A few weeks back I was shopping with my daughter’s. My oldest is a breeze to shop with. She loves shopping and always finds thing’s she loves. My youngest hates shopping for long durations and rarely finds thing’s she really likes……. the struggle. Thankfully on this outing she finds a dress in store # 2. She tries the dress on and the fit is perfect.  She loves loose and flowy clothing…..in her words I don’t like to be squeezed.  Meaning nothing that hugs her to tightly. She is all about cute and comfortable.  So both girls get what they want and wear the dresses they picked to an upcoming event, we were attending.

A few weeks later, I was cleaning out my fabric stash and find a yard and a half of Fuschia Peachskin fabric and it hit me…. why not make my youngest a dress like the one she recently got. So that’s exactly what I did and here’s how.

Materials :

1 .5 Yards of 58-60″ wide fabric
A dolman sleeve dress or  a regular t-shirt
1/4″ elastic (optional)
Coordinating Thread

Instructions:

Fold your fabric in half right sides facing.

Lay your dress or t-shirt on top.

Cut out 1″ away from your dress or t-shirt all the way around. (Feel free to add more length at the bottom. I added an additional 2″ because my daughter wanted it bit longer than the original.)

Now pin and sew using a 1/2″ seam allowance.

Finish you seam with a serger, zig-zag stitch or pinking shears.

Try your dress on and mark where your would like your neckline. Remove the dress and now mark 1″ above your desired neckline mark.

Cut the neckline only on the fabric that will be the front of your dress. At the 1″ mark, that’s above your desired neckline.

Now hem the neckline by folding over 1/2″ and fold over again 1/2″ and sew close to the edge. Do this to your bottom hemline and sleeves. (For the sleeves I folded over 1/4″ and then again 1/4″ and sewed close to the edge)

Now give all your seams a good press.

With your leftover fabric, cut 2 strips of fabric 3″ width x 37″ length. ( Feel free to add more to the length if needed. This is going to be the sash/belt for your dress).

Lay the strips on top of each other with right sides of the fabric touching and sew 1/2″ seam on one short edge and finish the seam as desired.

Now you will have one long strip. Press out the strip and fold it in half lengthwise. Sew 1/2″ seam down the long strip.

Turn your long sash/belt right side out and give it a good press. Turn in the edges 1/4″ and topstitch close to the edge.

Set the sash / belt aside for now.

Cut out a 5″×5″ piece of fabric.

Fold in half lengthwise right sides facing and sew with a 1/2″ seam allowance.

Turn the fabric right sides out and press with the seam in the center. Fold the short edges 1/4″ and top stitch on the edge.

Set this piece aside for now.

Now with your dress turned to the wrong side and the back facing you. Measure down 15″ and across 4″ and draw a line. Then make a line 1″ above this mark like so.

Cut (2) 1/4″ elastic pieces 3″ in length.
Attach to your dress on each of the lines with a zig-zag stitch making sure to stretch the elastic as you sew. Be mindful that your only sewing the elastic on the back of your dress.

We are almost done.

Now turn your dress right sides out. The back facing you. You will see a little gathering affect from where the elastic was sewn.

Now get the small tube we sewed earlier and pin it over the gathering like so.

Sew across the top and bottom long edges only.

When done it will look like this.

Now pull your sash/ belt through.

Now you’re ready to wear your dress. Great all year around. Add a cardigan and boots/booties, ballet flats, heels for the fall/winter months and of course for summer and spring great sandals.

Please feel free to message me with any questions you may have.

Happy Sewing & Until Next Time,

Sewloveable ☺