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If you're looking for a dress with a ton of styling options, the infinity dress is for you! It's basically a circle skirt with 2 long straps sewn to the waist. Although it might sound like a simple design, you can wrap the straps in dozens of ways to make unique looks. This makes the infinity or convertible dress perfect for capsule wardrobes, bridesmaids, or everyday wear.
Steps
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Get at least 4 yards (3.7 m) of jersey knit fabric in any color or print. To make a tea-length dress that falls just above your ankles, buy 4 yards (3.7 m) of jersey knit fabric. Knit jersey is great since it's comfortable and doesn't fray, so you won't even need to hem it!- Want to use cotton or non-jersey knit fabric? That's totally okay. Just plan on hemming every edge so the fabric doesn't fray when you wash the dress.
- If you're making a floor-length dress, you may need another 1 to 2 yards (0.91 to 1.83 m) of fabric, depending on how tall you are.
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Fold your fabric in half crosswise and smooth out the wrinkles. Spread out your fabric on a clean floor or worktable and trim off the selvage. That's the machine-finished edge of fabric that's not as soft as the rest of the fabric. Then, fold the fabric over so the short sides line up.- Fabric always has a selvage edge along the top or bottom. It usually shows the name of the fabric company or store and has care instructions for the fabric.
- If your fabric width is less than 60 inches (150 cm) to begin with, you may need to fold your fabric lengthwise to get straps that are long enough.
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Cut 2 straps that are each 12 by 60 inches (30 cm × 152 cm). Use a straight ruler and fabric marker to make a straight line across your folded fabric 12 inches (30 cm) from the short side. Remember that since your fabric is 60 inches (150 cm) wide this makes each strap that you cut 60 inches (150 cm) long. Then, take scissors or use a rotary cutter to cut along the straight line.
- Don't toss the rest of the fabric! You'll use it to make the circle skirt portion of the infinity dress.
- If you'd like less coverage, make the straps narrower by a few inches. For more coverage across your chest, make the straps wider.
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Fold the fabric in half 4 times. Spread your fabric on a clean floor or very large workspace and fold it in half to line up the short edges. Fold the fabric in half one more time so the long edges line up. Smooth out the fabric so you can mark measurements. [1] X Research source
- If all this folding seems overwhelming, don't worry! You're just folding the fabric a couple of times so you can cut out the circle skirt. This saves you time sewing it later.
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Cut a quarter-circle from the folded corner of the fabric. Find the corner with the double folds and measure 5 inches (13 cm) from the corner on 1 side. Since this fabric is stretchy, cutting a 5 in (13 cm) quarter-circle creates a basic waist. Use a fabric marker or pencil to mark the distance and repeat this for the other corner. Then, use scissors or a rotary cutter to cut a curved lined between these 2 points.
- If you need a larger waist, feel free to cut a quarter-circle that's 1 ⁄ 2 to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 cm) larger.
- For a neater curve, place a French curve ruler between the 2 marks and draw a light line.
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Mark the length of the skirt on the folded sides of your fabric. Now that you've made the waist, work on the bottom of the skirt. Take a measuring tape and measure from your waist down to where you want the skirt to fall. Then, mark this distance along 1 side of your folded fabric. Turn your ruler and mark the same length on the other folded side.
- For example, the skirt may be 20 to 25 inches (51 to 64 cm) long if you're making a tea-length dress that falls just above your ankles.
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Draw a curved line from the 2 marks and cut along the curve. To cut the curved bottom of your circle skirt, make a guideline. Use a fabric pencil or pen to draw a curved line that connects the 2 marks you made on the sides of the fabric. Remember, make the curved line parallel to the waist of your skirt. Then, use scissors or a rotary cutter to cut along this curved line. [2] X Research source
- To make a neat curve, tie a long piece of string to your fabric pencil and hold the tip of the pencil at 1 of the marks. Then, pull the string taut in the corner and swing the pencil along the curve to the other mark.
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Line up a short edge of 1 strap with the waistline and pin half of it. You're only a few stitches away from your infinity dress! Turn the skirt inside out so the right sides of the fabric touch. Take 1 of the straps and place the edge of it on the waist. Then, line up the edge with the waistline and push sewing pins along half of the strap to keep it in place while you sew. [3] X Research source
- Lay the rest of the strap fabric onto the skirt instead of extending it away from the skirt. This way, the strap won't get caught in your machine when you sew.
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Pin the other strap to the waistline to overlap the other strap by 1 to 3 in (2.5 to 7.6 cm). Now, line up the other strap's short edge on the waistline so an edge of the strap overlaps the other one by at least 1 inch (2.5 cm). If you want more coverage for your chest, overlap the straps by 2 or 3 inches (5.1 or 7.6 cm). Then, pin the edges of the straps to the waist.
- At this point, you could try the dress on and carefully wrap the straps around your torso. Then, you can adjust how much they overlap until you're happy with the coverage.
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Sew the straps to the waist. Leave a 1 ⁄ 2 inch (1.3 cm) seam allowance and sew the straps along the waist. Don't forget to take out the sewing pins as you work so you don't damage your machine. [4] X Research source
- Make sure that you're only sewing through 1 layer of fabric or you'll accidentally sew the waist closed!
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Hem across the back of the waist if you'd like to give the dress a finished look. Although the fabric won't fray, you can make your infinity dress look professional by finishing the exposed waist at the back. Fold the raw edge over by 1 ⁄ 2 inch (1.3 cm) and sew a zigzag stitch along the edge. [5] X Research source
- The zigzag stitch stretches with the fabric so your stitches won't tear when you pull the dress on and off.
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Put on the dress and play around with different wrapping styles. Once you've finished sewing the straps to the waist, turn the dress right side out and choose a wrapping style. There are tons of ways to wear an infinity dress , so you're sure to find the right style for any occasion! [6] X Research source
- Place each strap over your shoulder if you'd like to make short sleeves for the dress.
- Gather both of the straps together and bring them over just 1 shoulder for an off-the-shoulder Grecian style.
- Twist the straps as you cross them over your shoulder or back to make them look braided.
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Tips
- If you'd like a little more coverage, sew a rectangular strip of fabric above the waist to create a tube top . You'll still add straps to the waistline, but the dress might be easier to wrap.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- Fabric measuring tape
- Ruler
- Fabric marker
- At least 4 yards (3.7 m) of jersey knit fabric
- Scissors
- Sewing pins or clips
- Sewing machine
- Rotary cutter and mat, optional
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about sewing, check out our in-depth interview with Shaelynn Haning .
References
About This Article
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