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Avoid the embarrassment of turning up in the same dress as another guest at a festive engagement by stitching your own bespoke outfit. Designed by Amanda Walker, this simple dress is in a curve-hugging wiggle style evocative of the 1950s. It features two dart positions and is a flattering knee length; with a pretty bow detail at the neckline. From the Sew archive, it has had a modern revamp with two striking prints from John Kaldor – perfect for turning heads at all your seasonal soirées.
Stitch a wiggle dress
Download the pattern below. Print and piece together. Lay the pattern pieces onto fabric and cut out. The two darts that are featured on each side of the dress front are positioned at the side of the bust (from the side seam with the point towards the bust point) and at the front (from the waist section with the point towards the bust point). Match the vertical dart dots together, fold the fabric from the dot at the top point and the base of the dart, then match the dots at the centre waistline together. Pin and stitch from the base of the dart to the point, securing the stitches at the top and base point. Repeat the process on the remaining dart. Press them towards the centre front. Stitch in the bust darts, match the notches at the edge of the bust darts together, then the point and stitch. Press the darts downwards. Repeat this process so there are four darts on the front main fabric and four on the front lining piece.
Insert darts to the back of the dress. Stitch the darts into the back pieces; follow the same method as for the front piece. The two darts are positioned at the waist, one on each back piece. Press the darts towards the centre back. Repeat the process on the back lining pieces.
Stitch the shoulder seams together. With the front piece facing uppermost, lay the back pieces onto it matching the shoulder seams together, pin, then stitch together. Press the seams open. Repeat the process with the lining front and back pieces.
Stitch the centre back seam. First neaten the edges of the seams by either overlocking or zig zag stitching. With the right side of the back pieces facing, match the notch at the base of the zip together, pin along the seam as far as the top of the pleat, then stitch the seam together from the top of the pleat, as far as the zip notch; back tack to reinforce the ends of this seam. Clip the seam at the top of the back pleat, then press the seam open. The lining pieces have a straight centre back seam, so repeat the previous process, but stitch from the top
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