This pattern is a reprint it was first published in 2014 .
I have another free dress pattern for you this month. I managed to pick up a couple of nice ponte knits in my local fabric store – shock – and wanted to use them right away so I drafted this simple fit and flare dress pattern.
It's got a scooped neck, short sleeves, and design lines front and back for a negative ease fitting in the bust, close fit in the body and then softly flared-out skirt from the hips down. Those design lines front and back can really help you to get a nice fit.
My first was in this plain blue ponte and you can see the design lines much better in this one. For the second I used the tribal/striped print. Although it has the same seams, they really disappear in the print and for once my pattern matching was pretty darned good! Interesting though how different knits can alter the feel of the fit. I cut and sewed both patterns exactly the same, but the blue one appears to fit closer to the body.
I love an easy pull-on-and-go knit dress and I have a feeling I'll have more of these in my wardrobe by the end of the year. There's a free pattern for you too. Enjoy!
Features:
- Designed for a heavier weight knit such as a ponte, double knit, or thicker jersey
- Design lines front and back for a great fit
- Scoop neckline with facings front and back
- Short sleeves
- Video and photo instructions
- Available in sizes 31-48 inch bust
Materials needed:
- Knit fabric – try JoAnn or Fabric Mart or check out our Amazon recommendations below
- Thread
- Optional – knit stay tape
- Optional – serger / overcasting foot / walking foot
- The pattern download – below
Fabric recommendations
Pattern download
We're going to continue to use the new Payhip webstore to distribute our patterns.
Our patterns are still free, but now you now have the option of making a small contribution if you like our work! We'd really appreciate it and it will help is keep going with new and fun designs like this. Even a dollar or two really goes a long way.
Thanks so much in advance for helping us out. You can use any credit card and you don't need a Paypal account, although you can use one if you have one.
Download the FREE Pattern HERE
Fabric requirements:
Assuming fabric 54 inches wide, you will need approximately 2.5 yards of fabric. If your fabric is 60 inches wide, smaller sizes A and B can fit onto 1.75 yards.
More may be needed if you have a large-scale pattern to match
How to sew the Fit and Flare Dress
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Step-by-step Fit and Flare Dress Sewing Instructions
Use your pattern pieces to cut out all of your fabric. Remember to cut mirror images for the side panels, so you will need two facing one way and 2 facing the other, not 4 all the same.
Starting with the back, match and pin the two side panels to the center back panel RST (right sides together). Sew the two long seams to join the pieces – tip, start at the top, and sew to the bottom for both seams. Use a 1/2 inch seam allowance throughout unless mentioned otherwise.
Trim and neaten your seams with an overcasting stitch, if you aren't using a serger. Press your seams towards the center.
Repeat for the front of the dress. Match and pin the two side panels to the center front panel RST (right sides together). Sew the two long seams to join the pieces. Trim and neaten your seams and press towards the center.
Optional – fuse a knit stay tape around both the front and back neckline to prevent stretching when you sew the facing and during wear. Read more about the magic of knit stay tape here.
Join the dress at the shoulders RST and stitch at 1/2 inch. Press seams towards the back.
Optional – you may add a line of the knit stay tape to the bottom of the sleeve edge too. This prevents too much stretching and gives a really nice crisp hemline later on. Do this now before sewing in the sleeves.
Pin the sleeve to the armscye (also known as the armhole..). Match the center top of the sleeve with the shoulder seam and ease the sleeve to fit as needed. Pin RST and stitch.
Repeat to add the other sleeve and then press seams towards the sleeve.
Join the front and back neckline facings together at the shoulder RST and stitch with the same seam you used for the shoulders of the dress, to make sure it matches perfectly. You may serger or finish around the bottom edge of the facing or leave it raw.
Match the facing to the dress neckline, RST, and matching shoulder seams. Pin well in place and then stitch with a 1/2 inch seam allowance.
