Most DIY clothing tutorials will teach you something about the season's latest trend, but it just so happens that wearing Tartan dresses is a trend that never gets old. Here's an easy tutorial you can do to flaunt the print of the season!
As you search for DIY clothing tutorials, you can find a lot for different types of clothes which include using different kinds of accessories, tools, fabric, and patterns. And for this tutorial, we are going for the Tartan pattern everyone is crazy about. Tartan is a pattern of a crisscrossed horizontal and vertical lines. It has been famous for centuries now, specifically from that time where Kings and Queens acquired them and adopted them as uniforms. Since then, the evolution of Tartan patterns and how they are used continues today.
Making a Simple DIY Tartan Dress
As Scotland's mark of identification, the Tartan pattern has captured the eyes and heart of the people in the fashion world. Tartan patterns take on fashion in varying perspectives; from shirts to bottoms, handkerchiefs to scarves, and dresses. The pattern is used from feminine outfits to badass punk outfit ideas. This print is back for the season and you wouldn't want to miss out on that nor go broke by buying new clothes sporting this trendy print. So, here's a super easy tutorial to stay on top of the trend!
Things you will need for this Tartan Dress DIY clothing tutorial:
- Construction Paper
- Marking Pen
- Ruler
- Tailor's Chalk or Tailor's Pencil
- Pins
- Fusible Interfacing
- Scissors
- Hook and Eye
- Zipper
- Iron
- Plain Fabric (for your collar)
- Tartan Pattern Fabric
- Dress (without sleeves)
- Shirt
- Bias Tape
Let's get Scottish!
Part 1. Make the Detachable Pointy Collar
Step 1. Trace the neckline
Using a shirt of your choice, fold it in half to trace. And using a marker pen, trace the upper part of the neckline onto your construction paper
Step 2. Draw a vertical line
Using your ruler, draw a vertical line at the right side of the neckline curve 6 centimeters upward.
Repeating the same process, draw a vertical again at the right side of the neckline curve 12 centimeters downward.
Step 3. Draw a horizontal line
From the end point of the 12-centimeters vertical line, measure an 8-centimeter horizontal line and mark along.
Step 4. Trace the neckline
With your shirt again, fold it in half with the front panel forward, and the back panel backward, letting the shoulder corners meet. Trace it along the tip of the 6-centimeters vertical line and the 8-centimeters horizontal line producing a curve.
After tracing the other side of the neckline, draw an 8.5-centimeter horizontal line from the end of the 8-centimeters horizontal line you drew earlier.
Step 5. Trace a bigger curve and Cut the Pattern
Using your ruler, place it in along the 6 and 12-centimeters connecting vertical lines. Start tracing a curved line starting at the end of the 6-centimeter vertical line going toward the end of the 8.5-centimeter horizontal line.
Before you cut the pattern, fold along the vertical line. Cut the pattern from the inside of the smaller curve, and the outside of the bigger curve. You should be able to produce a pattern that you can fold as your collar.
Step 6. Pin, trace, cut the fabric and the fusible interfacing.
Using your choice of fabric for your collar, fold it once and place your pointy collar over it. Pin your collar pattern along the fold and trace. Then cut again with a half-inch allowance.
Now with your fusible interfacing, place your collar pattern over it along the fold and pin. Then, cut just along the pattern. You should have one pattern of the fabric and one fusible interfacing pattern for your collar.
Step 7. Iron the Fabric and fusible interfacing
Next thing you need to do is iron both of the patterns. Do it by placing your fabric pattern first and then putting your fusible interfacing over it in the middle. Then, you can iron it to remove the wrinkles from both patterns.
Using your scissors, cut the inner and outer sides of the curves not more than half an inch until the end of the curve. Fold the cuts in and proceed to iron along. Repeat this step for the other pattern.
Step 8. Sew the Detachable Pointy Collar
After finishing 2 patterns, face the patterns together hiding the folded and ironed cuts. Pin and sew along.
Step 9. Attach the hook and eye
To attach the hook and eye, you are going to hand-stitch both of them onto the collar. Stitch the hook onto the left side upper point of the collar, and then the eye on the right upper point.
Part 2. Make the Tartan Dress
Step 1. Pin your dress
Start off by laying out your Tartan pattern and fold it once. Get your sleeveless dress, and then fold once. Lay your dress over to the Tartan pattern, facing the folds together and pinning.
Step 2. Pattern the neckline and sleeves
Pattern the neckline of your dress to the Tartan pattern by measuring half an inch using your ruler. Then, trace along towards the shoulder path.
From the ends of the armhole, measure along a 10-centimeter wide horizontal line on both ends. Then draw a vertical line to connect the end of the two horizontal lines.
Step 3. Trace the dress
After you have drawn and traced lines for the sleeves, proceed to trace out the dress along the skirt bottom.
Step 4. Create a Dolman sleeve
To create a Dolman sleeve, draw a curved line from the corner of the sleeve.
Step 5. Trace a skirt length and width
Using your ruler, measure a 20-centimeter vertical line from the end of your dress' skirt bottom. (You can trace it by slightly curving) Then, proceed with drawing a horizontal line from the end of the vertical line to the fold of the Tartan pattern.
Step 6. Pin and cut the tartan fabric.
Carefully remove the dress from the Tartan pattern and then pin again to cut. Carefully cut off the bottom of the Tartan pattern but not along the pinned area in the skirt bottom.
Step 7. Pattern the back of the dress
To pattern the back of the dress, simply repeat steps 1-7 the other way around. (Careful not to miss out on a step!)
Step 8. Pin the front and back pattern and sew
To get started with constructing your DIY Tartan Dress, start by pinning together your front and back patterns, except for the sleeve armhole areas.
After you have pinned the patterns together, take it to your sewing machine and do a straight stitch and a zigzag stitch for the edging.
Step 9. Pin the sleeve and the bottom then sew.
For the sleeves and the bottom, fold their ends outward twice then pin before you sew.
Step 10. Prepare the back zipper.
At the center part of your back pattern, place the zipper where it will be sewn. Mark the back part of the zipper's end point. Then cut afterward.
After cutting the back pattern for your zipper, proceed to cut along the neckline's hemlines off the front and back patterns.
Step 11. Attach, pin, and sew the bias tape
When you are done with the neckline, get your bias tape and place it around the neckline and then pin into place to secure.
Step 12. Attach the Zipper
You can now proceed to pin the zipper onto the back pattern. After you have pinned the zipper, do a blind stitch.
After doing a blind stitch on the zipper, take your dress to your sewing machine and start sewing the zipper with a straight stitch. Then double stitch to secure. And finally! You are totally done!
Watch the whole DIY clothing tutorial by Yaya below:
This DIY clothing tutorial was undoubtedly one of the easiest. And I bet you're with me on that. Let's not forget the detachable pointy collar that makes this dress even cuter. See, this Tartan dress just gave you a guarantee that you will always be in style!
Is your sewing room all messed up? Then you need to know these awesome hacks for a hassle-free sewing!
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