This project is blatant plagiarism I copied the project right down to the fabric choice and I don’t feel bad at all!
During our August M&B Patreon Zoom Sewing Circle, Leila whipped up this exact hack of our new Melba Dress, with gathers and in a seersucker fabric (hers was navy and white). But, since she’s particularly busy at the moment, I had a chance to copy her project and take photos of it before her!
Fabric: I ordered 4m of this 137cm wide fabric because I didn’t want to be caught short of yardage like Leila was during her hack. It was a comfortable amount to work with in the end, and I’ve got a small piece left over. If I had wanted to cut the sleeves on the bias (which is I think what Leila did) then I probably would have needed the full 4metres.
I cut my facings and the front of my pockets from a stable rayon fabric- I probably could have done it with the seersucker, but I find it’s nice to have a stable fabric that’s ‘true’ so that I can ease the shiftier fabric into it. It’s also nice to have a silky-fronted pocket for secret hand comfort!
The Hack: This is the Melba with the pattern piece cut off between the notch for the sleeve and the pocket. The skirt is 2 rectangles that are simply the full width of the fabric (so 137cm) front and back. The pockets use the same method as the original Melba pockets. The skirt is 90cm(ish) long, with a slight adjustment to cut to a light stripe so that when I hemmed it it would be on a darker stripe.
I’m pretty sure it’s all pattern matched (except the sleeves), but I didn’t check as I was going and there’s so much volume that I’m not sure anyone will ever notice.
This fabric is from Spotlight and is only slightly wrinkled, unlike some seersucker which has serious dimpling and wrinkling. I did wet this and try to dry it in a ball after pressing the seams to get it to wrinkle up some more (without much luck, but it did remove the flat pressed parts). That’s fine though because it means I haven’t lost any length in the skirt or had the sleeves pucker up strangely on me.
Now, bring on the warmer weather so my Melba Hack and Dulcie Shorts can get amongst it.
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