Optional – you may choose to understitch the neckline facing to the seam allowance to prevent the facing popping up, or you may also decide to sew the facing down from the outside edge of the neckline too. I've understitched the facing to the seam allowances here. Understitching can't be seen from the outside of the dress.
Give the neckline a nice press and that part of our dress is now finished.
Pin or baste your side seams and try on your dress. Make any fitting adjustments you need. Sew down the side seams of the dress, from the bottom of the sleeve to the bottom of the skirt.
Try on your dress once again and mark or pin your hemline. Trim the fabric if necessary and turn up a hem and stitch. You can also use the knit stay tape to stop wavy hems too. Press the hemline.
Turn up 1/2 inch seam on the bottom of the sleeves and stitch. Give these a good press too.
That's it, your Fit and Flare Dress is finished. I hope you like yours as much as I do. Come and share what you've sewn, this dress, any dress, or any sewing project in our sewing chat group.
You can download the pattern from my design account on Payhip. Add it to your cart and check out - its FREE. The pattern will be saved in your Pattern Library safely until you are ready to sew, then you can download and print it at any time.
can i send this to a printing place and have it printed in one piece or will it only print in pages ? Also are the sizes 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 14 respectively in US sizes ?
Yes they are and yes you can! Enjoy!
I am looking forward to making this dress. What is the backwaist length? I am short-waisted so will need to shorten it some. Also, since the sides are the same for front and back, will there be enough fabric for the bust without too much across the shoulder blades? Do you have any suggestions for marking registration points to match stripes?
There will be if you use the right fabric, please follow the suggested fabrics link, for matching stripes is a long subject I will have to do an article with video to explain myself better. please stay tuned.
I do not know what a ponte knit it. But I got a heavier knit at the market with a horizontal stripe at each yard mark. I cut out four side panels with the same pattern piece, but the front pair were longer than the back pair, giving me half an inch for a bust dart. But I had to cut off the center front at the shoulders to match the shorter sides. What went wrong?
Hard to say what went wrong without being present. perhaps the pattern wasn’t on the grainline. Still I will have a look at the pattern and check that all the pieces match.
BTW were you able to make the dress?
Yes. I don’t think your pattern was at fault. I will post a pic if l tell me how.
I think is because you cut the pieces one buy one, and I correct?
I folded the fabric in half before I laid my pieces and cut. Standard procedure. I had to cut the sides out twice to get 4 pieces. The fabric must have stretched. Where can post the photo?
Log into Craftsy end click on “my project” which is where you would load all your projects.
Hi! I was just wondering approximately how long it takes to make this dress? I have a short time frame to work with, so I am not quite sure if I can.
Sewing can be done in one hour if you have a serger, preparing the fabric is what takes the most time and it depends on your level skill.
love your patterns and blog and appreciate your efforts to invest in the sizing technology but found the sizing option (adobe) very frustrating. I think your pattern borders might be off. Despite clicking the Actual Size option and multiple printings, i was still off nothing lined up…..would also be great to have a grid box at beginning so you know you’re scale is correct and some page numbers associated to the specific size patterns. Without identifying page numbers, if any pages get out of order you really have to have some patience to figure out pattern. hate to invest in pricey fabric only to be so off. Just some feedback….many thanks for all you do.
MY BAD!! If anyone is an idiot like me there is a way to print the size selector pattern with the numbers and instructions. Just make sure (like the instructions say!) to click the Print for all layers when printing. Many reams of paper later can’t wait to get to this!!!
Hi Wendy, glad you got it sorted out. Kind regards.
I downloaded a free pattern the sizing is A thru I. I have no idea what the sizes are I always use numerical sized patterns. Can’t find a size chart on sew easy website, please help.
they are 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 14 respectively. Hope that helps.
I’m new to sewing and this tutorial seems really good and I would like to try making this. I only have a basic sewing machine and I’m not sure what type of stitching that is or if I can do it with a regular sewing machine?
