• ABOUT
  • PODCAST
  • BLOG
    • MINIMALISM
    • HOME DESIGN AND RENOVATION
    • DIY
    • SEW
    • EAT
    • TRAVEL
  • BOOK
  • CONTACT
  • SUMMER CAMP
  • CREATIVE CAMP
  • NOVIOS RETREAT
  • <iframe frameborder="0" src="https://playlist.megaphone.fm?p=CTL9280674595&light=true" width="100%" height="482"></iframe>
  • ABOUT
  • PODCAST
  • BLOG
    • MINIMALISM
    • HOME DESIGN AND RENOVATION
    • DIY
    • SEW
    • EAT
    • TRAVEL
  • BOOK
  • CONTACT
  • SUMMER CAMP
  • CREATIVE CAMP
  • NOVIOS RETREAT
Minimal Dolman Dress DIY
January 22, 2019

Vogue Inspired Dolman Dress-One Little Minute Blog-5

Minimal Dolman Dress DIY

I’m a sucker for a simple dress. Some of my very favorites end up being the most basic design style, and I appreciate being able to work through a project in an hour or two. When I needed a grey dress for a winter wedding, I had the idea to create a lightweight wool dolman dress with long sleeves and an asymmetrical hemline.
Vogue Inspired Dolman Dress-One Little Minute Blog-2Vogue Inspired Dolman Dress-One Little Minute Blog-11

Minimal Trends

I’ve been really inspired by some of the minimal design trends in indie fashion lately. My design style has always leaned toward easy to make, easy to wear, and a little bit casual with a natural feel. This DIY Dolman Dress was no exception. I imagined the design lines before I went looking for fabric, and when I stumbled upon this lightweight heather grey wool, I knew the drape and coziness would match the feeling of the dress. (I’m already looking forward to making a short-sleeved silk version for the summer!)Vogue Inspired Dolman Dress-One Little Minute Blog-12

You can see the silhouette is really simple. I literally laid myself down on the fabric and traced around my body shape to get the basic outline! The neckline is a simple, flattering boatneck and the whole thing came together in four seams and three hems. Let me show you how to make one for yourself!

Vogue Inspired Dolman Dress-One Little Minute Blog-3

DIY

To get started you’ll need:

  1. 2-3 yards of 54″ wide fabric, lightweight works best
  2. Coordinating thread
  3. A sewing machine (I use the Babylock Katherine)
  4. Optional serger to finish the seams (I use the Babylock Diana)
    DOLMAN DRESS DIY

Creating Your Own

To create your simple pattern, you can use a couple pieces of poster board taped together, or a roll of butcher paper. I used chalk and traced directly onto my fabric, but I don’t necessarily recommend that method–I tend to be a little reckless.

  1. Lay down with the center line of your body on the edge of the paper and the top of your neck at the upper edge. Put your arm out at a 45 degree angle towards the other edge of the page. Have a friend or family member trace around your body outline.
  2. Using the body outline as a basic guide, create a second line about 1″ from the shoulder line and wrist, then curving inward toward the hip for the dolman sleeve, and staying 2-3″ away from the side and hip line. Finish by creating a straight hemline 1″ below where you’d like the dress to hit, leaving space for a 1/2″ hem.
  3. Create the neckline flap by drawing a straight line up, about 2″ from the traced neck line, as shown.
  4. Take a look at your pattern and adjust if anything looks super wonky. If anything, error on the side of creating a pattern a little bit larger than you might need, because you can always cut it down a little more if needed.
  5. Cut your pattern out and trace or pin it to your fabric, on the fold. Cut two. If you’re creating an asymmetrical hemline, you can cut the curve after the side seams are sewn.
  6. Optional: Serge around the edges of the neckline of each pattern piece so that when it’s sewn the edges are all finished. If you don’t have a serger, you can use a zig-zag stitch, or fray stop.
  7. Fold the neck flap down on either side, towards the wrong side of the fabric, then with right sides together stitch along the shoulder lines. Stitch from the wrist around the inside towards the hem as well. At this point try on your dress and see how it fits. It is supposed to be boxy and draped. If you need to take it in somewhere, stitch along a new line, then if it works cut off the excess fabric. When you’re ready, finish the seams with a serger or zig-sag stitch.
  8. Tack the edges of the boatneck with a couple stitches to keep the flaps in place.
  9. Turn the wrist hems inside 1/4″ then 1/2″ and stitch in place.
  10. Optional: If you want an asymmetrical hemline, line up the side seams of the fabric and cut a gentle curve from the back to the front of the hem. Adjust as necessary to your liking.
  11. Turn the hem under 1/4″ then 1/2″ and stitch in place.
  12. Turn the dress right side out, iron and enjoy!

