Hack the pattern: Dôen Ischia Dress

Photo by @sophia_rosemary

 I've been seeing the Dôen Ischia Dress absolutely everywhere on Instagram - and it's easy to see why. Its shirred bodice, delicate fabric ties, and vintage-inspired sleeve detail make it such a special piece. Today, I'm excited to walk you through a tutorial for hacking the Eleonora pattern to recreate that shirred sleeve look. A huge thank-you to Sophia for generously allowing me to share her photos as inspiration, I absolutely love this gingham version and need to make one too!

Notions and tools needed:
- Elastic thread (or narrow elastic)
- The Eleonora Dress pattern (short sleeve version)

Tip: Before cutting into your main fabric, make a test sleeve with inexpensive fabric to check your shirring placement and tension.

Step 1: Mark the hem allowance
On your short sleeve pattern, mark the hem allowance and measure 3.5 cm (1 3/8 inch) up from the bottom of the sleeve.


Step 2: Create your shirring curve

  • Fold the sleeve pattern in half to find the center of the hem.

  • From the center, measure 17 cm (6 3/4 inch) upwards and mark.

  • From each side seam, measure 18.5 cm (7 1/4 inch) upwards and mark.

  • Draw a smooth, symmetrical curve connecting the three points. A hip curve ruler is great for this, but you can also freehand it.


Step 3: Add additional shirring lines
From your upper marking, draw one or two more lines spaced 5 mm (1/4 inch) apart. If you’re not using elastic thread, sew a line of narrow elastic in the center, or create a tiny casing to insert it later.


Step 4: Transfer and sew
Transfer your markings to your actual fabric sleeve pieces. Sew two or three rows using elastic thread (or insert elastic via a casing if that's your preference). For guidance, refer to page 14 of your Eleonora Dress instructions. Remember: sew your shirring before closing and finishing the side seams.

Tag @silversagapatterns and use the hashtags #SilversagaPatterns and #EleonoraDressPattern when you share your hack - I’d love to see it!

Tutorial and graphics © Silversaga Patterns
Please credit if sharing

Photo by @sophia_rosemary

Introducing the long-sleeved Eleonora dress pattern



The Eleonora dress pattern has been my favorite go-to outfit last summer and has also been my best-selling sewing pattern of 2024. For months, I’ve been dreaming of creating a long-sleeved version, and today I’m thrilled to finally share it with you!

About the long sleeve expansion pack
This expansion pack for the Eleonora dress is completely free for my followers and seamlessly integrates with the original pattern - no adjustments or pattern drafting skills needed. Simply print, cut, and sew! The expansion pack comes with layered sizes, so just like my other patterns, you can print only the size you need.

Starting today, all new purchases of the Eleonora pattern will include both the short sleeve and long sleeve versions (in print-at-home A4/US letter and A0 copy shop formats). If you already own the Eleonora pattern, the free long sleeve expansion pack is available as a print-at-home A4/US letter (16 pages) download at the end of this page.


Behind the design
To ensure the new sleeve meets the same high standard as my other patterns, I re-drafted it entirely from scratch and created a new grading. The long sleeve has slightly less volume than the original sleeve, which helps reduce bulk and makes it a great match for slightly thicker fabrics like lightweight linen or wool (perfect for autumn and winter). It also works beautifully in lightweight fabrics.

The sleeve features a small elastic wrist cuff that complements the gathered neckline of the Eleonora Dress. While the original short sleeve was designed with light fabrics in mind (like cotton block prints or cotton/viscose/silk blends), the long sleeve version is more versatile and handles cooler-season fabrics well.

If you’re using a heavier fabric, consider reducing the fullness of the skirt to help balance the volume. You'll find more details in my maker's notes below.


A note on supporting free patterns
Developing free patterns takes time and care - this one took three weeks of drafting, grading, and sample-making! If you've enjoyed this expansion pack and would like to support my work, please consider sharing my release post on Instagram with your friends. Spreading the word helps me reach more people and makes it possible to continue offering free patterns to the community.

Share your makes
I can’t wait to see what you create with this new pattern piece! Please share your makes on Instagram using the hashtag #EleonoraDressPattern and tag me @silversagapatterns.

Get your pattern
New to the Eleonora pattern? Get the full pattern (including the long-sleeve version) here.
Already own the Eleonora pattern? Download the free long-sleeve expansion pack here.

As always, thank you for your support,
Jessica
Silversaga Patterns
@silversagapatterns



Maker's notes
For the gingham linen dress, I followed these steps:

Fabric: Linen mini gingham check.
Pattern: Silversaga Patterns Eleonora Dress.
Size: 34/36.
Sleeves: Long sleeve version.
Bodice: Added 3 cm (1 1/4 inches) to the center front of the bodice neckline, tapering to nothing at the shoulders, for slightly more coverage. This adjustment was made as the dress is intended for autumn/winter wear.
Skirt: Cut two skirt pieces (one for the front and one for the back), each measuring 120 cm (47 1/4 inches) in width and the standard length for the size 34/36 skirt pattern.
Pockets: Omitted the pockets for this version.
Elastic: Used 6 mm (1/4 inch) wide elastic for the sleeves, cutting two pieces, each 20.5 cm (8 inches) long.

No other changes were made to the original pattern. For instructions and further details, refer to the Eleonora dress instructions.