All you need is a jersey or ball point needle or walking foot for your sewing machine. The good news is that knits do not ravel, therefore a serger is not a must. If the raw edge bothers you, you can finish the seams inside with a zigzag stitch.
Love the flare and shape of this dress, but I’d like to make it sleeveless. How can I adapt the pattern? Thank you!
Hi Jazmin, all you have to do is cut the sleeve to the length you want and add the hem allowance, this hem allowance fold upwards matching the side of the rest of the sleeve pattern add more paper f you have to. Any more questions don’t hesitate to drop me a line at mayra@so-sew-easy.com
Ik vind dit een prachtig patroon,het lijkt me alleen vrij klein, betekend 48 inch buste maat 48. ik kan geen weergave van de maten vinden Dank je wel,voor het patroon
Op pagina 4 van het patroon staat een maattabel in centimeters, aan de hand van je eigen maten kun je vinden welke lijnen je moet volgen voor jouw maat!
Should I add seam allowances when cutting?
Hi Bianca,
The seam allowance is already included!
Hi, it is good that I decided to read all in the comment section, because I was wondering if someone will ask about seam allowance. LOL. I will try to give this pattern a go. Newbie on sewing garments here… wish me luck!!!
Good Luck Dee, let me know how you go.
I am so glad to find this pattern! I bought a dress similar from a store in Texas called CottonOn and LOVE IT! Sadly, they didn’t have anymore. I’m going to try to make it with not such a scoop neck and with long sleeves. Thank you!
Which size did you make yours in? I have a very similar body size/shape to you, so I’m curious as to what size you were in this pattern.
I am usually the middle size in any of my patterns. I draft in my own size and then grade up and down 3 sizes from there. Usually 🙂 So in this one, I’m the size D. Hope that helps.
In the process of making this now with a burgundy sweater knit, I’m also making the sleeves long. It’s turning out great so far! Just curious as to how tall you are, because I’m wondering where the hemline will fall on me. I’m 5’2″, and I’m also hoping it goes a little bit below my knees. If I need to, I’ll add a band at the bottom for a bit more length. Also, I’m making size D, and I used 2 metres and have a good amount of extra fabric, even with the long sleeves! Thank you so much for sharing this pattern 🙂
I’m 5’6″ tall and long waisted. Hope that helps with your fitting. You could try comparing the length of the pattern pieces with a favorite dress to check the length and see if you need to add/subtract anything. I hope you’ll share a picture in our chat group when you are done.
Hi,
I am having a problem downloading this pattern. My McAfee program is blocking it.
Can you help me? It is such a cute dress.
Prabha
You have a setting in your AcAfee program that prevents PDF downloads? Then perhaps you could either temporarily change the setting or disable the software for a couple of minutes while you download it. It’s not a program I use myself or have heard of this problem before so I can’t give you an exact answer. But I hope those couple of suggestions will help.
Love the pattern of this dress but have never worked with knits.
Could I make this with a cotton fabric?
Di
You could try Di but you would have to adjust the sizing and add a center back zipper. In all honesty, it would be quicker to just use a pattern designed for non-stretch, rather than fiddle changing up all the sizing on this one. You might think about giving this a try in a ponte knit if you can find some reasonably inexpensive to practice with – its really not difficult to sew.
Hi Debi, I love this dress! Thank you for sharing the pattern. What I like best about your patterns is they are always perfect for “women of a certain age”. So many patterns today seemed to be styled and fitted for young women.
I printed it out and my test square measured exactly 2″. When looked at the pattern piece for the sleeve it looked small to me so I pinned it together and put it on my arm. It was extremely tight. I pinned the front pattern pieces together to see if it would fit and it was way to small. I used the same size I always use in your patterns which have always fit fine. Did you perhaps change the sizing? Thanks in advance for any guidance you can give me.
