A few weeks ago I found this dress at our local MCC thrift store. I loved the fabric, but I didn't really like the style of the dress. It was, however, only three dollars, so I decided to get it and see if I could turn it into a dress that I did like!
The part of the dress that I especially didn't like was the top. I don't like how that style looks on me, and I tend to avoid strapless dresses, especially with little kids who are constantly tugging on my clothes! The dress was also a size too big for me.
The first step was to remove the smocking. I figured that this would be a time-consuming process, but it turns out that if you pull the stitching in just the right way, it unravels and comes out without much fuss at all! I also took apart the top six inches or so of the side seams.
I decided to hand-sew this project instead of using my sewing machine. The fabric of the dress is quite slippery and I was concerned that I might run into difficulties if I used the machine. Hand-sewing is more time consuming, but that didn't really matter because there wasn't much sewing I needed to do. Also, there is something about sewing by hand that makes me feel like I'm pioneering like a boss, even if I don't live in a little house on the prairie.
First, I sewed shoulder seams along the top of the dress, turning what had been the top six inches of the side seams into armholes. Then I had to hem the armholes. And that was it! I decided that I wouldn't worry about a waistline, and instead just wear it with a belt.
I am quite pleased with the final result!
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