Patchwork Dress Tutorial
If you’ve ever wanted to make a patchwork dress but aren’t really sure where to start… this one is for you! I’ve put together two ways to make a patchwork dress using a free, beginner-friendly pattern.
This tutorial uses the Helen’s Closet Orchard Dress as a base. As I mentioned, this pattern is free and offers a 0 - 34 size range. I’ve made several dresses from this pattern, and have found it a nice quick pattern that is straightforward! If you haven’t made this dress before, as always I suggest making a muslin or toile version before using your nice fabric. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how I created two different styles of patchwork dresses using this pattern. My instructions are only guidelines, but you will need to determine your own measurements based on what pattern size you have selected and what you want your dress to look like.
What on earth is a toile, you may ask? A toile (or muslin, depending on who you ask), is essentially a prototype for the garment you're making. It's a very tempting step to skip - who wants to make a prototype and feel like they're wasting time and fabric - but it's also an important step to get the fit right. I almost always make adjustments to my pattern based on my toile, and have never regretted making one! This article talks a bit more about toile and best practices for making them.
Variation 1
Variation 2
Patchwork Dress Basics
Creating the Pattern Pieces
In short, to create a patchwork dress we will first sew together pieces of fabric to create our “material”, and then will cut the pattern pieces out of this new patchwork material. This can mean that you create detailed patchwork patterns that are then cut up, or it can simply mean sewing a couple or few pieces of fabric together!
Pattern Modifications
Aside from the obvious patchwork additions, there are three modifications I make to my dresses:
Neckline: I lowered the neckline a small amount on my dresses by cutting about 1/2” - 3/4” deeper in the neck. If you do this, make sure to slope the cut up to the shoulder point (meaning, don’t cut off the point of the shoulder).
Ruffle: I added a ruffle to the bottom of my dresses for some extra fun! There are directions for doing this in the Variation 1 instructions, but you’ll need to determine where you want your dress to end and your ruffle to begin.
I added waist elastic for Variation 2.
Seam Finishing
One of the particular challenges of patchwork clothing is finishing the seams in a way that is secure but not bulky. You certainly don’t want raw-edged seams on the underside of your garment! There are a few ways to manage this, each with their pros and cons:
French Seams: I absolutely love to use french seams when sewing clothes. It is a straightforward method of completely encasing a seam, so there are no raw edges at all. However, it can definitely add bulk and is not a good option where lots of seams are being joined. I generally stick to using french seams along vertical seams of a dress, as horizontal french seams can impact how the garment hangs and drapes.
Serged Seams: If you have a serger, this is probably your best bet for creating nice finished seams in a patchwork garment! However, many/most quilters don’t have access to a serger.
Zig Zag or Overlock Stitch: You can achieve a serger-like stitch with your own machine by using a zip zag or overlock stick. This is a great post about serger alternative stitches using a standard sewing machine! However, if you have a fixed needle machine this won’t work for you. I have a serger, but it’s having some issues right now so this is the method I used for my patchwork skirt dress.
Self Bound Seams: This is probably your best bet if you don’t have a serger or a machine capable of zig zag stitches. This method is similar to french seams, but has slightly less bulk and allows you to still sew pieces right sides together. It still may impact the drape of a skirt depending on the fabric you’re using, and I wouldn’t use it for dense patchwork.
Lining: Lining a garment will hid the raw seams away, and is a great option for a top or bodice of a dress. However, I don’t recommend this for a patchwork skirt, as the raw seams will still be exposed when washing the garment. I used a lining in the top section of my Patchwork Top dress.
Getting Started
Preparing the Pattern Pieces
Regardless of which patchwork dress version you want to make, you’ll need to start by preparing your pattern pieces. Print the pieces at home and tape them together (or print the A0 version at a copyshop!), and make sure to carefully measure and determine your size. For the second variation, you’ll need to either cut the pattern piece at your natural waist or trace the top part your finished pattern piece onto an additional piece of paper (we will discuss this further).
