The Emberly Mini Dress Free Sewing Pattern

Add the breathtaking allure of The Emberly Mini Dress Free Sewing Pattern to your wardrobe this season!

Designed with elegance in mind, this dress is a luxurious blend of vintage charm and modern sophistication. The brocade fabric lends the dress a regal aesthetic, with its textured patterns that catch the light beautifully, while the acetate twill lining ensures comfort and a polished interior finish. The standing collar lends a refined touch with a button placket adorned with silk buttons, while the voluminous balloon sleeves create a dramatic silhouette with tailored cuffs.

The Emberly Mini Dress is a delightful sewing project that showcases the artistry of garment making. From cutting intricate brocade to mastering buttonholes, you’ll gain skills while creating a truly stunning garment. Pair your mini dress with strappy heels for a fancy look or wear it with ankle boots for a trendy, casual vibe. Whether you’re attending a formal event or looking for a standout daytime outfit, the Emberly Mini Dress is the perfect choice!

Essential Materials for Sewing the Emberly Mini Dress

Here is the breakdown of what is needed for creating your own mini dress! We’ve got you covered with the recommended materials we used—if you want to follow along exactly—and we curated a list of alternative fabric recommendations if you want to customize your own version. We also include technical drawings for simple seam and silhouette visibility, as well as a size chart to help you find your perfect fit.

Purchase Products Used Below:

Quantities indicated are for sewing a size small mini dress.  Check the “Shop this look” box to find quantities for other sizes.

• 3* yards of Polyester Nylon Brocade, by Carolina Herrera – Metallic Blue, Green, Black – Poppies (52″ Width)
• 2 yards of Acetate Twill Lining – Black – Granada Collection (55″ Width)
• 1 yard of Woven Fusible Cotton Interlining, Single Sided by Helmut Lang – White
• 6 each of Mood Exclusive Princess Blue Silk Covered Buttons – 24L/15mm
• 1 each of 250m Sew All Thread – 10 Black
• MDF419 – The Emberly Mini Dress Sewing Pattern (Free download below!)

* Utilize any leftover fabrics to create cute, one-of-a-kind accessories and more!

Alternative Recommended Fabrics:

The Emberly Mini Dress is best suited for medium-to-heavyweight fabrics.

• Damask
• Jacquard
• Shantung/Dupioni
• Taffeta

Download Your Free Sewing Pattern

Submit your name and email below to have your free Emberly mini dress sewing pattern delivered right to your inbox (in PDF format for A4 and letter-size printing). To begin, inspect and update your printer device settings accordingly to print at “actual size” and in “portrait mode” (not auto-center). Only print page one first to confirm the Mood test square measures 2 by 2 inches.

How to assemble your pattern:

Trimless Option:

This is the fastest! No trimming needed! Place left-side margins over right-side margins, overlapping dashed lines and dots. In the same fashion, top margins will overlap bottom margins. Slight unprinted gaps are normal for this method.

Trimmed Option:

This removes any unprinted gaps. Trim along the top and right margins at the dashed lines. Overlap the trimmed margins to the untrimmed margins, matching dashed lines and dots.

Tip! Build rows first, then join the rows together as you go.

DOWNLOAD THE EMBERLY MINI DRESS PATTERN

Simply fill in the form below, verify your email address and you’ll be sent a link to download your free pattern.

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Find Your Perfect Fit

How To Sew The Emberly Mini Dress Free Sewing Pattern:

The instructions provided are designed to guide you through sewing the main fabric and the lining fabric for the Emberly Mini Dress simultaneously.

Sew with a 1/2″ seam allowance for all seams unless otherwise specified.

Tips for sewing with brocades

• Use a Microtex needle (size 70/10 or 80/12) for light-to-medium-weight brocades.
• Use a universal needle (size 90/14) for heavier brocades.
• Set the machine to a slightly longer stitch length around 2.5–3.0 mm.
• Serge or overlock the raw edges.
• Always use a press cloth to protect the fabric from heat damage and shine.

Tips for sewing with 100% acetate twill – (non-stretch)

• Use a sharp needle such as a Microtex (size 70/10) for thin or lightweight lining
• Use a universal needle (size 80/12) for heavier varieties.
• Set your machine to a slightly shorter stitch length around 2.0–2.5 mm.
• A zigzag stitch or pinking shears can work if you don’t have a serger.
• Always press with a press cloth and use steam sparingly.

Step 1 

Pin front and back dress pieces right sides together while matching up the corners. Use a straight stitch to sew the shoulder seams, back-tacking at each end.

