I love my vintage wax lounge dress so much that I had to recreate it. I made a simple maxi dress that is perfect for the heat. It assembles very quickly too. Actually, I made two. One for me and another for my best friend Violet. Hers has my favorite side slit and ties at each shoulder. Mine has pockets, ties at the back and a very wide flow.
Violet's dress is inspired by a dress in her closet. If you do not have long dress To use as a template, use a basic t-shirt for the neckline and draw the bottom freehand.
I chose a bright yellow fabric with a print dashiki for the dress. It has beautiful bright colors and the print allows the fabric to be cut precisely.
The dashiki print maxi dress is simple, without patterns, zippers, buttons or complicated techniques. Even if you have basic knowledge of sewing , you will find it very easy to do.
Supplies needed:
- 2-3 meters of fabric
- Spool of assorted thread
- Sewing machine
- A pair of scissors
DASHIKI DRESS SEWING STEPS
1. CUT the fabric for the front and back of the dress. This dress is very easy. You basically need one triangle for the front and one triangle for the back. I used the vintage dress as a guide because it was exactly the shape I wanted.
If you are using a dress from your closet, fold the fabric in half and cut the fabric approximately 2 cm from the dress . Be sure to capture the curve of the armhole.
2. Cut 4 pockets . Again, I used a dress from my closet as a model. You can trace around your hand as a template. This is not a dress that requires a perfect fit. There is a lot of wiggle room. Once you have cut one, use it as a template to make 3 more.
3. Mark the location of the pockets at 11" from the armpit and mark again 7" below the first. Mark the back opening 8" from the top.
4. Cut one of the pieces of fabric in half lengthwise. Cut 2 27" x 1" rectangles for the straps.
Sew the fabric using a ¼” seam allowance.
5. Sew the back of the dress until you reach the back opening mark.
6. Sew the pockets on the front and back dress pieces, right sides together. Open the pockets.
7. Sew the front pieces and back together, right sides together. Be sure to sew around the pocket.
8. Flip the armholes and sew to finish the raw edge.
9. Sew a sheath for the front neckline and the two edges of the back neckline.
10. Sew the straps together on one edge to obtain a long strap. Fold the strap in half lengthwise, right sides together. Sew the length close to the raw edge.
11. Turn the fabric over on the spot.
NOTICED : this operation can be difficult to carry out. I have a loop turner and it was still painfully long. I recommend YouTubing different methods to find the one that suits you.
12. Insert the strap through the front casing, then through each back piece. Attach. Finish the bottom hem.
African dresses are increasingly present in contemporary women's wardrobes. The beauty of the fabric used and its different pattern variations have considerably appealed to fashion lovers of this decade. I hope you enjoyed this little tutorial and that you will be able to sew your first dashiki dress. In the meantime, take care of yourself, and don't hesitate to discover our collection of 👉 African dresses . It's literally the most beautiful catalog online!
