The free dress pattern this month is a super simple, easy dress pattern for the ‘Wear Everywhere Dress‘. Made for knit fabrics with a moderate stretch, this dress has just two pattern pieces, the sleeves are already built in and its easy to fit to your shape. A perfect beginner sewing pattern. Plus – this dress is so versatile – dress it up, dress it down, dress it smart or casual. It all depends on your fabric choices and accessories.
Features:
- Built in sleeves
- Learn how to sew an easy knit neckline facing for a neat finish
- No darts or zippers
- Unusual square shaped neckline
- Easy to fit to your shape
- Range of sizes, from 31 to 40 inch bust
- Super flattering
- Make it figure-hugging or figure-skimming. You decide.
- Versatile
- Full sewing instructions are downloaded with the pattern pieces
Skill level:
Beginner. The instructions for this dress include instructions on picking stitches and finishes for use with knit fabrics. There are no complicated darts or zippers, and instructions are included on how to sew the neckline facings.
Where can you get the Wear Everywhere easy dress pattern ?
As usual, to make downloading easy and reliable, the pattern is hosted in my design account with Payhip. If you don’t already have an account, you will need to sign up to download, but don’t worry, it’s free, quick and easy. Add the pattern to your cart, and then checkout – no payment/address details etc needed.
Download multi-size pattern pieces from my design account at Payhip...
Can I see some more pics before I decide if it's for me?
Of course you can. I made a couple of versions, one in a diagonal print and one in a black and white vertical print. I think both look great!
Choosing your fabrics
You'll need a fabric with a moderate stretch. This pattern is so simple that it can accommodate a wide number and variety of stretch fabrics including novelty and sweater knits, but be aware when choosing your fabric that thicker fabrics and those with less stretch may need to be sewn with greater ease and may require you to go up a size. It looks good in both prints and solids.
Making up your pattern
See the downloadable instructions for details on how to print and piece together your pattern, and cut your fabric. Your pattern has a front, back and neckline facings.
What Size Do I Need?
Please use this table as a guide only as although our body measurements may be similar, different body shapes may require fitting differently.
I highly recommend the Sew the Perfect Fit course if you want to learn more about how to pick the right pattern size, make a muslin and get the correct fit. Making a muslin is always recommended prior to cutting your good fabric. If you are in between measurements, do measure the actual pattern pieces to determine what size would suit you best.
| Bust | Waist | Hips | |
| 1 | 31.5 | 26 | 34 |
| 2 | 32.5 | 27.5 | 35.5 |
| 3 | 34 | 29 | 37.5 |
| 4 | 36 | 31 | 40 |
| 5 | 38 | 33 | 42 |
| 6 | 40 | 35 | 44 |
If in doubt test the larger size and adjust for fitting at the side seams during construction.
Wear Everywhere Dress Sewing Instructions
Seam allowances – 5/8th of an inch throughout unless mentioned.
Abbreviations used: RST – right sides together.
Note on finishing seams – seams should be finished as you sew. Use your favorite method or see the suggestions in the full instructions download.
I recommend the Sewing with Knits course if you want to learn more about sewing with knit fabrics. Read my review of the Sewing with Knits course.
These are abbreviated instructions and small photos for the blog only. The pattern download includes more detailed instructions to help you step by step along the way to a great finished Wear Everywhere dress. This is just a quick overview.
- Join center back seam. Join center back seam of neckline facing.
- Sew neckline facing to back, RST. Trim seams allowances by half.
- Stitch neckline facing to front, RST. Trim seam allowances by half.
- Join front to back at shoulders and along top of sleeve, opening out facings to join these at the shoulders.
- Open out neckline facing, right sides up. Press seam allowances towards facing and understitch through facing 1/8th inch from seam line. See this tutorial on understitching.
- Press facings to inside, top stitch around neckline 1/2 inch from seam. Trim facings.
- Join side seams. Try to fit and adjust if necessary.
- Finish sleeves and hem. See this tutorial on using a double needle to hem knits.
