The Zadie Jumpsuit is our most popular pattern to date, seeing hundreds of people around the world sewing it up and wearing it as part of their handmade wardrobe has been amazing. With its wrap around design and relaxed fit, it has been a hit for all body shapes and sizes. We are so excited to announce that this pattern has been redesigned so that now, with the new addition of a skirt, it can be made into a dress too. Here is how you can make it:

1. With right sides together join the back bodice pieces with a 1cm (3/8”) seam. Overlock or zigzag the raw edge.

 2A. Following the notches on the pattern, fold the pleats on the back bodice (towards the side seams) and stay stitch in place with a 5mm (1/4”) stitch.

2B: Repeat the same process for the pleats on the front bodice (also pressing them towards the side seams).

3A: Placing right sides together, join the shoulder seams with a 1cm (3/8”) seam. Overlock or zigzag the raw edge. 

Sleeve Step 1:
Placing sleeve on top of armhole edge right sides together, match notches and sew together with a 1cm seam. Overlock or zigzag raw edge. If you are not adding sleeves please see the next step.

Sleeve Step 2: Fold the garment with right sides together, pin the side seams in place. Sew the side seams in one manoeuvre starting at the waist and continuing to the wrist, ensuring a smooth curve at the underarm. If you have not added sleeves sew from the waist to the underarm 

Note the drill hole on the right side seam (when worn) back tack securely here and do not stitch between the drill hole and the waist - this will become the opening for your belt.

3B: (For both sleeveless or with sleeves) Press the side seams open on the bodice. Even if you are overlocking, you will need to overlock the front and back edges separately here so you can press them open.

3C: Stay stitch all the way around the neckline and down to the wrap over parts of the bodice so they don’t grow out of shape. (This is IMPORTANT. If you skip this step you will find applying your binding much more difficult than it needs to be). 

3D: Turn your bodice right side out and topstitch with a 5mm (1/4”) stitch around
the belt opening you have created in your side seam. That will secure the seam allowance inside.

4A: Fold the belt in half length ways with right sides together and stitch a 1cm seam from end to end.

4B: Turn the belt right side out. Turn the end of the belt inside by 1cm (the square end, not the angled end) and topstitch the seam closed. The angled end you should leave raw as it will be caught into the binding at a later stage. Repeat the process for the second belt.

4C: Place the belt onto the inside of the bodice at the front extension, be sure to align the angle of the belt with the angle of the front edge, corners meeting and staystitch it with a 5mm seam in place. Repeat for the other side so that you have a belt each attached to both front bodices.

5A: Join your binding strips together by placing one strip over another so the ends are right sides together at a 90° angle. Pin them together and stitch a straight line from the corner of one strip, to the corner of the other (it helps to draw a line with chalk first as a guide to follow).

5B: Press the seam open and trim away the excess fabric so you have a 5mm seam allowance. You can join together as many strips as you need to make the binding the required length.

5C: Now you need to fold the edges of the binding strips inwards, so they almost meet each other. If you have a binding maker attachment this is very easy. If not, just place the binding on your ironing board wrong side up and fold the edges inwards so that they are centred in the middle, press the folds with the iron as you go so they stay creased.

5D: Fold the binding completely in half again length ways so that the folded ends meet. Press in place with the iron.

6A: Attach the binding to the front opening (starting at the front waist edge) by slipping the folded bind over the edge of the garment. You should have half of the binding on the top side of the garment and the other half of the binding on the under side of the garment. There should be no visible edges showing anywhere. Pin it in place all the way around the neck curve to the opposite crotch seam. Ensure that the belt lays flat to the wrong side of the fabric.

6B: Edgestitch the binding down through all layers. Your opening with the bound edges should look something like this. To ensure your tie-belt stays in place at the correct angle, flip the belt so that it comes out from beneath the binding and add a small line of topstitching (the width of your belt) through both the binding and the belt.

To begin sewing together the skirt, you need to identify your left front skirt from your right front skirt and make sure they are clearly marked and notched. The left front skirt is slightly smaller than the right front skirt and has an additonal notch at the waist (the left skirt is the underlayer, therefore has less gathers in one area). You dont want to get them mixed up.

