HACK || Rowan Tee Dress || Part 1

June 24, 2020 8 Comments

The Rowan Tee is my go-to pattern whenever I need to whip up something fast for my kids - the pattern only really needs a fun print and you're good to go! But when I'm in the mood for some pattern hacking, the Rowan also provides the perfect canvas to create fun colorblocks, sweaters and dresses! 

When I found myself browsing the internet for some dress inspiration - my daughter Fio was in desperate need for some fun sporty dresses - I couldn't help but notice that most sporty dresses resemble our free Rowan tee pattern, lengthened to a dress! Easy peasy! 

I ended up making 3 different dresses for Fio based on our Rowan Tee pattern and today I'm sharing with you the first of the 3, with step by step explanation on how to create this hack yourself. Let's go!

 

Rowan Tee Dress with colorblocked shoulder & side seams. 

STEP 1 - Download & print our free Rowan Tee Pattern. Trace the front and back pattern pieces matching your child's chest width. Be aware of the 1cm (3/8") seam allowance all around and 2,5cm (1") hem allowance at the bottom and sleeves. Mark these on your traced bodices.

 

STEP 2 - Cut along the size blending line to lengthen your bodices. Measure your child to determine the desired length and the desired placement of the drawstring tunnel. For this dress version, I placed the tunnel at the natural waist.

 

 

STEP 3 - Place a piece of paper behind the pattern pieces and lengthen by the desired amount. Tape the upper and lower pattern pieces in place. Extend the centerfront and centerback lines and redraw the side seam and seam allowances.

 

STEP 4 - The base for your rowan tee dress is now ready. If you want to keep it for future reference/hacks, you can transfer the base on a different sheet of pattern paper and continue your hack from there.

 

STEP 5 - Mark the inside tunnel placement at the desired height at the waist area, this way creating the pattern piece for the tunnel. For this dress hack, I placed the tunnel at the natural waist. Copy the tunnel pattern piece and add seam allowance. The tunnel pattern piece is the same for the front and back and has to be cut twice & on the fabric fold.

 

STEP 6 - Draw in the new colorblocking seams perpendicular to the existing side-seams and shoulder-seams. I used a distance of 2,5cm (1") on this size 92cm Rowan, but with a dress in a bigger size you might want to increase that width. Draw 2 notches in the curve of the side seam colorblock - this will make it much easier to line things up nicely later!

 

STEP 7 - Cut along the new colorblocking lines and add 1cm seam allowances to all the new seams.

 

STEP 8 - Cut your fabric in the desired colorblock.

 

STEP 9 - Close and finish all the seams. Press the shoulder colorblock seams down and the side colorblock seams towards the bodice. If desired, you can now topstitch the seam. Mark the eyelet placement for the drawstring tunnel. Make sure to enforce the fabric with fusible interfacing or a left over piece of sturdy fabric.

 

STEP 10 - Close the shoulder and side seams. Close the side seams of the drawstring tunnel.

 

STEP 11 - Pin the drawstring tunnel in place and attach it to the dress. Insert the drawstring cord. From this point, you can continue by following the steps in the Rowan Tee tutorial - attaching the neckband and finishing the hems. And you're all done!

 

As you can see, my daughter Fio approves of her new dress! If you end up creating your own Rowan Tee dress hack, I'd love to see it! Please tag @misusupatterns in your makes and use the hashtags #rowanmisusu or #rowanhack.

Have a great summer & happy sewing!

XO Elles

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