Tips for Sewing a Halter Dress (And Making it Modest)

Whew! Winter lasted ForEVER and now we're melting in 90 degree humid heat! Little Miss was super excited about this halter dress because it lets her back be "free" and "cool."  =)

Isn't this just the prettiest fabric!?! I found it at JoAnn's last year. Such a nice, smooth cotton with luscious color.

Here are the pieces all laid out. When I cut the bodice front pieces, I added an inch or so to each center edge to get a more modest top, and then gradually tapered the amended cut edge to the original pattern piece so the straps would not be wider than what was initially called for.

I wish I'd cut the strap pieces a bit longer, though. Next time.

It's fairly easy to adjust the sizing at this point. When I tried the pieces on Isabelle, I marked (okay, I didn't! I'm an eye-baller through and through) I made a mental note of where I should have the front pieces lap and tacked them together. NOTE: I wanted to include a small ruffle on the back piece, so I cut the band a little taller. If you make adjustments to any side pieces, don't forget to make those same adjustments to the each side, where they will "meet up." Even if things aren't perfectly aligned, you can trim the raw edges even with each other...no problem!

Next, we tried the elastic back band, which was way too loose. I had to take out one end of stitching and pull the elastic more to make it tighter. Don't be worried if the elastic band seems smaller than the bodice front- I wanted the back a little more snug, just so it fits better, especially when she's jumping around and such.

Lastly, sew your front and back side pieces together. Top-stitch along a narrow edge for a nice, clean finish on the outside, as well as keeping down the bulk on the inside.

The last step is to attach the skirt. I had to pull a little here and there to get the width I needed. One time I had to go back and sew an extra side seam into the skirt because it was just too big and I couldn't make it fit snugly to the bodice pieces. It's all good.

For tips on sewing a smooth hem on a rounded skirt without using bias or hem tape, read this tutorial.

This halter dress is going to get tons of wear this summer! It's perfect to toss on over a swimsuit, too, so basically, she won't be taking it off for the next three months.

Happy Sewing! Email me if you've got any questions! 3sonsplus1{at}gmail{dot}com

You can see my latest sewing projects on instagram at roseandruffle & on Pinterest HERE.  =)