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African dress patterns for sewing
Numerous African fabrics are a great choice for dressmaking. Typically, African prints and batiks are 100% cotton, are easy to sew and wash very well. With an endless range of colours and designs to choose from, you are bound to find the perfect fabric for the perfect dress. Simpler shapes and silhouettes are a good option as the fabric ‘does all the work’ and you can make quite a striking dress from a simple easy-to-sew pattern.
Here are our recommendations for dress patterns that would be perfect for the type of fabric we love and stock, African fabric. We also have some examples of some of these patterns made in our batiks and prints.
HOPE WOVEN DRESS by Style Arc
The Hope dress is an easy fit, slip-on dress with raglan sleeves. With a high waist, 7/8 length sleeves and a button-and-loop closure at the back neck it has two length options; knee and midi.
This dress is a fairly straight-forward sew. Comes together quickly and is an easy style but still quite chic. The button fastening at the back and the elasticated sleeves would suit even a beginner.
This would look great in a wax prints or batik and with minimal seams and fastenings are a great way to show off a bold print.
TULIP DRESS by The Assembly Line
The Tulip dress is currently my favourite dress pattern and has been for a few years.
The dress features a semi- fitted top and a wide tulip shaped skirt. It has a zipper opening at the back and in-seam pockets. This style works so well on many different body shapes. It is a more tailored look than a regular summer dress, making it quite flattering.
Assembly line patterns have great instructions so a fun sewing project. I currently have 3 versions of this dress. Two in Adire from Nigeria and one in Ankara from Ghana. It can be dressed up with heels, layered with a coat or cardigan or dressed down in trainers.
WILDWOOD WRAP DRESS by Sew House Seven
The Wildwood Wrap Dress is a wrap dress with a shawl collar and a detachable belt. It features waist and shoulder pleats, a slim skirt and deep pockets. It has two sleeve options and two hem lengths.
If you are feeling extra creative, this dress lends itself well to mixing up fabrics. Alternatively, you could try it in one of our Adire fabrics, where the design on the back of the cloth is slightly different to the front. Mixing the two often results in a truly unique dress.
Though not the same pattern, below Tracey has made a similar dress in Adire. The outcome is gorgeous.
I Am Shérazade by I AM PATTERNS
I Am Shérazade has a V-shaped neckline both on the front and on the back. It is short sleeved and has in-seam pockets on the skirt. A simple dress pattern where you can mix fabrics and play with contrasts.
It has no fastenings, has four main pattern pieces and so comes together quite easily.
Below I have made it in a shweshwe print, using three different prints in the same colourway. It makes a cute dress for warmer weather. Styled pictures coming soon!
V9237 by Vogue Patterns
You can’t really go wrong with an A-line, trapeze style dress. This style would suit pretty much anybody and is quite versatile. It can be worn both as a top, with leggings or trousers and can just as well be worn as a dress, depending on what length you make it.
This classic Vogue pattern, creates a loose-fitting, pullover dress with a button and loop closing at the nape and has sleeve and hem variations.
This style is absolutely perfect for Ankara prints. With minimal seams, it is another great choice for showing off a bold or quirky print.
The Merchant and Mills Trapeze dress is a similar style and great alternative if you want to skip the frill at the back without having to alter the pattern.
So, here you have our line-up of our favourite dress patterns that would look great in African fabrics. Do you have a favourite go to pattern for Ankara, shweshwe or Adire? Have you already made any of these patterns, even in other fabrics? If so, do share, we would love to see you makes.
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