Learn to Restyle a Dress While Making It Longer
I had a cute dress with a fun fabric but the front was just too short. Rather than get rid of the dress, I let my creative juices flow and refashioned it to make a slighter longer glammed up piece. I am so in love with my new dress and the style I added to it. If you want to learn how I totally transformed my dress to not only lengthen it but to also make it into a fashion statement piece, my tutorial is for you! Follow my simple, step-by-step guide, and learn the ins and outs of this project.
Tools and materials:
- Scissors
- Pins
- Sewing machine
- Dress
To start off this awesome project, I cut off fabric from the back of the dress so that I would be able to use it to make the dress slightly longer.
Next, I hemmed the bottom of the dress. I folded the fabric so that I could hem the whole bottom to give a nice, clean finish.
I then cut open the shoulder seams of the dress.
I overlocked the shoulder seams but a zig-zag cut or stitch will work just as well! I hemmed the top of the dress to give it a perfect finish.
I was ready to add my extra fabric to the shoulder seams but I first had to measure so that my bra straps would be covered after this small alteration. I had to make sure that the strips of fabric I cut would have enough material to cover the bra straps plus seam allowance.
Once I had the measurements all worked out, I cut out my fabric strips.
I folded the strips, right sides together, and sewed them closed.
Once all 8 strips were sewed, I flipped the fabric right side out. I used a fabric hook but the safety pin method works perfectly!
I wanted to finish the raw edges of the fabric strips. Rather than fold them over and lose out on fabric, I tucked the raw edges in and pinned them. When I sewed the strips to the dress, I would sew the strip closed as well.
Finally, it was time to attach the strips to the dress. First I pinned the 8 strips in place and then I sewed on each side of the dress to create a gorgeous effect and lengthen the dress.
I am so in love with this refashioned dress. What other tricks do you have to lengthen a dress? Let me know in the comments below!
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