Vogue Inspired Dolman Dress-One Little Minute Blog-4Vogue Inspired Dolman Dress-One Little Minute Blog-14

When you pair it with your favorite shoes and necklace, you’ll never want to take your new dolman dress off!

Vogue Inspired Dolman Dress-One Little Minute Blog-1

Other Favorite DIY Dresses

Two other favorite simple dresses I’ve made over the years are the Texas Summer Drawstring-Waist Box Dress, and this old favorite Chevron Front Summer Dress. They both have full tutorials for you to follow as well, so get sewing!

February is Love of Sewing Month over at Babylock, and I’m thrilled to be including this Dolman Dress DIY in their daily free sewing tutorials this month. I have been sewing on my Babylock machines for a few years now and I love them both!

Minimal Dolman Dress DIY | Live Free Creative Co
basic dressdolman dresseasy sewing projectminimal dressSewingsimple dresswinter wedding
Share

DIY  / For Me  / Sewing DIY

You might also like

Big Bow Dress Pattern Release!
October 25, 2012
  • ABOUT

    Welcome! I’m Miranda, the maker mama behind Live Free Creative Company.

  • More Than Enough Book


    Have you ever felt like you were running a race you couldn’t win in life? Like there was always something more to buy or to achieve in order for you to feel like you had “made it”?In this book, I share how my heart changed and I began to find real, lasting peace, abundance, and joy through focusing on what matters most and disregarding the rest.

    Find out more here.

  • ConvertKit Form

    Five Days to Freedom: Tips for Choosing Less Stuff and More Adventure in your Daily Life

    Five lessons with practical tips and exercises to help you feel more in control of your life!

    Success!

    There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

    We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time. Powered by ConvertKit
  • Recent on Instagram

    livefreemiranda

    The final episode this year of Live Free Creative The final episode this year of Live Free Creative Podcast dropped this morning: a look back at 2022 and an invitation to reflect. 

Often, it is in the remembering and retelling of our own stories where meaning is made. With a little distance, we can usually see more clearly how our experiences have changed us. This self-awareness is a beautiful place from where we can step into the future with added clarity and hopefully a measure of compassion and peace. 

Tune in on your favorite podcast app. 💛 #livefreecreativepodcast
    This last week of the year is talked about like a This last week of the year is talked about like a Bermuda Triangle of time warp— I think it is the *perfect* time for reflection. Not hustle, goal-setting, or even planning (though I love a good plan😉). 

This is the time to look back with clear and honest eyes on the challenges, joys, disappointments, and fulfillments of the last year and make some meaning of it all. Accepting who and where we are now with grace and love can help us proceed into the next right step with compassion and clarity. 

2022 was one of my personal toughest. It was simultaneously filled with light and laughter. A beautiful mess. 💛

What was one of your favorite moments of the last year? Feel free to share below. I’d love to hear!
    I’ve spent a long time curious about optimism- w I’ve spent a long time curious about optimism- what it really looks like and how it is evidenced in real life. 

Learning about explanatory styles helped clarify some of the nuances of optimistic people acknowledging and accepting negative events and emotions without being taken down by them. 

Optimism is not toxic positivity, it is the perspective that although negative things occur, they are usually temporary, impersonal and specific. 

These illustrations can help you clarify the difference between how an optimist and a pessimist may describe positive and negative events— and listening to episode 217 of Live Free Creative Podcast can help with some practical ideas for building your optimism muscle. 💪😃

#livefreecreativepodcast
    One semester down of the Master of Applied Positiv One semester down of the Master of Applied Positive Psychology program at @uofpenn 🙌. 

After over two decades of interest in and self-study of the ideas of happiness, progress, and what makes life worth living, it has been a dream come true to dive even deeper with the guidance of great professors, guest lecturers, and classmates. It is a ton of work, and also reminds me that most truly worthwhile things are. ❤️

Cheers to lifelong learning, growing, and flourishing! 🌱🌲 

(These are a small sample of the hundreds of pages of books, journal articles, and essays I’ve dug into this semester. All of these are easily accessible, and fun to read. Highly recommend!)

#positivepsychology #selfdevelopmentbooks
#pennpov
    Let’s talk about OPTIMISM! 😊 Many people (fa Let’s talk about OPTIMISM! 😊

Many people (falsely) assume that optimism means ignoring negative events or emotions. Instead, optimism is the perspective with which one views negative emotions and events: as temporary, changeable, and impersonal. 

For (very simple) example, when an optimistic person stubs her toe, she might think “Ouch! That hurts! That step came out of nowhere… I’ll look out for it next time.” 

