I bought this skirt at the Salvation Army for only $2.50 and the tank top for 50 cents. The skirt was originally a size 16. I took it in at the back. All together this dress cost $3.
The finished look reminded me of something you'd wear while sipping a cool Mohito on the porch in the afternoon.
It also reminds me of these Modclothies, here and here.
My camera pooped out on me at the beginning of my process so unfortunately this tutorial is only text. But if you attempt this and have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them just leave a comment in this post.
Materials:
Skirt
Colored Elastic (white doesn't look finished)
Tank top
1. If your skirt is longer than just above your knee cut the top of the skirt so that the length falls at just above your knee.
If the length is fine, cut the top of the skirt anyway just so that the edges of the top are raw.
Also, you must be mindful of the waist. Since we are putting in elastic instead of a zipper be sure that the width of the skirt can fit over your hips. If not cut the skirt at the top until it does.
2. If there is a zipper rip it out with a seam ripper and then sew the seam back up.
3. Take your elastic band and wrap it around the smallest part of your waist. Make sure it is tight but also that I can also fit over your hips. Mark the place where you need to sew. Sew it, right sides together so that you have a full circle.
4. Now, take your elastic band and pin it to the skirt on the outside (sort of overtop the skirt), right side of elastic to right side of skirt. Do it the same way that I described for step 9 of the Maternity Pants Tutorial.
5. Sew to skirt.
6. Put on your tank top and skirt. Cut the tank top a half and inch down from the elastic.
7. Pin the tank top to the elastic the same way you pinned the elastic to the skirt in step 4.
8. You may need to shorten the straps when you’re done because the skirt pulls on the ribbed tank.
Done!
Many of you said that you would like to enter more giveaways, but have various issues with linking. Of course, I want anyone that is interested in entering a giveaway to be able to do so.
Therefore, from now on, giveaways can be entered in three ways:
1) By linking (to your blog, facebook, myspace, or any other site)
2) By leaving a comment without a link or
3) By linking and leaving a comment (this will be worth 2 entries which will better your chances of winning). Find more info under the FAQ page.
If you are leaving a link just use the 'create a link' at the bottom of this post or simply creating a post on your blog and including this link.If you use blogger just use the "create a link" link at the bottom of this post. If you don't use blogger, that's fine too. Just create a link on your page as you normally would and I will see it using Technorati.
Create a Link
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110 {comments}:
I love this!!!
So cute and summery and frugal!
Linked to my blog giveaway button.
I love this and totally want it!!! So great!
I'm in awe of the items you can create! Would love to win :)
By far my favorite item in your giveaways!!!! I HAVE to have it, or make it, one of the two! lol!
I also linked to my blog!
You are so dang talented! Love this!
that is too cute and seems easy to make! sadly, but sewing machine is currently out of commission.
http://fieldoflilleys.blogspot.com/
Very cute! I love that skirt.
What a great idea! I will have to add this to my project list :)
Adorable, and perfect for summer, though right now we're in the middle of ANOTHER snow storm.
This is awesome... thanks for the tutorial!
so adorable!
Brilliant! I never find anything that good at thrift stores. Where do you find your colored elastic (not black)?
I did this same thing a week ago with a tank top I'd gotten oil paint on. So fun to use things instead of throwing them away :)
http://lauries-projects.blogspot.com/2010/05/tank-top-sundress.html
Laurie
Beautiful! I love the way the blue looks with the brown.
Jessica:)
I created a link as well...
darling! And so inexpensive!
It looks AWESOME! Love it!
Sarah M
What a cute dress! I love the skirt fabric. Thanks for the tutorial as well!
Wow! Beautiful!
I love it! I love blue and brown together. Thanks for the giveaway!
this is so cute!
Oh wow! I just made two dresses this way! But it never occurred to me to use colored elastic since the lame fabric stores in my area do not carry colored elastic. Just black & white. You are indeed right, it doesn't looked finished at all.... so I made a matching sash.
