Scuba Dress

In the quest to find clothes that are kind to my menopausal body, while filling my need to re-use clothing I am tired of wearing I came across the Burda 6851 pattern. This is a dress/top pattern and I was sold on it instantly, for 2 reasons:

Muffin Top be Gone: It has side block panels to camouflage muffin tops or back bra strap bulges.

Re-use Factor High: There are small pattern pieces which leave me open to re-use clothes I am tired of wearing but still like and have life left in them.

I made 3 versions of this pattern, one dress and 2 longer tops, the tops can be worn with tights. I modified the neck line on all three version because when I asked my husband what he thought, during the sewing process, he said it looked like a scuba suit. Ask an honest question and get an honest answer.

Version 1: I reused fabric I that was leftover from a previous project on the top sleeve fronts. I love this fabric it is a 60's design, crisp and fun.

Version 2: I have a habit of buying more than one item of something I really like, so I bought 2 pair of workout tights, which in hind sight, weren't that great. So I decided to use one pair for my version 2 of the longer top. I used the waist band as the neck, which worked really well, it is finished nicely and I can put a draw string in it if I want. I used the leg bottoms for the ends of the sleeves and the legs for the side panels. For the top front sleeve I re-used a tank top that I had previously made but wasn't fond of because the pattern was too busy. The pattern is much more subtle in small doses. I will of course never where the matching tights with the top, for fear of looking like a toddler.
Pattern modifications: I made the top a bit longer than the pattern calls for and made a band about 4 inches wide (cut 8 inches and fold in half) to sew to the bottom of the long top. It come just above finger tip height. I also added a detail to the back of the top because it turned out to be a bit tight around the waist. 

Version 3: For the last top I re-used a dress I have worn too many times to be seen in it again but it was great quality wool knit. The dress skirt I used for the side panels back and front, the top front sleeve was a tank top that again was too much pattern print for an entire top. 

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