Sewalong to the VikiSews Milana Dress

Apr 01, 2025

Designer: Catherine Holbrook

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Skill Level: Advanced Beginner

Description: With temperatures warming up across the country, springtime dresses are filling the racks of every store. So why not make a custom one for yourself?! The Olfa Beginner Knife is the perfect tool to have on hand when starting any new project. The safety-inspired blade covering gives you the precision you need to be successful with every cut - especially when seam ripping all of those oopsies seams we sew! Follow along on this tutorial as I show you how you can make your very own Milana Dress in a single afternoon of sewing.

The Milana Dress is a FREE pattern from the designer VikiSews. Made with woven fabric, this flouncy dress is the perfect project for all that fabric you have stashed away in your collection. This tutorial will teach you how to sew the perfect dart without puckering, and how to lengthen the dress to be a midi length, if desired.

Tool & Supplies needed:

Lightweight to medium weight woven fabric that has a touch of structure to it such as: sateen, poplin, linen, eyelet, opaque cotton shirting, batiste. (Yardage based on size, see pattern)

The FREE Milana Dress pattern by Viki Sews will be used for this tutorial and can be downloaded at the link below here.

OLFA RTY-2DX/MAG 45mm Ergonomic Rotary Cutter

OLFA 45mm Tungsten Steel Endurance Rotary Blade

OLFA RM-CLIPS/3-01 35" x 70" Continuous Grid, Double-Sided, Self-Healing Rotary Mat Set

OLFA ESK-1 Beginner Craft Knife with Stand

OLFA QR-6x12 6" x 12" Frosted Acrylic Ruler

OLFA 5-Inch SCS-4 Precision Appliqué Scissors

Prep:

We will begin by printing and assembling the Milana Dress pattern or downloading the Projector File. A projector file will be used for this tutorial.

For this project, you will cut the following pieces:

2 Front Bodice Main and 2 Front Bodice Lining as a mirror image set

2 Back Bodice Main and 2 Back Bodice Lining as a mirror image set

2 Front Neckline Flounces as a mirror image set

2 Back Neckline Flounces as a mirror image set

1 Front Skirt Main and 1 Front Skirt Lining

1 Back Skirt Main and 1 Back Skirt Lining

1 Front Skirt Flounce

1 Back Skirt Flounce

2 Back Ties

2 Armscye Bias Bindings

*If lengthening the skirt to the midi length, slash across the lengthen/shorten line using the beginner craft knife and spread apart by 9 inches. Re-draw the side seams by connecting the lengthen/shorten line to the new bottom edge. DO NOT re-draw by connecting the waist point to the hemline. This will reduce the amount of ease throughout the hips.

*If at any point a seam is sewn incorrectly, the Beginner Craft Knife can be used to seam rip the stitches. Once dull, the blades can be disposed in the container at the bottom of the stand. See olfa.com for where to purchase refills.

Sewing Tutorial:

*Note that the steps listed below vary slightly from the tutorial provided by Viki Sews. This was done to simplify the sewing steps.

Preparing the Pieces and Constructing the Bodice Darts:

Using the 45mm Ergonomic Rotary Cutter and the Continuous Grid Rotary Mat, cut out the pieces listed above. If you are finding your fabric is shifting on you while cutting, the Frosted Acrylic Ruler can help with getting a precise cut!

Transfer all dart markings to the Front Bodice Pieces using a piece of chalk or washable marker. Don’t forget to iron your fabric pieces!

Folding the fabric right sides together, align the dart legs on the front bodice main piece. Press. Starting at the bottom of the dart, sew inward and upward toward the dart apex. Do not backstitch at the dart apex. This will create a possible pucker and unneeded extra stitches. When the dart apex is reached, sew off of the fabric and leave a thread tail.

Tie the thread tails in an overhand knot to secure the stitching at the apex. Snip off excess thread using the Precision Appliqué Scissors.

Press the dart downwards toward the bottom of the bodice. Baste in place. Repeat these steps for all remaining darts on both the main and lining fabric pieces. Be sure to press the darts the opposite direction on the lining pieces.

