REpurpose: DRESS to TUNIC Top

I want to share an easy REpurpose where I made a dress that did not fit me right into a Tunic top that I now love!

Sometimes I just don't like the way a dress fits. Like this one was just not roomy enough through my hips. So I pulled it up and moved my hip ease to my waist. Much better. But how could I make it stay? I needed to define my waistline, so that it would stay in position when I wear it. And now it was just too short for me to be a dress. So it became a top. A Tunic, if you will.
Here was my process:



This dress was actually totally straight with no waistline (I do not have a picture of it plain, but you can imagine.) What I did was mark it while wearing it. I pulled it up to where I liked it, then I marked it with chalk (actually I use soap chips - I like the way they mark better) exactly where I would wear a belt. Then I took it off and just basted a straight line on top of my chalk line. This is the pic here.



I turned it inside out, because I am now going to make a casing for elastic to define my waistline.



I chose thread to match the original topstitching thread on the dress. This is a trick to keeping everything looking professional. I am going to be sewing from the inside, so my matching thread needs to go in my bobbin. Because that is what will show on the outside. With me so far?



I used 1-inch wide single fold bias tape to make my casing. It doesn't matter the color because it's on the inside. I started stiching at a side seam and just stitched down one side of the bias tape, centering the tape on my marked basting line.



I stitched that edge all the way around, keeping the tape centered on my basting line.



When I got to where I started, I cut the tape 1-inch longer than the beginning. I turned it under 1/2-inch and overlapped the raw edge by 1/2-inch. Then I backstitched it down.



Then I stitched the other side in the same manner. That folded edge is now the opening to thread my elastic through. Remove your basting stitch marking now.



Here is what the outside looks like before elastic is in there. Nice.



I used 1/2-inch elastic and cut a comfortable amount for my waist, plus 1 inch. I put a pin in one end and threaded the pinned end through the casing. All the way around until you come out the opening. Be sure not to let your other elastic end go through.



Bring both ends of elastic together so you can join them with a stitch.



I overlapped them by one inch and zigzagged several times over the two layers. Now let it all go inside the casing. You can stitch the opening closed at the side seam now.



Turn it inside out and marvel at how pretty it looks with your new elastic casing waistline.



Try it on. See how much nicer it fits. And the waistline you marked is now perfect and it will stay where you want it when you wear it!

You can wear it several ways.

 

With different belts and a slip extender (which is really just a longer skirt to wear underneath dresses that are too short for your taste.) It looks like you added a ruffle - cute!

  Or with leggings. The possibilities are great - have fun with it!

Do you have dress sitting in your closet that you would wear if you could REpurpose it to a Tunic top?



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REpurpose: ADULT-size to TEEN-size TOP

I have a few tops of mine that don't quite fit they way I want them to anymore. But they are still in great shape. So I came up with a way to repurpose them for my daughter to wear.


YOu can use any adult size shirt for this project. It can even be purchased from a thrift store. It can be a T-shirt like I have used here or any other kind of top, adult-sized. Just long enough to get that blouson effect, on a teen-size girl.


There were two main things I did to convert this shirt. The first was to smock the bottom section. I simply filled my bobbin with elastic thread. (You may have to wind this by hand on your machine.) Use regular thread to match the top in your top thread. Lengthen your stitch length to the longest setting. Leave an inch or so of the hem and start stitching above that.


Keep going around and around for several rows (I did about 8 rows.) My rows were about 1/2-inch apart. When you are to the point you want to stop, just intersect your previous row with your last row, and backstitch.


This is what the smocking will look like when finished. Do not stress if it does not look super-smocked at this point. You will need to steam or wash the shirt to get the elastic to fully bunch up and look smocked.


Now you have finished the first step of repurposing. This will create a cute blouson look for your teen.


Next thing is to recut the armholes to fit your teen. Take some measurements beforehand to make sure it won't be too tight. Then simply cut in on the armhole a few inches, curving it out after the seam to taper it about halfway down the side seam. I used a serger on my knit to keep the stretch. You can use a slight zigzag stitch, too.


Now you are finished! A repurposed shirt with a new life!


So cute! And so easy!


Could you do this for the teenage girl in your life?


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A Happy Mother's Day

I think I have the best kids on the planet! I am so lucky! I had a lovely Mother's Day - did I say PERFECT Mother's Day? No. I don't know anyone who really does. You see, I have learned that kids have their own personalities and what they bring to Mother's Day is who they are! And I am happy to have them as the kiddos they are!

Breakfast in bed was accompanied by these wonderful handmade gifts that I treasure. I love all their sweet letters and cards and the cute reminders that they made for me, that they love me. (do you see that necklace I am wearing in the picture on the stairs? The beaded one - my sweet 8-year-old made that for me during church and came right into my class to give it to me because he couldn't wait! It did not make it into this picture...I wore it all day).


Then off to church, where my favorite thing is when the kids and the youth and the dads sing songs to us moms. The best!

We had a version of these yummy sandwiches for Mother's Day lunch, which was a good thing to make because all my kids AND husband could help with something and it was actuallly a nice time together. My favorite part was my 15-year-old son volunteering to cook the bacon and doing an excellent job of it. Seriously, I was wowed. He is hired.


Then we watched a movie. "The Wizard of Oz" - I had wanted to see it after my experience attending Wicked with my husband last week. Trust me, it was nothing in comparison. But still, fun to watch.


Then, I got a Mother's Day Nap. Bliss. No one even TRIED to wake me up. (After ten minutes anyway.)

I decided for dinner we would have Cinnamon Roll cake. (I used this recipe for cream cheese glaze instead of the frosting in the recipe.) It was so delicious! Perfect for the end of a relaxing and special day.

Later in the evening, all six of my kids came marching into the kitchen carrying these babies. Each of them had their own birthstone baby charm for me. I will string them on a necklace and wear them with pride.

Some of my funny kids even knelt down and pretended to ask me to marry them. See why I love my kids?!

It was a great day. And I am happy to be their mom.


I hope you had a great Mother's Day!


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