How to Easily Make a Cute DIY Overall Dress Out of Old Pants

Tools and materials:

• Old, oversized pants
• Ruler
• Fabric chalk
• Sewing pins
• Scissors
• Seam ripper
• Thread
• Sewing machine

1. Disassemble your old pants

Fold your pants in half lengthwise and draw a line straight across the pant leg at the top of the crotch.

Cut off both pant legs together at that line. The bottom portion of the pants is the fabric you will be working with to make your overall dress.

Cut open both pant legs along the side seam.

Lay both pieces together with right sides facing in and cut off the side seam completely.

Use a ruler and chalk to draw a straight line across the bottom of the fabric. That will be the hem of your dress. Cut the fabric along that line.

2. Make the overall dress pattern

Place a skirt that fits you well on top of the fabric and mark where the waistline of your overall dress will be.

Complete the pattern by drawing in the top of the overall dress bib and connecting the end of that line with the waistline. Put a small curve into the vertical line on the side that connects the top of the bib with the waistline.

Cut the fabric along the vertical side line and the line at the top of the bib.

3. Sew the overall dress

With right sides facing, pin the bottom portion of the front and back pieces of your overall dress together on the sides. Then, sew the side seams from the waistline to the hem only, using a zigzag stitch.

Do not sew the sides of the top portion of the dress.

Fold in and pin the top and side edges of the top portion of the dress front. Sew those edges using a straight stitch. Repeat for the dress back.

Fold up, pin and sew the hem of the dress. I used a decorative stitch at the hem just for some interest.

4. Make overall dress straps

Cut the whole waistband off your old pants.

Fold the waistband in half widthwise and cut it on the fold so you have two matching straps.

Snip the belt loops off your straps and use a seam ripper to get the bits of belt loop remaining on the straps after cutting them.

5. Add buttons and buttonholes

Remove the old pants buttons and choose some new ones for your overall dress. Measure and mark, on the straps, the size and position of the buttonholes you will need. Then, cut the new buttonholes in your straps.

Lay the straps on top of the top part of your dress and use chalk to mark on the dress where the buttons will be attached.

Hand sew the buttons to the front of your overall dress.

Sew the other end of the straps to the inside of your overall dress close to the sides.

Finally, finish your buttonholes with a zigzag stitch on a very small setting.

DIY overall dress from pants tutorial

All done! It was really pretty simple, and the overall dress is very cute. Give it a try with some old, oversized pants of yours, and let me know how it turned out by leaving me a comment. Thanks for joining!