Hello from Lisbon,
Today I'm happy to talk to you a little more about the Kiara Knit Dress, the knit dress that has been living in my mind for months and is now ready for your sewing table. From the first sketch, I knew I wanted to create a dress that felt festive without being impractical, comfortable without being plain, and elegant without requiring a special occasion to wear.
The inspiration
Because I usually spend the holiday season in Europe with my family, I always struggled with party dresses that are either too cold or far too formal for real life. I cannot show up to my grandparents’ house in black tie, and comfort is essential because the main activity is eating and chatting around the table.
Kiara was my answer to that gap. Soft drape, plenty of ease where you want it, a hint of skin, and still warm enough to wear through winter gatherings.
Designing the neckline
Kiara looks simple at first glance, but the neckline is the result of many iterations. Instead of a wide dolman neckline that you pull off the shoulder, I brought the shoulder line inward toward center front. This small adjustment changes everything. The neckline drapes naturally, creates movement without collapsing, and finds its own balance on the body. It stays in place, but still feels relaxed and effortless.
What testers helped shape
Watching Kiara come to life on different bodies is always one of my favourite moments. The testers’ feedback helped refine the final pattern in important ways. I increased the volume through the bust, added a little more ease in the bicep, and rewrote several steps in the instructions to make them clearer.
One of my favourite ideas came from a tester who added a tiny bra guard at the dropped shoulder. It keeps your bra strap from peeking out (if you choose to wear one) and gives the draped shoulder that extra sense of security. It is simple, clever and makes the dress feel even more intentional. Their creativity really showed how versatile Kiara can be.
Sewing Kiara
Kiara is designed for medium-weight knits with drape and recovery, and the construction is fast once you get going. Most versions can be sewn in an afternoon, which makes Kiara a rewarding last-minute project or the perfect quick festive sew.
To make things even easier, I am putting together a fabric recommendations post so you can compare drape and weight across knit types. There will also be a fun little hack to turn Kiara into a top for those of you who prefer separates or want to use up smaller pieces of fabric.
I would love to hear from you
If you have questions about fit, fabrics or construction, feel free to reach out. I love seeing what you sew and your questions often inspire the next tutorial.
Happy sewing,
Delphine
P.S. Kiara and Estelle are both 15 percent off until Friday, and newsletter subscribers get 20 percent off when buying both together at checkout.