In contrast, a pessimist might stub her toe and think “Ouch! That hurts! Why do I always get hurt? I’m such a klutz.”

Optimistic people tend to see negative events as occasional, and positive events as the norm. They tune their attention to things that do or could go right, rather than giving all the weight to things that do or could go wrong. 

Additionally, optimism can be LEARNED and PRACTICED, with amazing and beneficial outcomes on life satisfaction, relationships, and overall well-being. 

Do you consider yourself more of an optimist or a pessimist?

Listen to #livefreecreativepodcast this week for a deep dive into Optimism! 🌤️
    Paper Person for LIFE ✌️ I write plans, lists Paper Person for LIFE ✌️

I write plans, lists, to-do’s, outlines, notes, dreams, memories, and stories on good old fashioned paper (preferably 80# cotton mohawk paper with a .3 muji pen 😉).

Did you know research shows that writing by hand (versus typing) activates different parts of the brain and can increase understanding, perception, memory, motor skills, and even creativity? While typing and tech definitely have their benefits, writing by hand, on paper, is still an important, valid, and (in my personal experience) cathartic experience.

If you’ve been around a while, you know @golden.coil is my favorite, (sister-owned) customizable planner and notebook company. 📒

Who else has a paper brain like me? 🙋🏻‍♀️
    What expectations do you have for the holidays? Or What expectations do you have for the holidays? Or for the New Year?

I’d love to hear about them. And invite you to consider how developing appreciate (instead of/alongside) expectation can build your well-being and positive emotions. 

Listen to Episode 216 of #livefreecreativepodcast for a more in-depth discussion. 💚
    Expectations are normal— but are they helpful? Expectations are normal— but are they helpful?

Unmet expectations lead to disappointment on the one end of the spectrum and resentment or even anger on the other. 

In contrast, appreciation increases positivity, motivation, and resilience. 

Neither expectations nor appreciation cost us anything… so which do we want to intentionally invite into our lives? 💛

Listen to Episode 216 for more insights. #livefreecreativepodcast
    One wall, one quart of green paint, three hours of One wall, one quart of green paint, three hours of procrastinating folding laundry: a gorgeous new office space. 💚💁🏻‍♀️

Sometimes we need to JUST GO FOR IT when the urge to improve strikes, even if it doesn’t make sense. Pausing a hundred small to-do’s so you can accomplish one with long-lasting impact feels amazing. 

(I think picking up this incredible @thicketdesign serpent and butterfly painting from @frameofmindrva was the push I needed to make it happen. 😍) 

What small home project would make the biggest positive impact for you right now?

#livefreeabode
    The halls are decked, there’s a log on the fire, The halls are decked, there’s a log on the fire, and a cozy holiday playlist of podcast favorites for the season on the speaker. 🔥👉

Swipe for a list of Holiday Season episodes that will invite some intention, creativity, joy, and magic into your life this season. 🎙️🎁

Find a link to the full Spotify Playlist in the story highlight (after the last couple weeks I KNOW how many of you love Spotify 🤭)

What holiday-themed episode do you want to hear next? Drop ideas in the comments! 

#livefreecreativepodcast #livefreeabode
    Connection builds resilience, reduces stress, and Connection builds resilience, reduces stress, and makes us happier! ✨

While this last year (um…2-3 years? 🫠) has been difficult on many levels, it has also felt very connective. Weird how challenges can do that: build meaning and strengthen relationships. 

Our family has leaned on simple habits routines to deepen our connection: nightly family dinner, walking to school together, weekly dates for Dave and me, family vacation and weekend getaways to leave it all behind and simply have fun together! 

What are you doing to intentionally build/maintain your connection to those who matter most to you? 

(Thank you @mollyhunterphotography for capturing our family so beautifully!)
    Inviting the hygge of the season into this new hom Inviting the hygge of the season into this new home. 🎄

In a lot of ways, 2022 has been one of the toughest years we’ve experienced. From health challenges, family tragedies, and heartbreak to difficult personal growth, we have been just barely keeping our heads above water.

This Christmastime, I am grateful for the hope and peace of accepting and integrating what is, exercising non-judgement and optimism in the face of obstacles, and the power of close friendships and relationships to ease the load. 💛

Sending love and light to you this season, whether hope-filled or heart-wrenching or a little of both. ✨

#livefreeabode
    Load More... Follow @livefreemiranda on Instagram
  • FAVORITE CATEGORIES

    • DIY
    • SEW
    • DECORATE
    • EAT
    • LIFE
    • TRAVEL



© Copyright 2021 Live Free Creative Co | View our Privacy Policy