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

DIY: Make a muumuu type dress into a fitted dress

~ SEWING

Before:
I got this cute dress from the Flor De Luz Shop and I think it’s cute without any alterations.  But being petite, the length wasn’t the most flattering on my body shape or height.  So I altered it to make it more flattering.
After:
Instructions:
1. Cut off the extra fabric on the sleeves and the bottom of the dress.  Hem the bottom.
2. Sew the area right below the arm hole(lined in blue) closed.  Hem the sleeves.
3. Using the extra fabric that you cut off from the bottom of the dress, cut two 1 1/2″ wide strips.
4. Sew the right sides of the strips together to make one long strip.

5. Fold the strip in half width-wise and sew the edge together.

6. Safety pin one edge of the strip and put it inside the strip.  
Push the safety pin all the way across to the other side to flip the strip inside out.  
Now you have your belt!  

What you’ll need:
-A dress
-matching thread
-needle or sewing machine
-scissors
-safety pin
Directions:
1. Cut off the extra fabric on the sleeves and the bottom of the dress.  Hem the bottom.
2. Sew the area right below the arm hole(lined in blue) closed.  Hem the sleeves.
3. Using the extra fabric that you cut off from the bottom of the dress, cut two 1 1/2″ wide strips.
4. Sew the right sides of the strips together to make one long strip.
5. Fold the strip in half width-wise and sew the edge together.
6. Safety pin one edge of the strip and put it inside the strip.  Push the safety pin all the way across to the other side to flip the strip inside out.  Now you have your belt!  
Estimated time: 35 minutes
Budget: just the cost of the dress
Skill level: beginner

DIY: lengthening a mid-thigh dress to knee length

~ SEWING

before/after
One way to lengthen a dress is to buy two of the same dresses and using the fabric of one of the dress to add it to the other dress.  This might be the only option for you if you can’t find any similar fabric to buy to add to the length, or you want it exactly the same fabric, but can’t find it.  I know no one really wants to buy two of the same dress since you’re paying twice the money for it, but use the cut up dress for something!  I plan on making a tiny version of the same dress for my girls, or you can also make the top into a peplum top like I did here.
BEFORE:
I got the gold sequin dress here.
1. Buy two of the same dresses.

2. cut out the bottom hem of the dress, as much as you desire to add to the other dress.

3. Turn the dress inside out and sew the extra fabric to the hem of the dress the right sides together.
AFTER:
gold dress | shoes: Seychelles | bracelet: Anthropologie
What you’ll need:
-two identical dresses
-matching thread
-needle or sewing machine
-scissors
Directions:
1. Buy two identical dresses.
2. cut out the bottom hem of the dress, as much as you desire to add to the other dress.
3. Turn the dress inside out and sew the extra fabric to the hem of the dress the right sides together.  
Estimated time: 15 mins,
Budget: depends on your dress(mine was $95 for both)
Skill level: beginner

My husband’s man shed

~ HOME, Jay's DIY

 
 
 
Jay’s dad came soon after we had the baby to help Jay build a shed.  Jay learned how to build from his dad when he helped his parents build their 3 houses in Hawaii from ground up.  Did I mention Jay’s dad built their very first home in Utah when he was in his early 20’s from ground up?  He couldn’t find any houses he liked so he thought to himself, “Why not build one myself?”.  So he went to the bookstore and bought a book on how to build a house and that’s how he learned to build and renovate.  Genius?  Yes, I think so.
 
Here are the pictures of the process, enjoy!
the girls being little helpers by cheering on while eating popsicles. 🙂
Jay’s friend came and wanted to learn and help, thanks Wayne!
no Achilles, it’s not a dog house for you, sorry!
look how little Aiden was!  and my husband looks HOT!
 
 
And the finished result!  it took them only a week to build but these pictures were taken last month.
 
Now Jay has a place to store all his tools!  And a place to sleep when I don’t want him anywhere near me. Haha, jk jk.  As long as he behaves, he’ll be just fine.
 
It sure is nice having a handyman in the house.  We are going to renovate the upstairs of our house this year and last time he renovated our towne home that we used to live in, I was pregnant so I couldn’t help out much, but I am so excited to help him and learn a lot!
 
 
 

See similar posts:

Dream Home DIY Episode #1

DIY: scallop dress into a scallop skirt

~ SEWING

I found this dress at a thrift store during my N.Y trip last year.   Right when I laid my eyes on it, I knew it’d look great as an A-line skirt, with the beautiful scallop details and the ribbon trim.
BEFORE:
I cut the top part off and used the criss-cross straps as a waist-band for the skirt.
sewed the two straps into a one long strap to make the waist band.
AFTER:
blouse | necklace | skirt: DIY | flats
Estimated Time:  45 minutes
Skill Level:  intermediate 
Price: $7.00