DIY Summer dress | Simple open back dress for beginner | Step by step sewing tutorial

Hi everyone,

Welcome or welcome back to my channel. My name is Jess and I loving doing DIY, making clothes in a "simple but pretty" way.
In today's video, I'm going to share with you a very beautiful summer dress that could be one of your outfit this season. And it's also very easy to make.

So if you want to make it, make sure you check out some of my basic information below:
- Sewing machine: Merrit Joyful Sewingg
- Material: 1.5m of cotton fabric
- My body measurements: 82-64-92. I'm 165cm and usually wear Small size

And stay connected around social media with me here:

Have a lovely day everyone!

Cheers,
Jess Dang

[zupik]

I wrote down the instructions for myself, hope that's okay. I think the video shows everything really clearly, but I wanted to have something to look at esp. when measuring/marking.
I would like to make the bodice longer, so that it ends at the waist instead of under the bust, so I sometimes wrote underbust/waist; not sure if that will work out though! 😬

TOP
1. Cut 2 rectangles
Length - 20 cm (above the bust to waist/underboob +1cm seam allowance)
Width (side to side) = bust size minus 2cm (80cm for Jess).
2. Mark the rectangles in the middle on top and bottom, then connect the markings to make a straight line
3. Mark (1/4 bust size + 1cm)(21cm for Jess) on both sides from the line in the middle
4. Make a mark at the bottom using the same distance and make straight lines
5. From the middle line, mark (1/2 width between breasts/+2cm) (13cm for Jess), on both sides
6. Mark 7cm down on the outside line
7. Connect the 2 marks from points 5 and 6; curve the line
8. On the edge of fabric, mark on the middle (10cm)
9. Connect this mark with the 7cm mark; curve the line
10. From the middle line, mark 12cm (1/2 width between breasts+1cm) on both sides; make straight lines
11. Cut the outside triangles
12. Fold on the line from step 10 (one at a time); pin
13. Draw a curve along the straight line for your bust
14. Sew along the curved line
15. Fold on the armpit line, draw a curved triangle 1cm to the outside, and sew. Both sides
17. Pin the 2 pieces right sides together (don't sew yet)
STRAPS
18. Cut a rectangle 70cm x 4cm
19. Fold the sides to the centre & pin. Better to see @4:25
20. Sew the strap (next to the edge)
21. Put the ends of the straps to the bodice @5:00
22. Sew from the bottom armpit mark to the bottom armpit mark on the other side (leave the bottom line not sewn); seam allowance is the same as the sewing foot
23. Turn the top right sides out & press
SKIRT FRONT
24. Cut a rectangle for the front of the skirt (if there is enough fabric cut with pockets)
Length (80cm) from the waist/underbust to the knee
Width (92cm) - hip size (the widest part of the booty)
25. Change the sewing settings to the longest stitch and stitch along the width
26. Pull on the string to gather the fabric until it is (1/2underboob size + 2cm seam allowance)
SKIRT BACK
27. Cut the same rectangle as the front but +2cm in LENGTH (if there is enough fabric cut with pockets)
28. Mark 4cm from the top of the skirt along the whole width
29. Double fold - first 1cm, then 2cm; pin; sew
30. Cut elastic to (1/2underboob+2cm); 1.5cm width; put into the casing
31. Pin the ends of the elastic to the ends of the fabric casing and sew into place
32. Pin the front skirt and back skirt right sides together and pin along the sides
33. Hem the bottom on double fold
CONNECT THE TOP TO BOTTOM
First, the front of the top has 2 sides, front and back
34. Connect the front side of the bottom (gathered by string) to the front part of the front side of the top - right sides together, but sew on the wrong sides
35. Take the back side of the front part of the top, fold the end, and pin to the bottom part (gathered). Pin from the FRONT side!
36. Sew from the front side (topstitching)
37. Make flaps at the front back - see 10:30
FINISHED! I think the 1 long strap needs to be separated and the ends finished, which wasn't shown in the video, but should be pretty easy to figure out.
Fingers crossed it will work out for me!!

[thethemakhele]

Jess thank you for this I made this dress and I couldn’t believe that I made this. So In love with it and thanks again

[corepsis]

I love your method of designing, creating the pattern, and sewing. As I’ve commented on another video, I’ve learned so much from you, the way that you measure, transfer the measurements to the flat fabric, make the lines curved where needed, ... . It’s a wonderful feeling to be able to make pretty things for myself and not have to buy patterns - purchased patterns never fit me, and the adjustment process is so lengthy!! Bravo for being self-taught!

