If there’s a spectrum of extravagance, from extra to basic, I fall somewhere around “opulent” and “lavish.” Sometimes, that can crowd the closet, so I decided to make a basic dress that could handle a variety of accessories but still hold its own. The Brassia Dress is exactly that. With a simple, flattering silhouette, this is the perfect dress for pretty much anything. Paired with a belt and some booties, I’m prepared to take on the world! I made mine using Mood’s Solid Boiled Wool so I could take it into the fall and winter months with ease, which is perfect since Mood just received a variety of new colors! This dress is so simple, it can really be made out of anything with a little stretch, especially since it has no closures to worry about. A sturdy fabric would be perfect for this dress, like cotton sateen, ponte knit, or one of our new chunky knits! I didn’t use French seams with this pattern since the wool is so soft anyway, but you can use them if you’re working with a more uncomfortable material.
Fabrics & materials used:
- 3 yards Sunflower Solid Boiled Wool
- MDF094 – The Brassia Dress Sewing Pattern (free download below!)
All seam allowances are 1/2″ unless otherwise stated. See chart below for sizing specifications. Note, this specific pattern is available up to a size 22.
The first thing I did was sew the darts on the front of the bodice and trim the excess fabric.
Next, you’re going to attach the front and back bodice at the shoulders, and then attach the sleeves. Then, you can simply sew up the sides of the bodice and the sleeves all in one go!
After that, you can put the bodice down and work on the skirt. Sew the back seam of the skirt and then attach it to your bodice.
The dress is basically done, all you need to do is hem it. I like the polished look of a slip stitch, so that’s what I did around the neck, skirt, and sleeves. But you can use the machine and utilize a nice top stitching!
And that’s that, a simple and chic dress perfect for accessorizing, gallivanting through the city in the fall, or doing your Holiday shopping on a bitter winter afternoon. With all of Mood’s solid boiled wools, I’ll be filling my closet with Brassia dresses in every color. What are you making your Brassia dress out of?
30 comments
I love this look. It plays well with so many options. I’m older, but I think if I take the length a little longer… Thank you,
Glad you like it! My favorite thing about this dress is how versatile it is. I can dress it up or down and it fits in wherever I go. Let me know how the length looks!
I agree with you, Leah. This is a wonderful look, with endless options. And the beautiful boiled wool in sunflower is just a delight!
I made lots of mistakes-but I had fun fixing them. I cut the bodice too small and didn’t have any more material so I changed to a crazy floral. Then I didn’t like the way I sewed the neckline so I made appliques from the floral material and applied them to the neckline. Nutty. Fun pattern. I’ll do it again-correctly! I wish I could upload you a picture. Thanks for the pattern.
Trial and error are part of the process! I can’t wait to hear about your next attempt!
I absolutely love this dress! I can’t wait to sew me one. Just a question for anyone who might have an opinion…I love the look of the boiled wool. But I don’t wear wool. Any ideas what might give me a similar “classic” look? I’m just now starting to ease into less quirky clothing to build a more professional wardrobe that still reflects my personality. I have a feeling this dress is going to become a staple piece. It’s awesome.
Hi there! We’ve made a few versions in ponte, and they always look adorable! It’s got a nice weight and drape, and it’s perfect for office wear. 🙂
Hi there,
Does this need to be a stretch fabric to work as there’s no zip? I’m not familiar with boiled wool to know if it’s stretchy or not.
Thanks
Hi, Alice! A fabric with a bit of stretch is ideal for this pattern, however you can easily alter it for a woven fabric by cutting the back bodice piece in 2 and adding seam allowance along the center back. I hope that helps!
Hey courtney! With your comment/instructions for making with woven/non-stretch fabric, when you say cut the back bodice in 2 and add a seam allowance, is that to add a zip? Or the extra seam should give enough ease to not need a closure? Sorry!
Hi, Ashley! Yes, the extra seam allowance would be to add a zipper. 🙂
Hi all, what a lovely pattern! How much fabric do I need for a size 0/2 with only being 5’1 tall, i.e. the skirt would be shorter? It would be a shame to waste a lot of fabric. Thanks for your help!
Hi Lisa, you’d likely need 2.5-3 yards! 🙂
Thanks so much for the pattern to this beautiful dress. Are there any instructions on how to put the pattern together? Thanks
Hi, Kam! The instructions are the blog post above. 🙂
Could this dress be done in a medium or heavyweight linen? It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for to go under my leather LARPing armor (which is a leather “bustier” , with shoulder cops and bracers, all handmade from 1.6 mm oil tanned cowhide leather.)
Hi Niki, that sounds like it would be awesome and now I’m tempted to do something similar! Since this dress doesn’t have a closure, it does call for a bit of stretch to allow for getting the garment on and off. If your armor would hide it, you might be able to add an invisible zip at the side; or you could do a size or two larger than you’d usually need and add some corset-like laces at the back. 🙂
The corset lacing would be very intertesting, and would make a nice feature when I take my armor off. Thank you!
I made it for my niece’s birthday, it came out great ! Thank you very much !
(The result is here : https://imgur.com/a/jTFeuWl )
Gorgeous!! Love the print 🙂 🙂
Hello! Do I need the same amount of fabric if I am making a size 22? Or should I buy more?
Hi, Bianca! We made a size 18 with the 3 yards. You may want to get an extra half yard to be safe, but you might not need all of it. 🙂
Love this, but looking to lengthen the dress. I think the color so will be looking for the same. Also will be looking for a light fleece as I can see this as a regularly used dress just to be able to throw on!!!
I’m looking for something a bit lighter for fabric. I’m looking at using a cotton and adding a zip in the back.
Is seam allowance included in the pattern?
Yes, a 1/2″ seam allowance is already included! 🙂
Working on the Brassia dress for my daughter but she in between sizes and I am trying to adjust the pattern. Is the size chart on the blog listing pre sewn measurements or finished size? I’ve cut out a 12/14 but I’m stuck.
Hi! The measurements listed are body measurements. 😀
Is the back piece cut two pieces and seamed or cut on the fold?
Hi Crytal! It is cut on the fold. 😀