Let’s Get Started!

1. This pattern features 12 pattern pieces, and they are listed below. 

A-Front Bodice

B-Side Front Bodice

C-Front Waist

D-Back Bodice

E-Back Waist

F-Skirt Front and sides/ Skirt Back

G-Bodice Front overlay

H-Back Bodice Overlay

I-Front Waist Overlay

J-Back Waist Overlay

K- Skirt Overlay( Front, Sides and Back)

L-Sleeve

Before you get into cutting, please take a moment to check out the pattern pieces to see how many pieces need cut. Pay close attention to the skirt  and skirt overlay pieces, which are pieces F and K. They will be used for the front, sides, and back. There is also a fold line on the sides of these pieces which indicate that it needs to be folded before cutting the back piece. Also, there is an additional cut line at the bottom of piece F which indicates where to trim for the lining because we want our lining to be a little shorter than the outer skirt.

A-Front Bust

B-Side Front Bust

C-Bust Overlay

D-Front Tie

E-Center Front Bodice

F-Middle Front Bodice

G-Side Front Bodice

H-Side Back Bodice

I-Middle Back Bodice

J-Back Modesty Panel

K-Grommet Placket

L-Sleeve Band Overlay

M-Sleeve

N-Cuff

O-Cuff Extension

P- Sleeve Slit Binding

Q-Front Skirt

R-Front Skirt Band

S-Side Front Skirt

T-Side Front Skirt Band

U-Side Back Skirt

V-Side Back Skirt Band

W-Back Skirt

X-Back Skirt Band

Y—Skirt Ruffle

2.Lets begin by cutting our fabrics 

3.With right sides facing, Pin your front bodice (piece A) to the Side front bodice which is (piece B) Make sure to match notches. Now stitch them together. After stitching you will want to clip the curves, and then press the seam open flat and beautiful. You can choose to finish this seam out however you like. Now repeat this for the other side, and both of the linings as well. After you have completed this step, you should have 4 different bodice pieces.

4.Now let’s work on the front overlay. You will see the notations on where to gather. Stitch a gather stitch along the bottom edge, and at the shoulder seam. You will now gather the fabric to match the bodice fronts we just stitched in step 3.

5.After gathering the overlay evenly, pin the overlay to the bodice front all the way around the outside edges. Use a lot of pins if it helps. We will now be flatlining the two together. This is where we sew all around the outside edges at 1/4” to join the overlay and bodice. Afterwards you can hit it with a little bit of steam so it holds the right shape. Now repeat this step on the mirroring bodice front.

6.The next step is to work on our back piece (piece D) If you notice, there is a dart on the back, so you will want to make sure to stitch the darts on both your outer and lining back pieces.

7.After stitching the darts, you will sit the back pieces aside to work on the back overlay (piece H.) This overlay also has notations to gather the bottom edge and the neck seam. After gathering, you will pin the overlay to your back piece, and then pin all along the edges. After pinning, flatline your overlay to the back piece. Repeat this step on the mirroring back piece.

8.Now let’s join the Bodice fronts to the bodice backs at the shoulder seam. With right sides facing, pin and stitch the shoulder seams. Afterwards press open Flat and Beautiful. Repeat this with the bodice linings also.

9.If you are choosing to add the sleeve, now would be a good time to address that. If you are using a netting like I am, it won’t be necessary to hem the bottom edge, unless you like the look of it, but now would be the time do so.

10. We will not be joining our bodice to the bodice linings. First lay your bodice flat, and pin your sleeve to the arm hole. There will be indicators on your sleeve pattern and the arm hold on where to pin. You want to make sure the right sides are facing. After pinning to the arm hole, I suggest rolling the sleeve fabric towards the bodice, because we will be stitching on both sides of it, and you don’t want it to get caught in both stitches. Just the one we pinned around the arm hole. Now repeat this to your other sleeve.

11.Now lay your bodice lining onto your bodice, and pin around the arm holes, and the front all around tot he center back of the neck. After pinning we will stitch both the arm holes, and the front/ neck. Repeat this tot he other side of the bodice also.

12. After stitching, trim your seam allowance, flip your garment right side out, and press all of your seams.

13.Now lets join the side seams of the bodice. You will want to match the seams up so you have a nice even arm hole. I like to start by pinning at the seams. After pinning, you will stitch and then press open.