Repeat step 1 for the lining pieces.

Step 2

Pin while spreading the fabric evenly from underneath the armhole to the bottom of the hem, making sure to match the top and bottom edges. Join the front and back dress pieces together by sewing with a straight stitch starting from the point under the arm hole down to the hem—again, back-tacking at each end.

Repeat step 2 for the lining pieces.

Step 3

Pin along each sleeve in-seam from the top corner to the notch, leaving 3” open at the bottom. Spread the fabric evenly when pinning and be sure to back-tack when sewing. Take care to leave the top and bottom of the sleeve open.

Repeat step 3 for the lining pieces.

Step 4

Insert the right-side out sleeve lining into the wrong-side out main sleeve, matching the in-seams at the 3” opening.

Sew in a ‘v-shape’ from the top of the 3” opening to the bottom of the opening and back up to the top of the opening.

Turn right-sides out.

Step 5

Using a wide stitch length (around 4.0) and setting your machine tension setting to 0, sew a basting stitch a quarter inch (1/4″) away from the bottom of the sleeve* from end to end. Do not back-tack and be sure to leave at least 4” of thread tail on both sides.

* Both layers should be basted together at the same time—main fabric as well as the lining.

Gently and evenly gather the fabric by pulling the thread tail from either side. Leave the thread tails untrimmed in case more or less needs to be gathered when setting the cuff to the sleeve.

Bonus Tip: Sew your basting stitches with a bright color thread that contrasts your main fabric and your lining fabric—that way it will be much easier to differentiate when removing the basting stitches after sewing your permanent stitching!

Step 6

Baste stitch or fuse the cuff interfacing to the main fabric cuff.  Fold the cuff, right sides together (with the interfacing facing out) and pin evenly near each short end.

Sew each short end starting from a half inch away from the fabric edge, being sure to back-stitch.

Step 7

Press the cuffs (use a pressing cloth to protect your fabric)

Next, pin the raw edge of the cuff to the raw edge of the sleeve, with right sides together. (Align the already-sewn edges of the cuff with either end of the already-sewn 3” opening at the bottom of the sleeve.)

Then, sew the cuff to the sleeve.

After that, turn the cuff so the right side faces out; from the inside, gently fold under the seam allowance (toward the sleeve and away from the cuff) and press.

Step 8

Sew a basting stitch 1/4″ around the sleeve cap, taking both layers—the main fabric as well as the lining.

Then create the gathers toward the top.

Step 9

Set in the sleeve and sew all around the armhole. Pin and sew bias tape around the armhole to enclose the raw seams, first by sewing 1/2″ on the outside, then fold over and sew 1/2″ to the inside.

Step 10

Apply interfacing to the part of the placket where you will add the buttons and button holes. (The area to apply the interfacing is also marked on the pattern.)

Sew the seam allowance of the button placket to each side of the front.

On the right side, cut diagonally on the lines marked on the front pattern (pattern piece B). Cut only the lining and main fabric, not the placket, forming a triangular flap at the bottom of the placket opening. This will allow you to easily fold the plackets over the front side, and give a neat finish to the bottom of the placket.

Step 11

Fold the placket seam allowance to the wrong side and press it, then fold the placket over to the front, press, and sew along the edge of the seam allowance.

Repeat for the second placket.

Place the right placket over the left one (A), and pass the bottom ends of both plackets through the opening to the wrong side (B). 

On the wrong side, grab the triangle flap and the two plackets’ bottom ends and stitch them together.

Step 12

Baste stitch or fuse the interfacing to one the main fabric collar pieces. Join the layers of the collar together by sewing around the sides and across the top, then turn it right side out and press.

Step 13

Pin and sew the collar around the neckline of the dress.

An alternative method: If you prefer to finish your collar and cuffs by enclosing the seams, here is a quick guide on how to do it:

Step 14

Sew the buttons and button holes to the front plackets and the sleeve cuffs.

Step 15

Use a serger or a zig zag stitch to prevent the ends of the dress from fraying. Finish the bottom of the garment by sewing a 1″ hem to each layer individually (lining and main fabric).

The Completed Emberly Mini Dress Free Sewing Pattern by Mood Fabrics

Feel free to share your completed mini dress pattern on social media to inspire others and showcase your hard work!

Share this post with a friend (or two!), download The Emberly Mini Dress Free Sewing Pattern, and show us which fabrics and colors you choose, using the hashtags #MoodEmberlyPattern & #MadeWithMood.