The Craft Room: Super Simple Dress to Skirt Makeover

Happy Thursday darlings, 

I had a couple inquiries about the skirt from my Tuesday's post, and no, I did not make it myself.  It was actually an old dress I had from Urban Outfitters that I performed a very simple, cinchy makeover on.

Like many of you, I am a gal on a budget that thrifts most of my "new" clothes, shops the Modcloth and UO sales or Target on occasion, and just simply shops my closet...over and over again.  But here's the thing, I have the tendency to wear things to death.  Case and point: that Urban Outfitters bird print tank dress, circa 2009 - which I actually also wore in one of my first blog posts here and this Fossil tote (also 2009).  Both were a site for sore eyes with pilling, tears, stains, loose seams...the whole shebang.  Neither could confidently be worn in their current state.  Really, the before photos here don't do justice to how busted up looking they were.  Total bummer because I still love both of these pieces.  Cue the DIY.  To keep these pieces going for miles to come - I performed a very simple little makeover which required no sewing whatsoever.  

What you need:

A simple old full skirted tank dress like the one below (the kind with two separate materials for the top and bottom and an elasticated waist)

A dirty old tote bag or scrap material.

Scissors

Fabric glue or glue gun

Safety pin.

These full skirted tank dresses are everywhere (especially in the summertime).  I have owned and gotten rid of many.  As cute as they are, the issue with them is that they are usually constructed with very thin, cheap material on the top that just doesn't hold up.  

Tote bags are also all around because they are just so darn cute and well, easy to tote hence their name...haha. They get dirty so easily though.  

How you create:

Step 1:  Cut the top off the dress about a half inch away from the seam.  Though the skirt part of my dress has a paperbag waistline to it - yours does not need to have this.  A simple elastic waist will do.

Step 2: Glue the excess material down with fabric glue.

Step 3: Make your bow: Cut a square  (mine was 5x5 in.) from off the tote.  Fold back a  quarter inch around all four sides and glue down with your fabric glue.  Cut another piece of material about 4 inches long x 0.5 inches wide, pinch the center of the bow and wrap this smaller piece around the center and glue in the back.

Step 4: With a safety pin, pin the bow on the skirt.  You can sew it on, but I liked the option of being able to move it from the side to the center.

Guess what?  You are finished!  How pain free was that? 

Now....

Have a loverly day Darlings!

Love Bunches,