Wrap dresses are one of my favorite dress styles because they are flirty, and flattering on every body type. Their’V’ necklines can add the illusion of height to the body and draw attention to the face.  In case you didn’t know, Diane von Fürstenburger created the wrap dress in the 1970s and it’s been a staple in womens’ closets ever since!

Betty Wrap Dress

I was tickled pink to see Sinclair Patterns release the Betty Wrap Dress earlier this year, and it’s been on my to sew list ever since.  It is a faux wrap dress that has soft pleats at the waist, a higher neckline, and a curved skirt hem.  It’s really nice to not have to wear a cami with this dress and still feel covered. I sewed Betty in a plum floral from Peekaboo Pattern Shop. The fabric is a custom double brushed polyester print, which is great for colder weather.

In my fall/winter wardrobe, I’m all about jewel-toned colors. And I don’t care if it’s winter, I’m going to wear florals dang it!!! I’m not a fan of winter and florals make me happy.

CIRCLE SKIRT MASH UP

I got this pattern all laid out on my fabric and realized that I had lots of extra fabric, enough for a fuller skirt.  So what did I do? I swapped out the Betty’s skirt for a circle skirt pattern piece.

If you decide to do this, I recommend making sure the waist circumference of your new skirt matches the waist circumference of your old skirt at the seam line. It’s very important that you measure at the seam line so that there is no distortion of measurements.

This pattern has a quarter of an inch seam allowance which is great for intermediate sewers who use a serger. This makes for very little waste because none of the fabric is cut off during construction of the garment. It could be a bit intimidating for beginner sewers, however. If you don’t like the small seam allowance, you can always make it bigger.

Wardrobe tip: A Double brushed polyester skirt will stick to your nylons. To prevent this, wear a slip or line your dress with some tricot. I wouldn’t recommend using a lining with a circle skirt on a knit. It could be very heavy and put stress on the waist seam.

Petite Pattern Pieces

One of the great things about Sinclair Patterns is that petite pattern pieces are included! My size is drafted for around a 5’3″ height. I still have to adjust the height a bit because I’m 5’1″ but it does make things easier when there are details at the waist or torso. Those details can get distorted with a larger height adjustment.

Muslin Changes

DBP fabric has less vertical stretch then the pattern calls for.  I made a muslin and my bodice was too short. I added back some height in the bodice before I cut into my pretty fabric.

This dress is so lovely for a winter dress, or summer dress if you use the sleeveless option or shorten the sleeves.  And, as my daughter pointed out, it’s a twirly dress!! What’s not to like about that?!