- Wear and enjoy!
Thanks for downloading this pattern. I'd love to see what you sew, so please upload your completed projects to the pattern page on Craftsy.
Watch out for the next pattern coming soon to the So Sew Easy Pattern Store. I know you are going to love it!
As usual, to make downloading easy and reliable, the pattern is hosted in my design account with Payhip. If you don’t already have an account, you will need to sign up to download, but don’t worry, it’s free, quick and easy. Add the pattern to your cart, and then checkout – no payment/address details etc needed.
Download multi-size pattern pieces from my design account at Payhip...
Authored by: Deby at So Sew Easy
Thanks for all your effort and hard work. I forgot I had downloaded this pattern awhile ago. This is my next project. Yay!!
Wow just found you on craftsy site just getting back in to sewing again this dress is ideal to get me started. Thank you so much. Its raining in the UK could do with a bit of your Caribbean sunshine.
Great that we’ve connected Jean. I remember the UK all too well, but I moved out about 8 years ago now and enjoy the sunnier side of life these days. I hope the dress turns out well for you.
At the risk of sounding picky, I love the diagonal stripe but I don’t love the black and white for your colouring. A bateau neckline would be fabulous with that diagonal stripe.
Not picky at all Susan. I’ve always considered myself a conservative dresser and most things in my wardrobe are black, brown, beige, grey, navy. But since moving to the sunshine in the Caribbean I’ve started to wear bright colors and bold patterns and I find it really lifts my mood!
. The sizes are fine. 1 to 6 are just list or bullet type numbers. 40 bust 44 inch hips is not tiny i wish people thought it was haha love your patterns Deby thank you so much for your effort.
I’m using letters from now on to avoid confusion so patterns will come in sizes A to G instead of numbers. If a 44 hip was considered tiny, I’d be happy too!
Hi Deby this might sound like a silly question but I have not been sewing long. When I print out the pattern do I cut off the bit that says neck facing or do I trace that shape onto another piece of paper and leave the main piece intact for the dress?
You can do it either way. Once you have cut the main dress piece, you can either then cut off the facing and use that as a new pattern piece, or trace it off and use it. But what you shouldn’t do is cut it off first before you cut out the main dress piece, or that will be wrong. The facing pieces are the exact match to the dress neckline itself, so anyway you get there will work out. Good luck with it, and if you have any other questions, let me know.
Thank you for your fast answer to my question. This will be my first dress and after reading the instructions I am hoping I can do it, I will let you know.
Deby,
I downloaded this pattern from Craftsy on my iPad, but I can’t seem to get the pattern to pull up.
Your IPAD probably doesn’t have the right software on it to open this pattern. You’ll need to unzip it into the constituent PDF files on a regular PC or laptop. Take a look at the post about How to Download and Open PDF Sewing Patterns for more info. If you still can’t work it out, do drop me an email and we’ll try to get it between us.
I will try it in the morning. Thanks!
Hi again Deby Luv,I’m still waitin’ on someone to help me get this pattern out of the
PDF file ,but all r so busy..I did try to print it all, so’s I cud keep track, of what i was doin” but it just doesn’t want me to have that pattern(Teasin’)
I hope a family member can help you with the printing soon Trixie. Don’t they realise how important sewing is! (Only kidding…)
Hi Deby, This dress is very cute! I’d love to make one soon, but have a question or two.
I am just barely outside the measurements given in the blog. I have 42-43 in chest and 44-45 inch hips. However I will be losing some weight here that will shrink my chest (part of the overall measurement comes from the ever-so-dreaded back fat). Ideally, I’d like something that can fit me now and still fit me when smaller. Do you think the largest size you gave would have enough stretch to compensate fore that extra 2 inches in the bust line?
I may end up waiting anyway for lack of time, but just in case I don’t I was wondering what I should do. I even thought maybe making smaller seams (1/2 inch instead of 5/8 for example) would maybe help. I am a new sewer, so don’t automatically have the solution in my brain. Thoughts?
