The Lucy Dress Tutorial

I decided to sew The Lucy Dress for myself because I needed an addition to my wardrobe. And with that I thought it would be good to take pictures as I went along and create a tutorial! So here goes!

First things first! Cut out the dress! 🙂 I made some adjustments to the pattern before cutting out and I hope it fits perfectly in the end.

On this dress and other knits that are fuzzy I used a piece of cotton fabric to place over the seam to iron. I am afraid to ruin the “fuzzies” if I iron directly on the fabric. 😊

Step 1. Sew the gathering stitches on the front bodice. It’s nice to have extra stitching beyond the required placement of the gathers so I started and stopped 4 inches either side of center front.

Sew the first line of stitching 1/4 inch from edge and the second one 1/2 inch from the edge. That way when you sew the midriff on at 3/8 inch you will be sewing between the gathering stitch lines.

Step 2 -pinning and sewing the bodice front onto the front midriff. Start pinning at the sides and continue pinning towards the center. Pull only the gathering threads that are on the wrong side of the fabric and place gathers 2 inches on each side of the center.

I like to place a pin on each side at the 2 inch mark and pin through both layers. Then even out the gathers up to each pin.

For this seam and other short seams I am using a stretch stitch. Pull out the gathering threads beginning with the ones on the back. Iron the seam towards the midriff.

Hmm this fabric doesn’t let you see the gathers on the front…too many ridges.

Step 3 Sew the front skirt onto the midriff. Pin the skirt onto the midriff starting at the sides and working towards the center. I like to mark the centers on both skirt and midriff and pin them together first.

Again I used the stretch stitch. Iron the seam towards the midriff.

Step 4 Sew the back center seams using a zigzag stitch.

I wish the stitching showed more. 🤔 Iron the seam open.

Step 5 Sew the center seam on the midriff. Again I sewed this seam with a zigzag stitch and ironed it open.

Step 6-Sew the midriff onto the bodice back. Line up the center seams first and pin. Then begin pinning at each end and work towards the middle. Sew this seam with a stretch stitch for best results.

Also, if I am going to be sewing across a seam that’s been ironed open I like to put a pin through each side of the seam holding each side of the seam down. That means there are two pins right close together at the center.

Iron the seam towards the midriff.

Step 7-Sewing the back skirt onto the midriff. Again, match and pin the centers and then start at each end and work towards the center. Sew using a stretch stitch and iron seam towards the midriff.

The finished back! We are so close to getting this thing completed!

Step 8. Sew the shoulder seams. Pretty straight forward! I sewed mine with the zigzag stitch because I wanted to iron the seams open. If you don’t mind ironing the seams to the back go ahead and use the stretch stitch.

Again pin the beginning and end of the seam and then put 1 or 2 pins in between.

Iron the seam open or to the back.

Step 9. Sewing in the sleeve is next! On the sleeve pattern there is a notch at the top. If you transferred all the markings that’s great! If you missed that one like I did then transfer that mark now.

Line that mark with the shoulder seam and pin. Now begin at the beginning and end of the sleeve seam and pin towards the top. Like the first picture below.

After the first couple of pins return to the top of the sleeve and begin to ease the sleeve onto the bodice.

Here you can see the ripples between the pins where I eased the sleeve cap.

When easing the fabric on the sleeve cap it helps to guide extra fabric forward with a pin so that you don’t end up with a pucker as you sew up to the next pin.

Iron the seam towards the sleeve. And repeat on the other sleeve!

Step 10. Time to sew the side seams! We are so close to done! Pin beginning at the bottom of the sleeve and the bottom of the skirt and then pin at each midriff and waist seams lining the front and back carefully and making sure the seams are facing the same way they were ironed.

Then add pins in between. This seam is best done in the zigzag stitch. Now, before we iron the seams let’s try this thing on and make sure it’s going to fit. That way if we need to take it in anywhere we can do that before completing the whole dress.

Ok my dress fits pretty good! How about yours? I need to take it in on the side seams a bit right around the bodice/midriff seam. AND I will definitely need shoulder pads!

In my opinion any dress with a fitted sleeve needs shoulder pads of some kind. They just give the dress a finished look.

Now it’s time to iron the side seams open and go on to the next step.

Step 11 Sewing the neckline. Sew the ends of the neckband together using a stretch stitch or zigzag stitch. Press the seam open.

Then fold in half and mark the half with a pin.

Fold in half again and mark the quarters with pins. Now move the quarter mark pins towards the seam a half inch.

Now line up the seam on the neckband with the center back seam. Line up the half mark on the neckband with the center front. Line up the quarter marks with the shoulder seams. Now stretch the neckband to fit between the pins and pin. Sew using a stretch stitch.

Iron with the seam towards the neckband.

Fold neckband over the seam and pin making sure the edge of the neckband covers the seam stitching.

Stitch in the ditch using a straight stitch. I like to make it a little longer than the normal setting.

Ta da!!! The neckline is done!

Step 12. We’re almost there! Sewing the hems is next! The easiest part right? This pattern is designed for 1 inch hems on the sleeves and the skirt. That’s what I am going to do but you do what length you want. You can iron the hems to desired width before sewing or just pin them up and sew, and then iron.

For my hems I used an overlock stitch for something different.

And here is the finished dress! I’m really happy with it!

Feel free to leave a comment and a picture of your finished Lucy dress! 😊