Gemma tank dress hack

After making three Gemma tanks and finally achieving a good fit, why not use the tank as base for a new dress? A simple throw on summer dress with a fitted waist.

I used my size medium D cup tank bodice and extended it to almost knee length. Then I cut it a bit below the waist to make a waist seam and to allow for a bit of a blouson effect. Since I had already cut the pattern in two at the waist to create a seam and a casing for elastic, I figured, why not add some hip pockets? Because who doesn’t need pockets on a dress like this?

This was exactly the type of easy wearing dress I had envisioned when choosing this rayon Island batik print from The Confident Stitch. I love this fabric and it’s so cool for the dog days of August which are on their way! It’s not too flimsy like some rayon prints, has just enough body for a dress like this, and also has the required drape to keep this look from getting too boxy.

I did enhance the slope of the shirt tail hemline, as Rae explains in her tutorial for how to turn this tank into a dress. While she added flare to her version, I took away flare from mine. I wanted the skirt to be a little more straight and my muslin was too voluminous, so I shaved off a few inches at the sides.

I look forward to making a few more versions now that I have the fit of the skirt how I like and the pocket pattern drafted.

Still using my iPhone 5s, but my camera will be back soon. I miss it!

Happy sewing!