Add a casing and tie belt to the waist of your dress, old or new, and ta-da, you have a new look!
Simply top-stitch a casing to the right side of the dress, insert a shoelace, rope, or skinny belt and you’re done!
You can do this to pretty much any pattern, with or without a waist seam.
You do want the dress to be a little loose at the waist so that you get a few gathers when the belt is tied. I did mine on The Allie Dress.
Top-stitched casing: Step 1
Figure out where you want the casing to be attached.
If your dress does not have a waist seam you may want to put the dress on to figure this out. Make a mark at the side seam about where you would like the belt to be.
Now, measure from that mark to the underarm seam. The measurement I had was 5.5 inches.
Now take 1/2 inch off and make a mark there. Do the same to the other side seam. I used my favorite Frixion pens for all my markings.
Now take a long ruler such as a yard/meter stick and draw a straight line across the front matching the marks you just made.
This is what I did on my dress. I wanted the belt to be just above my waist.
Top-stitched casing: Step 2
Next, flip the dress over and transfer the marks at the side seams to the back and draw a line across the back.
Now fold the dress in half, matching the side seams, and mark the center front and center back. My dress had a seam down the center back so I only marked the center front.
For this design, the casing is to be sewed on a little back from center front so I marked 1.5 inches on each side of the center front. This is where the ends of the casing will come up to.
Now place your measuring tape on the mark 1.5 inches from the center and then measure all the way around and up to the other mark 1.5 inches from the center.
Then add 1/2 inch and that is how long your casing piece needs to be. Cut the casing that long and 1.5 inches wide.
Top-stitched casing: Step 3
Next hem the ends of the casing piece 1/4 inch and sew close to the edge.
This shows the wrong and right sides of the hemmed casing ends.
Now fold the long edges of the casing piece 1/4 inch to the wrong side and iron. I just eyeballed that part and didn’t measure. Do what works best for you.
Before pinning the casing to the dress mark the center of the casing by folding it in half and making a mark at the fold.
You can also make marks on the casing to match to the side seams by measuring from the front end mark to the side seam and transferring that measurement to the casing piece.
This makes it so much easier to pin the casing on evenly.
Top-stitched casing: Step 4
Now you are ready to pin! Starting at the front pin the top edge of the casing along the line and pin just that edge matching the marks to the side seams and center back.
Top-stitch close to the edge all the way around. Repeat on the bottom edge.
Top-stitched casing: Step 5
Now you are ready to thread your tie through the casing! The tie I started out with I braided some jute twine but I have a feeling it won’t go through the washer very well so I think I’ll just use a shoelace. Use a bodkin, loop turner, or safety pin to thread the tie through.
And you are finished!
What are your “go to” ideas for sprucing up a plain pattern? Let me know!
