Linen Work Dress
I always dream of having a uniform but I could never be one of those people that wears black everyday or the same color pants and white shirt. I know I would bore of it far too soon but I have always wanted a work dress. Something I could wear in the studio comfortably and functionally. And about a year ago, I picked up this book “homspun” (ISBN 4579110609) while in Portland and I finally got the guts to try and make something from it.
This was part of the spread for the No. 5 Work Dress:
I had to make the dress larger so I did what I knew needed to be done which was enlarge the pattern pieces to my measurements and make an actual muslin version of the dress first, which I did. I could make all the necessary changes and you know what, it worked. This is the dress I made below.
I always imagine getting a dress form or making my own dress form of me, but I have yet to do either. (Check out these awesome ideas for making your own dress form from the Etsy Labs here. And then this article from Threads goes over the duct tape version Etsy used along with a couple other versions. I have this at the top of my list to do very soon.) But until I have the dress form, making a muslin version is a must. The back of the dress wraps around and ties in the front.
I found some 100% linen still at Joann’s and it crinkles and fits loosely perfectly.
17 Comments Add your own
1. Amber | January 4th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Oh my goodness, I absolutely love this dress! What great work you did here.
The dress is exactly what I have in mind for my own linen but I didn’t know how to go about it. I still am unsure whether I could pull it off if I had that book… Like you, I like the idea of a linen “uniform” of sorts for tooling around the house doing my crafts—-comfortable, stylish in a simple way. And like you, I have thought I should one day get a dress form.
Thank you for sharing and inspiring me!
2. mortimersmom | January 4th, 2008 at 10:18 am
lovely dress. I have made myself a dressform with a tshirt and duct tape. As a matter of fact, I made one for my duaghter when she was 3. it was a one time thing, so I could make as many things for her as I wanted without needing to try them on. It’s actually time to do it again, she has grown so much!
3. Nancy Cook | January 4th, 2008 at 10:30 am
i’ve always wanted a dress for working around the house. you executed this idea perfectly. looks comfortable and fashionable.
4. heather | January 4th, 2008 at 11:17 am
oh my gosh! i’m in love! totally love the dress!!!! awesome job!
5. amy k. | January 4th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
just lovely. I want one. and good for you making the muslin. the color is so good-I got a ton of that joann’s linen for sadie clothes.
6. Knitxcore | January 4th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
that dress looks great! i swear i have the same linen from JoAnn’s laying around somewhere :-)
7. Knitxcore | January 4th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
love it
8. Corinne | January 4th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
wow it’s beautiful! Enjoy!
9. Jen b | January 5th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
love the dress! it’s perfect.
10. Steph | January 7th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Thank you for for sharing this, Sarah. My mother only wore “house dresses” (she never wore pants, not ever, when I was growing up), which I see now at my age (when finding something comfortable to wear around the house is paramount!) are a good thing. When you have the time, could you post something on how you made this? Like how you follow a Japanese dress pattern if you can’t read Japanese! I have basic sewing skills but am too chicken to try!
11. faythe | January 8th, 2008 at 10:09 am
fantastic job sarah! i am a big fan of a dress in general and this on looks fantastic, i wouild pull it off a rack anywhere!!!
p.s. happy new year!
12. Becky | January 9th, 2008 at 11:48 am
Love it! I’d love to try making my own. Can you show pictures of the back?
13. kate | January 11th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
SO CUTE!!!
14. Donna | February 1st, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Beautiful dress! And I am coveting that book, darn it if I didn’t just make a Yesasia order. Ah well, next month! Isn’t that linen from Joann’s great, every time I get a 50% off coupon I buy a few yards of it.
15. melinda | February 7th, 2008 at 5:13 am
wow you did good.i have their other book but as spring approaches you have inspired me to maybe buy the other, thanks!
16. sue | May 19th, 2009 at 3:57 am
Please can you tellme how I can get hold of that hom spun book. I so need that dress!!!
17. sarah - craftyFOLK | June 23rd, 2009 at 8:23 pm
some work dresses has been on my To Do list for quite some time. this is pure inspiration!
I'm curious about your two cents. You smart cookie!
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