Our new Rae Dress pattern
Today we’re launching our latest pattern – the Rae Dress.
A deep hem gives this pull-on, knee-length shift a subtle lantern shape and an elasticated neckline provides a soft gathering detail.
Other design features include forward side seams and inseam pockets with topstitch detail.
The pattern includes two options. View A is sleeveless with bound armholes and View B has soft elbow length sleeves with gathered hems that mirror the neckline.
This dress is versatile, trans-seasonal and can be made up in linen, cotton poplin, lightweight wool and lightweight denim. Our two versions here are made up in Bedford Cayenne and Bedford Army linen.
The Rae Dress comes in (Australian) sizes 6-18 and is now available in both hardcopy and PDF copy shop/print-at-home versions. All sizes are included in the pattern.
If you’d like this style as a top, stay tuned because we’re releasing a separate top pattern in the very near future. The body is different and there’ll be three sleeve options as well.
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Love the new dress pattern!
Looks lovely. Given the nature of the pockets and the short distance between pockets and hem, does the pattern have shortening and lengthening line/facility without losing the tulip shape?
Yes we have included this in the pattern, the shortening or lengthening needs to occur at the seam where dress meets the hem band.
Are you really going to ignore the size inclusivity discussion?
Waiting with baited breath for more larger sized patterns from you please!!!!!!
Wished it was in larger sizes.
? so disappointed once again by the limited size range 6-18!
As always, I love the pattern but am shut out in the cold by the restricted sizing.
I don’t understand why some patterns are released in a plus size and not all your patterns !
So disappointing, there are only so many Milenda dresses one can make before being classed as having OCD! ?
Hi Kay, Helen, Lesley and SJ,
Thank you all for your comments. We will offer and expand some of our Tessuti patterns, only when we can and within our capabilities. My mum Silva and I work on our patterns together in between many other work commitments. Our aim is to continue to offer a product that we are confident will give the best result.
Presently we’re working on size expansion of some existing patterns and we hope to release these soon.
best regards
Colette
Great design, just the style I’ve been looking for, now i just need to decide on the colour.
Hi Colette ,
Thanks for the update! From experience I can say that your pattern grading to include an expended range of sizes always gives excellent results! Hopefully the wait won’t be too long!
Thank you Colette for the update on the pattern sizing question, I am so pleased that there will be more coming through the upgrade process.
I just love your patterns, they are my first choice for most everything I now make, and just to note, Sylvia always looks stunning in her creations, have I said I love your designs!
Thank you.
Love this! Could I gather and bind neckline and sleeves instead of using elastic? Am worried if I do this it might not go over my head.
Hi Helen,
Trust the pattern, don’t worry this will go over anyone’s head. I’m modelling the dress in these images and your head can’t be bigger than mine! Gathering and binding the neck will give a totally different look and will not have as much ease as this version. Give it a try, you may be pleasantly surprised!
regards
Colette
Love this dress and have already purchased the hard copy. I was such a fan of the Sylva Guanta label – had it in my shop years ago as I have retired – so I am very excited to learn that Sylva is part of the pattern designing. Well done.
That’s wonderful to hear, it’s a small world. We’re excited to be releasing a selection of patterns from the Silva Guanta range. Stay tuned!
regards
Colette
Just purchased! What is the seam allowance? I’m not seeing it on the instructions. Thank you
Hi Christianne. Please read the instructions carefully and use the seam allowances specified in the pattern at each step.
Hi! This looks wonderful, I have a question on a SBA. I haven’t done one before without a darted pattern. What do you suggest for reducing the width/length through the bust? I can always grade sizes between the bust and waist and hip, but I still usually have too much fabric pooling in the middle.
Hi Heidi,
Just because you don’t see a visible dart it doesn’t mean there isn’t bust shaping in this area. As is the case with some of our pattern styles that don’t have visible bust darts (some others do), this is a design choice and the dart has been closed and the dart has been transferred elsewhere in the dress (eg. armhole, hemline etc) We recommend you make a muslin first to see if you need one, then if you do get in touch with us via email with images, and more details etc to tessutifabrics@gmail.com
Love that you have done the pattern with a sleeve option . Its a beauty.
I am in Napier NZ, downloaded the pattern and made the sleeveless dress in a linen. It is fabulous and required no alterations. about to make the sleeved version. Your patterns are fabulous and suit the older woman of which I am one.
Thankyou
So happy to hear that Christina. Thank you!
Love the pattern but I can’t understand Step 14 “stay stitch raw edges together ” of hem band. I’m obviously misunderstanding but if raw edges of the hem band are stitched together, I can’t attach it to the dress. Can anyone help me pls? Thank you!
Hi Yvette. As detailed in step 14, you need to stay stitch the raw edges of the hem band together (it’s a double hem with the folded edge at the hem line). Then, in step 15, the hem band (the raw edges that were sewn together previously) is then pinned to the hemline of the dress, and seam overlocked together. Send us an email fabrics@tessuti.com.au if you need any further assistance.
I love the dress, made it in a buffalo check linen tencel blend with a stripe band. But I find that the neckline is always riding up too high as I wear it. I’ve loosened the elastic but still, it tends to want to choke me. Is there a way to fix it? I’m wondering if re-cutting the neckline shape would help. I hope I can fix it, because I really do love this dress and don’t wear it that often because of the neckline problem.
I did a review on it on my YT channel, you can find that here: https://youtu.be/5xr8WTOH94o
Hi Jen,
Thank you for the query and for the lovely review on YouTube.
For our Rae Dress patterns, it’s very important to use a soft and very stretchy narrow elastic on the neckline. The elastic used can make a big difference. Using an elastic that is too thick or firm, can cause it to be too tight.
Our suggestion would be to change your elastic and try inserting a soft narrower 6mm elastic (instead of 9mm), if you feel the neckline sits too high. Or try cutting the elastic larger, so there are less gathers.
If that doesn’t solve the issue for you, you could lower the neckline at centre front by no more than 2.5cm (1″) and reblend at the shoulder line. Note you will have to redraft the front neck facing accordingly.
Let us know how you go