How to Make a One-Piece Wrap Dress
Wraparound dresses originate as far back as ancient Egypt, according to Jill Condra, author of the "Greenwood Encyclopedia of Clothing through World History," and were worn then similarly to how women wear them now: Nowadays, fashion experts praise wraparound dresses as the garment perfect for any body type; they're simple, airy frocks perfect for summer or a trip to the beach. Making one is a straightforward process.
Things You'll Need
- Soft tape measure
- Paper
- Pencil
- 2 yards of heavy, patterned fabric
- 2 yards of muslin
- Scissors
- Thread
- Needle
- 2 yards of ribbon
Instructions
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1
Take your measurements: Place the tape measure around your chest, above your breasts but under your armpits. Measure from under your armpits to where you want the dress to fall, above or below the knees. Lastly, measure around the widest spot of your hips.
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2
Place the two pieces of cloth directly on top of each other. Fold them in half lengthwise.
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3
Draw lines on the cloths using your own measurements. For example, draw the chest measurement that you took for yourself at the top of the cloth, except divided by two as the material is folded in half. The measurement that you took from your armpits to knees will be the length line you drew.
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4
Cut along the lines of the measurements you just drew. Don't cut along the folded line. Your cloth should look like a curved trapezoid when cut out.
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5
Pin the two pieces of fabric together all along the perimeter and sew them together, leaving a half inch space from the edge.
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6
Take two yards of colored ribbon and cut it in half perfectly. Sew one half to the top right-hand corner of the cloth and the other half to the top left-hand corner.
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7
Try on the dress. Press the dress across your chest and wrap the ribbon around your torso, underneath your breasts, down to your waist. Determine if the dress feels comfortable or not. Make adjustments if necessary.
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Tips & Warnings
You can make straps out of the ribbon, by simply making the ribbon into loops and sewing each one in place. Then you can use your extra ribbon as a sash, to help keep the fabric in place.
Plus-size ladies will want to use half a yard to a yard more fabric.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit woman in dress image by hannahfelicity from Fotolia.com
