Hello Bluegingerdolls, as usual I can't leave well enough alone when it comes to patterns. After finishing up my Odette dress, the though struck me that it would also make a lovely skirt. The gored panels create such a beautiful silhouette, keeping waist line tidy while flaring into a full hem sweep. It's the perfect skirt for pairing with cardigans in the Fall/Winter months. All I needed was a waistband to make all my skirt dreams come true.
After giving it some thought, I drafted a simple curved waistband for my Odette skirt. (Tutorial below) To finish it off, the skirt was closed with an invisible zipper at CB. All insides facings were slip stitched to the seam allowance of the waistband.
If you'd also like to convert your Odette dress into a skirt, there are several waistband options to choose from.
Option one - Use the bodice waistband
The simplest option for converting the Odette dress into a skirt. Great if you don't need anything fancy and have no problems fitting straight waistbands.
Option two - Use one of the Peggy waistbands
If you want a little bit of style in your waistband, then any of the Peggy options can be easily swap in. You can finish the waistband with a button or cut it down for invisible zipper insertion.
Option three - Draft your own curved waistband
This is the option I chose for my Odette skirt because curved waistbands fit my figure much better than straight ones. Here's how you draft your own....
Step 1 - Select the CF skirt and side front skirt pieces. Draw in the 5/8" seam allowance on the waist area and sides.
Step 2 - Line the two skirt pieces up so that the seam allowance lines are on top of each other. Pin or tape the two pieces into place.
Step 3 - Lay a piece of trace paper of the waistline area of the skirt.
Step 4 - Trace the waist seam line, not the edge of the pattern.
Step 5 - Place a ruler along the CF of the skirt. Extend that line up into your waistband piece.
Step 6 - Lay the ruler along the side seam and extend that line up for the other side of the waistband.
Step 7 - Label the CF side with "Fold".
Step 8 - You can make the waistband what ever width you desire. I usually go with a 2" waistband using the width of the clear ruler to trace the top edge of the band.
Step 9 - The angle on the side seam edge of the waistband looked a little too sharp to me. I checked my waist diameter against it and added around 5/8" to the top edge, redrawing the side seam angle.
Step 10 - Add 5/8" seam allowance to all edges except the CF fold and label the waistband as the Front. Cut out the waistband to finish.
Step 11 - For the back waistband follow the same steps, except do not mark the CB as a fold. Mark it as CB, to avoid confusion, and add seam allowance to that side in the final step.
There you go sewists, chose your own waistband adventure and enjoy some Odette separates. Happy Sewing! - Heather
Option one - Use the bodice waistband
The simplest option for converting the Odette dress into a skirt. Great if you don't need anything fancy and have no problems fitting straight waistbands.
Option two - Use one of the Peggy waistbands
If you want a little bit of style in your waistband, then any of the Peggy options can be easily swap in. You can finish the waistband with a button or cut it down for invisible zipper insertion.
Option three - Draft your own curved waistband
This is the option I chose for my Odette skirt because curved waistbands fit my figure much better than straight ones. Here's how you draft your own....
Step 1 - Select the CF skirt and side front skirt pieces. Draw in the 5/8" seam allowance on the waist area and sides.
Step 2 - Line the two skirt pieces up so that the seam allowance lines are on top of each other. Pin or tape the two pieces into place.
Step 3 - Lay a piece of trace paper of the waistline area of the skirt.
Step 4 - Trace the waist seam line, not the edge of the pattern.
Step 5 - Place a ruler along the CF of the skirt. Extend that line up into your waistband piece.
Step 6 - Lay the ruler along the side seam and extend that line up for the other side of the waistband.
Step 7 - Label the CF side with "Fold".
Step 8 - You can make the waistband what ever width you desire. I usually go with a 2" waistband using the width of the clear ruler to trace the top edge of the band.
Step 9 - The angle on the side seam edge of the waistband looked a little too sharp to me. I checked my waist diameter against it and added around 5/8" to the top edge, redrawing the side seam angle.
Step 10 - Add 5/8" seam allowance to all edges except the CF fold and label the waistband as the Front. Cut out the waistband to finish.
Step 11 - For the back waistband follow the same steps, except do not mark the CB as a fold. Mark it as CB, to avoid confusion, and add seam allowance to that side in the final step.
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