There shouldn’t be anything too far off from the norm in this pattern. However the pattern sizes run from A to …whatever and with A being the smallest size. Sometimes the patterns have a wider size range so a size A in one pattern might not be the same as the A in another pattern, because its always the smallest size. Do you see what I mean? So you should check the sizing table for your measurements and then pick your size letter, and not assume a size D in one pattern is the same as in another. Sorry its confusing, but hopefully that will help.
I thought I used the sizing chart but I am getting rather senile. Anyway, I’m sure the fault lies with me.
You did the right thing to check with the paper pieces first. And it all depends on the stretch of your fabric too. If you aren’t sure, measure the pieces and compare to your body measurements and pick a size you think would give you the best result. Remember that I like my clothes quite fitted, and not everyone feels the same and might prefer a larger size too. This is one of the reasons why fitting when we sew is so hard to master.
I really like the look of this pattern and looks fairly straight forward. That said, I have clicked on the “download the pattern here: button …it takes me to the page, but nothing shows up on my screen…no pattern…just a blank page.
Is this pattern still available? ☺
Hi Luanne, yes the pattern is still available. I’m thinking that you are using Kapersky on your computer for internet security. It has a bug that prevents certain types of redirects and shows a blank screen. If you drop me an email, I can tell you the setting you need to change to correct it so you’ll always be able to open the pattern download links from my site.
i cannot find the pattern…..help me pls
The pattern link is in two places in this article. See the big box directly underneath the Materials section? And then again right at the bottom of the article. The box says Download the Fit and Flare Dress Pattern and has a bit orange button which says Download the pattern. If you click on this button you will be taken over to where you can download the pattern. Sorry you missed it, I do try to make it big and obvious.
very nice another one for me to try thanks a lot .
maggie
This looks like a nice pattern to try. Thanks Deby! Do you think it can work as a maxi?
Hmm, it could, but you would have to just give some thought to the shape. As it stands at the moment, the skirt widens as it goes down so if you continue with that shape, the bottom could get very wide and you might have to use a lot of fabric to make it. Maybe just add some slight extra flare but over the whole length so the bottom doesn’t end up huge. Do you know what I mean.
Oh, just downloaded the pattern, but found a tiny mistake in the sizing table, instead of size A it gives the bust measurements.
OOps, you are right! Thank goodness they don’t put me in charge of the space program 😉
I am new on these sites, so I do not know-how to print a pattern. my printer only does eight and a half by 11 inch pages. does it works this way or do I have to go to a copy store? thank you, Alice
Hi Alice, yes the pattern is formatted so that it will print OK on both letter sized (8.5 x 11) or A4 paper automatically. There are a few articles that you could read up on first if it is your first time with a PDF pattern. Here are the links: How to Download PDF sewing patterns / How to print and assemble PDF sewing patterns / How to print a Layered sewing pattern If you have any questions, just let me know.
Hi Deby,, Rosemary again and this dress is ME!! I just adore it. Deby I have a question I hope you can help me with. I have a dot-matrix continuous paper printer, the measurements are 232×290 with borders removed, is it possible to print your patterns on it? I see that you have made provision for a letter size printout, which I think my printer is. But the others, are they all A4 stet? Not that I mind at all, it´s just that I have so much continuous paper which prints out in columns (very convenient) and I am trying to use up my paper. Not that it matters much, just curious. Thanks again for the dress pattern, as I said IT IS ME!!! Regards. Rosemary.
I honestly don’t know how these sort of printers work. The printable area of each sheet is 10 x 7.25 so providing that fits onto your page without any scaling, then I guess it should print out OK. Hope it works out because I want to see your dress!
Oh Deby, you are truly brilliant! This pattern looks so easy… and yet so nice!
You are too kind Abbey, thank you. I hope you enjoy sewing it.
Wow! I love it. I was looking through my old pattern just two ago. Looking for a basic dress to sew in minutes. Deja Vu! You out did yourself. I hope it contains my size. If not, I will grade up. Thanks, You rock!
