Sewing My Know Me Pattern ME2016 Dress

Hey there! Today, I'm excited to finally be sharing my latest sewing project with you all—Know Me pattern ME2016 dress. If you follow me on Instagram then you know I started sewing this dress in November of 2023, and the way life was lifing, I did not complete it until January of 2024. With my dad becoming ill, and then passing on to be with our heavenly father in April, I did not have the desire to put on this dress and take photos for a blog. Understandably so, because, This was the last project my dad got to see me sew. After he passed, I stared at this dress hanging on my dress form for months, not being able to get myself to put it on. The other day I put it on, and I literally heard his voice saying, “you doin it girl, with your talented self.” I remember when I started sewing this dress, and my dad just loved the embroidery design I created on the fabric. To honor my dad, I had to do it justice and finally style it and wear it.

This pattern has quickly become one of my favorites, and I'm excited to dive into the details of this dress, the fabric I used, and my thoughts on this pattern. Let's get into the details!

Pattern Details: Know Me ME2016

The Know Me pattern ME2016 is a chic, stylish, and trendy dress pattern that caught my eye immediately. It is designed by Nikki Brooks. You may know her as Beautejadore on Instagram. With its beautiful silhouette and stylish design elements, it's perfect for both casual outings and more formal events. This pattern includes options for different sleeve lengths, full sleeves in mid or long length options and elastic at sleeve hem. It also features a curved tier with gathers at front, high neckline, bust darts, slant pockets, and invisible back zipper. It ranges from size 8-26. You can check out the pattern and get your copy from the Simplicity website or your nearest sewing supply store that offers these patterns in person.

Fabric Details: Denim Delight

For this project, I chose a nonstretch medium-weight denim from Melanated Fabrics. The denim provided the perfect structure and durability for the dress, giving it a timeless and classic look. Sadly, Melanated Fabrics has closed its doors, and this specific denim is no longer available. However, fear not! I found a very similar fabric that you can use from Closert Core Fabrics. This 11oz non-stretch organic cotton denim in deep indigo is a great alternative. It may even be the same fabric. You can find it here.

Embroidery Magic

To add a unique and personal touch, I decided to embroider floral details on my denim dress. Using my Baby Lock Bloom sewing and embroidery machine, I created intricate floral designs that added a beautiful element to the dress. It was such an easy process. I purchased and downloaded the floral embroidery design from Etsy, saved it on a thumb drive, inserted the thumb drive into the sewing machine drive port, centered each design, and let the machine do some embroidery magic. This machine truly makes embroidery a breeze, and I highly recommend it for anyone looking to add custom details to their projects. If you are interested in any Baby Lock products from machines to needles, here is a link to my storefront (I will earn commission): https://babylock.com/affiliate/faith-stjules + 10% Discount Code: SAVE10-FSJ

Sewing Tips for Know Me Pattern ME2016

While this pattern is generally easy to sew, I did find that the sleeves can be a bit challenging when attaching them to the armhole. Here are a few tips to make your sewing experience smoother:

• Gathering Sleeves: Ensure your gathers are tight enough to match the armhole. Use two rows of gathering stitches for better control.

• Fabric Choice: Choose a fabric that complements the structure of the pattern. Medium weight fabrics like denim work wonderfully for dresses, while lighter fabrics like crepe are ideal for a more drapey and flowy outcome.

• Embroidery: If adding embroidery, plan your design placement carefully and stabilize your fabric well to avoid puckering.

Patience and careful pinning are your best friends with this project!

Final Thoughts on the Pattern

Sewing the Know Me ME2016 dress was a fun and great experience. The sturdy denim I used for the dress allowed me to explore using different textures with this pattern. I would not recommend this pattern to beginners. In order to sew this dress well, you must understand how to navigate through different sewing issues that may occur during completing this project, such as adjusting the sleeves to fit the the armhole. There is also a curved front tier on the front of the dress that can be tricky to navigate. However, If you are a beginner and you feel you are more than able, I say give it a go. What better way to grow than to challenge yourself. Just use a muslin or cheap fabric to practice on first. I hope you enjoy the photos below, and that they serve as inspiration.

I left the edge of the hem unhemmed because I wanted to leave the ends frayed. I thought it gave the dress another cool element of design.

Thank you, People of Purpose, for taking the time to read this blog post. I hope that you were inspired to get creative and make something you will love. Happy sewing, everyone! Whatever you do, do it with purpose. Don’t forget to come back next week to see how I hacked this pattern to create something cute and stylish to add to my wardrobe.

Be blessed and have a beautiful day,

Love Faith

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters."

- Colossians 3:23