Sew Over It Portia Dress

Buy the Portia Dress sewing pattern from Sew Over It. Portia is a fitted dress designed for knits, giving you a stylish slinky silhouette with all the comfort of jersey fabric. The focal point is the twist at the front, which looks fancy but is so easy to construct. The twist sits just under the bust creating beautiful draping in the fabric. The bodice features a dropped shoulder, and the loose sleeve ends below the elbow, where it’s brought in at the hem with narrow elastic.

Make your Portia in a solid colour, or have fun with colour blocking and go half and half at the front and back. Pick between two lengths: just above or just below the knee. The shorter version makes a great party dress, especially if you make it in a sparkly jersey like the black glitter version in the image gallery (worn over a slip).

Portia can be as casual or as dressy as like, depending on your choice of fabric, footwear and accessories. This dress looks equally great worn with trainers or heels, as well as with tights and boots in the colder months.

This sewing pattern is available to buy in the following formats:

– PDF (available to download immediately after purchase). What is a PDF?

– PDF pattern + Printed A0 copy shop (We print out the A0 pattern sheets, but you’ll need to download the digital instructions, as we don’t print these. The PDF files will be emailed immediately after purchase, and the A0 pattern sheets will be dispatched next working day). What is Copy Shop?

Note if purchasing copy shop printing: One of the pattern pieces has been split (to fit on the A0 sheet) and will need to be joined together.

Suggested fabrics: Light to medium weight knit fabrics such as viscose or bamboo jersey and lightweight cotton jersey.

Fabric requirements: All fabric requirements are for the longer length. If you’d like to make the shorter length, you can use 10 cm less fabric.

Sizes 6 – 20

Version 1 (this is the amount needed for each colour): 1.15 m wide fabric: 1.25 - 1.5 m // 1.40 m wide fabric: 1.25 m.

Version 2: 1.15 m wide fabric: 2.7 - 3 m // 1.40 m wide fabric: 2.7 m.

Sizes 18 – 30

Version 1 (this is the amount needed for each colour): 1.15 m wide fabric: 1.7 - 2 m // 1.40 m wide fabric: 1.5 - 1.6 m.

Version 2: 1.15 m wide fabric: 3.2 - 3.7 m // 1.40 m wide fabric: 2.7 - 2.9 m.

Sizing: UK 6 – 20 and UK 18 – 30 (approx. UK 6 – 20 and UK 20 – 32, based on our standardised size chart). Please also check the designer’s size charts and finished garment measurements.

This pattern is split into two different blocks. The 6 – 20 size range is drafted for a B cup. The 18 – 30 size range is drafted for a D cup.

Notions: 1 m of 1 cm wide or narrower elastic.

PDF pattern includes: Instructions; A4 print-at-home pattern (28 pages for sizes 6-20, 37 pages for sizes 18-30); US letter print-at-home pattern (35 pages for sizes 6-20, 37 pages for sizes 18-30); A0 copy shop pattern (2 sheets for sizes 6-20, 2 sheets for sizes 18-30) // Layers: Yes // Projector file: No.

If you’re looking for more maker inspiration, check out the latest sewing pattern reviews from the sewing community. We also have a sewing blog to keep you up to date with all the news from the world of sewing.