2 in 1 Dress Transformation
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Its always sad when you grow out of an item of your favorite clothes, but when it happens I like to get creative and see what I can do to recycle the fabric to make something new.
In this quick fix tutorial I take two dresses that are too short and transform one into a summer top, and the other into a dress long enough to be worn. I do this by using the leftover material from one dress to lengthen other dress.
In this tutorial I used:
A sewing machine
Pins
Fabric scissors
Measuring tape
Trim and Neatern Dress No. 1
Turn dress no. 1 inside out and measure from the hemline of the dress up the amount you need to take off to get it to top length (allowing for seam allowance).
Pin along these marks.
Cut a curved line along where you have pinned.
Now you have your new hem line.
Fold the edge of the fabric under once and sew down. Then fold the fabric under again and sew down again. This way your raw edges are all nicely sewn inside the hem and the first transformation is completed.
Pin along these marks.
Cut a curved line along where you have pinned.
Now you have your new hem line.
Fold the edge of the fabric under once and sew down. Then fold the fabric under again and sew down again. This way your raw edges are all nicely sewn inside the hem and the first transformation is completed.
Cut Dress No. 2
Repeat the same trimming method for dress no. 2 that you did for dress no. 1 (shown in picture).
Now take the off cut from dress no. 1 and trim it to be the same length and width as the part you cut from dress no. 2 using pins as a guide and to stop your fabric from slipping while you cut.
Now take the off cut from dress no. 1 and trim it to be the same length and width as the part you cut from dress no. 2 using pins as a guide and to stop your fabric from slipping while you cut.
Sew Up the Side Seam
The width of the black dress was a little wider than the green one so I trimmed it along the side seam to be the same length.
Pin the side seam you just cut.
Sew it up and neatern it with a serger, or a zigzag stitch if you don't have one.
Pin the side seam you just cut.
Sew it up and neatern it with a serger, or a zigzag stitch if you don't have one.
Pin the Black Strip to Dress No. 2
Divide the bottom of the green dress into quarters by matching the side seams together and folding to find the middle. Mark with pins.
Do the same with the black strip.
Now match the side seams and marker pins of both pieces to each other and pin together. Continue easing and pinning the edges together all the way around.
Do the same with the black strip.
Now match the side seams and marker pins of both pieces to each other and pin together. Continue easing and pinning the edges together all the way around.
Sew Together
I had to take this part very slow because the material of the dress is a velvet and kept slipping.
Sew all the way around the skirt taking out the pins as you go.
Sew all the way around the skirt taking out the pins as you go.
Repeat
Next repeat the previous pinning and sewing steps to attach the bottom panel.
Blend the Side Seams
Because the dress is slightly flared towards the bottom the side seams now won't line up.
Sew right up to but not over the side seams when sewing around the dress hem in the previous step. (I forgot to do this so had to seam rip a few stitches)
Lay the dress folded at the side seam and pin a straight line to blend all the layers together.
Sew up this line.
Sew right up to but not over the side seams when sewing around the dress hem in the previous step. (I forgot to do this so had to seam rip a few stitches)
Lay the dress folded at the side seam and pin a straight line to blend all the layers together.
Sew up this line.
Neatern & Topstitch
Overlock or zigzag stitch around all your raw seams to neatern them.
Topstitch the seam allowance down towards the middle panel on both seams.
Topstitch the seam allowance down towards the middle panel on both seams.
Finished Outfits
Now instead of two dresses I can't wear, I have a flowy summer top, and a dress that is now long enough. Happy days.