Sewing Tutorial: Audrey Mini Dress

A simple fitted mini dress tutorial, the Audrey Mini Dress is another easy wardrobe staple to sew up in a couple of hours. The style is fitted on the bust waist and hips and features a low back for something a little more special. This style is fully lined and closes with a center back invisible zipper. Straps are adjustable with links to instructions or can be made fixed if desired.
Dress length(measured from CF neck to hem)
6/XS 68cm
10/M 70.5cm
14/XL 73cm
This style is great for a beginner sewer learning to sew an invisible zipper with lining.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions in the comments below if you need. I’m here to help. So let’s get started.

To begin you will need the following things

Materials

• Audrey Mini Dress paper pattern
• 0.8-1.2m fabric
• 0.8-1.2m lining fabric
• 15-20cm Invisible zipper
• 2 x Ring and Slider
• cotton thread (enough to also thread your overlocker)
• stick tape

Tools

• scissors
• pins
• loop turner
• sewing machine with a regular and invisible zipper foot
• overlocker
• iron

Tips

• Ensure your fabric is washed, dried, and pressed before you start cutting. There is nothing worse than washing your beautiful garment and it shrinks, or even more annoying the lining shrinks and the main doesn’t so it’s all pulled out and shape and is unwearable.

Step 1 

Cut all main and lining pieces accurately on the correct grain, ensuring all notches are clipped.

Beginner tip* If you can afford to purchase a rotary cutter and cutting mat, I find this more accurate and time-efficient. 

Step 2 

Sew straps, trim seam allowance and turn through. Press then top stitch if desired.

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Step 3 

Attach slider and ring then set aside.
(Instructions of how to attach ring and slider with images can be found here)

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Step 4 

Sew bust darts on main and lining of front bodice and front and back skirt. Press darts inwards and
down.

Beginner tip* If needed you can draw the dart lines onto the fabric with dressmaker’s chalk to ensure you sew a neat straight dart.

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Step 5 

Sew bodice and skirt together on front and back waist ensuring darts line up. Overlock and press
down. At the same time, overlock side seam edges and CB edges.

Beginner tip* In the following steps ensure your lining is facing the correct way. You want to be able to turn your garment inside out and see no seam allowances. So main fabric seam allowances will face inwards and lining seam allowances will face outwards.

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Step 6 

Insert invisible zipper into CB seam, close bottom seam form the bottom of the zipper to the hem, overlock, and press open.

Beginner tip* Main can be attached to the zipper first and then the lining for beginners or in one stitch for more advanced sewers.

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If you need extra help sewing the invisible zipper, there is a more in-depth tutorial here.

Step 7 

Sew front and back side seams together of main together and then lining together then press open.

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Step 8 

Pin straps into position on main, on front and back of dress ensuring they are not twisted.

Step 9 

Attach main and lining together on the front and back along top edge of the dress.

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Step 10 

Turn garment through and sew hem on main and lining.

The Audrey Mini Dress is now complete. How did you go? Let me know in the comments below if you needed extra help. Invisible zippers can be tricky but you will get better the more you sew them, so don’t be disheartened.

We also have a number of other patterns where you can practice your sewing skills available for purchase here.

I’d love to see your creations, either drop an image in the comments below or tag me on Instagram at @at_the_seams_patterns

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