Life is Beautiful

Motherhood, Sewing, Family

DIY: Turn a XL women’s shirt into a girl’s dress

~ SEWING

Before:
I found this shirt on sale for $10.  I bought one for myself in XS and then saw another one in XL and immediately thought it’d make a cute little dress for my girls!

yeah, no, I did not put away those shoes around her to get better pictures.  You’re talking to a mother of 3 little kids here, psh.  please lower your expectations. 😉
Before/After:
Instructions:
1. Cut off the sleeves of the shirt.
2. Get a little girl’s dress to get the approximate sizing to compare to.

3. Place the sleeve of the girl’s dress on the cut sleeve and roughly trace, matching the width and the length, adding about 1.5 centimeters extra on both sides.  Make sure the folded part is not cut(and keep the buttons on the cuff).

4. Cut the fabric following the trace to make smaller sleeves.
5. Cut the extra fabric off the sides of the body.  You will have to cut the arm-hole smaller too.
6. Sew the smaller sleeves back on. 

7. Using the extra fabric you cut off, cut off an oval shape similar to above.

8. Fold the edges twice and sew all the way around on all sides.
9. Ruffle the shorter curved side and sew it onto the top of the shoulder seam.

10. Using the extra fabric, make a waist-tie to use as a belt for the dress.  For a tutorial, click here.
After:

What you’ll need:
-An oversized shirt
-matching thread
-needle or sewing machine
-scissors
Directions:
1. Cut off the sleeves of the shirt.
2. Get a little girl’s dress to get the approximate sizing to compare to.
3. Place the sleeve of the girl’s dress on the cut sleeve and roughly trace, matching the width and the length, adding about 1.5 centimeters extra on both sides.  Make sure the folded part is not cut(and keep the buttons on the cuff).
4. Cut the fabric following the trace to make smaller sleeves.  
5. Cut the extra fabric off the sides of the body.  You will have to cut the arm-hole smaller too.
6. Sew the smaller sleeves back on. 
7. Using the extra fabric you cut off, cut off an oval shape similar to above.
8. Fold the edges twice and sew all the way around on all sides.
9. Ruffle the shorter curved side and sew it onto the top of the shoulder seam.
10. Using the extra fabric, make a waist-tie to use as a belt for the dress.  For a tutorial, click here.
Estimated time: 45 min.-1 hr.
Budget: just the cost of the dress(mine was $10!)
Skill level: a very confident beginner

Comments

  1. lovemeyeart says

    Hey! I discovered your post over at the linky party on PolkadotsonParade.blogspot.com. I reeeeaaallly like what you've done with this reconstruction, and you're instructions are also quite thorough 🙂 I love DIY too, check out my latest project: http://wp.me/pX2Yv-6l

  9. Creative Dream says

    Such a fantastic idea! I would love it if you joined and contribute your awesome posts at my link party at City of Creative Dreams, starts on Fridays 😀 Hope to see you there at City of Creative Dreams Link Party.

  18. Emily Thompson says

    I love this… its looks so great when taken in!! Featuring today in the Create Link Inspire features on Nap-Time Creations… spreading the word on social media.. thanks for linking! Emily

  19. Creative Dream says

    Thank you for sharing this post at City of Creative Dream's City of Links last Friday! I loved this post so much that I chose it to be featured for this weeks party. 🙂 Go grab a button you deserve it!

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