Sewing a custom Sahara dress with a drawstring waist

The Love Notions Sahara is one of those patterns that quietly slips into your wardrobe rotation and stays there. With its relaxed silhouette, breezy hem, and simple construction, it works for everything from a slow weekend brunch to a long, humid commute. When I first sewed the Sahara two summers ago, I loved the ease of the fit, but I found myself wishing for a touch more shape at the waist. Adding a drawstring felt like the natural next step, and after several test versions in different fabrics, the modified dress has become a firm favourite in my handmade wardrobe.

If you have already sewn a few Love Notions patterns, the Sahara sits comfortably between the simpler Gemma tank and more involved designs. It uses straightforward techniques, which makes it an ideal canvas for small pattern hacks. A drawstring waist is one of the gentlest modifications you can make, because it does not require redrafting the bodice or skirt panels. Instead, you thread a channel through the existing waist seam and add a tie that can be cinched or left relaxed depending on the day.

About the Sahara pattern

The original Love Notions Sahara is a pull-on style with a soft A-line skirt that skims the hips and falls to a versatile length just above or below the knee, depending on the view you choose. It features a relaxed neckline, optional pockets, and either short or three-quarter sleeves. The beauty of the pattern is how forgiving it is for a wide range of body shapes, which is part of why it has become a community favourite among home sewists.

Love Notions is an independent designer whose patterns are widely loved by makers who appreciate clear instructions and thoughtful drafting. The Sahara in particular appeals to sewists who want a comfortable everyday dress without complicated closures or linings. If you are new to the brand, you can read more about indie sewing patterns on the main blog, where I share reviews and construction notes for many of their releases, including the Gemma tank and the Cissy blouse.

The pattern is graded across a generous size range, which is helpful for anyone whose measurements sit between standard sizes. It also nests well on fabric, so you can often cut a full length version from two metres of 150 cm wide cloth. For sewists in Australia who are used to working with narrower fabric bolts, this is a small but welcome detail.

Fabric choices for Australian summers

Australian summers are famously demanding on clothing, so the fabric you pick for a drawstring Sahara matters just as much as the fit. In Brisbane, where humidity regularly pushes past 70 percent, a mid-weight linen or a quality cotton lawn keeps the dress wearable from morning markets to late afternoon storms. In Melbourne, where a single day can swing from sunshine to a cool breeze, a slightly heavier cotton sateen holds the drawstring shape without feeling heavy or stiff.

Australian sewists are spoiled for choice when it comes to independent fabric retailers. The Fabric Store, with locations in Sydney and Melbourne, carries a rotating range of European linens and cotton lawns that work beautifully for the Sahara. Spotlight Australia also stocks affordable cottons suitable for a wearable toile or a casual everyday version. For a more bespoke feel, small Australian fabric businesses on Instagram often sell deadstock rolls that give a one-off finish to a handmade dress.

A natural fibre with a touch of drape will let the drawstring sit cleanly at the waist without bunching. Stiff cottons can make the channel look bulky, while very slippery rayons lose the definition of the waist tie. Aim for something between 120 and 200 grams per square metre for a balance of breathability and structure. If you are sewing in Hobart or the Adelaide Hills, where summer evenings can be cool, a brushed cotton or lightweight flannel works as a transitional alternative.

Constructing the drawstring waist

The modification begins after you have sewn the bodice to the skirt along the waist seam, following the original pattern instructions. Rather than pressing the seam open and finishing it in the usual way, you create a casing by sewing a second line of stitching about 2 cm above and below the seam line. This leaves a channel wide enough for a cotton drawstring, ribbon, or even a slim elastic cord if you prefer a partially elasticated finish.

Press the seam allowances toward the bodice and topstitch along the outer edge of your casing to keep everything flat. Leave a 3 cm gap at the centre front and centre back to thread the drawstring through. A large safety pin works well for this, though a bodkin threaded with twill tape is faster if you are making several at once. Once the drawstring is in place, tie the ends in a small bow or finish them with knots to prevent fraying.

For a cleaner interior finish, you can split the waist seam before sewing and insert a short rectangle of fabric to form a faced casing. This method adds a small step but creates a more polished inside, which is especially nice if you plan to wear the dress without a slip. When pairing the Sahara with other handmade pieces, I often reach for the Gemma tank for layering under a sleeveless view, particularly during the cooler months in Hobart or the Adelaide Hills. The fitted shape of the Gemma balances the bloused effect of the cinched waist.

Side-by-side comparison

Below is a summary of the practical differences between the original Sahara and the drawstring version, based on my own makes and feedback from other sewists who have tried the hack in their own wardrobes.

Feature	Original Sahara	Drawstring Sahara
Fit at waist	Loose, straight cut	Cinched or relaxed, fully adjustable
Construction time	Approximately 4 hours	Approximately 5 hours
Best fabric weight	100 to 180 gsm	120 to 200 gsm
Layering potential	Works over a tee or tank	Defines waist over a Gemma tank or fitted long sleeve
Occasion versatility	Casual weekends, holidays	Casual days, dinners, market stalls
Hem behaviour	Skims hips, swings slightly	Slightly bloused above waist tie, falls cleanly below

The drawstring version keeps everything that made the original Sahara appealing, while adding the option to define the waist when you want a more shaped silhouette. On days when I want the relaxed look, I simply loosen the tie and let the dress fall as designed. The hem behaviour also changes subtly, with the skirt falling from the cinched point rather than the natural waistline.

Recommendations for your own drawstring Sahara

• Choose a fabric with enough weight to support the drawstring channel without collapsing.
• Interface the waist seam lightly if you are using a very drapey rayon.
• Pre-wash and dry your fabric in the same way you plan to care for the finished dress.
• Test the drawstring length on a toile before cutting into your final fabric.
• Finish the drawstring ends with knots or heat-sealing to prevent fraying.

These small steps will save time and make the modification feel intentional rather than improvised. The Sahara is a generous pattern to hack, and a drawstring waist is one of the most rewarding changes you can make for a dress that works across the Australian seasons, from the humid east coast summers to the cooler evenings further south.