How To: Pink & Red Colourblock Dress/Kaftan

It's been a bit quiet here - I think I may have slightly overestimated my ability to keep doing tutorials at the same time as launching the shop, but I'm figuring it all out:) A pink and red dress has been on my list for about a year, but finding the right two tones in the same fabric that has the right drape was surprisingly difficult.. Worth the wait though. This will be on me a lot.

Tutorials take a lot of time & effort to create, and I choose to make mine available for free. If you enjoy this guide, you can support me with a donation that feels right for you, here.

TOOLS:

2 contrasting fabrics, 1.5 m of each (I used a medium-weight silk satin)  |  Scissors  |  Pins  |  Thread & Sewing machine (serger if you have)

I. I started by cutting my top pieces, just winged it with an angle I felt would look nice. I'm a EU36/US4, but with the loose fit this easily fits a size up/down.

.. Then cut my sleeves: 

.. And proceeded to use the top piece as a guide to cut the middle piece, and then that to cut the hem piece. The easiest is to cut with the fabric folded, right sides out, to make sure you get the correct pieces and not a mirror image.

II. First taking the front pieces, I pinned the pieces together, right sides facing, and sewed to create a whole front piece. Repeated on the back pieces, and then pinned the shoulders, right sides facing, and sewed..

III. Next pinned my sleeves in place and sewed them. At this point I like to also press a double fold on my sleeve hems, much easier when they're free than when you've already sewn the sleeve under seam.

IV. Obviously had to have pockets. I cut them out of the red since that's the section they were going on..

.. Pinned in place..

.. And sewed.

V. Before hemming the sleeves I tried the dress on and ended up chopping a few cm off of them for a fresher look. Last bit of construction was the side seam - pinned together (pocket too) and sewed all the way, of course leaving the pocket open. On one side I left the longer pink section un-sewn, to create a slit there.

VI. The neckline I finished with the bias tape method, and on sleeve hems did a fold, hand-stitching both not to have visible stitches on the right side (mainly cause I only had red thread..)

.. And a quick one of the slit I did on one side. 

Incredibly comfy:)

xo,

Julia