Vintage inspired boxy dress tutorial

dress: self-made (tutorial after the break below) shoes: shoemint Loving this vintage inspired dresses, very boxy, yet flattering. It is basically my square top extended. Nothing fancy about this one (I've been on vacation for what feels like 2 month and have been missing by shelves full of pretty knits - so this was what I had to work with ). You can easily make it tres feminine and easily edgy. Love every way you can make and style it. Next time, a little softer striped knit! Don't forget to ENTER the SHOEMINT GIVEAWAY now that you have seen my pretty shoemint shoes in action.
Supplies: 1.5 - 2 yards of fabric (I choose a structured knit material) thread scissors sewing machine pins Instructions: 1. Lay down a boxy shirt or dress onto your fabric (you want to mimic the fit around the shoulders, neck, and chest area). Cut out the dress to be the length you like plus 2 inches, with the chest a little more fitted, and the rest taper slightly to make almost a rectangle shape. 2. Cut the bottom to be an inch longer than you want. 3. Cut the neckline to be lower and wider. Also make sure the sleeve openings are cut out to mimc the top correctly. Try it on plus 1/2 inch and make sure it looks right. 4. Cut out sleeves to look something like this, making sure the the top curve will be as long as at least the length of half the sleeve opening's circumference. I always make the sleeve extra long, then sew it up after I attache it if I'm unsure about the fit. Then I took in the sleeve a little to make it a little more fitted. 5. Sew the sleeves closed to make a tube. Making sure the circumferences of the sleeves and the openings the same size. mSlide in the sleeve, making sure the dress is inside out and the sleeve is right side out. Pin the sleeve together (this will def. make sure the circumference is the same size). 6. Sew them together. 7. Hem the bottom up at least an inch (if knit, only that will be fine). If you are working with material that frays, then sew under a quarter inch first everywhere then sew under an inch or serge first then sew under an inch. Hem the sleeves and the neckline - If you are doing a knit, sewing under once will work. If you are doing a fabric that frays, cut notches out of the neckline near the curves to allow it to hem easier and flatter.