A DIY Lace Little Black Dress for the Holidays

Outfit Details:

Lace Dress made by me (similar here), Similar Earrings, Nude Pumps, Similar Black Clutch, Maybelline Red Lipstick in “Brick Red“

A little black dress is a MUST for holiday parties, especially those ones where you just don’t know what to wear. An LBD is usually a fail safe outfit choice!

I’ve been wanting to make one for a few years now, and finally I landed on the right design and the right fabric from Fabric.com.

I’m absolutely obsessed with how this dress turned out. I found this lace on Fabric.com and instantly knew it had to be a LBD.

I’m sharing the step by step instructions to make it down at the bottom of the post so you can make one for your holiday parties too!

Note: I do not provide printable patterns for my tutorials. I create patterns from my own clothing using this tutorial. You can also find my online sewing course here!

Here’s what you’ll need:

3 yards lace fabric
2 1/2 yards lining fabric (I used a black double knit)
20-22″ black invisible zipper
matching thread

Step 1.

1. First cut your pattern pieces. You’ll need to cut all these pieces (except the sleeves) out of your lace and lining fabric. You’ll need a BODICE FRONT (cut on the folded edge), 2 BODICE BACK pieces, 2 SLEEVES (cut along the folded edge), and a big rectangular piece for the skirt (the measurements for the skirt are so individual since it depends on how big you want your pleats as well as your size. But it should be roughly your waist measurement x 4 (you might need to sew a few pieces of fabric/lining together to make a piece this wide), and as long as you want).

2. Take your BODICE FRONT pieces (lining and fabric), and pin them right sides together along the neckline. Sew around the scoop with a straight stitch, turn the pieces right side out, and press in place. Then, as if your lace and lining were just one piece, sew darts into your BODICE FRONT piece.

Repeat for the BODICE BACK and BODICE BACK LINING pieces, but don’t add darts.

3. Sew the BODICE FRONT and two BODICE BACK pieces (and their linings) together at the shoulder seams (with right sides together).

4. Now it’s time to attach the sleeves. Line up the top of the sleeve with the bodice shoulder seam (as shown) with right sides together. Pin in place.

5. Continue pinning the sleeve to the bodice, and then sew along the arm hole with a straight stitch. Repeat for the second sleeve.

6. With right sides together, sew the sides of the bodice up with a straight stitch.

7. Take your skirt piece and pleat the entire thing. I made my pleats roughly 2 1/2 inches wide. Pin them all in place and then sew in place with a basting stitch.

10. Take your pleated skirt (which should just be a big rectangle of fabric that is now pleated) and pin it to the bodice with right sides together, as shown. Sew across the entire waistline circumference, attaching the skirt to the bodice.

11. Insert your zipper following the instructions on the package, and then sew up the remaining opening of the dress. Finally, hem the bottom of the dress and the sleeves to your desired length, press all your seams, and you’re done!

thank you to fabric.com for sponsoring this post