Fabric Requirements
Because there is so much flexibility and variation when using patchwork, it’s difficult to provide exact fabric requirements. However, you can assume you’ll need at least the requirements given for your size on the pattern. For both of these variations, I used a primary fabric for the majority of the dress, and then a few fat quarters for the patchwork elements. Because your fabric requirements will vary substantially depending on your dress size and personal design choices, I suggest reading the entire tutorial carefully to understand how the dress is assembled, and then make fabric choices based on your pattern piece measurements.
Variation 1: Patchwork Skirt
In my opinion, this is the easier version to start with as it doesn’t require lining and bulky seams in the top of the dress. It’s also very Fat Quarter-friendly! One thing I don’t suggest with this version is adding pockets in the side seams, as with this variation we don’t have standard side seams! However, you can add patch pockets to this variation.
For my version, I used 5 fat quarters along with the standard yardage. For the larger sizes in this pattern, you may need more fat quarters or yardage, depending on the size and your design choices. I did have extra yardage left over, but best to have extra than not enough!
For my dress, I wanted to do something a bit different than a standard separated patchwork skirt. I decided to have the main fabric extend down the middle of the dress, and the patchwork pieces inserted in the sides. This is much easier than it sounds!
Step 1: Lay out the main pattern piece on top of your main fabric, making sure the piece is on the fabric fold as directed by the pattern. Don’t cut out the pattern yet, but cut the main fabric to the length you’re looking for. For my size and desired length, I was able to get away with doing this using a 32” x WOF piece for each front and back, but this will vary depending on your size. Make sure there are two pieces of main fabric, for the front and back of the dress. You’ll be making a few decisions here:
How long do you want your dress? I knew I wanted to add a ruffle to the bottom of the dress, so I ended the dress higher than the pattern piece. I chose to use a 32” piece of fabric to cover the top of the pattern piece to the bottom of the skirt.
Where do you want your patchwork pieces to begin? I wanted my patchwork pieces to start a bit above the waistline and meet the main fabric body with a straight edge. In the diagram on the right, I show how I determined how I would lay out my patchwork component - however, the final piece will be sewn at an angle (see Step 4).
Step 2: Draw draw a vertical line on the paper pattern piece where your main fabric will end. This will guide us when cutting the patchwork shape. Measure the length and width (at the widest point) of the pattern piece to the right of the line.
Create the patchwork panels by sewing together pieces of fabric and finishing the seams as desired. For my dress, I cut three Fat Quarters in half and sewed 9” x 21” pieces together as shown. You will need two patchwork panels that each measure the length of this measurement by twice the width of this measurement. Finally, fold each patchwork panel in half vertically as shown.
Step 3: Carefully lay out the paper pattern piece and one of the patchwork panels as shown. Angle the patchwork panel so that the fold lines up with the right edge of the pattern piece. Then, fold the paper pattern piece along the dark line you drew earlier, and draw along this line onto the patchwork panel. Cut the patchwork panel 1/2” to the left of this line to create a triangle shape with the fold on the right side and the appropriate amount of seam allowance. Repeat with the other patchwork panel.
Step 4: Sew a patchwork panel to the right edge of each piece of main fabric. Your fabric should not be cut with the pattern piece yet; the diagrams below show the pattern piece overlay only for reference as you’ll want to make sure your patchwork component intersects with the main fabric in the place you determined in Step 1. Finish this seam as desired (I suggest a zig-zag or serged seam).
Step 5: Fold the main fabric in half vertically again, and fold the patchwork panel in half as well. There will be a fold on both the left and right edges of the diagram below. Lay the pattern piece on top of the fabric, paying close attention to the edge of the pattern piece that is supposed to align with the fold of the main fabric. Then, cut along the neckline, armhole, and top of the side so that the pattern piece is now cut out. Repeat this with the other piece of fabric, flipping over the paper pattern piece so it is in the proper orientation. Only cut the main fabric; do not cut the patchwork panel.
Next, if you want a shorter hem as I did, trim the bottom of these pieces, following the curve of the original pattern piece hemline.
Step 6: Sew the two panels together, using two seams so that the panels form a circle and the main fabric alternates with the patchwork panels. Finish seams as desired.
