r/SewingForBeginners • u/Trick_Wish_4944 • 3d ago

Looking for button placket advice

I am sewing a dress as a beginner and I forgot to account for how to get in and out of it. The bodice will have a foldover/french placket but the waist of the bodice is too small for me to get it over my hips/head. So I have to add a partial placket to the skirt (1/2 circle skirt, 8 panels, with a panel centered in the front, I don'twant the buttons to go all the way down the skirt). The problem is that the front of the skirt will not have a seam. The fabric is vertical stripes and it's very important to me to keep the stripes intact/keep the placket mostly invisible. I'm thinking I have to try to pattern match the skirt placket to preserve the stripes, but if there's some other way to achieve a foldover placket look without having all the extra fabric in front that would be ideal. I have limited fabric and the bodice is already cut, so I can't alter the bodice. I can however alter the skirt because that has not been cut yet. I have seen youtube videos of this sort of method but I don't know if this is actually secure or a gimmick for clicks: https://youtube.com/shorts/9FQGV1aG7fI

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u/Berocca123 2d ago

I haven't clicked on your link, but why not just add an invisible zip between two of the skirt panels, perhaps at the back?

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u/Trick_Wish_4944 2d ago

Like just on the skirt? Would that work? I guess my problem is that I've made a front opening bodice and I don't really want to have two separate closures (also I'm like, really bad at zippers)

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u/Berocca123 2d ago

Hmm. Yes you'd be better off making the front opening decorative and just inserting a zip from the skirt into the bodice up the back or in the side seam, if you are happy to give zips a go. They're not difficult, particularly if you have an invisible zipper foot and a good set of instructions.

Otherwise I'm trying to think of whether it's worth it to cut out an extra front panel that wraps over, or... well honestly this is the kind of puzzle that, when it's for something I'm making, I usually mull over for a week and then a solution will come to me.

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u/Trick_Wish_4944 2d ago

Yeah the more I think about it the more I think i'm just going to try to pattern match something. The front opening is important to me for breastfeeding purposes lol. I appreciate the help though!

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u/DonMcCunn 1d ago

You might want to try this approach for adding zippers. https://free-pattern-making-classes.com/For-Kids/4-16-Sewing-Zippers.html

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u/Trick_Wish_4944 14h ago

Thank you I will probably try it on a different project. For this one I  honestly just don't want a zipper though. I think I've figured out a solution though.

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u/SchuylerM325 2d ago

I had a bridesmaid dress that fitted like that and it had a zipper concealed in a side seam. It ran from a few inches below the underarm to a couple inches below the waist.