Follow this Kauri Dress hack to create your own A-Line, button through dress using only the existing pattern pieces!
Thank you to Georgina Bradley for creating this tutorial for our Below The Kōwhai community.
To see more of Georgina’s beautiful sewing visit @sew.exhausted on Instagram.
Use this tutorial to create a casual and playful A-line dress with an optional flouncy sleeve using the BTK Kauri Dress pattern. This is really easy to do, even if you have never ‘hacked’ a pattern!
Firstly, grab your Kauri Dress sewing pattern here.
A-Line Hack Tutorial
- Things you need:
- Original pattern pieces for the front bodice, back bodice, mid sleeve and back facing.
- Large paper – pattern paper, craft paper or wrapping paper.
- A dress with a similar shape on hand to copy, this is handy but not necessary.
2.
Place the front bodice piece on to the large paper ready to draw the new shape. You will be extending the bodice to create an A-line dress.
You can either do this ‘freehand’ making sure you make it the correct length or copy a dress you already like the shape of (I did this – I just lined up the arm pits and drew around the dress).
TIP: Don’t forget to add your hem allowance.
3.
Repeat step 2 for the back bodice too, making sure they are the same shape and length. You should end up with two pattern pieces looking like this.
4.
Cut out your new pattern pieces.
Optional: Flounce Sleeve
OPTIONAL: This step is optional if you want to create a flounce sleeve; you can skip this and use the original Kauri sleeve.
I decided to add a loose, flouncy sleeve to the dress, as the weather is getting warmer here. Draw lines approx. 2cm apart splitting the sleeve into strips. (There are numbers on mine as my 9month old was playing with them and I didn’t want to lose the order!).
Spread them out on your paper, keeping the tops touching so that they will still fit nicely into the armscye. The wider you spread the bottoms, the ‘flouncier’ the sleeve will be. Join the bottoms with a smooth line and cut out your new sleeve piece.
Sew your A-Line Kauri Dress Together!
5.
Cut out your dress pieces and construct using the original instructions for the bodice and sleeves (step 1-21 in the Kauri Dress sewing pattern tutorial).
I used five buttons on the 2yr size, but you may want more for a larger size.
6.
Hem dress.
Congratulations! You have finished your dress!!
Thanks for the Kauri Dress hack Georgina!
Show us your A-line dress hacks in our VIP Community on Facebook or tag us on Instagram!
Love and happy sewing,
Sophie x