If you don’t yet have the pattern needed for this tutorial, you can find it here (afflink): 

Please note I use a projector rather than paper patterns, so all my pattern alterations take place digitally, but you can follow my instructions just the same using paper. 

MAKING THE PATTERN ALTERATIONS: 

For the solid back option: 

 I am demonstrating the alterations using the empire waist sleeved bodice, but you can use any version in the same way. 

Lay one of the back bodice pieces over the front bodice piece, matching the shoulder seam, and hold it in place with a couple of pattern weights. 

Transfer the centreline from the front bodice onto the back bodice, then you can put the front bodice piece to one side. 

Cut off the tie part of the back bodice along the new centreline you have drawn* 

Get a new piece of paper and trace around the new back bodice piece, then turn it face down and matching the centre line, draw around it again, so you have a full pattern piece 

Draw a straight line connecting the side seams (the new waistline of the back bodice will be flat not curved like it was with a tie) 

Cut out your new back bodice piece 

There is also a small skirt piece alteration to this hack. Take your front skirt piece and draw a horizontal line along the top edge like so: 

You will cut the front skirt as per the original pattern piece, but you will also use this pattern piece for the back skirt, except for the back skirt you will cut along the horizontal line you just drew, like so: 

This is the end of the pattern alteration for a solid back dress or top, you can now skip down to construction. 

For the twist back option: 

Follow the same instructions as above until you get to the * 

Your back bodice pattern piece should look something like this: 

Please note I am using the sleeveless empire bodice to demonstrate this hack, but you can use any version. 

Make a second copy of your new half back bodice piece by tracing around it on a new piece of paper and cutting it out. 

Rotate your new second pattern piece to meet the first along the centreline, so the pattern piece looks like this: 

Use some tape, stick the two pattern pieces together along the centreline. 

 You will need to cut two mirror images of this pattern piece from your fabric, like so: 

This is the end of the pattern alteration for a no-tie twist back dress or top, you can now go on to construction. 

CONSTRUCTING THE SOLID BACK VERSION 

Attach shoulder seams for the main and lining bodice pieces as per the pattern instructions 

Sew the neckline of the main bodice to the lining, right sides together, reinforce with clear elastic if needed. Turn right side out and press. 

(PS. I completely forgot what DBP was like and decided I could skip the clear elastic on the neckline and it ended up a bit stretched out, so I added some stretched clear elastic to gather the front neck a little, and I also added a vertical piece of elastic to give a mock sweetheart effect, following the directions from the Diana pattern – learn from my mistakes and add the clear elastic in the first instance!) 

Make and attach sleeves as per the pattern instructions, and close the side seams. (I decided not to add any elastic to my sleeves and just hem and leave them as flutter sleeves) 

If you are making a sleeveless top or dress, you will need to use the burrito method – I will demonstrate how to do this later for my sleeveless twist back dress, or you can watch this great video by Diana on how to do the burrito method: Using The BURRITO METHOD To Create a Sleeveless Top ❤️  
 
Sew the front and back skirt pieces together along the side seams, right sides together, and sew a gathering stitch along the top edge. 

Match the side seams, and gather the skirt down to fit the bodice. Pin or clip together and serge or sew with a stretch stitch. 

Hem and you are all finished! 

CONSTRUCTING THE NO-TIE TWIST BACK VERSION 

Place the front bodice main and lining pieces right sides together and sew the neckline with a stretch stitch 

Place the back bodice main and lining pieces right sides together and sew the edges shown: 

 Turn right side out and press front and back bodice 

Fold your back bodice piece as shown:  
This is now the right side of your back bodice. 

Open up the shoulder of your front and back bodice pieces and pin or clip right sides together and sew with stretch stitch or serge. Do this for both shoulders. If you are adding sleeves, you can follow the pattern instructions for making and attaching the sleeves and closing the side seams of the bodice.  

If you are making a sleeveless top or dress, we are going to use the burrito method to finish the armscye. I will demonstrate this with pictures, but if you would like to see a video of how to do this, Diana has made a great one which you can see here: Using The BURRITO METHOD To Create a Sleeveless Top ❤️ 

Roll one side up to the centreline 

Separate and open the main and lining 

Assuming main fabric is on the top, flip the lining underneath to match the armscye with the main 

Clip the armscye together 

Sew with stretch stitch or serge, be sure not the catch the roll of fabric inside. Pull the inner fabric out of the now closed armscye to turn it right side out. Repeat for the other armscye, turn right side out and press. 

Close the side seam using the method described in the pattern instructions 

That is your bodice complete, and you can now follow the instructions in the pattern to make and attach your skirt! (Please note, I added foam bra pads by tacking them to the inside of my bodice. Had my fabric not had holes in it I would have inserted them between the main and lining and tacked them there instead!) 

And there you have it, you can now switch up your Suzie with a solid back or a no-tie twist back! 

- Written by Amy Day