Refashioning: Making Clothing More Functional - Replacing a Panel

Sometimes what keeps you from wearing an item isn't the fit or the dimension. Sometimes, there is just one odd thing about it that you just wish were different. Like the dress below, for instance. I loved everything about it, except the weirdly patterned panel right in the front. It was just obnoxious enough that I would never wear the dress like that.

Using the lining from the dress I modified in a prior blog post, I cut out a piece of black lining fabric. I wasn't precise in my cutting. I just made sure the piece was bigger than the panel I wanted to cover.

Then, I just pinned the panel over the horrid panel, folding it flush as I went.

A close up of one of the corners.

Then, I sewed over it with a straight stitch.

This was fine, except, there were some little tiny gaps. Most people might not notice them, but I sure would. . .

So I went back over the panel again--this time with a zig zag stitch.

Perfect!

The End!

Refashioning: Making Clothing More Functional - Sleeveless Dresses into Skirts

Here is a little series I am doing in the "Refashioning" vein, but specifically geared towards changing "okay" clothing into more functional pieces (vs. hideous pieces into less hideous). I hope these entries give you some ideas!

Today's post is about how to turn sleeveless dresses into skirts. It really is as easy as cutting off the bodice and hemming the waist, but for those visual learners, scroll through the pictures!

A note before cutting, you will notice I laid the dress down with the front of the dress facing the floor. Now look at the picture below. I am lifting up the back bottom hem. I pulled it down below the front about half an inch or so. This is to allow for "butt lift." This is for those babies, who like me,..."got back."

So...really important. If your dress has a zipper and you want to keep it, make sure to zip it down just past the waist. Otherwise you will chop it off when you start cutting!

To hem the waist band, just fold it down twice about 1/4-1/2inch and pin it. Then sew.

Zip the zipper up to the top before you start stitching, this helps you keep both sides even.

That's it! Here's my finished skirt with one of my favorite T-shirts!

Here's another sleeveless dress I turned into a skirt.

Don't forget the zipper!!

I probably would never have worn these dresses as dresses because they were too high maintenance, but as skirts, they will get much more mileage!

The End!!