April 4, 2019

Eyelet Tunic Dress with Ruffle Statement Sleeves

Eyelet is perfect for summer. This simple eyelet tunic dress is a summer staple for your vacation wardrobe!

This post contains affiliate links. By making a purchase I will receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. Thank you for your support!

Eyelet Tunic Dress

Eyelet is a classic summer fabric. It’s always 100 percent cotton, and so comfortable to wear in the warmer months. This eyelet dress is the second thing I have made from The Tunic Bible (written by Sarah Gunn and Julie Starr) and I know there will be more in my future! Simple patterns like this women’s tunic dress are great for rather busy fabrics as the eyelet print can be overwhelming in a busy style. This tunic also requires only basic sewing skills which makes it a fun project for anyone! I love my complete eyelet tunic dress so much more than any of the ready to wear tunics I’ve seen in stores lately.

Even if you have never made a DIY tunic dress before, it’s a very simple sewing project. The “bib” or neck facing is the first piece of fabric to be stitched on. The only difference is that it’s on the right side of the dress instead of on the wrong side like most facings. This makes for an interesting sew since you have to sew it with the right side of the facing, to the wrong side of the front, then flip it to the outside and topstitch in place. It’s not that hard, I promise.

I found this lovely eyelet trim at the store, and it was a great match to the eyelet. I decided to make the sleeves fuller to really show off the delicate trim.

Sarah Gunn of Goodbye Valentino looks amazing in white, this photo was my inspiration for this tunic style. So simple but striking!

The sewing pattern in The Tunic Bible comes with a short sleeve ruffle option. Here I added a bit more fullness to the sleeve and then stitched the eyelet trim on the bottom. The entire dress is lined with cotton batiste, all but the sleeves, which will breathe well on those really hot summer days.

I wore my eyelet tunic tops on my recent trip to Key West, FL. It was just perfect for the climate there! I love that this tunic pattern can be transformed into a piece that is either boho or glamorous. It even made a great beach cover up! Who else is sewing for vacation? What are you making?