Home or hobbyist dressmaking is often done using commercial patterns, which come in a variety of standardized sizes created to fit the largest number of people at once. This style of sizing often leaves the individual frustrated, as the standard sizes are unlikely to give many people a perfect fit. These sizes can be adjusted to better fit individuals, but this does add extra work to the sewing process. Rather than fiddling with an existing pattern to make an evening dress that fits well, you can drape your own simple pattern to fit your shape.
Drape the Dress
1. Mark the center front and center back on a T-shirt with a marker. Put the T-shirt onto a dress form that is your size. Pin the center front and center back of the T-shirt to the center front and center back of the dress form.
2. Take in the T-shirt at the sides and shoulder seams, if necessary. Make sure that the shirt fits the dress form well, but does not pull or stretch. Pin the shoulder seams to the apex of the shoulder and the side seams to the sides of the dress form.
3. Mark the waistline on the T-shirt. You can put the waistline at the underbust, natural waist or hip, depending on where you would like the skirt of the dress to begin. Cut the T-shirt at the waistline and discard the excess.
4. Mark the neckline you want on the T-shirt. Cut along the neckline and discard the excess. Also cut the sleeves off the shirt at the armhole seam. Discard the sleeves.
5. Take a large piece of muslin fabric and pin it to the waistline, matching the edges with the side seams of the T-shirt. Adjust the width to the type of skirt fit you want. Cut the muslin to the length of skirt you want.
Create the Dress Pattern
1. Take the muslin and T-shirt off the dress form. Cut the T-shirt up the center back line, side seams and shoulder seams.
2. Lay out a double layer of your dress fabric. Take the front piece of the T-shirt and one of the back pieces of the T-shirt. Pin the back piece to the fabric. Fold the front piece in half along the center front line and pin it to the fabric, with the center front against the folded side of the fabric.
3. Draw around the outside of the T-shirt pieces with a fabric pencil, 1/2 inch away on all edges except for the center front edge and the armhole edges. Draw 3/4 inch away on the armhole edges. Cut along the drawn lines and unpin the T-shirt pieces.
4. Unfold the dress fabric so that it is a single layer. Pin the muslin skirt piece to the dress fabric, then trace around the outside edges, 1/2 inch away on the side and top edges. Draw 1 1/4 inches away from the bottom edge. Cut along the drawn lines.
5. Fold the muslin skirt piece in half and pin it to the dress fabric again. Trace around the outside edges, 1/2 inch away on the side and top edges, and 1 1/4 inches away on the bottom edge. Cut along the drawn lines.
Sew the Dress Pieces
1. Take the front and back bodice pieces for your evening dress. Lay the back pieces on top of the front piece, with the right sides together. Line up the shoulder seam edges and pin them together.
2. Sew the shoulder seams, 1/2 inch away from the edges. Iron the seam allowances open, trim them and zigzag stitch or serge the raw edges.
3. Line up the side seam edges and pin them together. Sew the side seams 1/2 inch away from the edges. Iron the seam allowances open, trim them and zigzag stitch the raw edges.
4. Turn the armhole edges under 1/4 inch and iron them flat. Turn them in another 1/2 inch and pin them in place. Sew along the folded edge, then iron the finished edges flat. Do the same to the neckline.
5. Take the skirt front and back pieces. Lay the pieces on top of one another, right sides together. Line up the side seam edges and pin them together. Sew 1/2 inch away from the edges, then iron the seam allowances open. Trim and zigzag stitch the raw edges.
Complete the Evening Dress
1. Line up the center back edges of the skirt and pin them together, stopping 7 inches from the top. Sew 1/2 inch away from the edges, iron open the seam allowances and finish the raw edges.
2. Turn under the bottom edge of the skirt 1/4 inch, then iron it flat. Turn the edge under another inch and pin it down. Sew along the folded edge, then iron it flat.
3. Line up the top edge of the skirt and the bottom edge of the bodice, right sides together. Adjust the skirt edge to fit the bodice edge, gathering or pleating if necessary. Pin the pieces together, then sew 1/2 inch away from the edges. Iron the seam allowances toward the top and finish the raw edges.
4. Fold the remaining center back edges under 1/2 inch and iron them flat. Pin the left side of the zipper tape under the left edge and topstitch the zipper to the fabric. Pin the right side of the zipper tape under the right edge and do the same.
5. Tack the bottom of the zipper tape to the fabric with a few hand stitches.
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