Uniform Tunic Modification 02: Uniform Dress
Today we’re sharing our next Uniform Tunic Modification post, how to turn your tunic into a dress! We’ve been wanting to do this modification for a while and I finally got the chance to take a break from developing new patterns a few weeks ago and make one to wear to the Knit 1 Brooklyn Tweed Weekend here in Chicago. As soon as I made my Uniform dresses I couldn’t believe I hadn’t made one earlier! Seriously these are my new favorite garments. They’re dressy enough to wear to work, yet comfortable enough to wear…to work? I never realized how odd that saying is until right now.
In addition to the style modification I love how the choice of fabric affects the look of these two dresses. The black Uniform dress was made using a linen/viscose blend from Stonemountain & Daughter Fabrics and it has a slouchy, cool vibe and feels like secret pajamas. On the other hand, the paprika Uniform dress was made with a crisp, lightweight linen from The Fabric Store which holds the shape of the dress well.
Altering your Uniform to make a dress is very straightforward as you’ll see below. It’s also a great way to get more mileage out of a pattern you already own!
To begin, trace out the size you need; we’ll be starting with the bodice. I’ll be using the round neck for my versions but you can also use the v-neck, the choice is totally up to you. Next decide how much you want to lengthen your dress. Keep in mind that the Uniform is already has a dropped waist bodice so you may not need to lengthen this part at all. I lengthened mine by 1″ just to keep the dress proportions slightly closer to the proportions of the original tunic.
If you are going to lengthen your bodice, slash across the lengthen/shorten line marked on the pattern and spread the two pieces the amount you intend to lengthen your pattern. Redraw the side seam and these are your new bodice pattern pieces.
To adjust the skirt, we’re simply going to add onto the hem. I added 8″ to my hem which hits just above my knee. Extend the side seam and center front & back lines down, then measure down from the hem line the amount you’ve chosen to lengthen. That’s all there is to it!
After that, cut your pattern pieces and sew according to the instructions in your pattern booklet! This is such an easy modification and takes almost no time at all, but really changes the look and function of the Uniform. Hope you enjoy this modification and if you make one definitely tag us in social media using our IG handle @grainlinestudio and the hashtag #uniformtunic.
You also might notice that the sleeve on the paprika isn’t standard for the pattern. We’ll be back soon with a tutorial for that as well!