[vixylee]

🥺🙌🏽 Jess, I really want to thank you for sharing amazing step-by-step tutorials for both pattern drafting and sewing, instead of just linking a pattern for purchase 💖

[Marinalva]

I love the way you explain everything. It makes it so easy for someone like me (who doesn't know how to sew or how to do a pattern 😂) to understand! Plus, everything you do is so pretty

[littlecheese]

guys, i tried this and it was a huge success!!! i'm just a beginner but this was pretty do-able enough for me. it looked so good!! like i got it from the mall or a boutique. it's honestly my best and most wearable creation yet. try it out!!

also, thank you so much for making these tutorials. it's brilliant and easy to follow!!

[DanielleThompson]

Really loving your videos! Not only am I getting inspiration, but seeing how your brain works to make these dresses is so wonderful. Commercial patterns are confusing to me, but your techniques of patterning off of your own measurements with simple shapes is very helpful!

[Mimansaarora]

The print pf that fabric is so lovely. I loved the dress specially the back. You are so talented love❤️❤️

[natashamraz]

Thank you so much for this tutorial! My dress turned out great!
As some other comments said, remember that you need to make 2 straps. The straps weren't long enough to tie a nice bow and have some loose strap hanging down, so I added 40cm to each strap, so each measured 110cm long. I also stretched the elastic out when measuring it to make sure it would be tight enough when the garment was finished.
I also recommend doing 2 seams for the gathering and using high-quality cotton, as mine broke twice and I had to keep redoing it!
I chose to leave the sides of my dress a bit open, so I only attached about 12cm of the bottom front of the top to the skirt, leaving an extra 12cm open either side so you could see more of my waist/flanks. Just a personal design choice :)
I’m really happy with my dress and am grateful for the tutorial! Thank you!

[TheFunctionalForce]

Jess… I’ve never made anything with a sewing machine (I’m a knitter and crocheter). I’ve got myself a second hand machine and it’s sitting on my table as I’m “terrified “ of it 😂 I’ve practised some stitching on scrap fabric and I need to make something or I’ll never figure this out. Your videos are so inspiring and seem so easy to do! I think this one can be very beginner friendly. Let’s make it! Thank you also for using metric, most of the world uses metric but with so many US and UK creators it’s hard to find tutorials where I don’t have to be translating all to metric! 😅 THANK U, JESS!

[alanax_]

I saw a similar dress online the other day and thought I should be able to make it. Having you do a tutorial on it makes it even better as I'm not that well at sewing just yet aha

[newyorkhouse]

This was so beautiful to make, and so easy and quick (made it in one afternoon). Your instructions are straight to the point as very clear to understand, thank you so much for posting this and making beautiful projects available. I would only recommend to those making this to make the straps a bit longer (i.e. instead of 70 cm try 80 cm) and to measure the elastic a bit stretched out, otherwise it will be a bit loose.

[caraid]

I finished making this and wore it yesterday, I’ve never gotten so many compliments on a dress before!! Your tutorials are so awesome!!!😍

[marlynnoriel]

I just finished a dress following this tutorial, i just made my dress shorter. I am so happy! Thank you, Jess. Your videos making it easier for a beginner like me. 😊

[MiaSellam]

Thank you so much for making this video and always having such clear instructions!!! I made the dress but with a closed back instead of open and I love it! I hope you continue to make these videos

[xxSazxGalxx]

This dress is gorgeous! I’ve been seeing dresses like this all over the internet and been wanting to sew one. Thanks for the video!!

[chenelly]

I don't know how you come up with all these simple but ingenious sewing tutorials. They are so cute and seem so easy to do. I love and watch all your videos.

[anishinaabae]

i'm so grateful i found your channel! i've been wanting to get into sewing for so long but have been too intimidated to spend actual money on paper or pdf patterns in case i'm terrible at it. but your videos make it look so much easier than i would've expected! after spending way too much money on my fall and winter wardrobe, i'm definitely going to try my hand at sewing my spring/summer wardrobe this year. thank you so much!

[milagrosfeito]

Thank you for adding footage for where we should take measurements!!!! can't wait to try this one out Jess (-:

[arianastessensrios]

I just made it and it's perfect. My new favorite dress for sure. Super dreamy and great for summer. I have the same measurements as hers so I didn't change the pattern (just underbust 39 instead of 37). I am so in love thank you so much for such an amazing tutorial 😍