Wanting to try your hand at pattern alterations but feel intimidated and don’t know where to begin? Our Savannah Shacket Dress Redux is a great place to start! The oversized fit and straight lines of the shirt silhouette means it lends itself to an easy adjustment. This can be made for any style. Use coating fabric for a structured boxy look, which would look amazing paired with a classic belt. Or try out the softness and movement of silk chiffon with a crop top and jeans underneath. We wanted to have fun with this project, and we managed to find the perfect fabric for a shacket dress. Staying true to the classic plaid origins of the shacket while also upping the ante with sequins, we chose this Italian Silver Circle Baby Sequins on Periwinkle, Lavender and White Plaid Mesh fabric. It drapes beautifully and we loved all the ways in which it can be worn!
The adjustments made to this pattern were: lengthening, adding buttons, omitting the pockets, creating side vents, and making a hidden button placket. The latter adjustment was made due to the sequin fabric. I chose poly satin to make the placket and facings to prevent potential skin irritation from the sequins. It creates a nice high end finish too!
Purchase Materials Used Below:
- 2.5 yards of Italian Silver Circle Baby Sequin Plaid Mesh
- 1 yard of Reverie Silver Solid Polyester Satin
- 9 Italian Ivory Abstract Semi Clear 2-hole Buttons
- 1 spool of 102 Light Grey 500m Gutermann Sew-All Thread
- MDF280 – The Savannah Shacket Sewing Pattern (free download below!)
How to lengthen the pattern:
1. While taping the pattern piece titled “B-Front”, do not tape row B to C.
2. Insert a large piece of paper equaling 10” between B & C. Repeat with piece “I-Back”, between rows D & E.
3. Mark the buttonholes on the extension piece. I added 2 buttons.
How to add a hidden placket:
Note: For the sake of easy visibility, I made a mini hidden button placket for this tutorial.
1. Measure the front length of B-Front. Mine measured 39 ½”. Cut a piece of paper to that length, with 4 inches of width.
2. Draw a line down the length on the placket paper right where it joins B-Front. Let’s call this Line A.
3. Draw a parallel line 1 ¾” from Line A. Label that as Line B.
Note: if you’re using the self for the placket, make that measurement 1 1/2″.
4. From Line B, measure 1 ½” out and draw a parallel line. Label that as Line C.
5. From Line C, measure ½” out and draw a parallel line. That will be your cut line.
6. Cut along the line from step 5, then cut off any excess length.
Note: If you’re using separate fabric for the placket, cut on Line A to make the placket its own pattern piece. Otherwise, keep it attached to B-Front and cut your self fabric.
7. Cut the fabric and transfer lines A, B & C. Apply interfacing, if using.
8. This step only applies if your placket is a separate fabric. After you’ve cut out the fabric, place the placket onto the wearer’s right front piece, right sides together. Align the front edge of the front piece to Line A, pin and sew with a ¼” seam allowance. Press.
9. Lay the garment flat, right side down. Make a fold on Line C, then press inwards, wrong sides together.
10. Make a fold on Line B, then fold inward, hiding the raw edge in a double fold. Press. The 1 ½” space should be facing up.
11. Baste line C to A to temporarily secure the folds.
12. Mark and sew the buttonholes.
13. Make a fold on Line A (for those using separate placket fabric, this is the line where the placket meets the self), folding under towards the right side of the fabric. Press.
14. Make a fold on the front pattern’s fold line (the line that was printed on the pattern piece). The placket should now be facing upward, with the self’s front fold overhanging the placket by about ⅛”. This helps keep the placket hidden. Press.
15. Topstitch the inside placket fold (lines C & A) to the self.
16. Hand stitch the placket to the self, at each halfway point between button holes. This helps keep the self’s fold from opening and exposing the buttons.
How to make a button placket:
1. Cut a strip of facing fabric. Again, it needs to be the length of the front edge, and this time the width is 2″.
2. Right sides together, pin to the wearer’s left front piece, then sew with a 1/2″ seam allowance. Press and trim.
3. Fold the other side 1/2″ and press.
4. Fold at the seamline, bringing together the wrong sides of the placket and self. Topstitch the inner edge to the self.
5. Mark where the buttons go and sew them onto the right side of the self.
Making the remaining adjustments:
- For the sleeve cuffs, cut 2 cuffs in the self fabric, and 2 in the satin.
- For the buttons on the sleeve cuffs, make 2 self covered buttons. I hand stitched the sleeve cuffs closed, then sewed on the buttons.
- Sew the hem facings individually onto the garment, then vent the side seams at whatever length you choose.
