The Jalie Dolman Tee (3352) is one of the simplest T shirts to sew for beginners. If you extend the length like I did, and add an elastic casing , you get a very easy to wear and simple to sew dress for summer!
When I received this beautiful Art Gallery cotton lycra from The Confident Stitch, I wanted to make the most of every little bit of it. I squeezed this project out of 1.25 yard of fabric. It was tight fit, but I did it! They seem to be all out of this print now, But this one with similar colors, would also be really cute.
First, I traced the dolman sleeve tee pattern then simply extended the bottom about 20 inches and made a straight hem. I would have liked to make it a little longer, but I didn’t have enough fabric. Then I cut the pattern apart an inch below the waist notchlines. I added 1.25 inch seam allowances to the top portion and also to the bottom portion to make a casing. I sewed it at 1.25 inch. Then I serged the seam allowance together and ironed it upwards.
I then sewed the casing to the bodice portion, leaving a small opening to insert my 3/4 inch elastic. There are lots of tutorials too add an elastic casing to dress, and I think I have a few on this site already if you need photos.
I folded over all of the seam allowances and used my cover stitch to sew them. I didn’t bother to change the thread on the looper, as you can see. But I did change the olutside threads to pink.
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It’s a very easy dress to throw on in summer. I’ve made dresses like this in the past that I’ve drafted myself, but I already had the top cut out from my previous dolman tees, so this was a no brainer.
Just for fun, check out this tutorial I wrote several years ago, showing how to make a similar tunic dress by tracing a tshirt. After several years of sewing, I can tell you that’s not the best method for making a casing! I considered taking it down, and I’d love to hear your thoughts on old and outdated tutorials. Should we bloggers take them down, or leave them up? I mean. that method does work, but I wouldn’t sew it that way anymore. But I love how that little dress turned out and Isabelle looked so cute in it!
Gosh, I love this fabric.
So cute! I love this pattern. I have made it into tunic tops but never thought taking the length out further for a dress.
Gosh, I love this fabric, too! It is beautiful. Your dress looks so comfortable.
I’m on the fence about taking down old tutorials. What if somebody bookmarked it and then couldn’t find it? That would frustrate me. Maybe it’s not the best method, but what if it worked for someone else? Can you go back and make an asterisk leading people to the new tutorial? Taking down or footnoting old tutorials would require time and effort – do you want to spend precious sewing time doing either? So let things lie as they are? Gee, I was a lot of help, wasn’t I??? ;-D
oops – I tried to make a winky face at the end — but it doesn’t seem to have turned out
A very cute dress on you! I love the fabric….took me awhile but I found it on Etsy …… SalvedgeEdgeCo she has a bolt but, its trending??
Thanks for showing the cute dress and t-shirt pattern,
I really like your newsletter and garments!
Kindly, Barb
Thanks Barb!