Shift dress sewing pattern

A shift dress is a dress with no waist seam: it hangs from the shoulders, takes its shape from bust darts and widens gently toward the hem. Sewly drafts it from a bodice block with your measurements, so the bust, waist and hip fit before any flare is added. It is a good next step once you have sewn a skirt or a top and want a whole dress in a weekend.

Shift dress options

Every option redraws the pattern instantly, without using any AI:

• Fit: fitted, regular (the default), relaxed or oversized. Fitted adds waist darts at the front and back.
• Length: mini, above the knee, knee (default), midi or maxi, plus a length adjustment of up to 25 cm (10 in) longer or shorter.
• Flare: 0 to 20 cm (0 to 8 in) added at each side seam at the hem, 5 cm (2 in) by default.
• Neckline: round, scoop, V-neck, boat or square, with a depth adjustment.
• Sleeves: sleeveless, cap, short, elbow, three-quarter or long, in a fitted, straight, puff or bell/flutter shape.
• Opening: back zip, back keyhole with a button, or none for a wide neckline and relaxed fit. If you choose no opening with a round neck or a fitted cut, Sewly adds a keyhole so the dress still goes over your head.
• Pockets: in the side seams, or none.

Made to measure or a standard size

Enter your own measurements (height, bust, waist and hip are enough to start; the rest come from the nearest size and can be refined) or start from a standard women's size, EU 32–54 (US 0–22, UK 4–26), or a children's size from 2 to 14 years. The measuring assistant explains each measurement, and our guide on how to take your body measurements shows where the tape goes.

Best fabrics for a shift dress

Choose a woven fabric with some body: linen, cotton poplin, viscose twill, wool crepe, chambray or corduroy. Crisp fabrics hold the A-line shape away from the body; viscose twill and crepe fall closer to it. This pattern is not meant for knits, since its shape relies on darts and a zip.

How hard is it to sew?

It is an intermediate project. You will sew bust darts, an invisible zip or a keyhole, a neck facing and set-in sleeves. Allow a weekend, around 6 to 8 hours, for a first one; a sleeveless version without pockets goes faster.

What's in the pattern

• Front, cut on the fold, and back, cut on the fold or in two halves when there is a back opening
• Front and back neck facings
• Sleeves, or bias strips to bind the armholes of a sleeveless dress
• In-seam pocket bags, if you keep the pockets

Notions: lightweight fusible interfacing for the facings, a 55 cm (22 in) invisible zip or one small button, and narrow elastic for puff sleeves. The guide lists each piece with its cut count, the fabric quantity for 110, 140 and 150 cm (45, 55 and 60 in) wide fabric, and a cutting layout.

How to sew a shift dress

1. Interface the facings and staystitch the neckline so it does not stretch.
2. Sew the bust darts, then the waist darts if you chose a fitted cut.
3. Insert the zip, or sew the back seam with its keyhole.
4. Join the shoulders and attach the neck facing.
5. Add the pockets, then sew and finish the side seams.
6. Set in the sleeves or bind the armholes, hem the dress and press.

Each step in the guide uses your pattern's own numbers, and you can ask it a question whenever a step is unclear. To check the fit before cutting your good fabric, make a toile from inexpensive cotton first.