Simple

Modern
Sewing
8 Basic Patterns to Create
25 Favorite Garments

Shufu-To-Seikatsusha
 Pat tern 1
Wraparounds

2 SIMPLE MODERN SEWING

 This stylish design wraps around the body, just like a kimono. It looks tricky, but it’s easy to make. There are
no buttons or zippers, so it’s great for a beginning sewer, too. You can wear the dress long—all by itself—or
wear it over pants or leggings. You can also make two different blouse styles from the same pattern, using
just the front and back bodice pieces.

Three Garments with One Pattern

1a. 1b. 1c.

Wraparound Dress with French-Sleeved Cap-Sleeved
Three-Quarter-Length Baby Doll Top Baby Doll Top
Sleeves

Back bodice Front bodice Back bodice Front bodice Back bodice Front bodice

Sleeve

Front/Back of skirt
Front/Back of skirt
Sleeve

Front/Back of skirt

This dress is made with the entire Just by folding the hem of the This blouse is made the same way
pattern and includes the front and full-length skirt piece, you can as the French-Sleeved Baby Doll
back bodice, the three-quarter- make a short, flirty blouse with Top (1b), but with a cap sleeve. You
length sleeve, and full-length skirt. a peplum-style flounce below the can mix and match sleeve styles
The skirt is gathered. waist. To make the short sleeves, for all three of these garments—
Recommended fabric: you simply cut strips of fabric maybe try the dress with cap
Indigo blue linen and join them to the body at sleeves and the blouse with three-
!"For instructions, see page 52. the armholes. quarter-length sleeves. Experiment
Recommended fabric: to create your own design.
Wool gauze Recommended fabric:
!"For instructions, see page 53. Quilting cotton
!"For instructions, see page 54.

PAT TERN 1: WRAPAROUNDS 3

1a.
Wraparound Dress with
Three-Quarter-Length Sleeves
Choose a plain or vertically striped fabric for this design—rather than
a print—and you’ll have a versatile addition to your wardrobe. Wear
the dress with a short-sleeve leotard or T-shirt. The body is not tightly
fitted, so you could even wear a thin long-sleeved sweater underneath.
Or wear the dress alone—the neckline is flattering but not too deep.
(See page 52 for instructions.)

4 SIMPLE MODERN SEWING

Styling and model: Nami Kagiyama

When tied, the wraparound

dress has feminine style, but
you can also leave it untied for
a more casual look. Wear it with
overalls or with pants and a top
or try it with a short blouse and
Wrap the dress around your body and tie the two sets of ribbons—
skirt.
inside and outside—for a comfortable fit.

PATTERN 1: WRAPAROUNDS 5
 1a. Wraparound Dress
with Three-Quarter-Length Sleeves
(shown on model on page 25)

Laying out the Pattern

Fabric: 45 in. (114 cm) x 120
Use the long pattern piece (with the waistline marked A) for front
in. (300 cm)
and back. There is one pattern piece for the skirt. Cut fabric for
Seam allowance: 3⁄8 in. (1 cm) front skirt according to pattern. Then fold skirt pattern in half
unless otherwise noted and place the center line on the fold of the fabric and cut out the
Sizes (including ease): pattern. Cut strips A and B, which have no pattern, according to
S: Bust 34 1⁄2 in. (88 cm) the dimensions in the fabric layout diagram below.
Waist 33 in. (84 cm)
Dress length 411⁄4 in.
(105 cm) Fold
Sleeve length 16 3⁄4 in. Front body (2)
(42.5 cm) Back facing (1)
M: Bust 361⁄4 in. (92 cm)
Waist 341⁄2 (88 cm)
Dress length 411⁄4 in.
Back body (1)
(105 cm)
Sleeve length 16 3⁄4 in.
(42.5 cm)
L: Bust 373⁄4 in. (96 cm)
Waist 361⁄4 in. (92 cm) Front facing (2)
Dress length 411⁄4 in.
(105 cm)
Sleeve length 16 3⁄4 in. Back skirt (1)
120" (300 cm)
(42.5 cm)

