This is another pattern hack from the Wardrobe by Me Basic Builder Top. I originally did this hack a few summers ago and made it a summer dress with a keyhole neckline and bands on the sleeves to make it sleeveless. This iteration of the dress is making it long sleeved and using the funnel neckline from my sweatshirt dress I drafted last winter.
When using the WBM pattern for this hack I did a few things to make it fit differently.
- I cut some shaping into the back, so it is not cut on the fold. This makes it hug the back and not have pooling around the waist.
- Made the pattern longer for a tunic length. The band at the bottom adds extra length, too, so you have to make sure you don’t make the top portion too long.
- I added some width to the front by pivoting the pattern out at the bottom, keeping the neckline the same. I didn’t want this to be form-fitting. On the other fabrics I have used the hips didn’t stick out so much like on this one. I think it was the firmer cotton lycra material. Next time I will adjust that on it.
- I didn’t have enough fabric for the arms to be full length, so I did some long cuffs.
- I added my funnel cowl to the neckline.
This is kind of a wild print, and I have sat on it for a few years. I can’t remember the fabric group that I got this from, but I know at least part of it was from a prize I won. I like the warm colors in it, and it has the fun geometric design.
This was a firm cotton lycra, so I decided to see if this dress pattern would work for that fabric. I am pretty pleased at how it turned out, but I may adjust the hips a bit to keep them from sticking out too much. It is a very comfy dress to wear to work with leggings and a sweater. I can see wearing it in warmer weather on it’s own, too.
I have a pretty large stack of cotton lycra sitting in my fabric closet, so I may just make another!
