Refashion Runway Week 4-Summer Dress

Hello Everyone!

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Now for the last week of Refashion Runway.  I am not much for frilly, fussy, summer, dresses but I have been admiring all of the great maxi dresses out there.  The trouble is, I am now spoiled by refashion and refuse to pay full price!  Enter this lovely (cough, sputter) rectangle from “Goodwill” for the bargain price of $7.99.  I know that is expensive by thrift shop standards but this is L.A.  You don’t get any breaks even in the thrift shop. Here is the before and after:

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L.A. is really hot in the summer so it had to be short sleeve. The original was too wide (20W) and too short so I had to add length in the waist and on the bottom. How did I do it? Check out the tutorial to find out!

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1) Make fit changes to the side seams and cut off the excess. These pieces will be used to make the waistline, bottom edge and belt loops.

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2) Decide where you want to separate the bodice and skirt and cut the bodice from the skirt. (Take out the zipper first.) Using one of the strips you cut from the side, create a waistband of the desired length. Attach it to the bodice. Make sure you put some gathers over the bust area to create shape in the bust line.

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3) Attach the skirt back to the bottom of the waistband. Make sure to match the side seams. You will probably have to release any back darts in order for the skirt to fit back onto your hips. This is because when you cut the skirt from the bodice and place it lower, you are taking a smaller part of the skirt and putting it over a bigger area. Depending on how big the dress is you may have to cut the bodice from the skirt before you shape the side seams. Mine was quite wide so it did not matter but I still had to release the back darts from the skirt.

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4) I added a metal zipper down the back sewn on the outside of the garment which is totally the fashion at the moment. I set the zipper 3″ down from the original neckline as I decided to make a dipped V back.

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5) I had to get rid of the awful, mangy facing on the inside. I turned the facing out and sewed along my new neckline. Then I trimmed the facing to 1″, turned it over and basted the neckline down to make inside binding. After basting, I top-stitched the neckline from the outside. Good riddance floppy facing!

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6) I used the remaining pieces from the side seams to add a band to the bottom and make belt loops for the waist.

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7) The last step was to make some removable bling for the belt I planned to use. Dipping into my bead selection I created this little piece to add to the belt for a finishing touch. The lobster claw makes it removable!

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DONE!

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Hope you like this one. Love ya!

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Mary

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