I am truly honored to be asked to do a hack tutorial for one of my tried and true patterns, the Ogden Cami. I love the Ogden Cami because it is such a simple yet essential pattern in most closets. Its simplicity makes it such a great base for endless hacks. Today, I’ll be showing how to achieve a high-low ruffle dress with double straps using this lovely pattern.
I made a size 14 using the version with no darts since I have that version adjusted to my preference. For reference, my measurements are 40” bust, 34” waist, 45” hips
Step 1 – Lengthen the back pattern to your desired length. I lengthened my by 12 inches and graded out at the hips as I cut the fabric. Keep in mind that you’ll be adding a ruffle so it should be considered for length.
Step 2 – Lengthen the front pattern similar to the back pattern piece. Mark 2inches from the bottom as shown in the illustration and connect the hem from one side to create a curve. *If you want the high-low to be more dramatic, you can mark higher.
Step 3 – Reduce the width of the pattern strap and cut four straps instead of the usual two. I cut mine at 1.25 inches wide to achieve skinnier straps since there’ll be two on each side. The length of the strap pattern piece does not change.
Step 4 – Sew your Ogden Cami up following the pattern instructions. For the straps, insert two on each side instead of one.
Step 5 – Measure the hem of your sewn up cami, multiply the measurement by 2. This will your ruffle measurement. Choose your desired height (I made this one 10 inches long). You are now ready to cut out your ruffle piece.
Step 6 – Gather your ruffle using your preferred method and attach it to the main dress. Hem the dress.
And there you have it! A new high low Ogden dress with double straps! To change up the look, you can belt the dress when you feel like or enjoy its easy breezy style without a belt. I hope you enjoyed this simple tutorial and it was easy enough to follow. Don’t forget that small changes can go a long way.
Happy Sewing!
Sylvia