Apparently, people are still referring to the Sleeveless Orla tutorial I wrote back in 2017, which is both surprising and extremely lovely. Thank you! Unfortunately, when I moved my website to a new platform, a bunch of photos and illustrations vanished in the process. I don’t have the originals anymore (RIP), and while the perfectionist in me wants to fix it all, the realist in me knows that’s a giant job I will not get to. So I left it, assuming no one would notice, but since you did and emailed me, I thought it was time to revisit the post and give it a proper update with new instructions and fresh illustrations, courtesy of my current day job of writing and drawing sewing instructions for a living.

The original blog post included instructions for converting the sleeved bodice to sleeveless, adding a waistband, and turning the skirt into a box pleat style. Since I am not sure what part people are actually using, or if you want to do one of the three, I’ve left it all in. But! I’ve added a handy little table of contents so you can jump straight to the bit you need and skip the rest, if needed. 

One more thing before we dive in, this tutorial can be used with any sleeved bodice pattern or skirt you’d like to convert to a box pleat style. Even though I am using the Orla dress as an example, it is not exclusive to it. 

Before you begin, make sure to draw in the seam allowances on your pattern pieces so you are working from the actual stitching lines. Since I am using the Orla dress to demonstrate, the seam allowances on the Orla are ⅜” (1 cm). If you are using a different pattern, double-check what seam allowances it uses before you start.  

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

• Scrap paper (whatever you’ve got laying around)
• Ruler, pencil, and some tape
• French Curve (optional, but very helpful if you have one)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Sleeveless Bodice
2. Add a V-neck
3. Add a Waistband
4. Box Pleat Skirt

SLEEVELESS BODICE

Sadly, converting the sleeved bodice to sleeveless is not as simple as just leaving the sleeves off. It is all about refining the armhole so that it fits and wears comfortably without gaping, pinching or digging in.  Once you complete the following steps, I highly recommend making a quick muslin to test the new armhole shape. You might luck out and get the perfect fit on the first try. Or, you may need to slightly tweak the curve, or even remove a bit of excess fabric with a small dart, which you can then rotate into the original dart. If you need a tutorial on how to do that, let me know.  

Start by marking a point on the shoulder seam of both front and back bodice pieces ~ 1 ½” (3.8 cm) in from the outer shoulder edge. This will create a narrower shoulder, which is typical for a sleeveless bodice. Of course, that number isn’t set in stone; you can adjust it to suit your personal style or the look you are going for. 

Using a French curve, or your best freehand skills,  draw a new armscye, blending it into the original at the side seam. 

Depending on how the original bodice was drafted, you might also need to lower the armhole slightly. Sleeveless armholes usually need a bit more room, since there is no sleeve to support or balance the fit. That said, I would not lower it right away. It really depends on the pattern. I’d suggest making a quick muslin first and adjusting the depth from there if needed.

 Also, keep in mind, you may need to take in a bit at the side seam for a closer fit. 

Tip: When trying on your muslin, wear it inside out! It makes accessing the seams way easier and gives you a much easier time with pinning and adjusting.  

Once you are happy with the adjustments, double-check the seams on your pattern pieces still line up and flow smoothly. Line up the front and back bodice pieces at the shoulder seam to check the armscye curve. If you made changes to the bottom of the armhole, do the same to the side seam to make sure everything matches up nicely. 

Note, if you are planning to finish the neckline and the armholes with the bias tape you will need extra. 

ADD a V-NECK 

I wish I could find the original photo of this Orla hack. From reading the blog post, I can tell I also changed the scoop neck to a slight v-neck. It sounds lovely, and I wish I could remember what I looked like!

To do this, mark a point along the center front fold line on the front bodice, ~1 ¾” (4.4 cm) down from the neckline. While this is optional, consider bringing the shoulder in slightly by extending it  ~½” (1.3 cm) toward the neck to slightly narrow the neckline. 

 

Then, using a French curve, or your own artistic flair, draw a gently curved neckline connecting those points. The curve is important - your body is three-dimensional and full of soft contours. A straight line will almost always look a bit off. That said, this is definitely something to tweak once you make a muslin. What looks great on paper may not look quite right on you, and that is the beauty of making these garments fit YOU.  

 

ADD A  WAISTBAND

To add a waistband, you will need to carve it out of the bodice. First, decide how wide you want your waistband to be. For mine, I went with 1 ½” (3.8 cm) to make it look intentional. I feel anything narrower than 1” (2.5 cm) tends to disappear into the design. 

On both the front and back bodice pieces, draw a line above the waist seam that follows its curve exactly, using your chosen waistband width as a guide (i.e. 1 ½” (3.8 cm) or whatever you prefer). Everything above the line becomes your new bodice, and everything below the line becomes the waistband.

Working on the front or back bodice one at a time (trust me, this will save the confusion later), cut the waistband section off the bodice. Cut through the dart legs and discard the dart volume. Then, bring the two waistband pieces together at the spot where the dart was and tape them in place. Trace this new shape onto fresh paper, smoothing out any sharp angles or jogs at the spot where the dart once was.  Add the seam allowances back in, and repeat the same steps for the back bodice. 

Don’t forget to mark your new pattern pieces clearly with the center front/back, fold lines, grainlines and how many to cut. 

In the original blog post, I suggested adding a notch where the dart used to be. That’s optional. I feel it is only necessary if you plan to add a box pleat skirt and want the pleat to align exactly with the dart above the waistband. If that’s your plan, go ahead and notch away. 

Tip: In my  original blog post, I mentioned that I wished I had interfaced the entire bodice to add stability after adding a waistband. That may have been due to the fabric I chose, or possibly the weight of the insterfacing I used in the waistband, but I am leaving the note here as an FYI, just in case you working with a lightweight fabric and want more structure. 

ADD THE BOX PLEATS

For this hack, I added two box pleats at the front and two at the back, each one aligned with the dart legs above. Of course, you can add more pleats if you’d like! A centred box pleat the the front or back would look cute too. Although that would require slightly different steps not covered in this tutorial. 

Here is how to place the pleats so they line up with the bodice darts:   

Working with the front bodice and front skirt first, measure the distance from the center front fold to the inner dart leg. On the skirt front, mark point 1 that same distance from the center front fold. 

Next, measure the distance from the bodice side seam to the outer dart leg. Mark point 2 on the skirt front that same distance away from the side seam. 

Divide the distance between the two points in half to find the center of your box pleat. Mark that, and draw in the box pleat lines. 

Repeat the exact same process using the back bodice and back skirt. 

 

That’s it! I think I’ve covered everything from the original tutorial, but hopefully this version is a little clearer and easier to follow. If you have any questions or if there are other blog posts you’d love to see refreshed, just let me know. I’d be happy to revisit old favourites! 

Anya