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Dresses are fun to sew for the holidays. You can go all out and sew something swishy and sparkly or make something cozy so it feels like you never changed out of your pajamas, but you still look stylish.
This month’s patterns cover both of those approaches to holiday dresses.
Keep reading to meet the new Frankie and Jones sewing patterns!
Meet the Frankie Dress
Sew a dress for your next party—one you’ll want to twirl in year after year.
Frankie is a woven dress with a memorable silhouette, perfect for florals, jewel tones, or even a little sparkle. This dress has a fitted waist yoke and 6-gore gathered skirt. The V-neck is finished with a facing and lined yoke that gathers slightly below the shoulders. The sleeves are full length with elastic at the hem, and it keeps a sleek fit with an invisible zipper at the side seam.
The member bonus for Frankie swaps the gathered skirt for a 6-gore skirt with slim A-line cut that hits at the knees. You get a little bit more length and a body-skimming silhouette.
Fabric and Fit
Fabric recommendations: Look for lightweight or medium-weight woven fabrics such as linen, chambray, batiste, lawn, voile, rayon challis, cupro, and Tencel. If you want more swish, pick something with body, like Tencel. Pick something more crisp like lawn if you want a more structured silhouette.
Seamwork members, take advantage of your member deals this month! You can save up to 20% off your order here.
Fitting tips:
- Follow this tutorial to lengthen and shorten a sewing pattern
- If you need to adjust the armhole depth, use this tutorial.
- If you want to blend between sizes, use this video tutorial.
- To adjust the shoulder slope, follow this tutorial.
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Here are fitting tutorials for the shoulders and sleeves, including bicep adjustments. - Here are tutorials for wide or narrow shoulder adjustments
- Here are tutorials for small bust adjustments and full bust adjustments.
- If you prefer videos, there are bust adjustment videos in the Hansie sewalong here
Meet the Jones Dress
Stay cozy, chic, and oh-so-comfortable in your new favorite sweater dress.
Jones is a mini sweater dress with a chic, classic silhouette. It features a deep V-neck with an oversized, overlapping neckband and sleeves that gather into oversized cuffs. Depending on the knit you choose, it's easy to dress up or down, making it the perfect piece for any occasion.
Fabric and Fit
Fabric recommendations: Look for medium-weight knit fabrics such as ponte, French terry, rib knit, hacci, and other lightweight sweater knits. Avoid lightweight knits as they will not have enough body to support the silhouette.
Seamwork members, take advantage of your member deals this month! You can save up to 20% off your order here.
Fitting tips:
- Follow this tutorial to lengthen and shorten a sewing pattern
- If you need to adjust the armhole depth, use this tutorial.
- If you want to blend between sizes, use this video tutorial.
- To adjust the shoulder slope, follow this tutorial.
-
Here are fitting tutorials for the shoulders and sleeves, including bicep adjustments. - Here are tutorials for wide or narrow shoulder adjustments
- Here are tutorials for small bust adjustments and full bust adjustments.
- If you prefer videos, there are bust adjustment videos in the Hansie sewalong here
Seamwork Style Ideas
Since a dress is nearly an outfit in a single garment, here are a few layers you can wear if you need more warmth.
Layer a pair of Shelly leggings under the Jones dress and pair it with a colorful quilted jacket, like Easton.
Sew a classy wool layer to wear over the Frankie dress, like the Denise coat. Or, wear a warm Jill coatigan, and you’ll be swaddled in handmade comfort.
Ambassador Projects
Some of the Seamwork Ambassadors sewed up the new patterns already!
Amanda sewed the Jones dress in fabric from her stash for a holiday-themed outfit.
“I love that it’s super wearable!”
Michelle sewed a floral Jones dress out of French terry and contrasting ribbing from Style Maker Fabrics.
“I love the neckline and how nicely the neckband comes together!”
Kathy sewed Jones in French terry.
“I love the sleeves of the Jones and—more importantly—how Gina's instruction illustrations helped me understand how to sew the neckline detail at the bottom.”
