Converting A Tunic To A Dress

I wear dresses a lot! They are my goto in the summer with sandals, they look great and are super quick and easy. I love them in the winter with tights, boots, and a cute sweater because they look cozy and pulled together. Converting the Style Arc Teddy Designer Top tunic to a dress is fast and easy.

I made the Style Arc Teddy Designer Top and produced a blog post and a sew along. It is a darling tunic and super comfy. I liked the top so much, I decided to make it into a dress. The technique of extending a well drafted tunic into a dress is simple and quick since you are just changing the style length and not the garment fit.

You are going to love wearing this fabulous designer top. The pattern comes in two lengths; I decided to make the tunic. It is stunning. It looks great with skinny leg pants since it has the floaty swing back and high low front. The Teddy Top is perfect for summer, but will transition nicely through spring and fall when paired with a cute sweater or jacket.

The gorgeous collar sits high on the neck giving the wearer a sleek, sophisticated look. The Teddy Top design comes in two different lengths and has a stunning swing back that works perfectly with the high low hemline. I give this pattern an A+ as a dress and as a tunic.

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Style Arc Pattern Instructions

The Style Arc Patterns, Including the Teddy Designer Top tend to have very pared down instructions. It is not a pattern for newbie sewists, however, with my sew along, any level of sewist can be successful with this pattern. You can find my YouTube Sew Along here!

Fabric

I made this top out of this soft Viscose Twill Snake Pattern Fabric from Minerva. You can also find my review at Minerva, where you can shop for the material and pattern.

Collar

The gorgeous collar sits high offering a flattering neckline framing your face. With the applied collar sitting high on your neck, the stitched facings, and swing back combine for a high style, a luxe look. The dress is soft and floaty. With the viscose twill it is very drapey and feminine.

How To Lengthen Your Tunic To A Dress

I extended the tunic 8″ to make a dress that sits just above my knee. Remember, this is a high low style tunic, so when you lengthen both the front and back, you will have a high low dress. Converting this particular sewing pattern by Style Arc is easy.

Click below to view the quick instruction video on lengthening the dress.

I simply put the tunic on and measured from the hem to where I wanted the finished dress to land. Then I added an inch for a hem. I skipped the hem band and just serged and turned the high low hemline up one inch.

Since I’m happy with the fit of the longer tunic, I don’t need to edit the top part of the pattern. I laid my pattern pieces in my chosen size on the fabric, cut the neckline, shoulder, sleeve, and a good bit of the side seam. Then I slid my pattern down 8 inches and blended the side seams adding a little extra flair to the hem edge at the side.

Voila! You now have a dress that fits great. This is one of the easiest ways to reuse a pattern you love and create something totally different for your closet. This Teddy Designer Top turned into a dress looks great on every body size and shape.

My Favorite Sewing Tools

You should always use the best tools you can afford for your sewing projects. Fabric, patterns, sewing machines, and even pins make a difference in your project’s outcome.

Below is a list of a few of my favorite things.

CS6000i

The Brother CS6000i sewing machine, the one I use in the video, is the best sewing machine on the market for a reasonable amount of money.

You can read all about why I love this machine and everything it can do HERE.

Rowenta Steamer

You can hear the Rowenta Steam Iron hissing in the background of my video. I’ve had this one for almost ten years and it’s time to get a new one. They are the best tool, after a great sewing machine, that you should have in your sewing arsenal. Giving your seams a professional steam will make your garments look professional.

Minerva Fabrics

Minerva offers so many gorgeous fabrics at great prices. They ship to the US for a very reasonable fee that makes them super competitive. And, I think their quality is better than the ubiquitous chain stores.

Independent Pattern Companies

Style Arc and other wonderful Indie Pattern Companies are changing the way we construct garments. As sewists, we deserve well drafted patterns that give our look an instant update. Our goal is to create garments that look high end, fit well, and are easy to wear. Indy Patterns offer us everything we want in patterns and offer wearable, contemporary style.

You can find a large selection of Independent Pattern Companies for sale at Minerva.

Miscellaneous Tools

The right tools for the job are the key to success. My two must haves – great scissors and the correct pins.

Scissors

Great scissors are a must for any sewing project. These Kai Scissors are one of the best pairs on the market. You will have them for years to come.

Pins

Believe it or not, using the perfect pin for the job will make the project go together better and will be kinder on your fabric. This short Pin Primer will have your pins gliding along in no time.

That’s a Wrap

Converting the Style Arc Teddy Designer Top to a dress was super easy and I love the casual swing dress look.

Happy Sewing!

Sandi