Who doesn't love a simple summer dress?
I hacked the Bento Tee by Liesl + Co into a dress with pockets, a side slit and a drawstring waist to give it some shape. I'm very happy with how it turned out.
Many have been asking how I did it so here's how:
I had made the Bento before (here's my waffle knit version), so I already knew my size and the fit. It's pretty much the easiest T-shirt pattern because it has a front and back bodice, with no sleeves to sew on.
The fabric is our Hemp & Organic Cotton Jersey in Navy & Off-white Stripe, and I used 2 metres. For the neckline and sleeve edges I used navy ribbing from our Good Earth Cotton collection instead of the cuffs that come with the pattern.
How the hack works
In short: you lengthen the tee by 1 inch (2.5 cm), then draft a skirt that matches the bottom of the tee, after adding an extra inch to the top of the skirt as well. When you sew the two together, that extra inch folds up inside to make a tunnel. Add two buttonholes for the drawstring at 1.5 inches from the bottom edge of the T-shirt. No elastic, no separate casing to cut.
So here is what you need:
- The Bento Tee pattern by Liesl + Co, in your size
- 2 metres of hemp & organic cotton jersey
- Ribbing for the neckline and sleeve edges
- 2 m of drawstring (from our trims & cords)
- A small piece of stretch interfacing for the buttonholes
- A skirt pattern you know fits, or a ruler and pencil to draft your own
- Any in-seam pocket pattern
Here's a sketch to help explain it:
Step 1: sew the tee
I left off the cuffs and finished the neckline and the sleeve edges with the ribbing instead. And I lengthened the front and back bodice by 1 inch (2.5 cm) at the bottom edge. This extra inch becomes part of the waist tunnel.
Step 2: draft the skirt
Drafting the skirt is not hard to do yourself. If you already have a skirt pattern that fits you, use that. If not, measure the length you want and draw a gentle A-line panel.
There are only three things to get right:
- The top of the skirt and the bottom of the tee must match exactly, front and back so you can sew them together.
- Add 1 inch (2.5 cm) to the top edge of the skirt. This is the second half of your tunnel.
- Mark where your hip lands on the skirt piece and measure it there. The skirt needs to go over your hips with a couple of extra centimetres of ease on each side, otherwise the skirt will be too tight. (been there done that!)
Step 3: make the skirt, pockets and slit
Pockets go in first, before you finish anything else. Mine came from another pattern, but any in-seam pocket works. In my experience pockets sit best as high as possible, so I placed the top of the opening about 4 cm below the top edge of the skirt (measured from the very top, including that extra inch).
For the side slit, overlock the side seam down to the point where you want the slit to start, then stop. Snip into the seam allowance right at the end of the stitching, fold the seam allowance over, press and topstitch.
Step 4: add the buttonholes
Apply a small piece of stretch interfacing to the back of the bodice front. Then sew two horizontal buttonholes, one either side of the centre front and 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) up from the bottom edge. They are about 1.5cm apart. Make them wide enough for whatever drawstring you are using, and open them.
That height is not random. It puts the buttonholes half an inch above the second stitch line you'll sew in the next step, so they end up right in the middle of the tunnel.
Step 5: join the pieces and make the tunnel
Place the bottom of the t-shirt and the top of the skirt right sides together and overlock the edges together, or sew. Then, keeping everything in the same position, sew at 1 inch (2.5 cm) in from the edge. That's the area you extended.
You'll now have an extra strip on the inside. Press it up, push it flat and pin it in place. It will sit behind the buttonholes, they should end up about in the middle of it. Then stitch that strip down close to the edge from the right side (you can also do this from the inside).
And that's your tunnel!
Step 6: hem and drawstring
I simply folded the hem over and stitched it down. Then - my least favourite part - threaded the drawstring through. I used 2 m, which leaves plenty to tie a bow.
Thinking of making one?
It really is an easy hack. If you're using a striped fabric, I recommend paying close attention as you cut your pieces so you can match the lines front to back. It is well worth the effort. It looks so much better and makes the pockets almost invisible.
If you'd like to make one too, you can find the Bento Tee here. If you'd rather not print it at home, we're happy to print the A0 sheets for you, which you can order at the same time.
Happy sewing!