Step 7: If you’d like to create a ruffle for the bottom, measure the circumference of the dress body you have just sewn together at the hem. Multiply that measurement by 1.5 (or 2, if you want a very dramatic ruffle). That is the length you’ll need for your ruffle! Cut and sew patchwork pieces to achieve that size of ruffle. Note: If you are using large patchwork pieces for the ruffle, this is a great time to use french seams to finish the raw edges.
For my own dress, I cut two Fat Quarters in half so they measured 9”x 21”. Then I sewed them together into a circle that measured 9” tall with an 83” circumference, which was roughly 1.5 times the circumference of my dress hem.
Step 8: Gather the ruffle and attach it to the hem of your dress, pinning it evenly. If you’ve never gathered and sewn a ruffle before, this post is a great explanation of the process (even though this talks about adding a skirt; the principle is the same). Zig-zag or serge the seam to finish it. Press the hem up 1/4”, then fold up again 1/4” to hide the raw edge and hem.
Now, continue to follow the pattern directions to finish the dress!
Variation 2: Patchwork Top
For this version of a patchwork dress, we will assemble the top and and skirt separately. This is a great version to add an elastic waist or tie to your dress if you’d like some waist definition!
The ultimate size of the patchwork blocks you use will depend on your pattern size. I used a few Fat Eighths for my patchwork pieces, and you could definitely use scraps! You will also need a small amount of fabric for lining - you can use your original main fabric for this, or a contrasting fabric. I wanted to make sure my top wasn’t bulky, so I used a really lightweight woven fabric for my lining.
Note: This method has you assemble the top and skirt together separately. If you’d like to avoid doing this, you can sew the entire remaining skirt length in step 4 instead of buffer pieces to achieve the size of the top. You will then have a free-floating lining that you’ll want to hem if you don’t sew it into the dress as an elastic casing.
Step 1: First we will determine where you’d like your dress waist to sit. Try holding your pattern piece up to your body in a mirror to see where you think the ideal waistline may be. For me, this was a bit lower than the “lengthen or shorten” line on the pattern.
I also kept in mind that I would be adding my elastic waist to the bottom of the bodice piece, so I made sure this piece was long enough to accommodate the elastic hitting where I wanted it to. I laid my pattern piece over some scrap fabric on the fold as directed by the pattern piece to test this size, and made a mark about 1/4” from the bottom of the “lengthen or shorten” line on the right side of the pattern piece. Then I removed the pattern piece and drew a gentle curve to the fold of the fabric. Note: Make sure to curve this line, as cutting it straight across will result in a dress that doesn’t hang correctly.
Cut this piece out and hold it up to your body to test. Once you like it, trace it onto a piece of paper to save it as a pattern piece.
Step 2: Once you’ve found the correct shape and size for your top piece, cut out two lining pieces and sew them together at the side seams. Try this on to make sure it fits well and adjust as needed. If any adjustments are made, adjust your paper pattern piece as well!
Step 3: Now for the fun part! Once you have the dress top pattern piece finalized, you can start designing the patchwork element of the dress. I decided to use HSTs to create a simple star for the front, and an even more basic HST design for the back. Here’s how I determined the size to sew my HSTs:
Measure your top pattern piece under the shoulders, as shown. Leave some buffer space near the seams, so you don’t have patchwork pieces adding bulk near the seams or elastic.
Note: In my own version, I learned this the hard way - I didn’t leave enough buffer space by the arm holes or the elastic casing. It’s fine, but if I were doing it again I would leave more space - especially near the elastic casing.
In this diagram, the red square is an example of the maximum area you would use for a patchwork panel (though I would personally make it a bit smaller). Measure this area, and then round down to the nearest half inch. That gives you your maximum patchwork space!
Once you have this measurement, you can design your patchwork.
For example: Let’s say your patchwork measurement is 8.5” x 16.5”, and you want to make the design below. If you want your design to be four squares high, then you know the maximum finished size of squares or HSTs can be 2”. I knew I wanted a design that was 4 HSTs tall and 6 HSTs wide, so I created HSTs that were 2” finished, or 2.5” unfinished.