Thanks tea. I hope you’ll share some pictures with us when its done.
Thanks so much Deby for another beautiful garment! Your work is just beautiful!
This dress is so cute, and I think it is flattering for most figure types. I am definitely going to sew one for me. This will be the first time using a pdf that has layers. I think it will make things so much easier. Thanks for making the feature available on your patterns. I need to find a pretty fabric.
I love a fit and flare dress. I can’t wait to make this dress. I even ordered some knit stay tape from you to try.
This is absolutely beautiful!! So classy; could be dressy or casual depending on the fabric. You are AMAZING! And so generous. I hope you make a lot of money with your affiliate links. I try to help you when I can! Thank you so much for all you share with us so excellently!
Thank you so much for your kind comments. It makes me happy to think people are enjoying my patterns or videos and feeling inspired to sew. I don’t think it’s going to make me rich though, but its a nice thought!
Thank you for the pattern and especially the video tutorial. It looks like something I might be able to make! I’ve pinned it for future reference. Love your blog!
Very Cute, Deby ! just what I was looking for! Thanks again!
I love the Anne Klein signature fit and flare dresses and have often wished that I could make them using my choice of fabric. You have made my wish come true! A million thank yous!
Thank you for such a wonderful pattern and tutorial.
Can this be made with slinky fabric and should I use the same instructions?
Marina
Glad you like it Marina. So long as the slinky fabric has a good stretch, like a jersey t-shirt then yes you can. If it doesn’t stretch, like a satin, then you would be better with a different pattern that has a zipper and more ease or you’ll find this one too tight and impossible to get on!
I love the style of this dress! May I ask how you usually hem your dresses and sleeves so they don’t get stretched out and ruffley?
Thanks!
I almost always use the knit stay tape on hems and sleeves, as well as necklines and it really stops that annoying stretching out you can get when you sew with the stretch on those crossways seams, but still allows the garment to stretch while wearing. You can read about it here.
Oh, goody! Shoulder princess seams!
Very cute, but as a pattern D cup, I am a little nervous about the negative ease. I can easily end up with horizontal lines of fabric on my chest, gaping armholes, etc. I have seen tutorials for FBA adjustments for princess seams online. Would you recommend I do something like that?
Yes, if you need a little more room across the front on this dress but not the back, those seams would be ideal. You can add some extra at the bust, give them more of an outward curve and still keep the waist etc the same. I suggest modeling it against something you already own that fits well in the bodice, or making up a muslin from the waist up.
Wow, another great dress and another great tutorial! Thanks so much Deby!
Also, I have to echo what smonakey said: your designs are perfect for elegant but easy care beautiful clothes!
Thank YOU Wendy.
Thanks! Exactly what I was looking for. I snatched up a stretchy light pink lacey knit fabric and I’ve been looking for a simple fitting knit dress pattern. With some lining, I think this would be great for it! Hope I have enough of the main fabric… 😉
Cute dress – nicely done!
I got to thinking when I was going over the directions … finish the seams with an overcast stitch … I’m old enough I was taught to overcast with a needle an thread! Boy am I old…
Sewing machines have certainly come a long way in a few years. Well, haven’t most things these days! I remember life before computers and mobile phones. In fact I remember being so excited when we got a color TV and a phone line at home for the first time – that seems a crazy idea these days.
Thanks for the free pattern and excellent video tutorial. I made a dress in the 60s very similar to this. It was a little my turquoise and long sleeves. Loved it. I am going to make this pattern. It is so flattering for all body shape. You are a star.
Thanks Val.
Thanks so much Val. I hope you’ll share a picture when its finished.
I love your patterns – you design the kind of stuff that I like to live in – clean & casual, without being overly fussy or too dressed down. This dress is perfect. I’ve got some fabric that should be just perfect for it. Thanks.
I very much look forward to seeing it. Will you share in our chat group when its done?
So cute! I’m going to have to try this!