How to Sew a Maxi Dress with Pockets and French Seams

Greetings internet strangers! Welcome to another free sewing tutorial in my miniscule corner of the world wide web (gosh I love that alliteration). Like all of my sewing projects so far this dress obviously includes and elastic waistband and pockets. Perhaps I will one day feel brave enough to do a project that uses a zip but today is not that day. Rest assured that there will never come a day where I do not endeavor to make a garment that does not include pockets. This is one of my more complicated sewing tutorials so please feel free to comment below with any questions you have or hunt me down on Pinterest or Instagram. Good luck and have fun!!!

You will need:

1. A piece of chalk or a water soluble marker or a pencil
2. A grading ruler and/or measuring tape
3. Fabric scissors
4. approximately 3m (3.3 yds) of fabric
5. matching thread
6. 1.2cm (0.5 inch) wide elastic
7. 2 safety pins
8. 2 removable foam bra cups (optional)
9. hand sewing needle

Instructions

How to cut out your own maxi dress pattern

Measure the widest part of your hips, mine is 86cm, then add some extra for the seam allowance and so the skirt can it easily fit over your hips. My total is 95cm/37.4 inches. Since we are cutting a half circle skirt the formula for the radius of the circle is 95 (waist of your skirt) divided by 3.14, which is equal to about 30cm/11.8 inches (I round the radius to the nearest whole number just to make my life easier when measuring fabric).

How to cut out the pockets

How to cut out the maxi dress bodice

1. For the waist/bodice piece I cut out a long rectangle that is the same as the width of the waist: 95cm/37.4 inches, by 17cm/6.7 inches . I made the height of the rectangle a bit big so I can include the seam allowance and also because I can always cut it shorter if I need to.
2. Next, cut out the bust pieces (4 in total). The bust pieces are 23cm/9.1 inches wide (including the seam allowance), because that’s about a quarter of 95cm/37.4 inches, which is the width of the bodice. I cut out my bust pieces in the triangular section between the main skirt piece and the rectangle for the ruffle. The annotated image below should give a good guideline of how to cut it. Remember to make it longer than you need since you can always make it shorter.

How to cut out the straps and elastic casings

For the straps of the dress I cut out 2 pieces that were each 4.5 by 42cm/1.8 by 16.5 inches. Generally the straps should have 1cm/0.4 inch seam allowance and be just under triple the elastic width (my elastic was 1.2cm/0.5 inch wide).

Lastly, you will need 2 elastic casing pieces and mine were 3 by 95cm/1.2 by 37.4 inches, including seam allowance.

How to Sew the Maxi Dress

How to Sew the Pockets with French Seams

Step 1

Sew the pocket piece wrong sides together along the skirt side seam about 12cm/4.7 inches down from the waist with 0.5cm/0.4 inch seam allowance. The seam is sewn in the below image but due to the fabric print it’s hard to see lol.

Step 2

Then iron/press the pocket and the skirt piece so that it’s right sides together and sew with about 0.5cm/0.4 inch seam allowance. Press so that the pocket and its seam are facing outwards. Repeat Steps 1 & 2 for the rest of the pockets.

Step 3

Place the front and back skirt pieces right sides together and sew with 1cm/0.4 inch seam allowance. You can also finish the seam by overlocking, using a zig-zag stitch, or even binding.

How to Sew the Ruffle Hem

Step 1

Take 2 ruffle pieces and sew right sides together and sew with 1cm/0.4 inch seam allowanced. Because my ruffle pieces were cut using the full width of my fabric I kept the selvage (the woven edge of the fabric) so that I didn’t need to overlock or zig-zag the ruffle seams. Repeat for the other 2 ruffle pieces. I also chose to have a split in the ruffle in the centre of the front and back but this is optional of course.

Step 2

Fold over the ends of the ruffle pieces 0.5cm/0.2 inch and sew to make the hem for the split in the middle. If your ruffle pieces don’t include the selvage you can fold over the fabric again so that all the raw edges are completely hidden.

Step 3

Hem the bottom of the ruffles by folding over 0.5cm/0.2 inch and sewing it down. Then fold over again and sew once more so that all the raw fabric edges are sealed away.

Step 4

At the top of the ruffles, sew 2 parallel lines using your longest stitch length on your sewing machine. Mine is number 4. Make sure not to backtrack or tie the ends because we need to do some gathering. Also make sure to skip over the seam in the middle of each ruffle piece because it might be too bulky to gather nicely. Pull on the leftover strings to gather the fabric until it fits to the bottom of the skirt.

Step 5

Sew the ruffle to the skirt right sides together with a 1cm/0.4 inch seam allowance. Match the side seams of the skirt to the side seams of the ruffle. You can finish the seam by overlocking, using a zig-zag stitch, or even binding.

How to Sew the bodice

Step 1

Sew the waist bodice piece wrong sides together with a 0.5cm/0.2 inch seam allowance. Press the seam closed so the right sides of the fabric are together and then sew with 1cm/0.4 inch seam allowance.

Step 2

Take 2 of the bust bodice pieces and trim off a 0.5cm/0.4 inch strip on each side. This is so that the seam can be hidden a little once it is sewn. Use the image below as a guide.

