Would you like to make a custom summer dress? Or perhaps you just don't have enough money to buy that new dress you've been eyeing for the summer? Can't figure out a way to get rid of your old bedsheet? Well read on!
Step 1
Make some measurements. Measure your true waist, and the distance from there to where you want the skirt to fall (a little past the knee), and the distance from your waist to shoulder, then measure your chest at its widest. This image is showing this while clothed, but you should be naked when you take your measurements.
Step 2
Unpick the seams on the sheet and cut out the skirt from the sheet material. It should be a half circle skirt. Map it out by making a half circle with the measurements of your waist plus 2 inches for seams. Extend a straight line from that with the measurement of the skirt length plus 2 inches for seams.
Step 3
Lay the circle skirt flat and face side down on the white lining fabric. Pin it into place so it doesn't shift or ripple while you cut. Cut out the white fabric in the same shape as the sheet fabric.
Step 4
The top edges of the sheet should have a seam, which you already unpicked. It would be about 2" wide. Either cut that off about half an inch from the final fold of the seam or iron it very smooth. If left "as is" the needle holes from the former seam will look odd on your new dress skirt. Note: you can save your sewing scraps for stuffing projects later.
Step 5
Take the edge you just cut off the sheet and flip it inside out. Sew along the edge. It should look something like this, but longer, as you pin and sew it. This will become the ties for your dress.
If you opted to iron instead of cut the seam in the previous step, cut a 3 inch wide strip of cloth, fold in the long way, and sew in a similar manner to make straps out of other sections of the sheet.
Step 6
Cut the long tube that you now have in half. Flip both halves inside out and set aside.
Step 7
Make a shirt pattern. Get a big piece of paper and sketch out a pattern like the one below. Make sure it's to size. You'll notice it's only half a shirt, but both sides will be mirror images of each other so that's okay.
Step 8
The back piece is like the front piece, but with a scoop cut out of it. Give the sides of the pieces a little inward curve to keep them shaped. You'll try it on before it's finished, so it's okay if the shape is just a little off as long as you make sure there's enough allowance for seams.
Step 9
Cut the four shirt pieces out of the sheet material. Then place those pieces on the lining material, face side up, and pin them into place before cutting them out.
Step 10
Pin the various pieces of the shirt together. Then, pin on the zipper on the back. A 12 inch zipper is common.
Step 11
Try the shirt on, keeping it turned inside out so you don't stick yourself. Adjust your pinned seams if it doesn't fit quite right. Make sure you look at where the zipper is pinned and make sure it curves with the curve of your back. Tuck it in under your breasts if need be, and along your waist. Don't be afraid to take it off to make a few adjustments to how you have it pinned, and then try it back on to make sure you got it right. Don't worry about how it fits above the breasts as that will be addressed later.
Step 12
Sew up the sides of the shirt piece, except the zipper. Just keep the zipper pinned into place.
Step 13
Make the skirt. Sew the two fabrics together along the bottom edge of the skirt, with the sheet fabric facing inwards. Then, take out all the pins and flip the skirt inside out. Now you have a neat bottom hem to the skirt.
Step 14
Pin the skirt to the bottom of the shirt. Unpin the bottom two pins from the zipper so you can match the edges of the skirt to the edges of the shirt. Sometimes there will be some excess skirt material. You can either cut off the excess inches from the circumference of the skirt, or evenly space a few little pleats to add a little extra flounce to the skirt.
Step 15
You can add four pleats to your skirt, placing two in front and two in back. Make sure the pleats are small so they don't make the flow of the skirt funny, keep in mind where it would be flattering to place them, and make sure they're evenly spaced. Use a ruler when you space them out for exact placement.
Step 16
Now sew the skirt to the shirt.
Step 17
Add the zipper. Sew the back of the skirt up to about a quarter inch above where the end of the zipper would fall. Pin the zipper its final few inches down the back of the skirt, and sew it into place. Refer to Sew in a Zipper for tips.
Step 18
Put the dress on. Decide what kind of a neckline you want. When you have the dress on, place your hand on the fabric above the breast. There should be an excess that sort of flaps out. Fold that excess down, angling the fold either outwards or inwards. Pin the fold into place.
Step 19
Decide on whether you want a V-neck or a scalloped neckline. For the scalloped neckline, pin the fold inwards. For the v-neck, pin outwards.
Step 20
Take the dress off and sew the fold into place. Hand sew the fold so the sewing is less prominent.
Step 21
Pin the edges of the shirt down. Refer to the picture above.
Step 22
Sew the seams down.
Step 23
Take those two tubes you sewed a while ago. Turn the open edge inwards just a little.
Step 24
Pin the tube, holding the folded edge carefully to keep it even, onto the top corners of the bodice.
Step 25
Tuck the fabric of the bodice inside the tube and pin it down.
Step 26
Sew the tubes onto the fabric, and you're done!
Step 27
Tie the tube ties around your neck, zip up the zipper and you're ready to show off your handiwork to your friends.
Warnings
- Your hands can get poked and dry during this process. Lotion helps.
