Kaftan cover up dress - tutorial

Kaftan cover up dress – tutorial

A kaftan dress or cover up dress is the perfect choice to wear over your bikini or swimsuit.
Light, airy and loose-fitting – ideal for a walk on the beach and a stop at a cozy cafe.
It gently floats around you, protects from the sun and is comfortable.
Easy to put on and instantly dressed, without compromising on comfort or style.

Do you want to make one (or more) with me? 😉
I’ll happily take you through the tutorial of the Lana kaftan dress.
It’s quick and easy to make, plus you get the pattern for free with the purchase of another Bel’Etoile pattern 😉
(valid in July and August 2025)

Requirements

–Lana pattern
-sewing machine
-optionally overlocker
-cute summer fabric such as terry cloth, viscose, broderie cottons, seersucker, crepe, etc.
-ribbon for neckline
-matching yarn

As always my machines are the BERNINA 480 with Three-Sole Walking Foot with Seam Guide #50 and the BERNINA L 890.

BERNINA L 890

The L 890 is perfectly suited for working with all types of fabrics, including knits as well as wovens. With One-Step BERNINA Air Threader ✓ Intuitive operation via touch screen ✓ Fast, precise & quiet ✓ Manufactured by BERNINA ✓ 100% designed and engineered in Switzerland ✓

Learn more

Three-Sole Walking Foot with Seam Guide #50

With three soles for sewing, quilting and topstitching ✓ Perfect fabric feed and even stitch formation ✓ Seam guides help you sew with precision ✓ Materials that are stretchy or tend to stick ✓

Learn more

BERNINA 480

The B 480 is made for all sewers and hobby tailors who love beautiful design but also sophisticated automatic features. A brilliantly simple machine.

Learn more

Tutorial

First follow the preparatory steps that you will find as information with the pattern, then you can start immediately below.

1.Shoulder seams

Finish the shoulder seams with your overlocker or with a zigzag stitch.

Pin shoulder seams of front and back together, right sides facing each other.

Stitch shoulder seams and iron open.

2.Neckline

Take your bias tape (ready-made or cut from your fabric) and fold it in half, right sides together.

Pin and stitch the short side.

Iron the seam open.

Fold and iron in half again, wrong sides together.

Slide the neckband over the neckline of the kaftan dress, the unfinished sides of the neckline are aligned with the neckline.

Pin center front and center back of neckband to center front and center back of neckline.

Also pin in between.

Stitch in place at 1cm from the edge.
Trim the seam allowance of your neckline to 5mm and make small clip in the curve of the remaining seam allowance.

Fold up the neckband and with it the underlying seam allowance.
Topstitch the neckline at 2mm from the edge, all around (see dotted line in the photo below).
This way you will also stitch the seam allowance to the neckband.

Now fold the neckband all the way to the inside of the neckline, it is not visible on the outside of the neckline.
Stitch the neckband into place at 2mm from the edge, all around (see dotted line in the photo below)
Optionally, you can add a label as a fun detail.

3.Side seams and hems

Fold and iron the side seams and hems 1cm to the inside and then another 1cm.
You do this all around your entire kaftan dress.

Stitch all around at 2mm from the edge and iron.

4.Attaching shirring elastic

In preparation, you have already made the indication for the placement of your elastic.
You are now going to pin your elastic in place and then stitch it into place while pulling it.
The steps below are for the front piece, repeat for the back.

Mark the center of your elastic.

Pin the end of the elastic between the 2 marked lines on 1 side of the front panel.

Then pin the center of the elastic to the center of your front piece.

Finish by pinning the other end of the elastic to the other side of the front piece.

Time to stretch your elastic and stitch it in place at the same time :-).

Start by stitching in the top and then bottom row of your elastic.
Then you can finish in between, it’s much easier this way.

Backstitch well, and pull your elastic as you stitch with a larger stitch length (+/- 3).

Stop regularly to check if you are pulling hard enough to evenly reach the center of your elastic.
This takes a little practice, but once you get the hang of it, it goes quickly and easily.

Next, work from the center of your elastic toward the end in the same way.