SLIDER

Top Knot Tour // Pattern Hack


Hi all!!

I'm so happy you've stopped by to see my hacked version of the seriously cute Top Knot Romper & Dress by Chalk & Notch

Make sure to read all the way to the bottom for amazing prizes you can win!



As soon as I was invited to the tour, my wheels started spinning as to what I could do with this pattern. I loved the shorts romper version and started with an idea that I had using that. Well as you can tell, things evolved. No shorts in sight, ha! Sometimes when you dive into a project it changes as you go along, this one was one of those and even involved a fail because of a poor fabric choice on my part. But in the end, every oops and nix turned out to be a good thing!


Most obvious is the fact that I turned the romper pieces into separates. And then I hacked each piece, the bottom just a wee bit, and the top quite a bit, but still kept many of the things that make this a unique pattern!


There are quite a few changes to the top pattern, so I'm going to go ahead and just list them all!
  1. Moved the button placket from front to back. To do this, I simply cut off the button placket piece from the front bodice pattern and attached it to the back bodice pattern piece. Then I cut the front bodice on the fold at the center front line. I ended up taking off most of the placket piece from the back because I decided to finish it with a facing instead.
  2. Reshaped the back bodice to be curved and open at the bottom. To do this I used my french curve to get the shape I wanted.
  3. Drafted a facing to finish off the edges, using the newly shaped back bodice pattern.
  4. Shortened the sleeve length and left off the cuff. In all, I took off 3" of length from the top of the sleeve, I left 1/2" at the bottom of the sleeve curve to give me room to turn under and hem.
  5. I made no change to the length of the top. I used the longer bodice option, hem allowance was 3/8" because of using a facing.

The only changes made to the skirt was in the waistband. O is not a fan of shirts not meeting her bottoms, so I doubled the width of the included waistband pattern piece and created a standard elastic covered waistband using 2" elastic for a little more coverage. It is perfect! I sewed lines over the elastic to create a channeled elastic look and to keep it from twisting or folding.


She is a super-duper fan of the twirl factor of this skirt! It is awesomeness.


I added the inseam pockets, to be honest, she rarely uses pockets in skirts, but I was glad I added them, because I love the little bar-tack detail Gabriela has you do in the pattern instructions. And O said, "Ooh, now I can hide my hands!" Lol.


I'm pretty sure she actually feels like a little ballerina in this outfit. We are both smitten for sure!


Keep scrolling for all of the Tour details and for an extra chance to win your own copy of this fantastic pattern!!


All fabrics and notions are from Joann Fabrics. The top is 100% rayon, the bottom is a chambray from the Famous Maker line.




And now for the fun stuff!!!

Be sure to follow along on the tour for all your chances to win.


If you would like to enter to win a pattern on THIS blog, please leave a comment below!

Enter the rafflecopter for some really awesome prizes. I could go for some of that fabric myself!

**There is also a coupon code for the Chalk and Notch shop which will save you 20%, just use tkt20 at checkout! Code is valid through July 1st, 2016.**

12 comments

  1. Heidi I just love your version! I'm looking forward to making a few of these tops too, so perfect for summer :) I also love the high waistband for the skirts, just perfection! Thank you so much for joining me, it was such a pleasure to have you on this tour! XOXO

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  2. Gosh, I love this hack! Absolutely beautiful outfit!! Love love love the wide waistband on the skirt and the back of the top!! And the colors and fabrics are so lovely!

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  3. That's a fantastic hack! I can so see myself doing exactly what you did! Thanks for the inspiration, best Bettina

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  4. I know what I'll be making next! The hack is amazing!!

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  5. I know what I'll be making next! The hack is amazing!!

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  6. I LOVE everything about your version, beautiful fabrics and such a lovely lovely hack on the back and the skirt waistband!!!!

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  7. Such a fantastic dress collection. very nice also.
    african lace fabric

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  8. Ur version is perfect for the tropical weather over here. Love it!

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  9. I love this hack SO MUCH!!!! I want that top for myself, actually! And I really like what you did with the wide waistband. So amazing!

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  10. THIS HACK IS SUCH PERFECTION!!!!! I love love love it!!! Great vision Heidi!

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  11. what a beautiful ballerina-friendly outfit <3 Love the back of the top. I might just have to borrow your waistband idea and make a super twirly skirt for my big girlie :)

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