the dress.
Be sure to use a jersey knit needle in your sewing machine, since we're working with knit fabrics for this project. Jersey knit needles are special because they have a slightly rounded tip. While sewing the needle will go between the loops in the fabric rather than puncturing through them. Resulted in more durable and secure seams. Now that you know what needle to use, what stitch are we going to use? I used a stretch stitch for the entire project, with the exception of the gathering stitches later on. The zig-zag stitch is a great alternative.
A. Place the 2 front pieces (sweater knit & compression tricot) right sides together. Sew around the neckline.
Flip it around so that wrong side are facing each other. This is will be an understitch. It won't be visible on the outer layers.
Then topstitch around the neckline. This creates a beautiful, professional finish and keeps the neckline flat.
B. Make a gathering stitch (2 rows of basting stitches) along the sides of the sweater knit. Starting just
above the hips and down the entire length. Then gather the sides stopping at about 5/8 in from the lower edge of the compression tricot layer. This will allow you to hem the tricot layer later on. Once your gathers are to your liking, pin and baste in place. You can then sew or serge the sides together.
C. Now bring the back pieces together in the same way as the front pieces.
D. Let's work on the armholes next. Make a narrow hem along each armhole side (4). It's more manageable this way, if you decided to sew these by hand like I did. As long as you do the same measurements for all of them, they'll line up perfectly.
E. Now that the front and back pieces of the sweater dress are just about complete, pin and sew the shoulder seams. Then pin and sew the side seams, remember to stop about 5/8 in from the bottom of the tricot layer.
Be mindful of the sweater fabric in between the layers, smooth it out ensure the fabric isn't bunched outside of the intentional gathers.
F. Hem the tricot and sweater layers, you can use a narrow hem as well here. And now the sweater dress is complete!
Step #3 - Construct The Shrug
For this step, I used pattern M8348 in View A. You can always experiment with the views to change up the look a bit. Simply follow the instructions in the pattern. In the video below, you can sew along with me to see more details on how to sew the shrug.
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As a side note: For the sleeve, there's a large dot on the pattern marking where to stop sewing. I found that it didn't lay quite right for my taste. It had this bat wing thing going on lol. So, I sewed about 1.5"-2" passed that large dot. You may or may not need to make a similar adjustment.
I also shorted the front of the shrug a bit to have a slightly larger keyhole effect. This will depend on the dress or shirt you're using and the adjustments you've made previously. Just try on your sweater and see what works for you.
Go Forth & Continue Being Phenomenal
I'm sure you slayed that sewing project! It's amazing how a simple garment like a sweater dress can bring out more of your beauty and confidence. Fashion is not just about wearing trendy clothes or following the latest styles, it's about expressing yourself and showing the world who you truly are.
Check out more sewing projects like this, here!
Love this! 😍 Great job.