Off-Shoulder Maxi Dress

A soft shoulder flounce, delicate ties and a gathered hem give the SL001 dress its relaxed, romantic shape. Make the long, lined dress in your own fabric, with a fitted waistband, back bow and concealed back zipper. Lace and ribbon are optional finishing touches.

Digital pattern only. All 10 sizes included. $25 USD. You will receive downloadable files, not a finished dress, fabric or a printed paper pattern.

Development edition: this pattern has not yet been sewn or fit tested. It is intended for experienced makers who can sew a toile and make fitting adjustments before cutting their final fabric.

What is included

• One long dress design in pattern sizes 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24, with EU references 32 to 50.
• 14 pattern-piece codes in every size, including bodice, waistband, skirt, ruffle, flounce, ties, casing and lining pieces.
• A 30-page English handbook with illustrated construction guidance, cutting lists, fabric estimates, fitting record and a construction card for each size.
• Six pattern PDFs: A4, US Letter and A0 copy-shop files for both size groups. Seam and hem allowances, grainlines, stitching lines and match marks are included.
• Editable Seamly2D files for all 10 sizes and full-size SVG pattern sheets.

How many PDF pages will I print?

The download contains 7 PDF documents with 1,581 pages in total. That total includes every size in three print formats plus the handbook. You only need one size in one print format. Sizes occupy separate bookmarked page sets, so there are no size layers to switch on or off.

The 30-page handbook is separate. You can read it on a screen or print the pages you need. Its print index gives the exact page ranges for your chosen size.

For example, size 12 / EU38 uses 66 A4 pages, including 62 pattern tiles, or 71 Letter pages, including 67 pattern tiles. At a copy shop, the same size uses 3 A0 sheets.

Page counts for the complete PDF files

• Sizes 6 to 14 / EU32 to 40: A4 has 343 pages, Letter has 359 pages and A0 has 15 sheets.
• Sizes 16 to 24 / EU42 to 50: A4 has 389 pages, Letter has 427 pages and A0 has 18 sheets.
• English handbook: 30 pages.

These are file totals, not the number of pages required to sew one dress. A4 and Letter size sets include setup and assembly maps. A0 counts are full-size pattern sheets.

Choose your size

Choose by your body measurements in centimetres. The labels are pattern references and may differ from the size you buy in shops.

The drafted length from the upper waistband seam to the fabric hem is 99 cm in every size. Optional lace adds 3 cm. Adjust the length on your toile for your height and preferred finish. The fixed waistband includes 3 cm of ease; the back bow does not adjust the waistband size.

Fabric and sewing experience

Choose a light, non-stretch woven fabric and a suitable lightweight lining. At 146 cm usable fabric width, allow approximately 2.9 to 4.4 metres of main fabric and 1.7 to 2.1 metres of lining, depending on size. Directional prints, pattern matching and shrinkage may need extra fabric.

You will also need a 50 cm invisible zipper to shorten to the size-specific length, 6 mm elastic, lightweight interfacing, matching thread and a hook-and-eye. The handbook lists trim quantities and other notions for each size.

This project suits makers comfortable with lining, gathering, elastic casings and invisible zippers. Print at 100% or Actual Size, check the 100 mm square in both directions, then assemble the tiles with the marked 10 mm overlap. Do not use Fit to Page.

Before you begin

Physical sample sewing, fitting and independent instruction testing are still pending. The model images are AI-generated design concepts, not photographs of garments sewn from these files. The floral fabric is shown for styling inspiration; a fabric print file is not included.

This download includes the long version only. It does not include a short version, projector file or selectable PDF size layers. Editing a Seamly2D source file does not automatically update the supplied PDFs.