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The buttoned back of 220 Garden Party Dress is part of the charm (and authenticity) of this historic dress. It is a bit unusual in current dresses and can be a feature that is fun and interesting. However, it is not always practical. It can be hard to reach buttons in the back, and hard to manage buttoning them backwards. It certainly would be helpful to have a maid to help us when putting on this dress (as might have been the case when it was worn in the early 1900s), but since that is extremely unlikely, another option is to replace the button placket with a zipper.
It is always nice to have the option of a zip-up back closure when it comes to making dresses because they are fairly easy to use and insert. The Folkwear 220 Garden Party Dress back button closure and placket can easily be replaced with a zipper. This can be done to either the contemporary (View A) or traditional (View B) versions offered in the pattern. In Part One of this blog you will learn how to make a minor pattern adjustment, that will allow you to trade out button/buttonhole closure and the placket for a long invisible zipper. This technique will work on any dress or blouse that has a center back seam.
Keep reading to learn how this technique will enable you to add a button and placket closure or a zipper to the back of any center back seam, by simply adding or subtracting fabric.
In Part Two of this blog, you will learn a tried and true method for adding an invisible zipper to the Garden Party Dress and how to neatly finish the interior waistband facing.
The focus of this blog is to make an adjustment to the center back of the dress so a zipper can be added later. For the purposes of this blog I will not be making the entire dress. Instead, I am making a muslin of the dress back only for view A. You can make the adjustment as you construct the final dress if you like. However, be sure to read ahead so you are confident in what to do.
Pattern changes to be aware of:
If you want to try the adjustment along with me, grab some muslin or scrap fabric and cut out the Bodice Back B, Waistband/Waistband Facing F, and Skirt Back H pattern pieces as instructed.
Adjust the Back Bodice
In order to replace the button closure with a zipper on the back bodice, you need to determine how much overlap or turned under self-facing has been built into the pattern. This extra turned under fabric was originally built into each side of the back bodice pattern pieces to accommodate the buttons on one side and the buttonholes on the other side. In this case 1-1/2" (3.8cm) was added to the center back of each bodice piece.
All that is needed to accommodate the zipper is a seam allowance. Simply trim away the extra 1” ( 2.5cm), leaving a 1/2” (6mm) seam allowance at the Center Back or center back line of each back bodice pieces. See the illustration below.
Note: The Waistband/Waistband Facing and Skirt pieces do not need adjusting and are ready to use as is. Also, the flanges are not being used in making this muslin, because they are only decorative and do not effect the construction.
Add Waistband/Waistband Facing to Back Bodice
With right sides together, pin and stitch the Waistband to the Back Bodice, drawing up the gathers to fit, matching notch 6. The waistband edge should be even with the center back edge of the bodice.
Notice the red tip pin marks notch 6.
View of the wrong side with gathers drawn at center back edge to notch 6.
Pin the right side of the Waistband Facing to the wrong side of the bodice, matching notch 6. Be sure to not catch the Waistband in the pinning or stitching. Stitch in place using the previous stitching as a guide. End the stitching approximately 1" (13mm) from the center back edge. Fold back the un-stitched section of the waistband facing and pin to hold it out of the way in order to add the zipper later.
Add Skirt to Waistband
Remember to not stitch the skirt backs together as the instructions direct.
Make two rows of gathering stitches within the seam allowances at the top of the skirt edge. With right sides together drawn up the skirt to fit the waistband, pin, distributing the gathers evenly. Then, sew being careful not to catch the waistband facing in the stitching. Press the seam towards the waistband.
If you unpinned the un-stitched section of the waistband facing, like I did, to make construction easier, be sure to pin it back out of the way again before adding the zipper.
Repeat for the opposite back side to the dress.
You should now have a right and left dress back, consisting of the bodice, waistband/waistband facing, and skirt. The two separate backs will become one piece when the zipper is added.
In the Part Two of this blog you will learn a tried-and-true method for installing an invisible zipper to the back of the Folkwear 220 Garden Party Dress. And learn how easy it is to create a clean finish to the waistband facing.
If you have not already done so, take advantage of the sale price for the Folkwear 220 Garden Party Dress during the month of June and join in to learn how to zip it up the back!
Linda Deis
June 23, 2022
While this is a very clever solution, I think I might add my zipper to the side seam and close the back with the stitch line on the back right. This would leave the concept of the buttons and placket intact while still incorporating the convince of a readily accessible zipper.