7: Hem the vertical opening of the front right skirt. Turn the raw edge inside by 1cm and press, then fold up again by 2cm. Pin in place and edgestitch down. Repeat for the left front skirt.

8: Using the notches at the side seam, place a single pocket bag onto the front skirt. Right sides together. Pin the pocket bag in place. Mark or draw in the corners of your stitch line box - Exactly 1cm away from the pocket opening notches.

9A: Stitch this 1cm wide box, pivoting at corners.

9B. Clip into the corners of the stitched box on angle. Get close to the corner (about 1-2mm away) but make sure not to cut the stitches.

9C: Overlock or zigzag stitch the edge of just the piece that was just sewn between the pocket notches. Be careful to fold the other edges on either side out of the way so you don't catch them under the overlocker.

10A: Flip the pocket over so you are now looking at the right side of both pieces. Ensure the seam allowance is sitting under the pocket bag. From the right side understitch the pocket bag but stop 5mm before the clip corners.

10B: Lay the second pocket bag on top of the first pocket bag - right sides together. Ensure the ends and edges are matching and pin in place. (You might have to wiggle the end of the lower pocket bag out from the seam to match the edge all the way around). Stitch a 1.5cm seam around the outer edge of the pocket bag. Overlock or zigzag stitch the pocket bag to finish the edge.

10C: Push the pocket bags under the front skirt and make sure the corners of the pocket opening are pushed through. The pocket opening should look like a bagged out rectangle.

10D: Baste the pocket bag down behind the front skirt in the seam allowance. Pull the pocket opening (gently) away from the side seam by 1cm or so and pin down. The next step will be to sew right next to the pocket opening and
pinning it out of the way helps prevent accidentally catching it under your seam. 

11: Matching the side edges up, place the completed front skirt panel on top of the back skirt panel, right sides together. Sew a 1cm seam creating your side seam. Be careful not to catch the pocket opening inside your seam allowance as this will sew your pocket closed. The finished result should have a hidden pocket opening in the side seam. Check the pocket is correct and then finish the edges with an overlock or zigzag stitch. Repeat pocket construction steps for the other side (as a mirrored pair). 

12: Gather the waist to fit the bodice. 

Changing your stitch length to the longest setting, sew two rows of straight stitches across the top edge of your skirt from the notch on the left skirt to the very edge of the right skirt, leaving a tail at the start and ends. Be aware there is no gathering on the top left corner. Make sure your second row is no further than 1cm / 0.5” down from the top. Tie one end of each securely and then use the other tail end to pull and gather your skirt in evenly. Once you have reached the desired width to fit your bodice pieces tie ends securely to hold in place and even out the gathers. If your fabric is thick or your skirt is a larger size you may find it more manageable to gather in separate sections, e.g start and stop again in the middle of the back panel. 

13. With right sides together, pin the bodice to the skirt around the waist seam. Ensure you match the front edges, and the side seams - be mindful to check your right hand side seam (the side with the belt opening) meets the side seams of the skirt properly and stitch together with a 1cm seam. Overlock or zigzag stitch from front edge to front edge. Tie or tack under the loose ends.

14. Finish the armhole by turning the edge up 1cm (or 3cm if you chose long sleeves), then turn the raw edge under by half and pin into place. Topstitch the hem down into place.

15. Finish the main hem by turning up the allowance on the bottom edge towards the inside by 4cm (1 1/2”), then turn the raw edge under by 1cm (3/8”) and pin into place. Topstich the hem down into place.

Give the dress a good press everywhere and you’re finished!

The wrap dress is worn wrapping the right side over the left. So when putting it on, first wrap the left side over your body - thread the left tie through the inside of the hole on the right side seam and then wrap the right hand side of the dress over the top. Pull the ties behind you, then back in front of you and knot wherever you prefer.

We really hope that you love this redesign as much as we do and we can't wait to see yours sewn up, so please don't forget to tag us using #zadiedress