Meet Copen, an easy-to-sew shift dress and top pattern from Made to Sew.
Copen is a simple, versatile shift dress or top designed with a classic scoop neckline, 3/4-length sleeves and optional waist darts. Leave the waist darts unsewn for a relaxed silhouette, or sew them for a little more shaping through the waist.
Copen was originally designed as part of our Made to Sew teaching series and has since been updated with an expanded size range and updated pattern files.
Copen is relatively quick to sew while incorporating lots of useful dressmaking techniques. Depending on the version you make, you’ll learn how to sew darts and contour darts, insert an invisible zip, set in sleeves, finish seam allowances and attach and understitch a professional facing.
It’s a particularly useful project if you’re moving beyond your first few sewing projects and want to practise garment construction techniques that you’ll use again and again.
I’ve created a complete step-by-step Copen sewing tutorial on the Made to Sew YouTube channel. The tutorial takes you through the construction process from stabilising the neckline and sewing the darts through to inserting the invisible zip, attaching the facing, setting in the sleeves and hemming your finished garment.
The simple shape makes Copen a useful starting point for experimenting with different fabrics and finishes. Make the dress or top version, choose whether to sew the waist darts, and use the pattern as a foundation for developing your dressmaking skills.
