Modifying Simplicity 3673

[sweetokashi]

Hello ladies! I was wondering if any of you have had experience working with Simplicity pattern # 3673? I'd like to use it to make a sailor OP, but as it is, the pattern doesn't have enough fullness in the skirt. I was wondering if there's an easy way to modify the pattern?

Comments

[sacrificedalice]

You're correct; whilst the skirt does fit over a petticoat, mine always looks a little strangled. For reference, here is a picture of me wearing the unmodified pattern. As you can see, it doesn't quite sit right.



I've modified that pattern myself (you're using view B, I assume) to fill out the skirt. Because of the high waist, it's a little awkward to alter, but what I did was separate the parts of the skirt pattern that were above the waist, and then slash & flare the bit below the waist. Of course, a quicker way of doing that would be to simply to trace off the piece, and just redraw the line for the side seam so that it slopes outwards more starting from the waist, so that it's the same as the original pattern above the waistline but then flares out. That way, you don't have to mess around with the darts or anything.

Annoyingly, I later found that my flared skirt piece wouldn't fit on my fabric. For a properly flared skirt from this pattern, you'll have to either have wide fabric (58" rather than 45") or lay it so that the top and bottoms are selvedges.

I hope some of this was helpful to you! :3

[sweetokashi]

Ahhhhh, thank you! I don't suppose you have any pics of the modified pattern worn? XD I'll probably be redrawing the line, like you suggested. Do you know how much extra hemline you added to the original?

I decided to ditch the Kona cotton idea, and go for a nice poplin instead, as it turns out the Kona is only 44" wide, and the poplin is 50" wide. Hopefully that should be enough extra room.

[sacrificedalice]

I haven't gotten around to buying a wide enough fabric to make up the modified pattern yet >.< Redrawing the line is probably the easiest way to go. I actually had to take the hem up on mine because it was about 3" too long for my petti. I don't know if that's because I'm short and have a short petti or something. It came down to mid-calf on me originally. I'm 5'2", but my legs are a little long in proportion to my body, I think.

50" should be fine; mine only didn't fit by an inch or two. That failing, you can just redo the layplan & costing so that you don't cut the fabric on the fold and just buy more fabric. That way you'll have extra left over for accessories and things. :D

[sweetokashi]

Cool beans. You're only a little taller than I am, and it sounds like we have similar proportions, too, so I'll probably have to adjust the hem length as well.