Women's Serenity Dress

Serenity Dress

Difficulty Level = Beginner 

This draped, loose fitting dress finishes at the knee. It is asymmetric with a batwing sleeve which is fitted into a deep cuff. The collar fits loosely over the neck and wraps around creating a scarf.  

Our Facebook group is a great place to get help, share your tips and creations! We are a friendly bunch, and we love to help and see what you have made.

Please read the full instructions before getting started.

Wash, dry, and press your fabric before starting your project. A bit of prep now prevents shrinking and means your garment will stay the same size you made it.

Never leave a child or baby unattended or allow to sleep in a garment made from one of our patterns with ties, snaps, buttons, or anything they could remove, choke on, or get caught on. Always use caution if you are unsure. We love our patterns, but we love your bundles of joy more!

Size Range

Womens XXS-5XL

Size Chart

This pattern is drafted to the sizes listed below. If you are between sizes, choose the larger size and adjust the pattern to remove the extra width to achieve the intended fit.

Finished Measurements (Inches)

This dress is loose fitting over the chest, waist, and top hip. The dress is fitted through the hips. The asymmetric batwing sleeves are fitted into the cuffs, which finish at the elbow. The collar is deep with a neckband wrapping round.

• Sizing – Sizing is different in different countries and stores, so please measure your model before picking your size. The ready-to-wear size your model normally fits into may be different from our size chart.
• Picking your size – Choose your size based on your hip measurement from the size chart. If your measurements fall into different sizes, use the layers feature to print those sizes, then grade between the sizes by drawing a smooth line. Start from your chest, grading out or in, to your waist and hips.
• Height adjustment – The dress is drafted for a height of 5 foot 6 inches. If your height is above or below 5 foot 6, follow our free tutorial.
• Bust adjustment – The dress is designed for a sewing C cup bust (B cup in most ready to wear bras). 
  • If you have a smaller cup size, you won’t need to make any adjustments as it is not fitted around the bust area. 
  • If you have an E cup size or above, you may find you need to do a Full Bust Adjustment (FBA). If your high bust measurement (taken from under arms and across the top of your bust) is 3 inches or more, you might need to adjust for a better fit at armhole and across back. Follow our free FBA tutorial to make your adjustments.
• Cuff adjustment – Measure your arm just above the elbow and check this measurement against the cuff width at top finished measurements. If you need to adjust the Cuff to fit your measurement, follow our free tutorial.
• Bicep adjustment – Measure your bicep and check it against the measurement above. If you need to make any adjustments, follow our free tutorial.
• Full tummy adjustment – Measure around your tummy. If this measurement is in a higher size range than your hip or the top end of the next size up, you may need to do a full tummy adjustment. Follow our free tutorial.
• Muslin – To ensure you get the best fit, sew a muslin. A muslin is a test version of the pattern in an inexpensive knit fabric. To make a muslin for this pattern:
  • Check the fabric recommendations and use a fabric with the same properties as your final one. You’ll only need to cut out the Dress piece. 
  • Cut out the Dress and baste it together using a ⅜ inch seam allowance.
  • Try on. If happy with the fit, continue to the final garment.
  • If you feel the fit needs adjusting for your personal shape, turn the muslin inside out and try on again.
  • Adjust the seams with pins until you are happy and then baste.
  • Trim your new seam allowances to ⅜ inch and pull out your basting stitches.
  • Use these bits of fabric as your pattern pieces instead of the original pattern pieces. Continue to sew your final garment.
  • Make sure to keep your adjusted pattern pieces. It is like having a tailor-made garment, so they are a valuable addition to your pattern library in case you wish to make more!
• If you get stuck with fitting, see our favorite resources on our Pinterest Sewing Fitting Advice board.  

Fabric – You will need a stretch/knit fabric with a 4 way 30% stretch. This will drape well and have a good recovery. Great examples are a soft touch knit, a textured knit, double brushed poly, or viscose elastane. Do not use cotton lycra etc. as the fabric won’t drape as nicely.  

NOTE – You can use a 2 way stretch, but it will not drape as beautifully and will be bulky. 

*Do not use woven fabrics for this dress.

Fabric Requirements 60 inches/150 cm wide (in YARDS)

Settings

The pattern is a separate download. Choose either the US letter paper, A4 paper, or A0 paper size based on the printer you wish to use. If you are in the US or Canada then your printer will likely use US letter paper. Other regions normally use A4 paper. Some people prefer to print their patterns at a print shop: A0 is best in this case.

Print at 100%.

On the second page, you will find a 1-inch and a 3-inch square test box. Print this page first, on its own, and measure these squares.

Once you are happy that the test box is accurate, print the rest of the pattern pages.

Please follow this video for information and assistance on assembling this pattern.

