DIY: Wrap Dress (2 kinds!)

DIY WRAP DRESS

One for a getaway,
or for getting things done.

I've now made two styles of wrap dresses, so below are some written instructions so you can make one too.

You will need:

• 2-3 meters of lightweight, opaque fabric (I used this silk crepe de chine)

Instructions:

For the straps, waist tie, and ruffles…

1. Cut or tear a 4 cm wide strip from the fabric, sewing the ends together if needed to reach 3 meters long

2. Fold this strip in half lengthwise, wrong sides touching, and seal with a straight stitch

3. Fold this strip in half lengthwise again and seal with a straight stitch

4. Fold this strip in half lengthwise for the last time and seal with a straight stitch

For the top half…

1. Trace half of the front left side of a camisole, then add a long tail to the left so it can wrap around the body to the back

2. Trace half of the back left side of a camisole, this should resemble a square that is waist to armpit in height and half the width of your back

3. Trace a symmetrical piece for both of the above to cover the front left and right, and back left and right sides

4. If darts were added, fold the fabric and sew these in place

5. Sew the front right to the back right, and the front left to the back left, this makes a complete left and right side for the top

6. Hem the upper edge of the top as well as the middle back (see video on how to do a tight hem)

For the ruffles…

1. Cut out a donut shape from the fabric that is 4 cm wide, you can fold the fabric twice to cut through 4 layers to reduce effort

2. Sew the donut shapes end to end to make a 2-meter strip

3. Sew the inner edge of the donut strip to the straps created earlier, for more ruffles fold or gather the fabric as you go

4. Sew this ruffle strip to the dress along the upper edge of the top, joining the middle back

5. Sew the excess strap (without ruffles) to the peaks of the top, joining them to the back of the top, and also to the two tails of the top to help tie the dress

6. Sew the excess ruffles to the peaks of the top, joining them to the back of the top so they can hang over the arms

For the skirt…

1. Sew the remaining fabric to the top along the waist with a straight stitch, gathering the excess fabric at the center back if needed

2. Fold the skirt in half and cut a curved line from the ties to the back of the skirt bottom to give a tulip opening

3. Hem the bottom of the skirt

Below is the previous wrap dress I made, with sleeves!

First dress photography by Jacqueline James Photography.
Second dress photography by AllureofSimplicity.