How to take your Rosalee maxi dress pattern and turn it into a top using jersey, with no zipper needed!
Fabric requirements
For this short top version you’ll only need the following amount of 1.4m (55″) wide fabric:
Ava – Cara: 1.2m (1.3yds)
Dee – Gia: 1.6m (1.75yds)
Woven top version? The following instructions walk you through using a stretch material to make this top version. If you’d like to make the top version in a woven fabric, you can use the fabric requirements above as a guideline but you’ll need to cut out the waistband facings as well so add on a little extra fabric (7cm / 2.8″) than suggested above. Don’t use the instructions below because they are for stretch materials only. Follow the original pattern sizing and instructions instead. You will need a zip for the woven version to be able to get it on and off.
Adjustments to the pattern pieces
Bodice and Facing: Starting with the same bodice size you’d use for the original version, trim the side seams to the next size down. If you are starting with Ava, trim down the side seams by 12.7mm. Remember to trim down the front and back bodice, as well as the front and back facing.
Waistband: To reduce bulk in the waistband area, we’ll only cut out the 2 waistbands pieces and none of the waistband facing pieces. This method means the seams will not be enclosed so if you prefer them to be hidden, you can still cut the facings out and assemble them as per the original pattern. Either way, take the waistband you would have chosen for the original pattern and shorten the width of the pattern piece by 1cm on the non-folded edge before cutting them out.
Skirt pieces:
On the centre skirt piece trace along the upper section, and down the sides by 9.5″ (24cm). Do the same for the side skirt panel.
On the centre skirt piece, draw in the seam allowance on the side with the single notch (the non-folded edge).
Using the seam line as your guide, tape your shortened side skirt panel edge along this line. This removes the seam allowance from both pieces and creates one single skirt piece to place along the fold.
Changes to the construction method
Generally, follow the same instructions except for the following:
- Use a zig-zag stitch. Except for staystitching, basting, and gathering, always use either a zig-zag or lightning stitch which allows the jersey to stretch without the stitches breaking.
- No french seams. They would create too much bulk in the jersey weight fabric. Instead, if finished edges are needed to prevent fraying (or you just like the look of finished edges better), use an overlocker or zig-zag those edges.
- Concealing waistband seams by topstitching. Unless you chose to use the waistband facing pieces, you’ll have visible seams along the top and bottom of your waistband. This would be okay for the bottom seam, however, the top seam needs a finishing touch otherwise it peeks up into the pretty back cutout area. To keep these seams under control and give a nice finish by the back detail, press both seams inward towards the centre of the waistband. Then, from the RS, topstitch the seams in place with either a zig-zag or twin needle.
- No zipper. The stretch in the jersey will allow the top to be pulled on and off without the need for the zipper so you can skip the entire set of zipper instructions.
- 1″ Single turn hem. Instead of the double turn hem, which would create too much bulk, only turn up the hem edge once by 1″ and secure in place with either a zig-zag or twin needle.
Sharing your new top!
Make sure you share your progress and of course your finished Rosalee top! Use #xsRosalee and copy me in so I can share it with the world! ( @experimentalspacepatterns )