A guide to making this style of one-piece:
Fairly easy, although some familiarity with using patterns and basic making-up will be needed.
I had a couple of questions about how much fabric etc. this takes, so here are some estimates: for a size roughly 24"-36" waist, 34"-40" bust, skirt 20" long (including hem ruffle), with short sleeves: 2.5 metres/3 yards of 45" wide fabric*, or 2 metres/2.5 yards of 60" wide. That's only a rough estimate; whenever I've made one of these dresses, it has been in 45" fabric from sellers who only do whole metres and sell in yards, so I bought 3. I never checked exactly how much was left but there was enough to make a couple of head bows, at least.
It can take anything from 3 to 8 metres of elastic depending on size and how much shirring you use.
This can be adapted to several styles, providing they share the same type of gathered sleeve. It's probably a type of raglan sleeve, having a diagonal join from the underarm rather than an armscye seam, but usually that's used for styles that have a shoulder seam with sleeves that come to a point somewhere near the collarbone. This is more of a 'floating sleeve', with no shoulder seam.
The basic style is made of a separate skirt and bodice, attached at the waist. The fit is controlled with elastic, but the dress can be adapted to be worn with a zip or other fastening if you prefer.
The bodice is lined; the skirt can be lined also or left plain.
The sleeves are of this style:
As there is no armhole seam in the shoulder area, the fit of the sleeve is controlled with elastic. This makes them adjustable and easy to get on/off, and also gives an attractive puffed shape to them. This looks best with quite short sleeves (short enough even to allow a blouse to be worn underneath, even though it is a one-piece), but they can of course be lengthened- in that case, though, it would be advisable to use some shaping or fullness control in the upper arm area.
Some variations in sleeve styles.
Long sleeve with upper-arm gather.
Short sleeve with extended edge for a frilled effect, gathered with
beading lace.
Made very short, like wide gathered straps, this type of sleeve can be
used on a pinafore dress.
Some suggestions for the overall dress.
Basic style- dress up the neckline with lace and crossover ribbon.
Shirred-back version- the front is semi-fitted and left ungathered, ideal
for decoration. Added fit is given by a waist-bow.
The neckline can be decorated in many different ways, without the interruption of shoulder seams.
Brand examples of this style:
The basic dress is simple enough to make without a pattern. However, if you have a favourite skirt pattern which has given good results in the past, you can use that. (Any style of skirt- gathered rectangle, trapezoid, tiered etc. Just ensure you read through first to be certain of what to do with the various bits.)
If you are making a dress with elasticated fit, follow the main instructions.
For a dress with a zip or similar fastening at the back, follow the amended instructions at the end of the tutorial.
- Bodice pattern
For a fitted bodice, the back needs extra width to accommodate the elasticated shirring. There isn't a rule as such to work out how much extra is needed, and it need only be the bare minimum if you don't like the look of a gathered back- but it should be sufficient to get the dress on over your head!
If necessary, assemble a mockup of the bodice to check its fit.
The front and back pieces are identical. If you are large in the bust you can add a few more inches to the front (or take a few off in the back), to even it out, but it's not absolutely necessary.
You can also shape the bodice to be a few inches tighter at the waist if you are concerned about it being too bulky when gathered.
The basic shape for the bodice (front and side views):
(note: images are not to scale.)
To give you an idea of measurements- on about a 36" bust, the overall width from side seam to side seam is about 24 inches (60 cm.) (or 12"/30 cm. from side seam to centre-front/back). The neckline measures about 8" (20 cm.).
Length from waist to armscye (not including seam allowance) is around 8"(20 cm.) for a comfortable fit. This will depend on your height, but it should not be too long otherwise the sleeves will be overly tight around the armhole.
If you are using elastic to shape the dress, these measurements aren't too important (and hence the lack of shaping in the pattern).
- Cutting out the bodice
You can either cut the front and back in two pieces, or as one continuous piece with only one side seam (unless your side seams are shaped, that is). This does eliminate a potential
obstruction for the elastic channels.
The armscye is quite rudimentary, being cut in a 'V'-shape (you can round this out to more of a curve to make sewing the sleeve in less angular and awkward).
Cut out bodice pieces in both outer fabric and lining. There should be a fairly large seam allowance at the waistline to allow for the elastic channeling.
You can add an extra layer or piece of fabric in the area of the channels, for reinforcement. This is something to consider if your fabrics are delicate, or if you prefer a more sturdily-constructed dress.
*A shirred back with a interlining piece means you do not need to sew channels in the lining, which also makes the dress neater on the inside. The outer fabric and interlining can be shirred first, once the outer bodice is assembled, and then the lining attached over them.
This also protects you to some degree from the wrinkly lines you sometimes get from shirring worn next to the skin.
- Sleeves
Here is the basic shape for the sleeve:
Again, measurements are variable and the sleeve can be as long as you wish. It can also be as wide as you like, although for a decent gather and comfy fit I would suggest at least 5" (12.5 cm.) wider than a loose measuring of your arm socket. (20"/50cm. is a good starting width.) This is something you will have to check fit for, since the sleeves are one of the few areas where fitting problems occur with this style.
The armscye of the sleeve should match the corresponding part of the bodice. If it is slightly longer, it can
be gathered when you attach it to the bodice, but there should not be much difference.
Cut out 2 sleeves in outer fabric, and 2 in lining.
- Skirt
Cut out your preferred skirt shape. The waistline of the skirt should either match the waistline of your bodice, or be wider so it can be gathered- it should *not* be narrower, or the width of your actual waist.
Assemble the skirt pieces. If you are using lining, assemble this also but do not join it to the outer skirt.
- Assembling the Bodice and Sleeves
If you are edging your sleeves with lace etc. do so now.
Assemble each sleeve piece separately, by sewing the underarm seams together.
