Aloha sewalongers, and welcome to your latest instalment of the Orsola skirt & dress sewalong! Today's post won't be as lengthy as some of the others, really just aiming to whet your appetite here and get those creative cogs turning with some pattern hackery inspiration. As ever, we'd love for you to join in the conversation! If you have any pattern hacking plans or ideas for your Orsola dress, please feel free to chime in in the comments below. All images (except the one of me in a spotty circle skirt) are linked to their sources when clicked on directly.
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Add flutter sleeves
While it's never a good idea to try to draft a fitted set-in sleeve for an armhole which was designed to be sleeveless, a floatier flutter sleeve is an exception to this rule. If you'd rather have your upper arms covered, this hack is right up your street! Would also work particularly well combined with the circle skirt hack idea below...
Add a hem ruffle
Cut a long strip of fabric, hem one length and gently gather the other, stitch it along the hemline of the skirt and you've got an instantly girly update to an otherwise understated silhouette.
Swap the sheath skirt for a circle skirt
Wrap circle skirt I made for my column in issue 42 of Love Sewing Magazine
I don't know about you, but when it gets to that time of the month, a sheath dress is probably the last thing on my list of Things To Make Me Feel Fabulous When I Feel Bloated AF. Moments like that, circle skirts save the day! Good thing then that we got a tutorial planned for after the sewalong showing you how to draft a wrap circle skirt to join to the Orsola bodice for a PMT friendly hack ;)
Sketch made using croquis 4 from our new PDF Sewing Planner!
Make it into a top
Ditch the skirt entirely and whip up a cute, ballet dancer style, wrap back top to wear with high waisted skirts and jeans.
Up next: Things start to get technical! We'll be find our size, figuring out whether or not we'll be needing to make any alterations to the pattern, and sewing up a quick toile. Do you have your pattern ready??
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Elisalex de Castro Peake
Comments on this post (7)
Hi Andrea, to be honest, I think that gorgeous gauzy bodice is just a length of fabric artfully draped and tied across the model’s body…! Super stunning though I agree! The skirt looks to be a basic gathered skirt, but it’s that dreamy tulle fabric that makes it so special.
I hope this helps!
Elisalex
— Elisalex - By Hand London
Hi Karin,
A sheer Orsola would be dreamy! You can check out our tips for working with delicate and drapey fabrics here – https://byhandlondon.com/blogs/by-hand-london/76440965-nerdy-sewing-tips-working-with-drapey-silks-other-slippery-fabrics – but I reckon specifically for sheer fabric we would recommend bearing in mind that your insides will be visible from the front, so French seams all the way!
I hope this helps!
Elisalex
— Elisalex - By Hand London
Hi Jane, yes we can certainly do a flutter sleeve tutorial for the Orsola! I will add it to the list… :)
Elisalex
— Elisalex - By Hand London
WOW, how do we manage to do that last image, with the pink voile ruffled skirt and gauzy wrapped arms?
— Andrea
Hi! I’d love to make the orsola in a sheer by underlining the fabric for the blouse and then having a sheer skirt and lining skirt. Would love to see tips on making the orsola in a sheer!
— Karin English
Do you think there might be any chance you’d do a tutorial for a flutter sleeve? Love that idea!
— Jane
I love the idea of adding sleeves to the orsola! Any chance there might be a tutorial on this?
— Jane