Sewing Tutorial: Jackie Shift Dress

The Jackie Shift Dress was inspired by the music festival Woodstock and the fashion that followed in the 70’s.
The dress is a loose relaxed A-line fit with a long flared sleeve with a shaped hem. The dress has optional front and back waist darts if you prefer something more fitted on the waist
The dress length is approximately 81cm (size 10

SEWING ABILITY
Intermediate (must be able to sew an invisible zipper)

Don’t be afraid to ask questions in the comments below if you need. I’m here to help. So let’s get started.

To begin you will need the following things

Materials

• Jackie Shift Dress (XS-XL) paper pattern
• Jackie Shift Dress (XL-5XL) paper pattern
• 1.6m fabric (XS-XL) 1.8m fabric (XL-5XL)
• light weight fusing (optional)
• 55cm Invisible zipper
• cotton thread (enough to also thread your overlocker)

Tools

• scissors
• pins
• sewing machine with a regular and invisible zipper foot
• overlocker
• iron

Tips

• Ensure your fabric is washed, dried, and pressed before you start cutting. There is nothing worse than washing your beautiful garment and it shrinks, or even more annoying the lining shrinks and the main doesn’t so it’s all pulled out and shape and is unwearable.

Step 1 

Cut all main and lining pieces accurately on the correct grain, ensuring all notches are clipped.

Beginner tip* If you can afford to purchase a rotary cutter and cutting mat, I find this more accurate and time-efficient. 

Step 2 

If using a lighter weight fabric, fuse the neck facing and sleeve hem facing with interfacing. (this step can be skipped if using a heavier fabric)

Step 3 

Sew bust darts on the front of the dress. Then sew front and back waist darts if using (if you are wanting a more relaxed loose-fitting dress, skip the waist darts)

Beginner tip* If needed you can draw the dart lines onto the fabric with dressmaker’s chalk to ensure you sew a neat straight dart.

Step 4 

Next prepare the center back seam by overlocking each edge separately from the right side of the fabric. If you are using a light weight fabric is can also help to fuse the seam allowance where the zipper will be to help stabilize it.

Step 5 

Pin the zipper to the dress and attach using an invisible zipper foot.

Step 6 

Then pin the rest of the center back seam together and stitch closed from the hem to the bottom of the zipper. Press the seam open.

If you need extra help sewing the invisible zipper, there is a more in-depth tutorial here.

Step 7 

Next, taking for front and back neck facing, overlock all shoulder seam edges separately from the right side of the fabric. Then sew the front and back together at the shoulder seams, press the seam open.

Step 8 

Overlock the back seam and the outside edges of the facing from the right side.

Step 9 

Repeat step 7 on the front and back of the dress, overlocking, then sewing together and pressing the seam open.

Step 10

Pin the dress and the facing right sides together around the neck edge. Sew together then clip the curves.

Step 11

Keeping the dress and facing right sides together, pin and sew the facing to the zipper. Clip the corner at the top of the zipper and turn through. The zipper will now be bagged out between the main and the facing

Step 12 

Pin the front and back side seams right sides together on both sides. Stitch and overlocked closed. Press seam allowance backwards.

Step 13 

Next, hem the bottom of the dress by overlocking the edge from the right side then turning up 4cm press, then stitch in place.

Step 14 

Moving onto the sleeves, take the sleeve hem facing and overlock the top edge.

Step 15 

Then pin the facing to the sleeve hem right sides together and then stitch closed. Clip the curves, turn through, then pin stitch the seam allowance to the facing.

Step 16 

Repeat steps 13 & 14 on the other sleeve

Step 17 

Pin the sleeve inside right sides together and stitch and overlock closed. Press seam allowance back. Repeat on other sleeve.

Step 18

Then stitch the facing down 2.5cm from the sleeve hem edge. Repeat on other sleeve.

Step 19 

The sleeves are now ready to insert into the armhole. Start by running an easing stitch between the front and back notches of the sleeve head. (longest stitch length) If using a light weight fabric also run a stay stitch around the armhole of the dress. This is to prevent the armhole from stretching.

Step 20 

Turn the dress inside out and keep the sleeve the right way. Insert the sleeve into the dress and pin together at the underarm, shoulder seam and front and back notches. Then using the easing thread, lightly gather the sleeve to fit it to the armhole. Pin in place. Repeat on over side.

Step 21 

Sew the seam closed from the sleeve side of the garment, this is so you can ensure that there are no tucks in the sleeve when you are sewing and will have a nice clean seam. Take your time on this step. Then overlock the seam closed. Press the seam allowance towards the sleeve.

The Jackie Shift Dress is now complete. How did you go? Let me know in the comments below if you needed extra help.

We also have a number of other patterns where you can practice your sewing skills available for purchase here along with tutorials here.

I’d love to see your creations, either drop an image in the comments below or tag me on Instagram at @at_the_seams_patterns

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