Friday Pattern Company, Adrienne Dress Hack

I have several Adrienne blouses in my wardrobe – it’s a classic pattern. You can find my previous post on the blouse here. Three pattern pieces makes it a very simple make but such an effective one with the billowy sleeves.

As much as I love the pattern, I find that I do not reach for the blouses too often; my instinct is to put on a dress rather than wear separates (saying that, I’ve been much better at wearing separates since I started sewing my own clothes. So the answer? Hack it.

I bought the fabric (a viscose jersey because you want drape for this pattern) from Jenny Stitches Fabrics, my go to for floral prints.

I decided to add a gathered skirt to the top to make it much more wearable. Truth is, it is the most basic of hacks that you can do to make any top a dress! I basically marked the point I wanted the top to end on my body by using an Adrienne top from my wardrobe, drew a new pattern piece based off the original and added a 5/8″ seam allowance.

I also measured out where I wanted the skirt to end on me and cut two full widths of the fabric (60′). I love lots of gathers but that’s a personal preference.

I added pockets, sewed the seams together and then attached the skirt to the bodice.

TIP: Once I sewed the the skirt to the bodice I sewed elastic into the seam because it will help to stop the waist from stretching out of shape with wear and give it a little more support (remember I used a made a lot of gathers).

I’m pretty sure, going forward, this is the only way I’ll use this pattern.

Et voilà!

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