How to Make a Patchwork Dress

You can use regular patchwork techniques to make garments.

Most garments are made from whole pieces of fabric, which are cut into shapes that fit the curves of the body when pieced together. However, patchwork garments are made by piecing together rectangles of different fabrics inside the body shapes provided by a garment pattern. This creates a quilted effect and allows for the use of many different colors and patterns in one outfit. You can learn to make patchwork garments through this simple patchwork dress project.

Things You'll Need

• Dress pattern
• Scissors
• Measuring tape
• Fabric pencil
• Different cotton fabrics
• Pins
• Thread
• Ssewing machine
• Iron
• Ironing board

Instructions

1. Choose the pattern for the style of dress you would like to make and cut the pattern pieces in your size. Casual summer dresses work best for a patchwork technique.

2. Take the biggest pattern piece and lay it out on a flat surface. Measure the pattern piece at its widest and tallest, so that you have a maximum width and length.

3. Divide each measurement by 3. Add 1/2 inch to the resulting measurements.

4. Cut rectangles of fabric that are as wide and as long as your new width and length measurements. Make sure that the rectangles come from different fabrics.

5. Line up the rectangles side by side so that they cover the entire original length and width of the pattern piece. Arrange the rectangles as you would like to see them in the finished dress.

6. Take two of the side-by-side rectangles and pin the meeting edges together, right sides touching. Sew 1/2 inch away from the edges and iron the seam allowances open. Zigzag stitch or serge the raw edges.

7. Complete the top, middle and bottom rows of rectangles in the same way.

8. Line up the edges of the top row of rectangles with the middle row of rectangles. Sew them together 1/2 inch away from the edges, iron and finish the seam allowances. Attach the bottom row to the middle row in the same way.

9. Clip the corners of the seam allowances as necessary, if they are bunching too much.

10. Lay out the finished patchwork piece and pin the pattern piece to the top of it. Cut around the edges of the pattern piece, matching the shape of the patchwork to the shape of the pattern.

11. Locate the seams on the patchwork rectangles that were cut in the previous step. Sew over them again to secure the threads.

12. Repeat Steps 2 through 11 on all the pattern pieces for your dress.

13. Treat the patchwork pieces as regular fabric pieces. Sew your dress together as indicated on your pattern instructions sheet.

References

• The Complete Idiot's Guide to Sewing
• Power Sewing Step-By-Step
• Quick and Easy Patchwork on the Sewing Machine

Resources

• Alternate Patchwork Dress Tutorial