When seasons change and the mornings and evenings start to get cool, it is nice to have a coat that can be casually worn. As the weather shifts from autumn to winter, this coat can be buttoned-up to be worn as a dress. Whether you enjoy it as a coat or a dress, it is a handy piece of clothing to have. cocca’s original fabric, the paper flower is a canvas material with rayon’s distinctive smooth texture that is perfect to use throughout the year. The retro-looking flower pattern that looks like a collection of long thin paper tapes is quite impactful! This dress will definitely make your fall styling more fun.

We interviewed Anriko about her creation:
Kokka Fabric (KF): What did you think of the fabric you used for this project?
It is a stylish fabric with a retro feel. I created a dress that enhances this retro look. While the fabric is a combination of linen and rayon, it is easy to handle and irons well, so it is not intimidating for the sewing beginners.

KF: Can you tell us any special elements or ideas that you incorporated into this creation?
I aimed to make a versatile piece of clothing for the change of the seasons; something that can be worn before you start wearing a heavy coat. When you button up the front of this garment, it can be worn as a dress. A loose-fitting style with relaxed sleeves allows you to layer with other pieces of clothing inside.

KF: What are some tips for making this dress?
There are no difficult locations for machine sewing, however you may find it challenging to sew the curves along the neckline if you are not used to it. Using many pins might help. As the neckline is very visible, hand stitches are used for the backside to be safe.

KF: How should we incorporate this dress into one’s styling?
I couldn’t decide until the last minute whether to use a tube skirt, this fall’s fashion item, for the photo with the model. A heavy-looking styling with a long skirt or wide-legged pants will also work well. As fall wears on, you may try a knee-length skirt and color tights for a cute look.

KF: Thank you very much, Anriko! Here are sewing instructions along with step by step photos from her. Enjoy crafting!

1.

The excess of the front hem is cut to keep it thin. This idea becomes handy when you want to adjust the dress length. While some instructions suggest trimming it when you cut the fabric, I prefer to trim it right before sewing. This way, you could make a minor adjustment with an iron.

2.

Once the shoulders are sewn together, make the collar. Make sure to properly fix the shape of the front edge using an iron so that the following process becomes easier.

3.

All the parts are sewn together. The pocket was cut in a bias. It is a good way to combine the fabrics with hard to align motifs. The sleeve cuff is sewn altogether, finished with zigzag stitches. If you prefer, like you did for the collar, you may hand stitch the backside.

4.

When hand stitching the backside of the collar, please be careful not to get the fabric shrunk up with the front side. Having extra pins helps avoid this from happening.

5.

Instead of the buttons that require buttonholes, snap fasteners are used. If you prefer to use buttons, that is fine, too. Also the snaps can be used. Though they need to be hand stitched, it is good to use as it can be concealed.

◎Sewing Instructions

◎Sewing Instructions (PDF format / A4 size)

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