[Katie]

I made my first Cappuccino dress in rayon and I love it. Perfect for the climate I live in. It was my very first FBA and proud to say it worked. But…being only just 5ft and a short body, the pockets are very low and I can only just reach them with my fingers. I read that you need to fold over the pattern to shorten it, but I have no idea by how much, which pieces and where you make the fold. Could you guide me please? If this works, I’ll be wearing nothing but this pattern for ever!

[Lightning McStitch]

Hi Katie,

The front of the Cappuccino dress is a bit tricky as it’s made up of three pattern pieces.

Do you like the current fit and dress length but want to raise the pockets on the dress?

Or do you want to shorten the whole dress? Then the question becomes where? Through the body or at the hem or both?

Sliding the pockets up the dress without changing the dress shape or length would be fairly easy.

Have a look at this blog post

shelley’s gallery-cappuccino dress

Where I’ve made miniature cellophane pattern pieces. With the cappuccino dress front pattern pieces laid out as they’d be sewn you can imagine how you’d slide the pockets up and redraw a few lines.

Using the see through “trace and toile” type interfacing is really good for this kind of thing.

I hope that helps to visualise what you need to do.
Shelley