Place the front and back bodice main pieces right sides together, aligning the shoulders. Sew across the shoulder seam and press the seam allowance open. Repeat for the front and back bodice lining pieces.

Constructing and Finishing the Flounces:

Place the front and back neckline flounce pieces right sides together, aligning the shoulder edges. Note that the shoulder edges are the larger ends. Sew across the shoulder seam and press the seam allowance open.

Finish off the seams using your preferred method. Serging will be shown in this tutorial.

Place the front and back skirt flounce pieces right sides together, aligning the side edges on both ends. This will create one one circular piece of fabric. Sew across the side seams and press the seam allowances open. Finish off the seams.

Finish off the hemline on all flounce pieces using your preferred method. For this tutorial, a narrow hem foot will be used for finishing. This foot allows the fabric to roll over onto itself, resulting in a clean finish and narrow hemline. Press flat.

Attaching the Flounces and Finishing the Bodice:

Using your preferred method, gather the top edge of all flounce pieces. A ruffler foot will be used in this tutorial. This foot gathers the fabric evenly with each stitch, negating the need of hand gathering at the end.

Place the neckline flounce right sides up onto the bodice main pieces, aligning the flounce’s raw edges to the front and back bodice center edges. Ensure the fabric is gathered to the exact opening as the bodice main pieces, matching the shoulder seams. The wrong side of the neckline flounce pieces should be touching the right side of the bodice main pieces (both are facing right sides up). Sew to attach the flounce to the neckline. Note the back flounce will sit 3/8” above the back bottom edge.

With right sides together, sew the front bodice main pieces together at the center front edge. Press the seam allowance open. Repeat with the front bodice lining pieces.

Place the front and back bodice pieces right sides together and sew the side seams. Press the seam allowance open. Repeat with the front bodice lining pieces.

Constructing the Ties:

Fold the back tie piece in half, right sides together. Starting at the point, sew down the entire side edge of the tie piece, leaving the short raw edge open. Trim seam allowance and turn inside out. Press.

Topstitch around the perimeter of the ties at a 1/8” seam allowance. Repeat for remaining tie piece.

With the back bodice main pieces right sides up, place the back ties 3/8” above the bottom edge. The end of the tie should align with the end of the flounce. Ensure the seam on the ties are facing the bottom on the bodice. Stitch in place.

Constructing the Skirt:

Place the front and back skirt main pieces right sides together and align the side seams. Sew to attach the side seams and press seam allowance open. Finish seams.

Repeat with the front and back skirt lining pieces. Finish bottom hem.

With the skirt main facing right sides out, and the gathered skirt flounce facing wrong sides out, slip the gathered skirt flounce over the skirt main aligning the bottom skirt edge. Sew to attach. Finish the seams.

Press the seam allowance towards the skirt and topstitch if desired.

Finishing the Dress with the Lining:

Place the bodice main and bodice lining pieces right sides together aligning neckline edge. Ensure the back ties are sandwiched between the bodice main and lining pieces, and the tail is not caught in any seams. Sew along the neckline and the back bodice hemline to attach. Be sure NOT to sew across the front bodice hemline.

Clip the corners and seam allowance on the curves, and understitch lining if desired. Turn the bodice right sides out. Press.

Baste the bodice main and lining together along the front bodice hemline.

Attach the bias binding along the armscyes according to the pattern instructions.

Place the skirt main and skirt lining pieces right sides together, aligning the top raw edge of the back only. Stitch the back skirt between the side seams, leaving the front skirt top raw edge unsewn.

Flip the skirt right sides out and press the back top edge. Sew another straight line 1/2” from the top edge. This will create an elastic casing to insert your 3/8” elastic into.

Baste the top raw edge of the skirt main and lining. Place the front bodice and skirt front right sides together aligning the front bodice bottom edge with the skirt front top edge. Sew to attach.

Finish the seam allowance and press towards the bodice. Topstiching is recommended to keep in place.

Separating the skirt back main and lining pieces, insert the elastic into the channel you just sewed using a bodkin or safety pin. Secure the elastic at the ends by stitching in the ditch at the side seams.