Yes I did. I chopped up one of my hardworking man’s old dress shirts and turned it into the cutest little dress for Grace. My interest in such a project was piqued by others in blogland and by a darling little dress I saw in the kids Garnet Hill catalog. I didn’t take pictures along the way because I did it at night and I honestly wasn’t sure it would turn out. But if you want to give it a go, I scribbled some lines on a photo for you. If you try it and get stuck, shoot me an email and I’ll tell you what I did. Here’s the basic rundown:
- remove upper collar, topstitch lower collar closed again
- remove pockets
- chop up shirt into basic A-line dress, leaving collar and buttons intact (be sure to cut front and back together, they’ll be connected at the top)
- use sleeve fabric to cut out two new sleeves – here is a great little tutorial on how to sew a puff sleeve and here is a standard sleeve pattern that you can download and use that tutorial to sew for this dress.
- sew front to back along side seams
- hem bottom
- attach new sleeves
- sew rows of shirring across front; I sewed 9 rows about ¼ inch apart each – be sure the two sides of shirring match up when the shirt is buttoned closed
- sew on cute bows (or not!)
If you’re lucky, your cute little model will have as much fun in her new dress as mine did!
Comments & Reviews
Shelly @A Creative Space says
You are UBER talented!! I loved reading your tutorial! Very clear. I have to Follow you, I do not want to miss a thing! 🙂 Gonna have to go peruse YouTube for Shirring tutorials…
UnusuallyYours says
That is one of the cutest thing I have seen!!!
Anonymous says
awesome transformation!!! I love this!!!
http://saffiertje.blogspot.com
Wendy says
I so love this and I can’t wait to make one for every little girl in my life! Thanks for the great tute!
Brenbren says
I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! I have a shirt I have been saving to make over for my daughter and I think this is it:)
Cook Clean Craft says
I might raid my husband’s shirts now, getting ready for when my little girl is big enough to wear dresses (she’s just commando crawling at the moment). That is just gorgeous!
Laura at Ms. Smartie Pants says
This is just adorable! And what a memory. Imagine being clothed in your dad’s clothes on your first day of school! You could put the fabric stores out of business! I am suspecting your husband didn’t look nearly as cute in that shirt!!! 😉
Shari @For the Little Doll In Your Life says
Stef – you never cease to amaze me. This is an incredible makeover, and your model is too darn cute.
Lindsay says
This is so amazing! You have skills, that is for sure. I am just impressed that you transformed it as much as you did. I would love to have you share this at Show & Share–
http://southernlovely.blogspot.com/2011/09/show-share-5.html
Amy @ Positively Splendid says
Absolutely, positively AH-mazing, my friend!!
Tonia @ TheGunnySack.com says
I LOVE this and totally want to try it!
Rachel says
That is an adorable makeover!
projectdowhatyoulove says
Wow, you are so talented! How did you get that out of that! Awesome!Nataliewww.projectdowhatyoulove.wordpress.com
rose1953 says
Really lovely! What a great idea!
Michele Alger says
Oh my GOSH!!! DO YOU EVER STOP?! How in the world do you top each post with the next?! This is so incredibly beautiful!!! SO want to do this for my baby dolls. Wish me luck, cause I’m not Y-O-U! 😉