Ella Midi Dress

Is there a more luxurious colour combo than black and gold? This glam number by Julia Claridge is perfect for any Christmas party – with a flattering scoop neck and elegant fluted sleeves, you’ll be the belle of the ball. Remember to work carefully, with plenty of pattern weights, as crepe can be slippery when cutting and sewing, and hang your dress overnight to allow it to relax before hemming.

Essentials

Crepe, 2.5m (150cm)
Invisible zip, 56cm

Sizes

8-24

Cutting guide

Front: cut one on the fold
Back: cut one pair
Front skirt: cut one on the fold
Back skirt: cut one pair
Sleeves: cut one pair
Front neck facing: cut one from fabric and one from interfacing
Back neck facing: cut one from fabric and one pair from interfacing

Download and print the pattern from sewmag.co.uk, then follow the cutting guide. With right sides together, join the front and back neck facings at the shoulder seam, then neaten the inner raw edge. Following the markings, make darts in the front and back bodice pieces.
With right sides together, pin and stitch the front and back bodices together at the shoulder and side seams. Neaten raw edges. With right sides together, match the raw edges and pin the neck facing to the neck edge. Sew, trim and clip. Under-stitch around the neck facing.
Press the neck facing to the inside. Pin and stitch the underarm seams of the sleeves, right sides together. Sew two rows of ease stitching around the sleeve heads. Pin the sleeve into the armhole, right sides together, matching notches and seams.
Gently pull the ease stitches so the sleeve fits into the armhole. Sew and neaten the raw edges. Hand-stitch the neck facing to the dress at the shoulder seams. With right sides together, pin and stitch the front and back skirts at side seams, then neaten the raw edges.
Pin the skirt to the waist edge, right sides together, matching the centrefront and side seams. Stitch and neaten the raw edges. With right sides together, pin one side of the zip to the centre-back seam, then use a zipper foot to sew in place. Repeat for the other side.
With right sides together, pin and stitch the centre-back seam together below the zip. Turn in the raw edges of the neck facing; hand-stitch to the zip tape. Turn and press a 1.5cm double-turned hem on the sleeves. Hang overnight. Hem the skirt, then add a 1.5cm double hem.