The center-back seam allowance of the skirt is never pretty. The skirt gets lined, usually in beautiful contrasting fabric that flashes when the dancer kicks, but the bulky seam allowance always stands out, looking gross and un-finished. Due to the way the skirt is constructed, and the fact that the center-back is an alteration point, …
Update: A Slim Sleeve is now included in the Solo Dress pattern, or can be purchased separately for updating existing costumes. Styles change quickly and many people have asked me about drafting a slimmer sleeve as sheer and even skin-tight sleeves come into greater popularity (left). The sleeve in the Gúna Rince pattern …
Many folks find the skirt’s side-pleats the hardest part of construction to wrap their head around. It’s probably the part that’s farthest from typical fashion construction, so this is understandable. I’ve been wanting to make a photo tutorial of these steps for a while, and have finally been able to take some photos while working …
**Update!** The Rounded Collar is now included in the solo dress pattern as of the 3rd Edition (summer 2018). Here you’ll find drafting instructions for a mandarin color that works on a round neckline, rather than a pointed one, like what is included in the pattern. This has become a bit of a fad lately, and …
[Edit: The second edition pattern and onward includes a single-panel skirt, so no adaptation is needed. This post is for customers using the first edition.] Many people have asked recently how to modify the solo dress pattern to make a single-panel skirt. This style of skirt is becoming increasingly popular, perhaps because of it’s …
Note: In the 4th Ed pattern (released July 2021), this skirt style is listed as View IV. It was View III in all previous versions. Some pattern piece numbers have changed as well since this post was written. I’ve had a couple questions about modifying the pattern pieces for skirt view III (soft-pleated skirt). The …
That’s it, you’re almost there! Skirt is done, bodice is done. They just need to come together and you’ll have a dress! For being a fairly simple step, sewing the dropped waist seam can be one of the trickier parts of your dress, depending on your machine and the thickness of your dress stiffener. The …
