Closing up the Brownie Goose Tilly- Part 2- Fully Closed Back

Due to my ever growing love of the Brownie Goose Tilly I was constantly searching for new ways to modify this pattern. I loved the look of the "open" closed back but wanted to give a fully closed back a try! I also wanted to try adding a flutter sleeve- more on that one here. The start for this one is just the same as the “open” closed back from Part 1.

Once you have visited the Brownie Goose shop and bought your Tilly pattern- Trace and cut pattern per instructions. Follow the construction steps laid out by the fabulous Amy of Brownie Goose until the part where you make a notch for the open back on page 6 (at least page 6 of the version available at the time of this posting)- just omit this. You then follow along with Amy’s awesome instructions until page 8- sew along her purple lines everywhere but the very bottom- don’t sew along this line:

The back piece should be completely open from side to side. Skip over the rest of page 9 except for clipping your seams. Then turn right side out and finish the armhole seams per instructions.  It should be finished but open across the bottom from side to side at this point…note my arm holes are not finished on the picture below because I was attaching a sleeve to this one... more on that to come in a future post...  

I then lay it out flat- right side out with the back pieces facing up and line up where the back pieces should overlap. Then topstitch around the back to attach the two pieces together. You can add your buttons at this point, or wait until you are done attaching the skirt (which is probably easier)- totally up to you.

 

To attach the skirt- I use a selvedge width (SW) for a size 2/3 and think it is still plenty full. In the larger sizes you might want to add additional fabric depending on how full you want the skirt to be. To make a “dress” length you will want to add length to your SW piece as well. I add 3-4 inches to the 2/3 for a dress. But it really depends on how long you want the dress. I will leave that up to you. I fold my SW in half and make a seam/serge both sides. I am a little OCD about there being two side seams to match up. I think it makes it easier to make your gathers even- but whatever makes it easier for you. I also go ahead and do the hem on my skirt portion at this point. Here it is all hemmed and ready to get its gather on...

I then run a gathering stitch across the top of both sides of the skirt and gather to fit my completed bodice. I leave my bodice right side out and flip my skirt wrong side out and slide the bodice down into it to pin it. I always do a sanity check and flip my skirt down to make sure I have it attached properly- not that I have ever attached one backwards. ; )

 

I then go back and serge my skirt/bodice seam, press upward and topstitch and that beauty is done! That is unless you need to go attach a fabulous button (I might have a special love for big buttons)! Enjoy your completely closed back Tilly top or dress!