Thrifty Dress Transformation: Gown to Super Cute Tie Front Blouse
Follow along with my dress transformation to see how I upcycle this thrifted piece into a tie front crop blouse. You won’t believe the results until you see them! Let's get started.
This post was transcribed by a member of the Upstyle Editorial team from the original UpstyleTV episode.
Tools and materials:
- Dress to upcycle
- Fabric scissors
- Tailor’s chalk or a piece of a white bar of soap
- Measuring tape
- Straight pins
- Sewing machine
- Thread
- Thin elastic
1. Separate bodice from skirt
Using fabric scissors, cut the bodice apart from the skirt. The goal is to get a large piece of fabric.
Also, cut away the waistband to give us a nice, flat piece to work with. This also separated the lining from the exterior fabric. Don’t throw that away because we will ultimately use both.
2. Measure the bodice lining
Since the outer material is so sheer, we will need a lining for the top. Measure out the width and length of the bodice on the lining material. You’ll make a perfect rectangle.
Then cut it out.
3. Make armholes in the bodice lining
Fold that lining piece in half, draw the triangular corner and cut to make an armhole.
Do the same thing for the back bodice lining.
4. Repeat for the exterior bodice fabric
Lay the folded bodice lining pieces on the exterior fabric, lining it up at the fold of the exterior fabric. Then use it like a template and cut.
Here are the exterior bodice pieces:
5. Measure out puffy sleeves
Start by tracing the armhole curve, because the sleeve will need to mirror that same shape.
After determining the length for your arm, trace out the sleeve length to meet with the curve you just marked, and cut. Keep in mind that you should make this a bit wider for the puffy sleeve effect.
6. Line up, pin and sew the bodice
Line up the bodice pieces (liner and exterior) for both the front and back portions.
Then, sew the bodice pieces with a long, basting stitch to attach the lining.
7. Attach elastic to the sleeves
Align thin elastic with the straight part of the sleeve. Cut the elastic a couple inches shorter than that straight part of the sleeve. Cut two elastic pieces, one for each sleeve.
Line the elastic up with the straight part of the sleeve, stretch it until the end and affix with the straight pins.
To connect the elastic, switch to a zigzag stitch and be sure to slightly stretch the elastic as you sew.
8. Attach elastic to neckline
Repeat the exact same process for the neckline of the bodice pieces.
Measure two elastic strips to be slightly shorter than the neckline.
Pin the elastic.
Stretch the elastic as you sew a zigzag stitch all the way across the length of the neckline.
Now we have this nice, cinched edge on the neckline:
9. Finish the neckline
Fold the cinched edge that you just sewed down and iron it flat.
Then, sew it down so that it stays flat.
10. Connect the sleeves to the bodice
Lay the bodice piece down and pin the sleeves at the armholes, right sides together.
Flip it to the other side.
Then attach the other side of the bodice to the backs of the sleeves.
11. Connect the top down the side seams and along the sleeves
Pin down the side seams of the bodice as well as the open undersides of the sleeves.
Begin sewing. Once you sew down the sleeve, pivot to sew down the side seam.
(For pivot, see 3:38-3:40 in video)
12. Hem the bottom of the blouse
Cut a piece of elastic longer than the length of the bodice. Pin the middle and quarter points.
Pin the elastic equally around the top. Then, sew that down.
13. Finish the wrists
Roughly measure two pieces of elastic around your wrist where the sleeve will be closed.
Pin those to the bottoms of your sleeves.
Then sew down the elastic with a zigzag stitch.
Now hem for nice, neat edges by flipping it down and sewing again.
14. Create a makeshift waistband
Cut three long rectangles from the exterior fabric.
Pin all the strips together to make a really long piece, then sew. Yours should look something like this:
Then, iron down about half an inch of the top and bottom horizontal sides.
Next, fold the hold piece in half horizontally and iron.
Once you have a neat waist tie, pin it to the bottom of the blouse and sew it in place.
Also, fold over, pin, then sew the ends of the waist tie for a finished look. Sew the entire length of the waistband as well.
Dress transformation
And that’s it for the dress transformation!
Here is the before and after of this long sleeve, tie front blouse.
I hope you enjoyed this thrifty tutorial. Show us your before and after shots in the comments below.
Enjoyed the project?
Suggested materials:
- Dress to upcycle
- Fabric scissors
- Tailor’s chalk or a piece of a white bar of soap
- Measuring tape
- Straight pins
- Sewing machine
- Thread
- Thin elastic
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Comments
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Nice job, thanks for sharing. :-)