DIY Simple Convertible Dress

Do you want to make a dress that can be worn 12+ ways but is really just one dress? :) Well, now you can with the easy-to-make convertible dress! If you've already perfected the circle skirt, this dress just adds two additional (long) straps to the skirt to create a convertible dress!

There are a lot of circle skirt tutorials out there so I won't go into details about it but this step just identifies the newspaper pattern I traced out for the circle skirt.

Once you cut out the circle skirt, you should end up with a nice big donut like the image shown :)

Straps will be long :) (as this is the part that will be covering your top + allow for all sorts of convertible styles!)

1) For the width of the strap, measure from the middle of your chest, over the fullest part of your breast, and to the middle of your armpit. If you want to be more conservative in your coverage, feel free to add an extra centimeter or two to your width measurement. Also, if your material requires a bit of hemming on the side to ensure no fraying, add an additional 2 cms to your measurements.
2) For the height of the strap, measure 1.5 times your height.

You will cut out two straps of this exact length, per the image shown (ignore the little strap in the photo - this is just the waist portion of the circle skirt you should have already cut)

If you are using material that frays, and you don't have a serger, you'll want to hem the sides so that the dress doesn't look too incomplete :) So just go along the sides of each of your various pieces and hem accordingly.

Now for the fun part!

1) You'll want to lay out your material per the first image shown, where you first lay down the circle skirt, and then the two straps. If you can see from the image, the two straps overlap each other about 3 inches - the more you overlap, the more conservative the dress and the less you overlap, the larger your cleavage section will be exposed so just keep that in mind as to how you want the dress to turn out.

2) Now, grab your pins and start pinning the straps to your circle skirt.

3) Once the straps are pinned down, if your circle skirt also has a waist band, pin the waistband down as well. The center of the waistband should align with where the two straps overlap, and so that the opening of the waistband flows to the back of the skirt.

4) Not pictured here, but once it is all pinned together, start sewing away!

I have yet to master and perfect tying the convertible dress together but here is a sample of the final product :)

We've got your standard v-neck shaped front, with criss-cross back, as well as a second style where it is one shoulder.

Enjoy this fun and great summer dress :)