The London Gown Free Sewing Pattern

Create a stunning formal gown with The London Gown Free Sewing Pattern!

The London Gown features a strapless bodice with princess seams, an elegantly curved neckline that adds a touch of sophistication, and a skirt that gathers and wraps gracefully around your legs.

This formal look is crafted from Italian Optic White Polyester Crepe and is fully lined with Premium Polyester Satin, adding a layer of luxury and comfort that feels delightful against the skin. The Lightweight Cotton Buckram is used to provide the necessary structure and support for the strapless design.

This pattern offers a unique opportunity to create a show-stopping gown that rivals high-end designer pieces, combining exquisite design elements with luxurious fabrics. Master the art of elegance as The London Gown Free Sewing Pattern ensures you stand out at any formal event!

Purchase Products Used Below:

• 4 yards of Italian Optic White Polyester Crepe
• 1 yard of Premium Polyester Satin – Bright White – Gavia Collection by Mood
• 1 yard of White Lightweight Cotton Buckram
• 3 yards of White Rigilene – 12mm/0.5″
• 3 yards of White Single Faced Satin Ribbon – 0.4375″
• 1 each of Dritz Nickel Eyelets Size 5/32″ – 100ct
• 1 each of 501 White 24″ Invisible Zipper
• 1 spool of 20 White 500m Gutermann Sew All Thread
• MDF386 – The London Gown Sewing Pattern (Free download below!)

Alternative Recommended Fabrics:

• Satin
• Crepe Back Satin
• Charmeuse
• Moire
• Velvet

DOWNLOAD THE LONDON GOWN FREE PATTERN

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

Name

Email

Loading...

Notes before starting

For this pattern, there is ½” seam allowance included in the pieces.

The lining has a self facing with a center front seam which is to be cut in the self fabric, as it helps create a more seamless effect with the transition of the neckline to the lining side.

It is advised to cut 1 set of self fabric for the bodice, and 1 set in buckram to add extra stability and strength to the strapless foundation.

This pattern is more advanced, as it has a baby hem that must be applied prior to attaching the skirt panels to one another, which would leave less option for fit alterations later in the construction. 

A helpful hint: consider a muslin sample first. Cut muslin for the self pieces of the corset, skirt lining, and skirt overlay, so that you know what modifications may be necessary and the amount of gathers or ease to consider at the hips for the effect.

I used a lighter weight fabric but this pattern works with any woven evening wear fabrics up to medium weight.

How To Sew The London Gown Free Sewing Pattern:

Step 1

Start by laying out your self bodice pieces, and join along each pairing seam, side seams also include ½” seam allowance only. If you are making a fit sample in muslin, consider adding an extra ½” seam allowance at side seams and on the skirt lining side seams too. Recall this adjustment for your final fabric if it is necessary during your fitting. Repeat joining bodice panels for your lining set, then attach the facing along the top edge of the lining bodice panels in self fabric. If adding grommets to center back, consider cutting your lightest weight fabric for that panel to reduce bulkiness when applying your grommets.

Taking the wearer’s left skirt, notice a pin placed parallel at center back, and close the dart which represents the side seam. Notice the crossed pins represent the vanishing point of the dart. Consider topstitching your self bodice seams.

Step 2

For your buckram set of bodice pieces (use your ‘self’ patterns for this) you will join the seams with ½” seam allowance and it is optional to add topstitching. This added reinforcement to those seams and a need for less boning. Because of the thickness of buckram, press the seam allowances toward the center back and be sure to clip any rounded seams to release before topstitching. 

Step 3

Boning placement in this sample is attached directly to the buckram at center front below the curve begins in the bust area of the pattern. These measure at about 4-½” tall at the front section for the sample size 4 in this sewing tutorial. The bones at side seam and side back are the full length of the seam minus ⅝” at the top and bottom of the bone so they do not disrupt the seam allowance areas. For ridgeline boning, use a zipper foot and catch the bones within the ridge of the trim

Step 4

For the bodice facing, join at center front with ½” seam allowance and press open.

Step 5

Join facing along top edge of lining bodice.

Step 6

There are many ways to apply buckram to a strapless bodice as an option for added structure and fit, an approach I was taught at various design houses was to apply a ‘frame stitch’ which attached the buckram bodice to the self bodice. Pin perimeter of the buckram bodice to the self bodice with bones facing toward the lining side, use a running stitch (longest stitch setting on your machine) and join about ¼” from raw edge. 

View from right side (outside) of self fabric bodice.

Step 7

Taking your bodice lining and self bodice, pin right sides together along the neckline and join with ½” seam allowance. Start pinning from center back and align each notch as you reach center front. Consider an understitch and clip the points of the bodice after reinforcing.

The understitch will join both seam allowances toward the lining side of the garment, this stitch helps to keep the lining fabric from curling out and becoming exposed from the right side when the garment is being worn.

Step 8

To sew the skirt, use a tailor’s ham to press open your seam allowance of the side seam ‘dart’ and press the dart over as well. You do not need to clean finish this side seam if you are using the lining skirt panels as it will cover these raw edges.

Step 9

Apply a baby hem to both of your skirt panels making sure to keep the right sides up as to not hem them incorrectly. This skirt is essentially a ‘wrap’ affect where one panel overlays the other, joining at a side seam seen in the next step.

Step 10

Sew the back dart of the wearer’s right skirt, press, and overlay as you see pinned. This displays the fabric with right sides facing up. Apply a running stitch where you see the pins at the overlay area and that ‘side seam’ prior to joining the side seam ‘dart’ as we did in a previous step with the first skirt panel.

Step 11

Join skirt ‘side seam’ and blend to zero as pointed at below the basting pin placement.

Step 12

With right sides facing, sew closed the side seam with ½” seam allowance blending your sewing line to zero as you would with a dart.

Step 13

Add a running stitch by hand to the side seams of the self skirt to create the gathering. You can adjust the gathers to your desired amount and reinforce at the sewing machine.

Step 14

Attach your zipper to center back of the self skirt and close the remainder of the seam.

Step 15

Close center back with right sides facing and clip the corner seam allowance to reduce bulkiness before flipping right side out. Add grommets, making sure the bottom grommet is at least 1” above the hem edge. Pin the bottom hems of your entire bodice and apply a running stitch on the machine, the skirt lining and self skirt will be the ‘bread’ to sandwich the bodice in the following steps. 

Step 16

Place the skirt lining with right sides facing to the bottom edge of the bodice.

Step 17

Place your self-skirt with right sides facing (the bodice should look like it is pointing down toward the hem in between these skirt layers.

Step 18

Join zipper to lining, clip corners of seam allowance and turn right side out. There will be a discrepancy between the center back of the grommets and the center back of the zipper so the bodice center back with lacing isn’t disrupted.

Step 19

Once the garment is turned right side out, gently press your skirt where it joins to the bodice on the self and lining side. Then lace your grommets and enjoy your London dress!

Feel free to share your completed London Gown pattern on social media to inspire others and showcase your hard work! Share this post with a friend (or two!), download The London Gown Free Sewing Pattern, and show us which fabrics and colors you choose, using the hashtags #MoodLondonPattern & #MadeWithMood.