13⁄8" (3.5 cm)

13⁄8" (3.5 cm) Front overlap

Sleeve (2)
Front skirt (2)
Strip A (2)

1" (2.5 cm)

26 ⁄4" (68 cm)
3

Strip B (2)
101⁄4" (26 cm) 13⁄8" (3.5 cm)
Fold
2" (5 cm)
11⁄4" (3 cm) 45" (114 cm)

6 SIMPLE MODERN SEWING

 Construction Steps
Zigzag-stitch at the edge of seam allowance
of shoulder, side of front and back body, front
Strip A edge and sides of skirt, lower sleeve edge and
underarms, and lower side of facings.
Strip B
Strip A
① Make Strips A and B.

② Sew darts and press the seam allowances

3
⁄4" (2 cm)
toward the waist.
11⁄4" (3 cm) ③ Sew together shoulders of front and back
bodies and open the seam allowances.
Sew together shoulders of facings.
④ Sew together the sides of front and back

① Making the Strips bodies and open the seam allowances.

Make sure to sandwich Strip A in left
A 5⁄8" (1.5 cm), B 3⁄8" (1 cm) Fold in half. side seam.
(Wrong side) ⑤ Sew together the sides of front and back
skirts. Open the seam allowances.

Press the strip, placing seams at center. ⑥ Fold back and stitch hem and front edges
of skirt.
⑦ Gather waist of skirt. Sew skirt to body.
A 5⁄8" (1.5 cm),
B 1⁄4" (0.8 cm) ⑧ Finish neckline with facing.

(Right side) ⑨ Make sleeves.

Fold in one end of a strip. ⑩ Attach sleeves to body, right sides together.
Finish the edges of the seam allowances with
zigzag stitches.
⑪ Attach Strip B to the inside of the right waist.
② Sewing and Pressing Darts
Handsew two pieces of thread through seam
allowance and trim tail ends.

Backstitch
Knot
top and
bobbin
threads.
(Wrong Leave (Wrong
side) the end side)
long.

Front
(wrong side)

Press the seam allowance toward waist.

FABRIC L AYOUT AND INSTRUCTIONS: PAT TERN 1a. 7

 25 wearable garments from only

8 simple patterns

Contents
Projec ts
Pat tern 1
Wraparound Dress with
Three-Quarter-Length Sleeves
French-Sleeved Baby Doll Top
Cap-Sleeved Baby Doll Top

Pat tern 2
Short Raglan-Sleeve Top
Button Tunic
Ruffle-Front Jacket

Pat tern 3
Boat-Neck Jumper
Open-Neck Dress
Drawstring Dress

Pat tern 4
Drawstring Pants
Elastic-Waist Crops
Petticoat Flared Pants

Pat tern 5
Yoked Skirt
Make a closetful of comfortable and easy go-to garments Skirt with Box Pleat
without needing tons of patterns. You need just the 8 included basic Drop-Waist Wrap Skirt

templates, which show you how to fold and cut for each of the 25 unique Pat tern 6
designs. The patterns are easy and adaptable with no-fuss sizing, so it’s A-Line Skirt
Bias-Cut Skirt
simple to sew clothes that are perfect for you. If you’re a beginner sewist, Skirt with Gathered Waist
you’ll love the basic shapes and stylish results. Once you’ve mastered the Bustle-Style Long Skirt

patterns, you can get creative and make each piece your own by using a Pat tern 7
variety of fabrics or by adding fashionable embellishments such as a print Ruffled Sleeveless Blouse
Cap-Sleeve Top
lining or contrast stitching. Butterfly-Sleeve Blouse

Pat tern 8
Long-Sleeved Blouse with
Chinese Collar
Tunic with Tie Belt
Paperback + pattern insert Shirt Coat with Pockets
8¼ × 11, 112 pages
ISBN 978-1-59668-352-5 S ewing Ins truc tions
$24.95
Fabric L ayou ts
Available November 2011
and Ins truc tion