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January 10, 2013 by Narelle @CookCleanCraft

Party Dress Pattern Remix

Do you follow Project Run and Play? It’s a Project Runway-style competition for kids’ clothes, and the seasons to date have been amazing. They also have a sew-along competition, and I’m using it as an excuse to sew more clothes for my kids (not that they need any more clothes at the moment!).

The first round is a pattern remix challenge – put your own spin on a particular pattern. This season it’s the Party Dress from Lindsay at The Cottage Home. It’s a simple bodice and gathered skirt pattern, and which I used to refashion an old top of mine into a dress for Celeste:

PR_P Shirt Refashion

I bought the top before I had my first child and a guy at work was sure I was pregnant when I wore it. I did get pregnant not long after, but now I think of it as a maternity top and I just can’t wear it anymore. It was perfect to turn into a sweet, girly dress – it almost looks like a flower girl dress. Too bad I don’t know anyone getting married soon!

PR_P Shirt Refashion-001

Since Celeste has enough clothes for this summer, I made it a Size 3 to fit next year. It still looks adorable on her!

Top to Dress Refashion (5)

And since I can’t resist the cute shots, here’s what I get when I as Celeste to smile:

Top to Dress Refashion (9)

She looks a bit warrior princess to me here. And this shot cracked me up too:

Top to Dress Refashion (2)

Here’s the tutorial:

I started by laying out the bodice pattern on the top – positioning the centre-line at the centre-front of the top:

Top to Dress Refashion (33)

I traced out the bodice pattern with a washable pen, and marked the pattern where the V-neck section stopped on the shoulder seam:

Top to Dress Refashion (32)

I marked the same point on the shoulder seam on the back of the bodice, and then modified the back neckline to suit:

Top to Dress Refashion (31)

Since I wasn’t adding a closure at the back, I also trimmed a section off the back bodice at the centre (at the dashed line):

Top to Dress Refashion (29)

I traced the back piece onto my top and pinned the front and back so the V-neck wouldn’t shift:

Top to Dress Refashion (28)

When I got to my serger (or sewing machine). I wasn’t sure if I was going to use the sleeves and I didn’t want them to get damaged, so I trimmed them off (yes, I was making this up as I went along!):

Top to Dress Refashion (27)

Then I sewed my side seams:

Top to Dress Refashion (24)

The neckline and sleeves then got trimmed along the lines I drew previously – I sewed the side seams first to hold everything in position better before I cut.

For the back neckline, I unpicked the neckline trim from the original top:

Top to Dress Refashion (23)

Then I worked out where it would need to sit by lining it up with the neckline:

Top to Dress Refashion (22)

Flipped it over so it was right sides together and pinned in place:

Top to Dress Refashion (21)

And then sewed it together:

Top to Dress Refashion (20)

I then sewed the shoulder seams together:

Top to Dress Refashion (19)

I wasn’t really sure how to finish off the armholes. I ended up cutting off the ends of the sleeves:

Top to Dress Refashion (18)

And eased them into the arm holes:

Top to Dress Refashion (16)

Finally, I wasn’t sure how to modify the slip. I decide to just shorten the straps with a row of stitches.

Top to Dress Refashion (15)

Since the dress is a size too big at the moment, I may need to modify it for a better fit later. It worked out ok though:

Top to Dress Refashion (13)

So I very loosely borrowed from the original tutorial, but love that it motivated me to do one of the refashions I’ve wanted to do for a while.

And finally, all photo-shoots in the backyard end up with a Cozy Coupe shot:

Top to Dress Refashion (3)

Have you refashioned any of your old clothes for your kids?

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Comments

  1. Suzanne Winter says

    January 10, 2013 at 2:14 pm

    this turned out beautifully – you will have to post more pics next summer so we can see the difference!!! Quite a few of my repurposed things have come from maternity tops… hey, they have a good amount of fabric right ;o)

  2. The Nelson Family says

    January 10, 2013 at 3:53 pm

    I love how this looks! It’s adorable as is your little model!

  3. Dianna says

    January 10, 2013 at 4:56 pm

    Wow, that turned out really cute!

  4. Ajaire says

    January 10, 2013 at 11:46 am

    This turned out so well! I’ve been considering doing the same with one of my maternity tops and I am totally inspired to take the leap now. And I definitely get the I’m-not-pregnant-but-this-shirt-makes-me-look-like-I-am thing. Such a great reuse of a beautiful shirt!

  5. Jenn AJennuineLife says

    January 10, 2013 at 2:32 pm

    What a great upcycled project! I would love for you to come link up at my weekly linky party Thrifty to Nifty Thursdays at A Jennuine Life. I’m working with a couple of bigger bloggers to feature great projects, so I’m hoping to bring fabulous exposure for participants! http://ajennuinelife.blogspot.com/2013/01/thrifty-to-nifty-thursdays-2.html

  6. Deborah Devine says

    January 11, 2013 at 1:17 am

    Don’t you just love the fact that there are no rules when you repurpose an article of clothing!!!! I just finished my project for the man’s shirt challenge and it was so much fun that I stayed up until 2 am sewing:)
    Very cute dress.
    Deborah
    http://sewmuchtogive.blogspot.com

  7. feelincrafty says

    January 12, 2013 at 7:35 am

    Very cute! So greek looking! Like a little Greek Goddess! too cute. I also can’t belive she’s gotten so big!!!!!

  8. Heather says

    January 13, 2013 at 2:01 am

    Stopping by from SITS. I am so impressed! That turned into such a cute toddler dress. And your little girl is sooooo cute!

  9. Sherry Clarke says

    January 17, 2013 at 7:37 pm

    It’s gorgeous! And well done for taking it and making something new and usable! New follower. Thanks for coming by Inspiration Cafe…would love it if you considered doing a guest post there sometime!

  10. Tauni says

    January 23, 2013 at 4:48 am

    Great refashion. Makes me wish I had girls! xoxo, T.

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