If you're after a pretty make, our new Cassie Dress is for you! With her fully shirred bodice, bound neckline, gathered tier skirt and gently puffed sleeves, Cassie is one for the cottagecore lovers out there. This shirr-tactic dress is available to buy as a PDF Pattern and is also included with our Make a shirred dress: Cassie Dress Workshop on Stitch School!
Choose between two sleeve lengths: just above the elbow, or full length, both styles include an elasticated hem. Cassie is midi length, but you could omit the second skirt tier to make her knee-length, if you prefer. Additional elastic is sewn in at the waist, to ensure your pretty dress maintains its shape.
With no closures and the shirring in the bodice, you get the versatility of a woven fabric, with the comfort of a knit!
In the Stitch School workshop Becca will go through every step of making the Cassie Dress, with special focus on the shirring technique. We’ll show how to set up your machine, talk about bobbin tension, stitch length and troubleshooting. You will sew a shirred panel first, then cut out the bodice pieces, essentially creating your own fabric before putting the dress together.
We’ll talk about different shirring patterns you can try, other than the standard lines you might be used to, show you some examples, and even explore the jazzy stitches on your sewing machine, like flowers and stars. You’ll be a shirring expert by the end of the class, and be able to apply this new skill to other patterns too. Why not use a fun shirring stitch on the back of the Siena Dress on the cuffs of the Aida Dress?
After the shirring is done, we’ll construct the Cassie Dress and cover all the important points, like handling shirred fabric, setting in puffed sleeves, binding a neckline and hand-sewing it in place, and the gathering for the skirt panels.
The Cassie Dress comes in sizes UK 6-30 and the pattern and workshop are aimed at Confident Beginners. We recommend using lightweight woven fabrics such as cotton lawn, cotton voile, viscose, rayon, or crepe. The version Chloe is wearing is made in a light cotton gingham and Lisa's sample was made in a viscose.
If you're a Premium Stitch School subscriber, great news, you automatically have access to our workshop and pattern! If you haven't joined us on Stitch School yet, why not? Sign up for a Premium Subscription to enjoy the Cassie Dress workshop and pattern and much more teaching content for £15 a month.
We can't wait to see your versions of the Cassie Dress, make sure to tag us on Instagram and use hashtags #soicassiedress and #soistitchschool.
Watch Lisa and Rosie chat about our new class and pattern on YouTube and get inspired by our Cassie Pinterest board.
Get the pattern!