If you want to make the same design I did, simply count out the HSTs of each color below, and create 2.5” HSTs (or the appropriate size for your own top) for each color! For the back, I had a much less organized approach and simply used a random assortment of HSTs.
Step 4: Once the patchwork panels are complete, you will fill in the rest of the top pattern piece with whatever fabric you choose. Measure the full pattern piece of your top, with a bit of buffer room all around. Round up to a whole inch if needed. As an example, let’s say that measurement is 12” tall by 22” wide.
Now, we will add fabric around the patchwork pieces to get them to the appropriate size. If your patchwork piece, like mine, was 8” tall (8.5” unfinished) by 16” wide (16.5” unfinished), then we need to add the following fabric:
12” - 8” = 4” must be added to the height
22” - 16” = 6” must be added to the width.
You can split these numbers and add an equal amount to the edges of your patchwork panel, but you will want to carefully think about where your patchwork panel falls on the pattern piece. You’ll notice that some of mine wound up trimmed off when I cut out the pattern piece, but I was ok with that.
Note: you can see in the below photo that my patchwork piece extends too far towards the bottom of my top piece, and therefore interfered with the elastic casing.
The panel with fabric sewn around it.
An example of what this panel looked like with the pattern piece cut out: My panel was a bit too close to the bottom, so the seams interfered with the elastic casing.
Step 5: Once both the front and back patchwork panels have fabric added to them, we can cut out the pattern pieces. Lay the pattern pieces very carefully over the fabric, and make sure they’re positioned where you want your patchwork panels to fall. Cut out carefully, knowing you will be cutting over seams. Then, sew the front and back panels together at the sides.
Note: If you’ve cut over patchwork seams, you may want to carefully stitch around the edge of the pattern pieces before sewing them together to stabilize these seams.
Step 6: Now on to the skirt! Fold over the original pattern piece at the point where you cut the bodice length. Lay the “skirt” piece of the pattern piece over your main fabric, and cut the skirt out. If you’d like to add a ruffle to the skirt, you may want to shorten the skirt piece a bit here (see Variation 1 for more detail on shortening the skirt and adding a ruffle). Sew the skirt pieces together, finishing the seams as desired.
Step 7: Finally, we will be sewing the top piece, lining top piece, and skirt all together. This part is a bit tricky to get right, so go slowly and triple-check your work.
Keep your skirt piece and top lining piece facing right side out. Turn the top patchwork piece inside out. Slide the top lining piece inside of the skirt upside down, so that the bottom edge of the lining and the top of the skirt are aligned. The right side of the lining will meet the wrong side of the skirt. Pin at the side seams.
Now, gently pull the top patchwork piece over the skirt, so the right sides of the patchwork top and the skirt are together. The bottom edge of the patchwork piece will align with the top edge of the skirt. Pin at the side seams. You should now have three layers: the top lining, the skirt, and the top patchwork piece. Add more pins to these layers to ensure they don’t shift, then sew them together. Check to make sure that the lining and patchwork top are both facing right side out after you finish this seam!
Step 8: Trim the seam you created in the previous step to reduce some bulk and finish it as desired (either zig-zag stitched or serged).
If you’d like to add an elastic waist, now is the time to do it! Note that because of the lining, top, and skirt this can be a bit bulky. I suggest choosing a smaller elastic (I used 3/4”) and making sure to trim your seam well to eliminate bulk. Take advantage of the lined top, and sew a casing seam above the seam line that attached the top and bottom of the dress (the casing height should be just a bit larger than the elastic you’ve chosen so the elastic can fit through, but won’t twist around).
Stop your seam 1” before where you started. Determine the length you’d like your elastic to be, then cut it 1” longer than your measurement. Thread your elastic through using a safety pin on one end of the elastic. Once it’s all the way through (this can take some time!), overlap the two ends of the elastic by 1/2” and sew them together. Then, sew casing closed. If you’re new to elastic waistbands, you may want to check out some youtube videos!
I hope you have a great time making your own patchwork dress! These two options are just a starting point, but the possibilities are really endless. I can’t wait to make more myself!
