DIY Fashion: Intermediate, 2 Thrifted Skirts = 1 Fabulous Dress

I learned to sew when I was all of about 9 years old. Summers on my grandparents farm in GA  meant learning to crochet, garden, feed the cows….and sew.  I’ve sewn clothes of all manner for both my girls, just don’t ask Katie about the pig material. That was NOT my fault. Full wardrobes for my oldest because she had a size four waist and size go-on-forever legs when she was six, Halloween costumes, Barbie clothes, American Girl clothes, holiday dresses, I consider myself a fairly experienced seamstress if it comes right down to it.  I’ve been away from the sewing machine for several  years now but apparently it’s like riding a bike, it comes right back to you the minute you hit the foot pedal. This is what I would consider an intermediate refashion, and took all of about 30 minutes, 45 if you include the debating about how best to do it.

  

Threading the needle, ready to sew!

We started out with two thrifted skirts:

Gray knit Old Navy skirt: $3.99/Retail $18
Lined Black Lace NineWest Skirt: $9.99/Retail $50
(Both were 30% off prices shown at Savers)

After much discussion and deliberation, we decided to cut the lining out of the lace skirt. 

Removing the lining

 

 Removing the hook and eye above the zipper...

lining removed

Once the lining was out, we turned both the knit skirt and the lace skirt inside out, and slid the knit skirt inside the lace skirt, lining up the waistband of the lace skirt up with the seam on the knit skirt where the wide waistband was attached.  We then sewed, with a stretch stitch, the black lace to the knit skirt.

Pinned and ready to sew

Sewing carefully along the existing seamline so it won't be so visible on the outside...

 The knit skirt was a bit wider than the lace skirt so the V where the zipper was was convenient – it allows for stretch despite the lack of stretchiness in the lace skirt.

fit-checking

Next, we added straps. As I haven’t sewn in about a hundred years, I don’t yet have a stash to pull from, so we had to go buy black lace, about $5.00 at Joann’s.

  My first thought was to make regular straps; Katie decided she wanted more of a halter look for now, so we just sewed the lace pieces to the front of the dress for her to tie in the back.

 Add a wide black belt ($3.99) and black Bandolino heels ($7.99/Retail similar $69.95) and you’ve got a  fabulous flirty party dress!

 Written by: Tess
Modeled by: Katie