Austin Dress Sew-Along

Sew the Austin Dress with confidence using our detailed tutorial series! This semi-fitted sleeveless design features a jewel neckline, keyhole front opening, and distinctive button band closures at the side seams. We'll cover armhole darts, bias facings, and two skirt views — a knee-length A-line or a midi-length gathered skirt with optional pockets. Perfect for warm weather in lightweight wovens.

Lesson 1

Introduction, Fabric & Supplies

Jen Beeman holding the Austin Dress pattern envelope next to the pattern cover showing View A and View B technical drawings

Get started with the Austin Dress sew-along! Learn which fabrics work best for each view, how fabric weight affects drape and movement, and what supplies you'll need — including buttons, elastic cord, and presser feet for topstitching.

View A — A-line Skirt

View A works best with fabrics that float around the body rather than stand away from it. Drapey options like tencel or a linen twill are great choices. You want the skirt to skim rather than stiffen.

View B — Gathered Skirt

View B is more forgiving and can handle a slightly stiffer hand. A linen-cotton blend makes for a great everyday version with more structure, while a drapey viscose twill gives the gathered skirt a more elevated feel.

General Guidance

Light to midweight wovens are your sweet spot; cotton poplin, chambray, linen, rayon, and blends all work well. If you're working with stripes, plaids, or a one-way print, pick up a little extra yardage for matching.

Get Started

Lesson 2

Choosing a Size & Pattern Adjustments

Jen next to a front bodice pattern piece with numbered slash lines marked for a full bust adjustment

Learn how to take accurate bust, waist, and hip measurements and choose the right size for the Austin Dress. Since both skirt views offer hip flexibility, getting the bust and waist right is key. Includes guidance on blending between sizes for a better fit.

Blending Between Sizes

When your measurements fall into different sizes, blending gives you a better fit than choosing one straight size. The Austin's straight side seams make this adjustment simpler than many patterns and we'll show you how in the video.

Full Bust Adjustment

Need more room through the bust? We walk you through a slash-and-spread technique on the front bodice, plus how to adjust the skirt waistline to match for both views.

Small Bust Adjustment

Need less room through the bust? We cover the small bust adjustment as well, working through the same slash-and-spread process in reverse.

Find Your Size

Lesson 3

Cutting Your Fabric

Jen holding cut Austin Dress fabric pieces next to a flat lay of yellow abstract print linen yardage on a wood surface

Time to cut! Learn how to pre-treat and press your fabric, read the cutting diagrams to find the right layout for your view and fabric width, and mark notches and interior placement points accurately before heading to the machine.

Start Cutting

Grab the Austin Dress Pattern

Lesson 4

Cutting & Applying Your Interfacing

Jen holding an interfacing piece next to a flat lay of cut yellow linen Austin Dress bodice pieces with white interfacing rectangles

Before the sewing begins, there's one more prep step to tackle. Learn how to choose the right interfacing weight for your fabric, cut the button band and bodice pieces accurately, and apply fusible interfacing so it bonds cleanly without shifting. After this lesson your Austin is prepped and ready to sew.

Apply Your Interfacing

Lesson 5

Assembling the Bodice

Jen examining a yellow linen Austin Dress bodice next to a flat lay of an assembled blush bodice with center front seam on a cutting mat

It's finally time to sew! Start building the Austin bodice by joining the center front and center back seams, sewing and pressing the armhole darts over a ham, and finishing with the shoulder seams. Learn why basting the keyhole section now sets you up for a cleaner finish later.

Start Sewing

Lesson 6

Finishing the Neckline & Keyhole

Jen holding an Austin Dress bodice next to a flat lay of a finished blush bodice with neckline binding and keyhole opening

Learn to apply the neckline binding using a center-out pinning method for an even finish. We'll cover grading and clipping the seam allowance, understitching so the binding rolls cleanly to the inside, attaching the elastic cord loop, and topstitching the center front, center back, and neckline.

Finish the Neckline

Lesson 7

Sewing the View A Skirt

Jen holding a finished blush Austin Dress bodice next to a flat lay of the full bodice and skirt pieces on a cutting mat

View A sewists, this one's for you! We'll walk through assembling the skirt panels, attaching the skirt to the bodice, and finishing the waist seam with edge stitching that matches the rest of the dress. View B sewists can skip ahead to Lesson 8.

Assemble the View A Skirt

Lesson 8

Adding the View B Pockets

Jen holding yellow abstract print fabric next to a close-up of a finished patch pocket with edge stitching on a yellow linen skirt

Time to build and attach the View B patch pockets! We'll cover pressing and assembling them using a jig for sharp, even edges, then attaching them to the skirt front with edge stitching and topstitching. View A sewists can skip ahead to Lesson 9.

Add Your Pockets

Lesson 9

Sewing the View B Skirt

Jen holding a gathered yellow linen Austin Dress skirt next to a close-up of the gathered waistline edge on a cutting mat

View A sewists can sit this one out! We'll assemble the View B skirt panels, then tackle the three-row basting method for even, controlled gathers before attaching the skirt to the bodice. Learn how to press the waist seam without flattening your gathers and finish with edge stitching.

Assemble the View B Skirt

Lesson 10

Finishing the Armholes & Button Bands

Jen holding a yellow linen Austin Dress on a hanger next to a close-up of the finished button band and gathered skirt

Two major details come together in this lesson. We'll press and construct the button bands, apply the armhole bias binding using the same technique as the neckline, and edge stitch everything into place. A satisfying lesson that makes the Austin start to look like a finished dress.

Finish Your Sides

Lesson 11

Hemming Views A & B

Jen holding a blush View A and yellow View B Austin Dress on hangers next to a close-up of a finished deep hem on yellow linen

We’re almost there! View A gets a classic double-fold hem, while View B features a deeper 2.5-inch hem that adds weight and drape. We'll also walk through the final edge stitching pass around the full length of the dress from hem to hem.

Hem Your Dress

Lesson 12

Adding Buttons & Buttonholes

Jen holding a nearly finished yellow Austin Dress next to a close-up of black buttons on the finished button band of a yellow linen dress

We’ve reached the final step, buttons and buttonholes! Learn how to mark and stitch buttonholes using the pattern template, cut them open cleanly with a buttonhole chisel, and attach buttons by machine. We'll also cover how to position buttons within the band so everything lines up perfectly when buttoned.

Finish Your Dress