The New Look 6022 Dress Pattern

This week I am trying one of the “Big Four” patterns. The New Look 6022 Dress Pattern was sent to me as part of the #patternswap19 challenge on Instagram. This pattern is marked as being ‘easy’ on the front, but just how easy is it for a complete beginner? I decided to make it and find out.

The New Look 6022 Dress Pattern

I can never get enough of little summer dresses, and the New Look 6022 dress pattern looks like a very simple dress, perfect for the summer.

It is marketed as an ‘easy’ pattern. And has 3 sleeve options.

• A gathered sleeve
• a cap sleeve
• sleeveless.

You can have a tie waist, or a contrast band to the hem of the dress. It is a pull over the head style, with no zips, just a button and loop to the back of the neck.

Recommended fabrics for making this dress? Light to medium weight woven fabrics such as cottons, silks, crepes or linen blends.

I decided to make view A, which is a knee length summer dress with short sleeves. It has small pleats to the front neckline, pleats on the shoulder sleeve heads. It also has elastic gathers on the sleeves and to the back, a feature that I have never added to any garment that I have sewn.

As usual I made a toile with some cheaper cotton fabric from my stash. I had 3 metres of Makower LoveBirds patterned 100% cotton, so I cut out the pieces I needed. I only needed 4 pattern pieces, and from these I cut 6 pieces of fabric to sew.

See here why I always make a wearable toile, all patterns are different, and I’m not going to cut my best fabric until I know that the fit is spot on! 

I actually made a slightly larger size than the pattern I was given. I traced the pattern, grading it up to be a size 18.

Check out some lovely cotton poplin fabrics here – perfect for this dress.

Sewing Up The Pattern

The pattern went together very well. It is such a simple main body to the dress, and the instructions are easy to understand.

I had never added gathering elastic, and on the 6022 this has to be added to the sleeves and back of the garment. This ended up being very straightforward. The instructions were really useful.

However placing the bias binding around the neckline wasn’t quite as easy. Because I had graded up the pattern, my neck binding ended up not being quite long enough. It is also quite hard when binding the neckline to catch the binding inside when you are stitching on the outside. Not so easy if you are a novice sewer I feel.

The pattern doesn’t really give detailed instructions on how to finish the binding at the ends. It just says to fold in and slipstitch. To a beginner this may not be enough guidance.

And lastly the pattern doesn’t give detailed instructions on how to make a loop for the button fastening. The sole instruction is ‘make a loop’. I actually ended up sewing in a loop of hair elastic. I have done this before with other patterns and it has worked well.

Here Is My Finished Garment

I actually really like the finish to this little summer dress. The pleat detail to the front of the neckline and the sleeve heads is just enough to set it apart from other little dresses. I love the elastic gathering details to the sleeves and back too.

If I were to make it again (and I am sure I will) I would probably consider adding some pockets, either simple patch pockets or in seam. I do so love a pocket!

It might be nice to see it in a drape fabric, it may be nice as a simple evening dress?

At the moment, the dress is a little snug around my hips, but as I am losing weight this summer I am sure it will soon be perfect for the summer holidays!

My Verdict

Its a lovely pattern. Easier because there is no zip to insert. But still not as easy as the Zoe Dress, or the Bettine, for the binding and finishing reasons I give earlier. I still do think that the independent pattern makers are so much better with their instructions.

See my reviews of other dresses

• the Wilder Gown from Friday Pattern Company
• The Simple Sew Utility Dress
• Simple Sew Anneka Tunic

I cannot wait to wear my new little dress!

Look out for the New Look 6022 dress pattern. It is unfortunately out of print now, but you will probably be able to pick up a copy on eBay. Or look at some of these other dress patterns from New Look?

Why not pin this post for later?