I was watching Audrey Hepburn in Funny
Face the other day, and thought this would be a fairly easy way to add some
drama to a simply cut dress. The trick will be finding fabric to coordinate, or
adding details to tie in the color of the underskirt. A large wrap would be
stunning. If you’d rather, you can purchase a pattern and make the whole thing
from scratch, sewing the back bodice seam closed with no zipper or fastenings, and
attaching the finished skirt only to the back of the finished bodice, and then
proceeding from step 2. The cheater’s version involves finding a skirt
readymade with the same waist circumference as your dress and starting at step 11.
Illustrations soon to follow, we promise!
You’ll need:
One full-skirted dress (the fuller
the better), any length, with a straight, natural waistline, back zipper, and
seams at both sides of the skirt
2 ½ yards 36”-45” wide fabric to
match
An equal amount of lining fabric
()” zipper
Thread to match the fabric
A french curve
A washable marking pencil
A friend
If at all possible, serge fabric
edges as directed, particularly if your fabric or lining tends to fray. Otherwise,
trim and finish seams as desired. Sew all seams at ½ inch, or where stitching
previously fell. Stitch with fabric right sides together unless otherwise
directed.
1 – Unpick and remove back zipper,
replacing with a seam. It may be helpful to hand stitch to close near other
intact folds or stitching, such as at the neckline.
Unpick the front half of the skirt
from the bodice at the waist. If skirt is gathered and will come undone when
detached, first sew with a medium-long stitch across skirt layer(s) only, just
below waistline, and then unpick.
2 – Get someone to measure around
the fullest part of your hips, parallel to the floor. Add 4 inches.
Divide by 2. This is your skirt panel width. Measure down from your natural
waistline to the level of your hip measurement and save the number for step 6.
At your side, have them measure
from the position of the waistline of the dress on your body to your desired
length. Add 2 inches. This is your skirt panel length.
3 – Even the cut edges of your
fabric. Mark the selvage edges down from the edge by your skirt panel length.
Fold widthwise between the marks and lay fabric flat on the floor. Remove the
single layer of extra fabric at the top.
Mark the top edge out from the
upper left corner by your skirt panel width. Do the same at the bottom edge and
at various points between the two, forming a broken line of dots. Cut fabric
along these marks to form a 2-layer rectangle. Separate the layers.
4 – Take one layer of fabric and
fold in half lengthwise. Slice along the fold. Serge all edges. Stitch the fabric
back together along the top half of the cut. Press the seam open and unfinished
edge ½ inch to the same side. This is the skirt back.
Take the other layer and remove an
inch from the width. Mark the center at the top edge. This is the skirt front.
Sew front to back at sides.
5 – Repeat steps 3 and 4 with
lining fabric, removing 1 ½ inches from skirt panel length measurement.
6 – Measure around the waistline
of the dress. Cut a 1 inch strip of fabric 2 inches longer than this. Mark very
clearly, an inch in from each side, and divide the remaining length by 6,
making 5 more marks on the strip.
Divide your waistline measurement
by twelve. Laying your skirt out flat, mark that distance from the side seam. Mark
the side seam stitching down from the top edge by the waist to hip measurement
from step 2. Using a french curve, draw a gently curving line between the
marks. Do the same on the other side. Stitch along the line on the first side,
and pin along it on the other. Leave original side seam and excess fabric
attached. Repeat with the lining fabric.
7 – You’ll need your friend again.
Wrap the strip around your waist, matching the two end marks at your side and
closing with a safety pin.
With the seams facing out, step
into skirt fabric. Pin new side seams to strip at the safety pin and opposite
mark, and pin back seam and front center halfway between front and back strip markings.
8 – Smooth skirt fabric against
the waistline strip, moving in from the sides and out from center front and
center back seam, gathering the excess at the two front and back markings on
the strip. Pin the excess together where it meets at the top edge of the fabric.
Fold the excess toward the outside,
forming a pleat in the fabric beneath each mark. Attempting to keep left and
right sides even, adjust these folds until the skirt lies smoothly but not too
tight against your body, with no wrinkles or bulges. (During this process, check
to be sure your curved side seams need no adjustment. If they do, unpick a
little if necessary and then pin both layers together where the seam should be.)
Pin pleats in place through all three layers of fabric.
Mark on the center back seam where
you want your opening to begin.
9 - On the pinned side seam, mark changes
if you have made any and remove the pins. Carefully step out of your skirt. Mark
the position of the back opening (coming down from the top), all the folds, and
any side seam changes to your lining fabric.
Restitch your first side seam if
necessary, and trim the fabric excess to ½ inch. Press skirt seams open. Check
for uniformity from right to left side on both front and back pleats, and lightly
press them all in place. Stitch pleats in place ¼ inch from edge of fabric. You
may also stitch along the fold to form darts in the back and/or front of the
skirt.
Unpick up toward or stitch down to
the mark for your center back opening, being sure to stitch and backstitch an
inch or so above to reinforce the seam. Repeat this and the paragraph above with
the lining.
10 –WRONG sides together, place lining
fabric against skirt fabric, matching pleats and seams. Leaving 2 inches open
on both sides of your unstitched side seam, sew around the top of your skirt,
3/8 inch from the edge, securing skirt and lining together and seams and pleats
in place. Line up center back seams and stitch 1/8 inch to each side. Stitch a
short horizontal line a few times over, right above the back opening. Sew
lining to skirt at pressed edge, again 1/8 inch from the fold.
Turn the bottom of your skirt
fabric ½ inch under, and press. Turn it another ¾ - 1 inch and blind hem,
enclosing the cut edge of the lining. Hand stitch hem edges closed at back
opening.
11 – Step back into the skirt. Put
the dress on over, with the all of the full skirt at your back. Stand
naturally, and have your friend mark where the original stitching line meets
the skirt, lifting the overskirt to mark the back.
Remove the skirt. Baste the unfinished
side seam closed. Check the waistline marks for left-right uniformity on both
front and back. Use your French curve if needed to draw a smooth line between
marks. Stitch through skirt and lining layers along this line, and trim outside
edge to ½ inch. Serge the new skirt edge.
12 – Yes, this could be tricky,
but turn the skirt inside out and place dress inside, and match and pin stitching
lines on skirt and bodice front. Sew them together and finish the edges. Pin and
sew stitching lines of skirt back and detached portion of full skirt. Pin to
the bodice/overskirt back seam and sew. Turn dress right side out and check for
needed adjustments.
13 – Turn dress inside out. On the
side of your basted skirt seam, with zipper closed, line the zipper up with the
side seam of the bodice and underskirt, placing zipper head a few inches below
underarm seam. Pin carefully in place. Turn dress right side out. Stitch 1/8 – ¼
inch from both sides of the side seam, first above and then below the
waistline, being careful to avoid the overskirt. Check to see that zipper is
well attached with no distortions. If so, stitch and backstitch a short
horizontal line just above and below working zipper area. Firmly tack free
zipper ends to dress inside. Remove basting stitches in underskirt and unpick
side bodice seam where they cover the zipper.
For a bolder look:
After step 6, lay the skirt flat.
Mark the bottom a few or more inches in from the sides and taper down to that
point from about 6 inches below the curved line. Stitch new seam and trim
excess, serging edges.
Enjoy!
liv-cate
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