Sewing pattern hack to turn a shirt into a dress
Hey y’all, we’re back with another Esma Top hack today! This time I’m going to show you how to make a top pattern into a dress with a button front and big pockets. This tutorial builds on last week’s hack to add a button placket to the Esma.
This dress is super comfy, and definitely has house dress vibes, but in 2020 I think a house dress is just the type of vibe I want anyway. I mean, the sandals I’m wearing in these pictures are the first pair of shoes besides flip flops or running shoes that I’ve had on my feet in months!
I made a video showing how to sew the pockets and add the skirt which you can watch below or on YouTube here.
When you’re cutting your shirt pattern off, it pays to hold it up to yourself and mark the waist, then add a seam allowance before cutting. Then you also need to make two skirt fronts and one skirt back. These pieces should be 1.3 times the width of the bottom of each bodice piece.
For each skirt front, you also want to add 1 inch for the placket and cut a 1 inch strip of fusible interfacing and apply that to the back of the placket.
Watch the video above for more step by step instructions to sew your dress. The tutorials linked below might be helpful with techniques as you sew.
And then soak up all those house dress vibes while you wear it!
Check out all my other Esma hacks below.
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Samiha
Yaaas! Finally a woven dress pattern that’s nursing friendly! Love it! Thank you
Christine DANNEELS
Thank you sooooo much for all the explications you made. I realy love this dress style, many thanks.
Karen
Thanks Melly for sharing this. I have been looking for a button front summer robe that didn’t look like an old style duster. This design will work perfectly.