We have a new dress for you! Today on Happiest Camper, we are going to show you How To Make A Maxi Dress – Free Printable Pattern! If you don’t have a Maxi Dress, now is the time to make your own! This is such a comfortable dress. I love long, flowy dresses, and when my sewing friend, Debbie, showed me this pattern, I knew I had to make this dress! This style of dress looks great on all body types. You can dress it up with accessories like the belt pictured below, or keep it simple and relaxed for lounging. This maxi dress is simple to sew and so comfortable. It has become one of my favorites to wear. I love sewing my own clothing. This is one of the easier projects I have made since I started building up my own DIY wardrobe. If you have been wanting to get started making your own clothing, this is a great project to start with. The included free pattern takes the guesswork out of cutting out your fabric and sizing this dress just right. Perfect for those warm summer days or you can wear leggings underneath when the weather gets chillier.
You’ll only need a few supplies for this dress. You’ll need to decide on some cute fabric with a bit of stretch to it. I had this fabric in my stash and thought it would be easy to accessorize in a neutral color. Gather up your other supplies from the list below and let’s get started!
I have looked high and low to find the best free dress patterns that you can sew and will love. This dress pattern is one of them.
What You’ll Need:
- 3.5 yards of 60″ wide fabric with 30% or more horizontal stretch.
- Matching Thread
- Free Printable Pattern
- Pins
- Scissors
- Optional Rotary Cutter & Mat
- Measuring tape
- Thread nippers
- Sewing machine
Size Chart:
| Imperial (inches) | Small | Medium | Large |
| Chest ** | 34 | 36 | 38 |
| Waist | 28 | 30 | 32 |
| Hip | 38 | 40 | 42 |
** This maxi dress pattern is drafted for a B cup bust size and a height of 5’ 4”. At this height the finished dress length is 56”. This length falls to the floor without wearing any shoes. If you want a shorter version to wear with sandals, shorten the length of the dress by 4”. Otherwise, to find the right length for you, measure from your shoulder to your ankle and add 1”. Adjust the length of the pattern by subtracting your measurement from 56”. This will be the amount you will change the pattern by if you are shorter or taller than the pattern. Is this sewing project not in the size you are looking for? Then check out our post on How to Scale a pattern up and down.
Printing Instructions
This pattern has layers so that you can choose to print only the size you need. To achieve this Adobe Reader must be installed on your machine or device. Adobe Reader allows you to click on the layers icon which will show you each size with an eyeball beside it. Click on the eyeball beside the size you do not want to print.
Before printing check that your printer is set to No scaling or Actual size. Set the Page orientation to Auto or Portrait. And then print page 1. Measure the 2” test square to see if it measures exactly 2”. If it does, print the remaining pages.
Trimming Pages
Cut off the right and top margins of each printed page before assembling the pattern.
You can use tape or school glue to adhere your paper pattern together.
Pattern Assembly
After the pages have been printed and trimmed as instructed above, use the quarter circles located at the corner of each page for perfect alignment. When done your pattern should look like this:
Pattern Pieces Checklist
Once you have printed and assembled your pattern. You will cut the following pieces. (The elastic length is provided in a cut chart and is not a pattern piece).
| Front | Cut 1 on Fold |
| Back | Cut 1 on Fold |
| Front and Back Facing | Cut 1 – Front on Fold Cut 1 – Back on Fold |
Seam Allowance
Use a 3/8” seam allowance unless otherwise instructed.
How To Make A Maxi Dress – Free Sewing Pattern
The first step our how to make a maxi dress sewing tutorial is to wash and dry your fabric. This helps preshrink your fabric and prepares it for washing later so that your stitches don’t pull out or fray the first time you wash it. It will also help it stay super soft! Once you have done that, lay your pattern on the fabric and make the cuts from the cut list above.
Place your front and back dress pieces right sides together. Pin at the shoulders. Also, pin along the side seam from the sleeve marking to the hem. Sew these areas using a 3/8” seam allowance.
Next on this how to make a maxi dress sewing tutorial, we will work on the facings. Pin the front and back neck facings, right sides together and sew using that same seam allowance.
Next, pin the neck facing to the dress right sides together, being sure to align the seams of the facing to the seam of the dress.
Now on this how to make a maxi dress sewing tutorial, sew them together using that same 3/8″ seam allowance.
Snip in the V of the neck so that it will lay flat. This will help you when you sew the final facing on in the last step. We are about halfway through this how to make a maxi dress sewing tutorial!
Next, we will work on the sleeves for your maxi dress. Fold the sleeves and the dress hem wrong sides together by 1/2” and pin. Sew each section using a 3/8 seam allowance.
Your maxi dress is really taking shape. As we near the end of this how to make a maxi dress sewing tutorial, we need to fold the neck facing inside the dress and pin. Fold it in far enough that will overlap the fabric for the collar.
As the last step in this how to make a maxi dress sewing tutorial, sew 1/8” away from the raw edge attaching the facing to the dress.
And that’s it! You made it through this how to make a maxi dress sewing tutorial and now you have a super cute dress. I love the length and style of this dress. It is simple to sew and still looks so nice and elegant. You can make this with solid color fabric like I did or with a print if you want to add some flair. I made a few of these dresses so that I would have them ready to go. I even made one to match one of my husband’s suits for the next time we head to a wedding. This is such a fun dress to make.
If you liked learning how to sew a maxi dress with a free printable pattern, make sure to pin it to your favorite Pinterest board or share it with friends on social media. If you decide to make it take a picture afterward and tag us on social media as we love seeing the fabrics and color choices others make.
How To Sew A Maxi Dress - Free Printable Pattern
Sew your own beautiful Maxi Dress with this simple sewing tutorial. The included free pattern makes cutting out your fabric so easy.
Materials
Instructions
- Print and cut out pattern. Use it to cut out fabric.
- Place your front and back dress pieces right sides together.
- Pin at the shoulders
- Also, pin along the side seam from the sleeve marking to the hem.
- Sew these areas
- Pin the front and back neck facings, right sides together, and sew
- Pin the neck facing to the dress right sides together being sure to align the seams of the facing to the seam of the dress. Sew them together.
- Snip in the V of the neck so that it will lay flat.
- Fold the sleeves and the dress hem wrong sides together by 1/2” and pin. Sew each section.
- Fold the neck facing inside the dress and pin.
- Sew 1/8” away from the raw edge attaching the facing to the dress.
- Enjoy your new dress!
Have a question. I am getting ready to make the Maxi Dress. Approximately how far down should I go to add pockets? I have used some of your patterns and like what I ended up with. Thank you.