Alder Shirtdress Sew-Along

Sew the Alder Shirtdress with confidence using our detailed tutorial series! We'll cover every step from selecting fabrics to mastering bias faced armholes, constructing a classic shirt collar, and creating precise buttonholes. Choose between View A's curved hem A-line or View B's gathered skirt for a fuller silhouette - both feature the same polished bodice with functional breast pockets.

Lesson 1

Selecting Your Fabrics

The perfect fabric makes all the difference for your Alder Shirtdress. This pattern works beautifully in lightweight to mid-weight wovens from cotton poplin and chambray to linen, rayon, and silk. We explore each fabric type with real examples, plus essential interfacing guidance for crisp collars and button bands.

Alder Shirtdress line drawings with fabric swatches: geometric print, cat print, emerald silk, and coral abstract pattern

Cotton & Cotton Blends

Cotton poplin, chambray, and lightweight cotton prints are classic choices for the Alder. These fabrics offer structure while remaining comfortable and breathable. Cotton blends that include rayon or linen provide additional drape and softness. Look for fabrics that aren't too stiff - you want the skirt to flow rather than stand away from your body.

Linen & Linen Blends

Linen creates a relaxed, casual Alder perfect for summer wear. Choose handkerchief linen or lightweight linen blends for the best drape. While linen wrinkles easily, that lived-in quality is part of its charm. Essex linen (a linen-cotton blend) offers a great middle ground with less wrinkling than pure linen while maintaining beautiful drape.

Rayon & Rayon Blends

Rayon challis and lightweight rayon twill create a dressier Alder with beautiful flow and movement. These fabrics drape beautifully for View B's gathered skirt. Keep in mind that rayon can be slippery to work with, so take your time with cutting and pinning. Consider prewashing to prevent shrinkage.

Silk & Silk Blends

For a special occasion Alder, silk twill or silk crepe de chine creates an elegant dress with luxurious drape. These fabrics work particularly well for View A's A-line silhouette. While more challenging to sew, the results are worth the extra care.

Interfacing

You'll need fusible interfacing for the collar, collar stand, and button bands. Choose a lightweight fusible woven or tricot interfacing that complements your fabric weight. Avoid heavy interfacing that will make these areas stiff - you want them crisp but not rigid.

Choose Your Fabrics

Lesson 2

Alder Supply List

Alder Shirtdress pattern envelope with scissors and coral abstract print fabric on white surface with pattern pieces visible

The first step to a successful project is making sure you have everything you need from start to finish. From pattern and fabric to specialized tools like buttonhole chisels and tailors hams, this comprehensive list ensures you're ready before you start sewing. Being prepared makes the whole process more enjoyable.

Gather Your Supplies

Lesson 3

Choose Your Size

Alder pattern booklet showing size chart with highlighted size 6 measurements, sticky note with bust, waist, hip notes, pen and highlighter

Learn how to select the perfect size for your Alder Shirtdress using three key measurements. We cover taking accurate bust, waist, and hip measurements, navigating the size chart, and handling falling between sizes. The bust measurement is most important for the Alder's fitted bodice, which differs from the Archer's relaxed fit.

Find Your Size

Grab the Alder Shirtdress Pattern

Lesson 4

Common Pattern Adjustments

Need to customize your Alder Shirtdress pattern? This post covers three key adjustment techniques: lengthening or shortening any pattern piece, moving dart position for better placement, and full bust adjustments. Learn the proper order for making multiple adjustments and get step-by-step guidance for each technique.

Three-step lengthening tutorial: pattern with lengthen/shorten line, separated pieces spread apart, reblended pattern piece

Lengthening and Shortening

Adjust the length of your Alder using the lengthen/shorten lines marked on the pattern pieces, or draw your own if needed. This straightforward technique maintains proper proportions while customizing the fit for your body. The same method applies to any pattern piece — skirt, bodice, or armhole adjustments.

Moving the Dart

Perfect for when your torso length is correct but the dart hits in the wrong spot on your body. Learn to relocate the dart up or down to align with your bust point for the best fit. This adjustment maintains the proper dart takeup while repositioning it to match your body's proportions.

Small and Full Bust Adjustments

The Alder is drafted for a B cup in the 0-18 size range and a D cup in the 14-32 size range. Learn to determine your adjustment amount using upper bust and full bust measurements - if the difference is over 2 inches from your range's drafted cup size, you'll likely need an adjustment. This technique adds room through the bust while maintaining proper fit through shoulders and armholes by slashing, spreading, and reblending the pattern pieces.

Perfect Your Fit

Lesson 5

Cutting your Fabric

Alder pattern pieces laid out on light blue denim with pattern weights, scissors, and instruction booklet on cutting table

Ready to cut your Alder Shirtdress? This post walks through the complete cutting process from pressing fabric and following layout diagrams to marking crucial points and trimming the right front edge. Learn important techniques like aligning grain lines, marking notches, and handling the special right front button band trim.

Start Cutting

Lesson 6

Assembling the Button Bands

Hands using embroidery scissors to grade seam allowance on light blue denim Alder button band

Learn to construct the Alder's button bands with proper interfacing placement, folding and pressing techniques, and clean topstitching. This post covers both the left and right front button bands. The right front band requires special attention with grading and careful alignment to ensure your topstitching catches the underside.

Build the Bands

Lesson 7

Sewing the Darts and Pockets

Hand positioning pinned breast pocket over bust dart on denim Alder bodice with tailors ham underneath for smooth placement

Learn to sew the Alder's bust darts and attach the breast pockets that sit directly over them. This post covers dart construction with proper apex finishing, pressing techniques using a tailors ham, and the trick for positioning pockets smoothly over curved darts. Includes guidance on edgestitching and reducing bulk.

