Cutting the Austin Dress Front Bodice on the Fold

Have you ever wondered if you can cut the front bodice of the Austin Dress on the fold? If so you’re in luck, you absolutely can! This is a great option for heavily patterned fabric, sequential stripes (like my dress here), or if you’d just like to close up the front of the bodice.

Of course there is a catch — isn’t there always. If you close the front, you’ll need to move the keyhole opening to the back to ensure you can get the dress on over your head. Never fear though, it’s an easy pattern alteration with almost no sewing changes so you’ll be able to make this version with very little effort.

The only other change I made to my Austin is to use a hook and eye rather than a button at the center back keyhole opening. The reasoning for this is that my hair will never not take the opportunity to knot around a button. By swapping it out for a hook and eye on the inside of the garment I can drastically reduce my nape of the neck hair nests. 

As I mentioned earlier, I used this sequential stripe to illustrate the benefits of this pattern alteration. It’s a gorgeous shot cotton from Kaffe Fassett for Free Spirit in the Desert colorway. I’ve been using Kaffe’s shot cottons for garments since……oooh a long time ago. Back before I went back to school for fashion and patternmaking, so early 2000’s, when it was harder to find good quality fabric for garments and most shops were quilt shops. After about 25 years, it’s still a go-to for me. Somehow it feels like wearing almost nothing, sews like a dream, and really holds up to a lot of wear. I’m so glad it’s still in production and just as nice as the day I first sewed with it!

So now onto the tutorial! This works with either view of the pattern, I just prefer wearing View B personally so I used that version to create this Austin Dress. You can also use this tutorial with or without the side buttons. I personally didn’t have any buttons that matched this fabric, despite ordering a few options, so I just omitted them. You can find the tutorial to remove the button bands here: Removing the Austin Dress Side Seam Button Bands.

Austin Dress Center Front on Fold Pattern Instructions

Remove the ½” seam allowance from the center front of Piece 1: Front Bodice. This pattern piece is now cut 1 on fold.

On Piece 2: Back Bodice make a notch approximately 5” down from the neckline along the center back. This is the point where you’ll stop sewing for the back keyhole.

Austin Dress Center Front on Fold Sewing Instructions

Step 1 Complete as instructed

Step 2 Skip

Steps 3–5 Sew as instructed

Steps 6–8 For these steps you’ll be following the directions almost exactly as written. The difference here is that your opening is at the back of the neckline.

Step 9 Fold and press the center front seam allowances back to the wrong side. Fold the binding to the wrong side of the garment and press, then fold the raw edge under so that it meets the seam line and press again.

Step 10 Skip

Continue with Step 11, edgestitching along the center back seam line and neckline. Follow the rest of the directions as written.

As you can see it’s a really fast modification, both pattern and sewing wise and gives you a lot of flexibility with your fabric choices without requiring extensive pattern matching.

You can pick up the Austin Dress pattern in the shop and head over to the sew-along guide for step-by-step video tutorials on the original construction. Please note that this modification isn't covered in the sew-along, only the pattern as originally written.

Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below, and if you make your own version make sure to tag me on social media if you post @grainlinestudio! I always love seeing what people do with my patterns!