My hack of the Fringe dress by Chalk & Notch

If I were asked to compile a list of my top 5 favourite patterns (Edit… and I since have compiled such lists on my YouTube channel), the list would definitely include the Fringe dress by Chalk & Notch Patterns. It has all the elements of a really great pattern. It has some beautiful details (the button up sleeves, the bodice shape and construction). The instructions are excellent and make sewing it up a pleasure. And it inspires creativity: I have admired many a fantastic hack of the fringe dress within the sewing community.

I have made three dress versions of the fringe to date, one a hack itself. And I’ve wanted to make a top version for a while.  The pattern does have a blouse version. It is basically a shortened version of the dress, so has the same gathered skirt, I’ve included a link to it here.

I have quite a petite frame and thought that the blouse version would potentially swamp me, so I decided to make my own version.  And in this blog post I talk about how I did it.

Here is my hack of the fringe dress to make it into a top with no gathering.  I have used the version A bodice of the fringe dress as I love the button sleeve detail.  You could just as easily use version B. I have made my version in off white double gauze by Atelier Brunette, which I purchased online from Guthrie & Ghani. I used 1.1m of this fabric for this top.

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I made the bodice with no adjustments (I used size 0, although my measurements align better with size 2, as this pattern has a lot of ease).  I then self-drafted the skirt pattern pieces.  I have included a photo of the pattern pieces and details of how I drafted them below.  Please note that the pattern pieces I drafted fit my measurements but may need adjusting depending on your waist:hip ratio.

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To make the front skirt piece I did the following:

• To get the width for the top of the front skirt piece, I measured the width of the front bodice once sewn up.  I divided by half and then I added a seam allowance of 1cm. This gave me half the width of the top front skirt piece (as the piece I drafted is designed to be cut on the fold).  For me this was a width of 20cm.
• I then tapered out to hip level which I estimated to be 28cm wide (an increase of 40% from the top front skirt width).
• I then added a gentle curve at the bottom, to replicate the dipped hem of the fringe dress pattern. I drafted to give the length I wanted on me plus a hem allowance of 1.5cm.

To make the darted back skirt piece I did the following:

• I copied the width (including dart) of the fringe dress back bodice pattern piece in my size (i.e. so half of the total width of the back bodice, as the pattern piece is drafted to be cut on the fold).
• I then copied the dart from the back bodice onto the skirt piece, but I lengthened the dart on the new pattern piece by 2cm. I tapered the skirt out to hip level, again increasing the width by 40%.
• I then added a gentle curve at the bottom, to match the front piece.  As with the front skirt pattern piece, I drafted to give the length I wanted on me plus a hem allowance of 1.5cm. 

Extra notes:

• I kept the hem dip on the front and back pieces the same, to keep it simple, but you could add a deeper dip on the back piece for interest.
• Make sure the side seam of the front and back pieces match in length!

Sewing

To sew up my hacked Fringe dress top, I sewed up the bodice as per the pattern. I then sewed my drafted back and front skirt pieces right sides together down the side seams. I then placed the bodice inside the skirt with right sides together and edges aligned (bottom of bodice to top of skirt). I sewed the bodice and skirt together (no gathering needed as the pieces should fit together) and then finished the seam. I then hemmed the garment using the 1.5cm hem.

I hope the above is helpful! If you try this hack then please let me know how you get on and if you post on instagram please tag me @cath_craft

I also talk a bit more about my hacked Fringe dress top in my YouTube vlog.