How to Modify a Dress Pattern

What to do when you’re not a standard size, but want a beautifully fitted dress anyway.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Model
• Measuring Tape
• Pins
• Paper Scissors
• Embroidery Snips
• Cloth Scissors
• Waste Muslin
• Adjustable Dress Form
• Sewing Machine
• Fabric
• Thread
• Notions
• Patience

1. Pick out the dress pattern that you want to modify. Choose pattern sizing by the hip and bust size of the person whom it is for, hereafter called the model.
2. Using tape measure, carefully measure the model’s hip, bust, waist, length of back from neck to waist, neck to hip, and neck to heel. Write all measurements down.
3. Adjust dressform to match written measurements precisely.
4. Using paper scissors and embroidery snips for tight corners and pattern notches, carefully cut dress pattern out in the closest approximate size, gotten from the measurements and the size chart featured on dress pattern packages.
5. Lay dress pattern out on waste muslin as if it were the dress material. When satisfied with layout, pin down.
6. Cut dress pattern out of waste muslin with cloth scissors, using embroidery snips for tight corners and pattern notches.
7. Sew all seams together, allowing the seam measurements called for in the dress pattern, usually 5/8th of an inch. Do not hem or add trim, buttons, or fastenings, this is just a model shell.
8. Pin muslin shell onto the dressform at the shoulders for stability. See where the shell does not fit, and use the pins to take up excess fabric until it does fit. Pin excess fabric away from the dressform carefully.
9. Snip away excess fabric and sew seams where the cuts are to make the shell fit properly.
10. Take muslin shell carefully apart with a seam ripper to get the dress pattern you will be using on your good fabric.
11. Lay out muslin dress pattern pieces on your good fabric, aligning all pieces to take advantage of fabric pattern or nap, if there is any. Once happy with the alignment, pin pattern pieces in place, and cut out carefully with cloth scissors.
12. Again with suggested seam allowance, sew all pattern pieces together as per dress pattern instructions. Fit to dress form or model one more time to ensure fit, and pin up hem to desired length. Trim and hem according to dress pattern directions.

Tips & Warnings

• Wash all washable fabric before use, as fabric generally comes with sizing. The fabric can shrink upon first washing, so you want to be sure that's before sewing, not after.
• If not already familiar with your sewing machine, dig out the manual and make friends with it
• If you are going to make a mistake, it is far better to make it on the muslin shell than the good fabric.
• It is generally a good idea to try the muslin shell on the model before taking it apart to make sure it really fits.
• Measure the hem while it is hanging on either the dressform or the model to ensure it falls evenly all the way around.