If you have found the perfect fitting bodice why not try changing up the style by swapping out the skirt for a gathered one!

Freya hacked the The Ready to Party Dress to create a more casual daytime look. Once you’ve achieved a great fit on the bodice why not mix it up with a gathered skirt option too!

A gathered skirt is so easy to DIY, and switching to a gathered skirt usually means you can sew a dress using a classic fitted bodice like the Ready to Party Dress bodice, from around 2m of fabrics! To make a gathered skirt version, you can either use the pattern pieces from All the Cute Skirts, which is ideal if you’re new to sewing, or cut out rectangles from your fabric freehand.

“Changing up the skirt to a gathered one makes this dress feel a little more casual, perfect for summer picnics and fun days out!”

If you use the skirt pieces from the Cute Skirts pack, simply cut out the same size as your dress bodice. You don’t need to cut out the waistband.

If you are cutting your own skirt panels, you need to cut two rectangles from your fabric, each as wide as your full waist measurement. Use gathers to pull in the fabric to create fullness. The length you choose is up to you! I’ve made a 75cm long skirt for this sample, so that it retains the elegance of the original style.

Because the dress has a centre back zip, you will need to cut one of your skirt panels in two.

Start by making up your bodice following the instructions, then take your cut out skirt pieces and we will begin!

Step One

Finish the edges of the side seams and back opening edges of your skirt using your preferred finishing method.

Optional - Attach your pocket pieces following the instructions in the Ready To Party dress pattern. You’ll need to mark on your own notch, approximately 4”/10cm from the top of the skirt panels. Don’t forget to under-stitch the pocket seam allowances! Finish the edges of your pocket pieces together.

Step Two

Then sew up the side seams with a 1.5cm 5/8” seam allowance. Press the seams open.

Step Three

Mark the centre front of the large front skirt panel.

Sew the 2 back panels to the front at the side seams only.

Step Four

Set your sewing machine to its longest stitch setting, then sew 2 rows of long stitches along the top edge of your skirt, within the seam allowance at the top edge between the seams.

Stop and cut off your threads, leaving a long tail, and start again at each side edge and at the mark in the centre front.

When you’re done, you’ll have four sections, each with 2 lines of sewing.

Freya choose to sew three lines of gathering stitches, instead of the usual two a lot of people suggest, because she finds that sometimes one of the threads snaps, and this way you have a contingency! Plus, using three lines of tacking stitches can give a more even gather.

Tie off one end of the gathering stitches near the skirt to hold the gathers in place for the next step.

Step Five

Before you start to gather, pin your skirt to the bodice, with right sides together, matching up the side seams and centre fronts.

Then, hold the 3 front threads only and gently pull on these to gather the fabric, until the skirt pieces fit in to the bodice pieces.tie the threads in a knot to secure the gathers and carefully distribute them evenly.

Pin the gathered skirt to the bodice, at 10cm intervals apart.

Step six

Sew the bodice to the gathered skirt with a 1.5cm/5/8” seam allowance, gently smoothing the gathers sideways as you sew to keep them at a right angle to the stitching lines. Sew on the gathered side so you can keep an eye on them!

Press the seam allowance up towards the bodice taking care not to press and flatten the gathers too much.

And that’s it!

You’ll find the instructions for inserting the invisible zip and finishing off the bodice lining in the Ready to Party dress pattern instructions.

The last thing to do, once the zip’s in, is to hem the skirt. Freya turned the hem up by 1cm, and again by 2cm before topstitching to create a neat hem.