Tutorial for the Irina dress – free pattern May 2024

Here’s a tutorial for the Irina dress – free pattern May 2024. It is a really quick and comfortable garment. Find the free pattern (May 2024 only) in this blogpost with the announcement of the free pattern of the month. It is easy to hack!

Did you know more hacks are coming? Follow the sew along in June!

This is what I did:

At first, I cut the neckline 3 cm deeper, for a hot summer look..

I made the bottom part shorter to turn it into a tunic instead of a dress.

I added extra width to the tunic (full fabric width).

Instead of gathering, I used the ruffler foot (last months accessory of the month).

Print the pattern:

Check your measurements first and compare to the pattern sizes. I found out that I needed a smaller size than I usuallly do.

Cut the pattern parts and take notches.

Supplies for the Irina dress:

I also used the Ruffler #86 to make the ruffles.

The fabric is very lightweight linen. Don’t forget to think about pattern placement for a print (symmetrical center).

How to sew the Irina dress

I like to use the binder attachment 87 with unfolded biastape in combination with Open Embroidery Foot #20.

It makes a nice neckline.

Last month’s gathering attachment was very useful!

If you use it, check the settings in the same fabric before sewing the garment.

My settings: stitch length 3, maximum ruffles, every 6th stitch. The amount of ruffling depends on the fabric. Mine was (after 2 tries) the exact measure I needed.

How to sew seam pockets:

In the drawings, the wrong side of the fabric is light, the right side is darker. The left side of the picture shows the front part, the right side shows
the back part. Always iron a stripe of stabilizer (20 cm x 2 cm) along the pocket mouth for lightweight fabrics.

1. Close the side seam up to the upper slit mark and secure. Maximise the stitch length and continue sewing until you reach the 2nd slit mark. Below the slit mark, set back the stitch length, secure and finish closing the side seam.

2. Sew both pocket bags right side on right side along the length of the pocket mouth just outside the seam line on the allowances of the front and back parts, but do not stitch the allowances at the top and bottom.

3. Iron the allowances apart. If desired, the pocket bag can be topstitched along the pocket mouth approx. 2 mm wide on the front part.

4. On the front part, cut the allowances above and below the pocket mouth vertically up to the seam. Finish this part of the seam allowance together with the allowance of the front long edge of the pocket.

5. Iron both pocket bags into the front part, pin them and sew them together. Finish the pocket bag. Finish the side seam together, also including the long edge of the pocket bag. Iron the seam allowance to the back. Undo the large stitches of the pocket opening.