paper sewing pattern for the dress and top Danaïde by Instinct sewing (sizes 32 to 52)

Danaïde is a dress (or top) with a halter neckline, both elegant and easy to wear every day. Its clean lines and structured bib make it an ideal garment for warm weather, reinvented depending on the fabrics, colours and prints.

Danaïde is all about customisation, with several options to create a unique design:

• three lengths: a top, a short dress or a long dress,
• three fastening options: buttoned at the back, tied at the back or tied at the side,
• a delicate slit, optional at the front and/or back,
• a small ruffle at the neckline for a romantic and refined look,
• and a bib that lends itself to contrasting colours and fabrics.

The long version features a gathered ruffle starting at the hips, creating a modern and fluid low-waisted silhouette.

And Danaïde’s greatest asset? The upper part of the garment is lined for beautiful finishes.

When sewing Danaïde, you will learn how to:
 Sew stay stitches
 Sew a slit
 Sew a bib
 Create gathers
 Attach a gathered ruffle

Danaïde is fitted over the upper bust before flaring out generously. For a beautiful drape, choose your size according to your upper bust measurement (measured just under the armpits), rather than your full bust measurement. The gathers then provide all the ease needed to accommodate the bust.
If you are between two sizes, choose the smaller one so that the upper part of the garment stays nicely fitted against the body. If your hip measurement corresponds to a size larger than your upper bust measurement, the garment’s ease means you should not need to grade between sizes.

Materials

Top:
sizes 32 to 44:
• 80 cm of fabric (140 cm wide)
sizes 46 to 52:
• 110 cm of fabric (140 cm wide)

Short dress:
sizes 32 to 38:
• 115 cm of fabric (140 cm wide)
sizes 40 to 52:
• 180 cm of fabric (140 cm wide)

Long dress:
sizes 32 to 44:
• 220 cm of fabric (140 cm wide)
sizes 46 to 52:
• 270 cm of fabric (140 cm wide)

All versions:
sizes 32 to 46:
• 60 cm of lining (140 cm wide)
sizes 48 to 52:
• 110 cm of lining (140 cm wide)

In addition to the fabric, you will need:
• 30 cm of interfacing (140 cm wide)
Slit version:
• 70 cm of fusible stay tape
Buttoned version:
• 2 buttons (Ø 10 mm)
• 5 cm of elastic loop tape

Danaïde is designed for a lightweight woven fabric suited to warm weather. Depending on the desired look, you can choose a more fluid or more structured fabric. The more body the fabric has, the more volume the garment will have around the gathers and in its fullness. For a fluid and lightweight version, choose viscose, tencel, linen-viscose or lightweight crepe. For a more structured version, opt for cotton poplin or linen. The bib is perfect for playing with contrasts: you can make it in a different fabric or colour from the rest of the design. As the dress and top are lined, Danaïde can be sewn in a slightly sheer fabric. Choose a fine, comfortable lining fabric, such as cotton voile, viscose or lightweight crepe.

Level: 3/5

Time: 3/5

The Danaïde Dress offers different levels of sewing difficulty depending on the version you make. The various diagrams in the booklet, along with the video tutorial available on the YouTube channel, will guide you through making your dress or top!