14.We can now pin the two bodices together at the center front. You will see there’s a notch on where the bodice fronts should align. You can add a small stitch to them to hold them together for more security if you like. Now lets side the bodice aside and work on our was it bands.

15.Much like the bodice, we will be treating the waist bands the same with the overlays. You will see the gather notations on the sides of the waist bands. You will create the overlays for each separate was it band pieces (C, and E) After you gather the overlays (I and J) you will pin them to the waist band pieces all around the outside edges, and then flat line them together.

16.After you have attached the overlays to the waist band pieces, you will join the waist band front to the waist band back pieces at the side seams. With right sides facing, pin and stitch them together. After doing this to the outer pieces, you will repeat this to the waist band linings. Now we can sit these aside.

17.The next step is to address the sleeve slit. You will see this marked on your pattern piece. After cutting the slit to the stop line, you will add a very small stay stitch along both sides of the slit.

18.Now let’s gather the waist of the skirt overlay using a gathering stitch. You want to gather this tot he measurement of the skirt waist measurement. I also used the bottom of the waistband as the guide because it was less fabric to deal with.

19.After gathering, lets also add a staystitsh to the waist of the skirt and skirt lining. You will just sew a stitch at 1/4” along the waist. This will help it hold its shape and length.

20.Next up we will pin our skirt overlay onto the skirt. After doing this, we will pin the skirts to the waistband at the bottom of the waistband. Pin the right sides facing, and make sure non of your overlay is being sewn into the seam, except for where we flatlined. Now stitch your skirts tot he waistband. Afterward press that seam open, and finish the seam out with an overlock, or zigzag stitch.

21.Now let’s sew our skirt lining to the waist band lining. With right sides facing, pin and stitch the waist band lining to the skirt lining.

22.Now let’s attach our was it band to the bodice. To do this, we will be sandwiching our bodice between he outer and lining waist bands. Start by pinning the outer waist band to the bodice matching right sides. Use as many pins as you need.

23.Now lets pin the was it band lining to the bodice lining. After pinning all of our layers together, we can stitch along the was it seam. This is a lot of fabric, so you may also want to do a secondary security stitch right next to the previous stitch. After stitching, trim away the seam allowance, and finish out the seam.

24.Now let’s work on finishing out the dress. We will need to add a stitch on both sides of the center back off the dress all the way down. This will join all the layers on both sides. BEFORE YOU DO THIS, you will want to go ahead and hem your skirt and skirt lining. An overlock stitch would work if you were going for simple finish, but a rolled, or blind hem could also work here. After hemming you will add that stitch to the center back seams. I chose to overlock both sides also so it was clean once adding my zipper.

25.The last step is to add the zipper to the center back of the dress. You can also add a hook and eye to the top of the dress for an added closure.

26.Depending on the fabric of your overlay, now is also when you would hem the sheer overlay.

27.Also depending on your overlay, you may need to steam the overlay while its on a form or laid out flat so the overlay can hold some of its shape. Once on a form or body, the loosens of the overlay will be pulled and willl hug the body beautiful as one as the fit of the bodice and waistband are snug.

25.Now we can pin the sleeve to the armhole of the bodice with our right sides facing. You will want to match those side seams to the sleeve inseam. You will want to tuck the raw edge of the ruffle if you chose to do it. I just dog ear fold this down toward the band and pin in place. After pinning, you can stitch in place. After stitching, you can either overlock this, or create a sleeve bias tape to bind the edge if you like. I chose to overlock this for times sake. You may also want to add a little stitch/ tack to keep the seam allowance of the sleeve facing the sleeve.

Welcome to the Reverie dress guide! This dress was inspired by eras gone by. It’s perfect for dinner parties, dances, events, and the “fit and flare” shape is such a fun silhouette. 

This dress features an optional flutter style sleeve, a sheer overlay that would be great in lightweight and sheer fabrics. This dress could also be made without the overlay if you desired. So many options!

Below are the written sewing instructions, and I also filmed a step by step Youtube video of the entire creation process of this dress which is on the left of this text box! When you make your dress, please tag me! I would love to see what your dress looks like!!