The Assembly Line Cuff Dress

I started sewing because I had trouble finding clothes that fit, and there’s always something wrong with ready-to-wear garments! Don’t you think? I started learning fabric design for a similar reason. Sometimes I just can’t find what I’m looking for in terms of colours, weight, substrate, and prints. I’m not a designer by training and I can’t draw, but that doesn’t stop me from creating my own prints. It’s very time-consuming and costly, but the sense of satisfaction is next level!

I made this rainbow balloon print a while ago and finally figured out what I want to make with it – The Assembly Line Cuff Dress! So I got it printed on cotton sateen by Spoonflower. I reckon the print, the fabric, and the pattern worked perfectly together. It turned out very nicely.

Here’s a closer look at the print. I know it’s not for everyone but it’s exactly how I liked it. I also made it with a pink background, in a pastel colour combo, and with and without strings. I just love playing with colours! I would spend days and weeks tweaking the colours and scaling. The slightly unpredictable nature of fabric printing and the loooong wait for test prints to arrive really reminds me of one of my previous obsessions, analog photography. It’s just so much fun!

You can find some of my designs in my Spoonflower shop.

Now, back to the Cuff Dress! Like all other TAL patterns, the Cuff Dress is a simple but elegant pattern.The pattern comes in 3 size ranges, catering for bust measurement from 80cm to 138cm, and waist from 64 – 126cm. It’s drafted for an average height of 168cm (that’s me! 😆).

It’s loose-fitting so there’s nothing tricky about it. The dress is shaped by elastic sleeve cuffs and waist. I love the blousy bodice created by the elasticised waistband.

I made a size XS, no adjustments apart from taking 1″ off the skirt length as I prefer it to fall just below the knees instead of midi. It just has a button closure at the centre back neckline, perfect for beginner sewists. The sewing process is straightforward, you do need to be mindful of the varying seam allowances. E.g., the neckline is sewn with a 5mm seam allowance. If you missed that and stitched it at 1cm, then your neckline will end up too wide.

I love this dress a lot. It’s fun, comfortable, and very, very special! You know what? It goes with shoes in any colour 😝. If it’s not the perfect dress, I don’t know what is.