Mother’s Day is coming up, which means it’s almost time to spoil the mother-figure in your life – and if that means spoiling yourself, well, even better -and being a dog or cat mum definitely does count, actually.
We love days that are especially designed for celebrating our loved ones, and what better day to wear a special dress which you’ve sewn yourself. You could even go all out and sew matching outfits for you and your mum, grandma or daughter!
If you’re not sure which dress to sew, we found lots of dreamy inspiration on Instagram – every sewing pattern has its very own hashtag, making it super easy to see how all of these dresses look on different bodies and sewn in different fabrics. And because we’re just that generous, we’ve included links to all of these hashtags to help get you started.
Here are our favourite gorgeous dresses to sew for Mother’s Day, however and whoever you’re celebrating.
1. The totally frilling Davenport Dress from Friday Pattern Co
Love a bit of a frill? The Davenport Dress is a super cute and casual dress sewing pattern, with ruffles at the shoulders, cuffs and hem – you’d be hard pushed to find a dress with more ruffles! It also features a tie waist, which is perfect for subtly loosening a little if you eat too much French toast, and roomy pockets in case you want to save your French toast for later.
This sewing pattern is suitable for all dressmaking skill levels, and available up to a size 7X, which is a 53” waist.
Head to #DavenportDress to get some inspiration – we think it looks great sewn in heavily patterned fabrics, and especially two different fabrics used together, like Christy’s Davenport Dress – that terracotta and lilac together is an unusual combination, but looks simply delicious.
2. The super twirly Sandeep Dress from By Hand London
With a double layered circle skirt, the Sandeep Dress is the swirliest AND twirliest dress of all time – perfect for swishing around in on Mother’s Day. This sewing pattern is available in sizes UK 2-38, and you’ll need skills such as sewing an invisible zip and darts, so this won’t be one for beginner dressmakers.
The close-fitting bodice with angel sleeves and full skirt make it an incredibly flattering style, and can look both wildly glamorous or a little more relaxed, depending on the fabric you choose to sew with.
Take a look at #BHLSandeep for some fabric inspiration – we really love Sarah’s Sandeep dress for a bold, colourful floral look, and Becky’s royal blue satin Sandeep dress is ideal for fancy occasion wear.
3. The unusual asymmetric Homer + Howells Ingrid Dress
If you like sewing and wearing garments that are a little less run-of-the-mill, the Homer + Howells Ingrid Dress is the sewing pattern for you. The asymmetric style is so unique, and is actually very straightforward to sew despite it looking complicated. It’s modeled here by the inspirational dressmaker and sewing teacher Victoria.
We had the pleasure of testing out the Homer + Howells Ingrid Dress sewing pattern before they released it. Reading all our top tips for sewing this super cool sewing pattern is essential before you embark on this project, check out our blog post Must-have Homer + Howells Ingrid Dress.
“It is suitable for confident beginners – you will learn how to do pockets, facings and gathers, so from a technical point of view, it is absolutely a pleasure to sew.”
This indie sewing pattern is available in UK sizes 6-24, with various sleeve and hem styles to choose from. Check out the #HHIngrid hashtag for some inspiration – just look at this stunning Ingrid Dress sewn by Liz in a bold and colourful Nerida Hansen fabric.
4. The collar-ful Sharon Dress from Viki Sews
The pointed collar detail along with the puffed sleeves and short length make the Sharon Dress by Viki Sews so cute. It’s a semi-fitted style, so it fits around the body and flares out flatteringly with pleats on the skirt.
The Sharon dress sewing pattern is available in UK size 6-18 and is aimed at intermediate sewists as you’ll need skills such as sewing buttons and elastic, so it’s best if you have a little stitchin’ experience under your belt before tackling this sewing project.
For a more subtle look, you could match the collar to the rest of the dress fabric, or keep it more striking with a colour contrast. We love this pink on green Sharon dress that Katrin sewed. Head to the #vikisews_шерон hashtag for a bunch more inspiring images of this sewing pattern in action, and #vikisews_sharon has a few lovely posts too.
5. The loose and lovely Florence Dress from Merchant & Mills
One for the capsule wardrobe lovers and those who like versatile items of clothing that are easy to chuck on and go – the Merchant & Mills Florence Dress. This sewing pattern is really cool, minimal and casual, and can be made as a top or midi dress.
The sweet, swingy style with button details and a high-low gathered detail make the Florence Dress really special and yet super wearable. Lightweight fabrics are best for this one – we think it looks incredible sewn in linen, with its slightly creased look.
We’ve sewn the top version of the Florence sewing pattern, and you can read our thoughts, tips and tricks on our blog, Sewing Florence by Merchant & Mills in vertical jersey.
This sewing pattern is suitable for beginner to intermediate dressmakers – bear in mind that you’ll need skills such as buttons and gathers, but otherwise it’s very straightforward. Available in UK sizes 6-18.
Browse the #MMFlorence hashtag for loads of beautiful inspiration. We absolutely love Elona’s mossy green linen Florence Dress – I can almost feel those soft crumples – and Netty’s Florence Dress hack is just so cute.
6. The effortlessly comfy Lyra Dress from Tilly and the Buttons
If you’re looking for an ultra-cool and casual dress to wear on Mother’s Day, the Lyra Dress could be the one for you to sew. It’s a versatile oversized shirt dress, which can be made as a midi or knee-length dress, as well as having varying sleeve lengths and tie waist options.
Available in UK sizes 6-34, with a skill level of “improver” – you’ll need skills such as buttons, gathering and using elastic.
Tilly and the Buttons also has an awesome helpful blog and sewalongs full of tips and tricks, making it extra easy to tackle their sewing patterns.
The hashtag #SewingLyra is crammed with Lyra Dresses sewn in so many gorgeous fabrics – and they all look amazing. The collar hack and crochet trim on Debbie’s Lyra Dress is extra dreamy though!
Which dress will you be sewing for Mother’s Day brunch? All of these sewing patterns are really versatile and perfect for many occasions, so make sure to pin this blog post for future projects.
If you’re feeling eager to sew but need to add some eco-friendly fabrics and haberdashery goodies to your stash, check out the Good Fabric guide to shopping sustainable fabrics and sewing supplies.
