SEWING CLUB PODCAST EP 20 | INES DRESS

Happy New Year sewing folks! We are back, somewhat refreshed, with a shiny new episode of Sewing Club Podcast for you. Episode 20 is a banger! We took a deep dive into the Just Patterns Ines Dress; a classic, uber flattering, highly modifiable pattern just waiting to become your next day-wear-night-wear wardrobe staple...

Pattern: Ines Dress by Just Patterns

Fabric: Cotton Twill with elastin from The Fabric Store  

Gem and I had this pattern in our minds for the good part of 2025! We both had a different vision for the dress and knew it would be super customisable to each of our wardrobes, style and bodies... 

There's a lot of sewing involved in this pattern! It's simple, in that there's nothing too crazy in terms of technique, but there are a lot of panels, as you can see. The end result is definitely worth it. It did take a very long time from start to finish; even just the cutting took ages because I shortened every panel to fit my torso. I broke the construction down into stages to tackle all the parts without overwhelm. Shortening pattern pieces, cutting, marking and sewing. It was super quick to put the panels together because of excellent grading and notch marking. Otherwise, it was a big sew... 

The fabric was exactly what I had in mind and I found exactly what I was after at The Fabric Store. A true black cotton, almost a light drill, with a tiny bit of stretch in it. The stretch part is helpful in getting the fit you want. I was envisioning a black dress with white stitching, based on one of the sample garments on the Just Patterns website; a denim piece with jeans topstitching! 

I'd decided before making this that I would be modifying the neckline to be squared off at the front and the back with wide adjustable straps, the adjustable part being the main thing so that I could have the perfect strap length always, but also to add a casual vibe. Once I had put all the panels together and added an invisible zipper, then it was fitting time. I put the dress on inside out and worked out where I could take in any areas that were necessary, pinning it myself. I didn't really have to make any changes to the back, it was mostly fitting the front. I tried to take in a little from each panel so that they would remain nicely spaced out. 

There was so much topstitching that I ended up using a different sewing machine foot, the Bernina Foot #5, usually used for blindstitching because it has a guide which sits in the 'ditch' of the seam and makes for a very neat first line. I then used the regular foot for the second line of stitching to get it parallel. Normally I eyeball topstitching but because of the contrast thread and because there's so much toptstitching, I knew I wanted it to be very straight. 

I really love the end result, and particularly that it can be dressed up or down (see below). I can see this piece becoming a well loved, high rotation dress for Australian Summers and could even layer it with a tee for Winter. 

You can listen to Sewing Club Episode #20 on Spotify,  Apple Podcasts or Audible (insert other favourite poddy platform). Here you'll find the show notes and we'll reveal the pattern for Episode #21 so do join with us in sewing along at home! 

Be sure to check out Gem's classic chambray number over at Sewing Gem

Want to sew your very own Ines Dress? Enjoy a discount off the pattern with code: SEWINGCLUBPODCAST 

Please contact Delphine for all discount / code related enquiries.