Turn A Basic Cardigan Into An Elegant Dress

Ms. Melior
by Ms. Melior
2 Materials
$5
10 Minutes
Easy

Ladies and gentlemen, meet my all-time favorite upcycle project!


It was incredibly easy to make, so I encourage you to dig up that old cardigan you no longer wear and turn it into this elegant dress.


Here's how we're going to do it...

This is the cardigan we'll be working on. It actually belonged to a friend of mine who no longer wore it.

This is what it looks like from the back.

Now, put the cardigan on inside out AND backwards. Make sure that the way it fits is suitable, i.e. it covers what it needs to cover and fits around your neck and arms comfortably.

This is what your new dress will look like in the back. As you can see, the spaces between the buttons open up. If I were just wearing this as a dress, that would be a huge problem of course!


Let's fix that with two simple stitches.

Remove any tags or strings that would be uncomfortable if worn against the skin.

Then button up the cardigan, right-side-out.

With your sewing machine, stitch a straight line on both sides of the buttons to ensure they stay closed.

Pull the dress on over your head and viola!

This is a view from the back...

and from the front!


I can't tell you how much I love this dress. I've paired it with sneakers to run some errands in, but have also dressed it up for Sunday brunch. It's truly versatile, comfortable, and unique.


Let me know if you try this project!


Love,

Ms. Melior

Suggested materials:
  • Secondhand Cardigan   (From a friend)
  • Sewing Machine

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 1 comment
  • Christie Decker Christie Decker on Oct 05, 2021

    Interesting idea. In my mind, I would call that item to start out with, a 'sweater vest' though technically it probably would be a cardigan...just in my mind, a cardigan has long sleeves.


    I'm in my mid 60's, so isn't exactly something I might wear, but I did have some sweater dresses with longer sleeves a while back that I absolutely loved...that might be something I would try, maybe I can find one at the thrift store...Thank you! Blessings.

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