Thanks!
Hi Erin. I’m pretty confident that you should be OK in the bust. Its got those wide sleeves built right into that area which gives some extra room. However, of course we all like our clothes to fit differently and what might be too tight for you might be just right or too loose for someone else. A lot of fit comes down to personal preference, especially in stretch clothing. I suggest you make up the paper pattern pieces and then compare both the bust and hips on the pattern to something you already own that you like the fit for, and see how it compares. This might give you an idea of how that flat pattern might feel once worn. I hope it works out for you, and that you are successful in your goals. Deby
I really need to learn how to use my sewing machine better. This dress adorable and would even make a nice little black dress that you could pair with so many different accessories to dress it up or down.
Do you know of any resources for expanding pattern sizes? I’d love to make this, but my measurements are 48, 40, 49.
You could try these links – http://www.craftsy.com/article/pattern-grading, http://www.burdastyle.com/techniques/grade-a-bodice-pattern-to-a-larger-size, http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/4368/making-sense-of-pattern-grading/page/all Grading up to larger sizes is not always easy and its hard not to make certain elements of the pattern far too large by mistake. For example, a person with a bust that is 30% larger than mine, may not have shoulders that are 30% wider than mine. Grading to the more curvy sizes is a whole new discipline in itself and one I don’t yet feel I have got to grips with. But I hope that you’ll find these ideas useful in the links. If you do make a successful larger size, perhaps you would be able to share it with me so I could make it available.
Deby, your dress is beautiful-I love your style! Thank you so much for taking the time to share all of your great patterns. I love knits and can’t wait to make this one 🙂
Your website reminds me of the good old days.We would share our talents with other people! God Bless You! Sewing is easy and very relaxing.
So pretty Deby! You make it all looks so easy 🙂
I think it’s a great looking dress. I’m going to make it for my daughters as well. They’ll love it!
What a nice pattern! I would love a dress like this. Thanks for sharing it with us! Pinned to the party board!
Marti
This looks great I need to get brave and out the knit fabric I have
Deby – I love the dress. Patterns like this are so fast and easy to sew. Where did you get the fabric you used? I just love it!
I was lucky to find this in my local fabric shop – a miracle! They are more of an ‘end of line’ or remnants shop so its always hit and miss what you will find. But prints on the diagonal you don’t find very often so I snapped up a couple of yards. The black and white fabric is from Fabric Mart – I love their range of ITY knits. Again, you have to be patient to find the right prints for you, but I an sometimes order 5 or 6 at a time when they get in my style.
I am so afraid of knits, but I think I will give this one a shot! It’s so pretty! I love it!
Hi Deb….I have been following you for a while, I have fallen in love with everything you creat..but this dress is something I NEED to make for myself! Would be a perfect work dress! And I need to make a ‘little black dress’ with this pattern! on and a dress for every occasion ! LOL I have downloaded this pattern (zipfile) but can not print out the pattern! I am not sure what I am doing ‘wrong’! I think I might have to try at work and get our IT guy to show me how to print it out (when I go to print the pattern out, only the first square prints!) Frustrating! But determined enough because I NEED to make this for me! ha ha!
Keep you your amazing tutorials!
Jane
PS…I love your story! you are an inspiration, I am sure to many, but for sure me…I have only been sewing for 51 years!
Hi Jane. You have to open the pattern in Adobe Reader and then select the Poster print option, without scaling. (Make sure you have the up to date version of Adobe.) If you open the separate PDF for the instructions, in there, there is a section on how to print the pattern. That gives you the details including a screen print of the settings you need. This is because the pattern is printed by people all over the world and people in Europe use different size paper to those in the USA for example. So by printing this way, it allows you to pick your own paper size and automatically splits the pattern into the correct size pages for you. And thank you for the kind words about my patterns and tutorials – only sewing for 51 years! Goodness, there must be nothing you haven’t tried in that time.