Also, please note that some Rebecca Page patterns and projects also come with cut files and a printable design page which you can use to plan your project if you wish. These are provided in a separate section below to avoid any confusion!

Cut each of the pieces according to the directions on the pattern piece. Seam allowances are all included so just cut them as is.

Cutting Checklist: 

• Dress:
  • XXS-XL – Fabric cut 1 on fold
  • XXL-5XL- Fabric cut 2 (1x mirror image pair)
  • NOTE – There are two necklines. You will need to cut it on the fold using the back neckline. Then open the Dress (right side facing up) and cut the front neckline on the right side.
  • NOTE – If you cut the front neckline on the left instead of the right, continue on flip the instructions to the opposite side. 
• Collar – Fabric cut 1 on fold
• Cuff – Fabric cut 2 on fold

NOTE – To cut fabric on the fold, fold your fabric over parallel to the selvage edges. Align the pattern piece so it is on the fold of the fabric. Cut around the edges, leaving the fold. If you have folded your fabric correctly the fold will be parallel to the two edges of the fabric that are finished. The raw edges (e.g. the ones you could pick at and threads would come off) will be at a right angle to your fold.

Tips for Sewing with Knit Fabrics

Using a serger is not a necessity to sew with knit fabrics! Here are a few tips to get the best results on a regular sewing machine:

• Use a ball point needle of a size appropriate to your fabric when working with knits – The ball point needle has a slightly rounded tip and will prevent damaging the fibre. Use ball point pins or clips and, if you can’t, use regular pins into the seam allowance and you should be just fine.
• Use a stretch stitch – You can use either a short and narrow zigzag or a stretch stitch (lightning bolt stitch) for construction. Test on a scrap of fabric to find which stitch and tension settings work best for you. You don’t want the fabric to pucker under your stitches.
• Your machine might have many fancy stretch stitches and you are welcome to play with them, but often the basic zigzag or stretch stitch are just right.
• Use a walking foot – Using a walking-foot is not a necessity but it is highly recommended when working on a stretchy knit. The walking-foot helps to prevent one layer of fabric from stretching out while sewing. Both layers of fabrics are fed at the same time under your needle.
• Reduce your presser foot tension – Some machines will allow you to change your presser foot tension. Check your manual to see how to reduce your presser foot tension. Reducing tension will prevent your fabric from stretching while it goes through the machine.
• Use a ball point twin-needle (double needle) for top stitching – Using a twin-needle will give you a regular double line of straight stitches on the right side and a short and stretchy zigzag on the wrong side. Alternately, if you don’t own a twin needle, you can use a medium size zigzag stitch for hemming and topstitching. I like to lengthen my stitch a little when top stitching with the twin needle. Test on a scrap of fabric to find what works best for you.
• Finishing the seams – Because knits don’t fray, it isn’t strictly necessary to finish your seams. That being said, you will achieve a more polished and durable look if you do an overcasting or zigzag stitch on your raw edges.

Here is an example of some of the stitches you could use.
From left to right: Ballpoint twin-needle, narrow zigzag, stretch stitch (lightning bolt), overcasting.

⅜ inch seam allowance included – Hem ½ inch 

Preparation – 

1. PATTERN MARKINGS – Transfer pattern markings and labels.

Sewing –

1. DRESS – Fold your Dress in half or place together if you have cut 2, right sides together. Pin the shoulders and the straight long side if you have cut 2. Stitch. Place the side seams, right sides together. Stitch.
2. COLLAR – Fold your Collar in half widthways, right sides together. Pin the short straight edge. Pin along the straight long edge, up to the tip of the curve that sticks out. Stitch. Turn and press. Pin the curved raw edges wrong sides together. Place a pin at the top of your stitched seam. Lay the Dress right side facing up. Mark the left side as worn. Starting from the left shoulder place the Collar onto the Dress, right sides together, matching the mark/pin to the front neckline. Pin. Wrap the Collar around the neckline until you reach the pattern marking on the front neckline, overlapping the Collar. Pin. Stitch. OPTIONAL: Hand stitch scarf to shoulder seam.
3. CUFFS – Fold Cuff in half lengthwise, right sides together. Stitch the long raw edge. Turn right side out. Fold in half widthwise, wrong sides together. Find and mark the quarter points of your Cuff and armscye. Place the Cuff inside the Dress, right sides together, matching quarter points and side seams. Stitch. Repeat for the other Cuff.
4. HEM – Serge or overlock the hem raw edge. Fold ½ inch to the wrong side. Press. Topstitch.

Congratulations, your Serenity Dress is done. Enjoy! 

We would love to hear how you got on and see photos of your finished project!

Join us at our Facebook Group, tag us on Instagram, or use the hashtag #rpserenitydress.

Thank you for using a Rebecca Page pattern.

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