The lining and outer pieces are now joined together. This is a little awkward to describe, so read through to get an understanding before you attempt any sewing.
The sleeve edges and shoulder seams of the lining and outer sleeves need to be sewn to each other. When this is complete, you will have a fully-lined sleeve with neat edges, and only the armscye seam left unfinished.
-Take one of your sleeve linings and turn it inside out.
Now take the corresponding outer piece and place it inside this reversed lining piece.
-This will give you one tube (the outer piece) inside another tube (the lining piece).
-Sew these pieces together at the shoulder and sleeve edge.
-Pull the piece right-side out and arrange them as they will be when finished- i.e the lining on the inside. These joined pieces will be treated as one from now on.
Repeat with the other sleeve.
Topstitch if desired.
-Sew channels for the elastic along both the shoulder and sleeve edge. (Alternatively, the sleeve edge can be gathered
with ribbon or beading lace.) Insert and secure the elastic pieces.
-Tack along the armscye of the sleeves to keep the pieces neatly together.
-Join the outer bodice pieces together. If using lace/trim, attach this now. If using an extra reinforcing layer or piece,
tack this to the outer bodice (this tacking is removed once the channels are in place), or sew channels now if you don't
want them to show on the lining side.
-Join bodice lining pieces together.
-Attach the sleeves to the outer bodice at the armscyes.
-Now take the bodice lining and join it at the following points to the outer fabric:
Front neckline, back neckline, armscyes.
This can be sewn in a continuous line- therefore, you should ensure that the sleeves are tucked out of the
way of these seams. When sewing the lining in, it should appear as if there are no sleeves, although you are
of course sewing through them too.
Once the lining is attached, the raw edges of both the bodice and the sleeves will be covered and hidden.
-Once the bodice is assembled, turn it the right way round. Press, topstitch etc.
-Elastic channels need to be sewn at the front and back neckline. They should extend the whole length of the neckline,
but not extend into the armhole seam. Insert and secure the elastic.
- Shirring
Your elastic shaping can be confined to the actual waistline, extend all the way up to the underbust for extra fit, or
be used solely in the back as shirring.
The second style will require channels to be stitched at 1/2" (1.25cm.) intervals. You don't need to add elastic to every
channel, but alternating one elastic and one empty channel will suffice. Once this is done, and the elastic is inserted and
secured, you can attach the skirt (add a waist channel also, as detailed below, for best fit).
If you did not use an interlining for your shirred back, sew the channels now as follows:
Extending the shirring to the sides of the bodice would give an odd look to the front. Keeping it in a neat column makes
it organised, and more of a design feature- it can of course be accentuated with lace etc. to make it a decorative touch.
- Attaching the Skirt
*Unlined skirt: there are two ways to do this, both equally functional, but one is slightly neater.
Method 1: Tack the bodice and lining together at the waistline. Attach the skirt (gathered if necessary) at the waist.
Trim the seam allowances of the skirt and bodice so that they are the same length, then bind/finish all edges together.
This will form your waist channel- stitch the channel, insert and secure the elastic.
Method 2 (neater): Sew the skirt to the outer bodice *only*, leaving the lining unattached. Use the seam allowances of
the bodice and skirt for a channel- stitch, but do not yet insert the elastic. Now secure the lining. To be super-tidy,
press the lining so there is a fold along the seamline, and then sew the lining to the outer dress by hand using invisible
stitches. Leave a small gap so you can insert your elastic before finishing.
When this is complete, you will have a fully-lined bodice with no exposed seam allowances, and an almost invisible join at
the waist. (You could of course stitch the lining in place by machine, but there will be a row of stitching left visible, and
you must be very careful with your pinning and pressing.)
*Lined skirts: sew the lining to the bodice first, wrong-sides out. Then do the same with the outer skirt, so you have the
bodice sandwiched between the two layers of skirt. (This can be done in one step, but it is more difficult and not as
neat especially if the skirt is gathered.)
Turn right-side out, and finish/press/topstitch etc.
- Dress with Back Fastening
-This is an adaptation for making a dress with a zip or buttoned/hook and eye back. Zips are in keeping with how the
brands design their dresses, but they are not necessarily the best option. (Brands may use them as a fabric-, and therefore
cost-, saving measure.)
If there is a large gathered section attached to a tight-fitting piece, i.e. a skirt on a fitted bodice, they can be
difficult to fasten. They can also get caught in the lining.
Additionally, they eliminate the ease and adjustable fit of shirred/gathered dresses (although this is not a concern if
you are making a basic gathered-style dress with a zip opening). So it's not advisable to use a zip unless you are quite
sure you won't be changing size!
-When you cut out your skirt section, ensure that there is a back seam to correspond with your fastening.
-If you are making a gathered dress, keep the extra width at the front as it is necessary for the look of the dress.
However, you can make the back tighter, and the back neckline does not need any extra width either.
You will need to amend the pattern for this.
-The bodice back will need to be cut with a centre-back opening. For buttons, the edges need to be extended so that there
is an overlap.
-Assemble the bodice and sleeves as detailed above, omitting any steps that don't apply to this version.
-Leave the bodice and lining unattached at the centre-back.
-Leave the outer bodice and lining free at the waistline, rather than tacking them together.
-If using a skirt lining, attach it to the bodice lining, matching up exactly at centre-back.
-Attach the outer skirt to the outer bodice, matching up exactly at centre-back.
-Insert zip. If you have not used a zip in a lined dress before, practice- it's quite straightforward, but can be difficult
if you are unused to it.
-Press, topstitch, complete any other finishing etc.
*45" is actually simpler as it's a good measurement for skirts; 2 pieces of 45" wide for the main part, 3 pieces for the ruffle. It's a good amount of volume and 'frill ratio'. Brand skirts are usually around 90".
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