This one is so lovely Deby.. By the way what are your recommendations for the fabric . How much percentage of stretch must it have 🙂 Is there a finished size table ?
Hi Diya, I know that you struggle to get nice knit fabrics where you are. It would have to be a reasonable amount of stretch, like a t-shirt fabric or more. So not a woven cotton with lycra that has some ‘give’ to it, real stretch. I used a light weight one for the printed dress and more of a medium weight for the black one. Both worked well. If you can’t find anything with enough stretch, you could always add a zip to the center back seam, but do take care about ease in the hips if you do it this way. No, I didn’t prepare a finished size table, but you could measure the pattern pieces and take off your seam allowances to get an idea of how it would fit you. I hope you are able to find a fabric you like.
Deby, I am having a problem again, trying to print the pattern. I keep printing one page. I am using a MacBook. The PDF I am printing from is just one page, can”t find the rest. I feel stupid bothering you, but can you help me?
Not a problem Karen. Have you opened the PDF with the sewing instructions? In there you will see the instructions on how to print the pattern. You need to ’tile’ or pick poster. Take a look at those instructions and let me know if you still need help and I’ll be happy to look at it with you to make sure we get it sorted out.
It was cold and snowy here in Pittsburgh today so I stayed in and made your dress. Once I figured out how to put the pattern together it was easy. I serged everything and the sewing part – minus my hand stitching – took about 20 minutes to make. I’m not a beginner but it would be a perfect beginner project. It fits like a dream but I couldn’t take a picture of myself in it, so it is on my double. I already uploaded to Craftsy. I used some vintage double knit I had but I will be making again in a print. Thanks again for a wonderful pattern.
I’ve seen the upload to Craftsy – the handstitching is such a lovely idea! Glad to hear that you got a good fit from it. I’m always a bit nervous when I put out something I’ve designed myself. But then I think, well, it can’t be any worse than some of the terrible patterns I’ve paid for that fit like an empty sack! Thanks for uploading and sharing what you made – and 20 minutes – that is a fast sew!
Love the dress! Your fabric choices are always so good. Wish I had your vision when looking at fabric. How much yardage does this dress require? I have purchased the fabric for your wrap dress, and will be starting on it soon. I like your easy to follow patterns, and I think the size guidelines you give are just fine. I enjoy reading your blog and watching the tutorials. I will be trying out the double needled technique with the wrap dress. I was clueless before watching your video as to how to use the double needle. Thanks so much!
Hi Cindy. The yardage really depends on what size you sew, how wide is your fabric and whether you need to match the pattern. Because the sleeves are already built in, it does use more fabric than usual. I would say you need to measure the length of the dress from your shoulder to hemline, double it and add on a few inches for seams and hems.
Good luck with the double needle – remember to practice on some left overs of your fabric first so you can check for the best stitch length and tension settings. I hope everything goes well with the sewing, and perhaps once you have a finished project you would link it to the pattern page on Craftsy so we can all take a look. I’d love to see what you make.
You say “super simple”, but I say “super cute”! I can’t believe you give us all these great FREE patterns. Thank you so much and your dresses are beautiful.
Thank you Robin. It’s something I enjoy doing, and while I continue to get good feedback, I’ll continue to do it if I can. Anyway, its mostly entirely selfish – I decide what I want to sew for myself and make a pattern to fit me, and then simply add on some extra sizes so other people can sew it too.
Debbie I loved this pattern and I shared it with members on one of my beginners sewing groups with a ling to your blog…I know they will learn as mush as I have as members of your group. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and patterns. RuthieG
Thanks for sharing it around Ruth. The more the merrier!
Thanks so much for the pattern. I am starting to “resew” after 20 years and this is what I needed. Ellen
I’m confident you’ll get some good results with this one Ellen. It’s designed especially to be easy to sew and easy to fit. I’ve tried to make the neckline binding easy too, so I think you’ll be able to get a nice finish. Sometimes, the simplest ideas can be the best ones.
Good luck with your return to sewing.