Create Your Darts & Pockets

Lesson 8

Attaching the Yoke — Method 1

Hand lifting inner yoke piece on gray denim Alder showing graded seam allowances at shoulder seam attachment point

With your fronts complete, it's time to construct the jacket back! This straightforward post covers sewing the center back seam with proper grading and pressing, then attaching the back yoke with the same topstitching techniques you've been using.

Attach the Yoke

Lesson 9

Attaching the Yoke — Method 2

Alder dress front and back rolled inside yoke pieces like a burrito, shown flat with scissors, demonstrating burrito method

Learn the burrito method for attaching the Alder's yoke, which encloses all seams by rolling the dress inside the yoke pieces. This technique requires careful layering and pinning but results in clean, enclosed shoulder seams. Includes step-by-step guidance for rolling, stitching, and unfolding the burrito to check your work before grading.

Try the Burrito Method

Lesson 10

Side Seams and Skirts

Alder View A side seam on denim showing faux flat-felled topstitching with serged seam allowance pressed to back

Learn to sew the side seams and attach skirts for both Alder views. View A features straightforward side seams with optional faux flat-felled finishing. View B requires gathering the skirt with basting stitches, pivoting at corner points, and clipping carefully to achieve smooth attachment at the distinctive side seam corners.

Sew the Side Seams

Lesson 12

Assembling & Attaching the Collar

Hand holding assembled Alder collar and collar stand on gray denim showing interfaced layers and graded seam allowances

Learn to construct and attach the Alder's classic shirt collar with collar stand. This detailed post covers interfacing placement, assembling the collar pieces, achieving sharp corner points, and the technique for attaching the collar stand to the neckline. Includes careful clipping, grading, and topstitching for a clean finish.

Attach Your Collar

Lesson 12

Applying Armhole Bias Facing

Alder shirtdress in light blue denim showing finished bias-faced armhole with clean edgestitching and underside binding visible

Learn to apply bias facings to finish the Alder's armholes with clean, enclosed edges. This post covers joining bias strips into circles, attaching to armholes, grading and clipping curves, understitching for a crisp edge, and final edgestitching. The understitching technique helps the binding roll neatly to the inside.

Finish Your Armholes

Lesson 13

Hemming the Skirts

Alder hem on light blue denim showing double-fold technique with close edgestitching near inner fold on beige surface

Create a clean double-fold hem for your Alder Shirtdress. This straightforward technique starts with aligning the front button bands to ensure even length, then folding and pressing twice at 1/4" before stitching close to the inner fold. A simple finish that completes your dress.

Finish Your Hems

Lesson 14

Buttons & Buttonholes

Completed Alder shirtdress in gray denim showing aligned button bands with cream buttons and corresponding buttonholes

The final step in your Alder journey! This post covers marking buttonhole placement on the right front band, creating buttonholes with proper spacing from the collar stand down, and safely opening them with a chisel or scissors. Then mark button placement directly from the buttonholes for perfect alignment and attach buttons by hand or machine.

Finish Your Hems

Extras

  • Archer-Alder hybrid dress on dress form in black and white buffalo check with long sleeves, collar, and breast pockets

    Alder + Archer Dress — Method 1

    Transform your Alder into a sleeved shirtdress by combining it with Archer sleeves using this blending method. Extend the armholes to accommodate sleeves, measure sleeve cap ease for proper fit, transfer notches accurately, and find the new shoulder point. This method maintains the Alder's fitted bodice with bust darts.

    Add the Archer Sleeves 
  • Woman wearing emerald green Archer-Alder hybrid dress with rolled sleeves, breast pockets, and button front closure

    Alder + Archer Dress — Method 2

    Combine the Archer bodice with the Alder skirt for a sleeved shirtdress without complex alterations. This simpler method uses the Archer's looser fit through the bodice and joins it at the waistline with the Alder's slightly flared skirt. Requires only basic blending at side seams and adjusting the right front button band length.

    Try the Simpler Method 
  • Alder shirtdress on dress form in dark denim showing band collar variation with white buttons and fiddle leaf fig plant

    Band Collar Pattern Hack

    Create a simpler band collar by using only the Alder collar stand pieces without the collar. This streamlined variation requires no additional pattern pieces - just fuse interfacing to one stand piece, sew the upper edge, grade seams, and follow the standard collar attachment instructions. Works well buttoned or unbuttoned for a casual look.

    Make a Band Collar 
  • Alder tunic in blue geometric print denim hanging on wood hanger with green leaf in breast pocket showing shortened length

    Alder as a Tunic or Shirt

    Convert your Alder into a sleeveless tunic or shirt by simply shortening the pattern pieces. Since the Alder is drafted specifically as a sleeveless garment, it maintains proper armhole fit at any length. Measure from the hollow of your throat to your desired length, mark evenly across all pieces, and follow standard construction methods.

    Make it a Shirt 
  • Alder v-neck variation on dress form in coral and pink abstract print showing collarless neckline with button front closure

    V-Neck Pattern Hack

    Transform the Alder's collared neckline into a collarless v-neck by redrafting the front and yoke pieces. This variation eliminates the collar pieces and creates a shaped neckline finished with bias binding. Includes guidance on drawing a flattering concave v-shape, attaching button bands at the new neckline, and adjusting buttonhole placement.

    Create a V-Neckline 
  • Tie-front Alder shirt on dress form in colorful floral print with bias-bound edges, shortened to cropped length with tied front

    Tie Front Shirt Pattern Hack

    Create a cropped tie-front shirt by modifying the Alder View B front bodice pieces. This variation shortens the front button bands into curved ties that end at the shirt tail, eliminates the skirt entirely, and finishes the hem with bias binding. Perfect for lightweight or sheer fabrics when you want a breezy summer top.

    Make a Tie-Front Top 
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