Step 3

Sew the foam bra cups to the smaller bust pieces, using the image below as a guide. Remember that the foam cups are completely optional.

Step 4

The length of your bust pieces should be from just under your bust to your shoulder, making sure to include 0.5cm/0.2 inch seam allowance. Mine were 28cm/11 inches long. I also trimmed the top part of the bust pieces to about 5cm/2 inches wide so I could pleat it when I attached the bust pieces to the straps. Sew the smaller bust piece to a bigger one RS together with a 0.5cm/0.2 inch seam allowance. Repeat to complete the other bust piece.

Step 5

Fold each of the strap pieces in half lengthwise and sew right sides together with a 0.5cm/0.2 inch seam allowance. Then use a safety pin to turn out so the right side of the fabric is on the outside. Iron/press so that the seam is in the middle of the strap.

Step 6

Measure out your elastic for the straps, just remember you can always cut it shorter if you need to, and insert the elastic into the strap casing using a safety pin. Sew the elastic to the casing at one end of the strap but use the safety pin to stop the elastic at the other end of the strap in case you need to trim the elastic when you try the dress on.

Step 7

Insert each strap into the top of the bust piece, making pleats to gather the excess fabric around the strap. I ended up sewing this part by hand because when I tried with my sewing machine my needle ended up getting bent lol.

Step 8

Next, sew the skirt to the waist bodice piece RS together. Place the elastic band casing right side down onto the wrong side of the skirt, the photo below should help guide you. Use a 1cm/0.4 inch seam allowance. Fold over the end of the casing strip to cover the raw edge of the other end and sew down.

Step 9

Iron/press the elastic band casing upwards and fold over about 0.5cm/0.2 inch then sew along the edge to seal the casing. Leave about 10cm/ 4 inches space so you can insert the elastic.

Step 10

Make sure the elastic fits snugly around your waist but can also stretch to fit over your hips. Insert the elastic into the casing using a safety pin and once the elastic is fully inserted you can sew the elastic ends together to form a loop. Then sew along the edge of the casing to close it.

Step 11

Before I attached the bust pieces to the waist bodice I tried on the dress and determined that the bodice waist was a bit long. So I ended up cutting off a 3cm/1.2 inch wide strip which I then used for the under bust elastic casing. When I pinned the bust pieces to the bodice waist I made sure that the bust pieces touched each other in the centre front o the dress. I joined the bust pieces to the bodice waist right sides together with 0.5/0.2 inch seam allowance.

Step 12

After that I sewed the under bust elastic casing to the bodice right sides together with 0.5/0.2 inch seam allowance, as shown in the image below.

Step 13

Iron/press the under bust elastic casing hem about 0.5cm/0.2 inch and then fold along the seam and press as well. Then sew along the edge to seal it, just remember to leave a space to insert the elastic.

Step 14

Make sure the elastic fits snugly around your under bust but can also stretch to fit over your hips. Insert the elastic into the casing using a safety pin and once the elastic is fully inserted you can sew the elastic ends together to form a loop. Then sew along the edge of the casing to close it completely.

Step 15

I used safety pins to secure my straps in a crisscross design and when I tried on the dress it fitted well. My straps are 17.5cm/6.9 inches apart and I made the joining point of each strap match up to the middle of the corresponding bust piece, as you can see in the image below. In order to sew the straps I unpicked a bit of the elastic casing where I wanted the straps to go and then inserted each strap before sewing the casing closed once more. This method ensured that there were no unfinished edges exposed and just looks quite neat if I do say so myself.

More Free Sewing Tutorials

For those who are looking for some fairycore inspired sewing tutorials, both of these skirts include pockets of course: the tiered maxi skirt, and the simple half-circle skirt.

There is also the simple mini slip dress with adjustable ribbon ties as straps. If you would like a free sewing tutorial for a formal fairycore dress here is my easy satin slip dress with organza ruffles (and pockets of course!). I also have a sewing tutorial for a tie front summery dress that is adjustable, but also has pockets of course!

And if skirts and dresses are too feminine for you, there’s always these simple shorts with pockets, or my patchwork pants tutorial (a great way to use up fabric scraps that are annoyingly small) and the summery fairycore trousers with ribbon side ties!

A sewing project that’s quick and easy but also fits the whimsical fairycore vibe is scrunchies. And I have tutorials for 2 variations: a simple scrunchie and a ruffle scrunchie.

For autumn or winter wear I have a sewing tutorial for a simple turtleneck top with ruching side ties.

You can also give a garment that’s already in your closet a whimsical fairycore makeover using this tutorial for flower cut outs with ribbon ties.

DIY not AI

Last but not least, if you are sick and tired of being bamboozled by those too perfect AI images and want some inspiration from actual human beings, my Pinterest board, DIY NOT AI, awaits. This is the link, AKA magical portal, that will take you there. DIY NOT AI is also a group board that is OPEN TO CONTRIBUTORS!!! Whether you’re a crocheter, seamstress, knitter, or any other kind of DIY/handicraft creator this is The Place for you to promote your work to people who appreciate REAL quality over quantity. So what are you waiting for? Shoot me a dm on Pinterest to be added!