Deby, the dress is gorgeous! It’s been a long (long, LONG) time since I’ve had much interest in wearing dresses, but this one could possibly change my mind!
This dress is REALLY cute. I have some material I am going to use to sew one right now.
You are a person of action! I’d love to see what you make – do upload it to the pattern page on Craftsy or share on the So Sew Easy Facebook page so we can all take a look. This one is so quick, you’ll be finished in no time!
It would be nice if you would list the size range of the patterns as I needed a size 10. Not everyone in teeny tiny. I wouldn’t have bothered to downwload this pattern if I had only known. It is kind of aggravating if you know what I mean
I’m a bit confused about the comment. The pattern covers 6 different sizes from a 31 to 40 inch bust so I’m sure that would be more than enough to fit a size 10. I did not consider a 40 inch bust to be teeny tiny and did my best to make this available to a reasonably wide range of sizes, but I do all this work for free and can only do so much 🙁 I’m sorry you found this to be frustrating that it doesn’t cover enough sizes for you. Perhaps you will find what you are looking for in a paid pattern.
I will go back however and edit the blog post so that other people don’t waste their time.
I have been following your blog for a year. You are amazing! You are inspirational. AND you OFFER SO MUCH TO SO MANY. Keep up the great work Deby.
Deby, I love this dress and it looks great on you (of course)! I think the fabric choices would allow it to be very forgiving and flattering depending on the person’s figure flaws as well which I LOVE. 🙂 Looking at the instructions it seems to be a pullover type dress. Could you add a zipper and make it with a less stretchy fabric or maybe put a couple princess seams in front? It seems so versatile! Thanks again for a great pattern. You are such a talented, beautiful lady.
Hi Mandy. Yes, this dress has a center back seam so you could certainly make it in a less stretchy fabric and add a zipper instead. But do check on the pattern piece sizing if you do that, to make sure there is going to be enough ease in the hips to allow for sitting etc. The knit version doesn’t have much ease there because of the stretch. And thank you so saying such nice things too!
Hi Deby, thank you for sharing this pattern! You look really nice in both dresses! I was wondering if the diagonal print is cut in biais or was the fabric woven with the print diagonal? Kind regards from Belgium 🙂
The pattern is printed diagonally across the fabric. Makes for a really nice effect. And really unusual.
really nice! I would like to try the effect of a biais cut dress with this pattern 🙂
Beautiful dress and so lovely on your wonderful figure! It is so nice of you to share it with other sewists for free. I wish I was young and in shape…I’d make many of this dress!
Deby, the dress is beautiful and looks stunning on you. I have been looking for a dress pattern that is simple and would let me try some of the design ideas from Alabama Sewing Studio. This dress would be perfect. Flattering but simple. Love it! Thanks for so generously sharing.
awesome dress 🙂 looks really good on you too!
Thank you very much. Would look good on your too!
You look fantastic in your dress
Thank you for sharing your pattern.
Looks fabulous on you, Deby and also looks super easy to sew.
Wow that dress looks amazing Deby, That’s the kind of dress I love. Seems easy to make so I might try this soon!. Pinning!
XOXO
Cami
Wow, very nice! Sure wish I had curves like you. I’m afraid it won’t look quite so nice with my flat figure but that won’t stop me from trying if I can find some flattering fabric. Thanks so much for the pattern!
I think the success was all in the fabric. That one with the diagonal print was really slimming, and the one with the black and white print that goes up and down, it makes me look taller and the dress look longer even though it is the same size. Choosing the right fabric can make a big difference. I know you’ll look great in it.
Wow, simply stunning! I like your choice of fabric again 😉
I wish I had more time for my machine right now….
Thank you very much for sharing and greetings from Munich.
Jessica
Hi again Jessica. Glad you like it. This one is a very quick sew, so even if you are short on time, I hope you’ll be able to squeeze in this one. Very quick to cut out and sew. I think you’ll like it.
Looks great! Thank you 🙂