So cute! You have very impeccable taste. :)
Oh, darling! Love it!
So beautiful! I really need to start refashioning clothing...
That came out darling! Where do you find colored elastic? I've never seen anything but black and white.
Genius! It's so cute!
Very cute! Love it!
Wow...That is great!! It looks expensive...
Adorable! I have a skirt that I am going to have to try this on.
emilou84037@yahoo.com
This is so cute. Would love to win this one!!
Verry cute!! I love the idea of buying something too big and taking it down!
godzilladoglove(at)gmail(dot)com
Oh lovely!
I linked to your page as well! :) Hope I win ::crossing fingers::
I love this! What a great idea! :)
Trendymeg@msn.com
Niiice.
By the way, saw you winning dress on Shabby Apple (though I will say I wish they were doing it in the green you had originally used!)
http://www.shabbyapple.com/p-613-champs-elysees.aspx
So lovely, and so easy! I really like the colored elastic idea, so that you're highlighting the waistband rather than hiding it. Must try!
A simple and lovely idea.
And I do so love that skirt.
Linked you on my blog!
we love this! re-purposing thrift finds is one of our FAVORITE things!!!! we just linked you on our sidebar....super cute!
~selina (sis#1)
I love this dress! It is so cute!
I facebooked about it!
Love the big print on the skirt! You find such great deals.
woohoooww, you are fabulous :)
i will link this to my blog,,
give away button for mohito refashion frock tutorial and giveaway :)
just check it dear
-loovveecuupsss
kristiyanashinta.blogspot.com
i want it
i want it :)
check your link on my blog kristiyanashinta.blogspot.com
when is the final dead line?
so cute!
Yes please!!
It looks fantastic! bravo!
This is great! I'll have to try it.
This is just the cutest skirt!
Sooo cute!!
justeventeux@live.com
it´s lovely!!
So cute! I love thrifting! You never know what you'll find.
Pretty! And I'm loving the red necklace with it! :)
ready for summer! love it!
Thrift stores are where I look for fabric, minimal cost & yards of fabric to be altered!
On step 4. What exactly do you mean? I'm sorry.
4. Now, take your elastic band and pin it to the skirt on the outside (sort of overtop the skirt), right side of elastic to right side of skirt. Do it the same way that I described for step 9 of the Maternity Pants Tutorial.
What does the "overtop the skirt" mean? Is one part sticking past the other? Thanks.
Astreia,
Check out this pic for what I'm describing: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2633/3930905386_3c48316790.jpg
Picture the skirt instead of the pants.
If you're still confused, don't hesitate to ask again.
LOVE!
LOVELY! I also would like to know where you can find such pretty elastic!! :) thanks for the tut and giveaway! I hope I win!!!
This is one adorable dress. I'm impressed by your talent -- so impressed, in fact, that I may actually learn to sew!
Clara
What a cute dress!
You have the best idea's and tutorials! Thank you.
so cute!
hmowery@centurytel.net
Where did you find the colored elastic?? It's so pretty!!!
Simply awesome!
Love Love Love this!
Love it, but where do you get your colored elastic? Please do tell! :)
I LOVE this!!!
I love this dress, it's so fun!! I'm wondering where you find that colored elastic? I've got a project I've been working on and can't find any around here? Thanks, you're so inspirational!
Totally adorable! It's inspired me to finally drag out this fabric that I just wasn't feeling as a dress and turn it into something like this...
This is so great!!!
I love it!
So creative. Way to make something new for pennies. Gorgeous! I'm inspired!!!
Holy cow! I ALWAYS see super cute skirts in sizes that are way too big for me at the thrift stores, but I never ever thought to just resize them! Genius! And it is sooooooo cute! I'm definitely on a hunt now for a cute skirt and a tank top to make this! Thanks for the inspiration!
Oh and I definitely linked it to my facebook, because it is AMAZING!
What a darling dress! I love it and hope I win. :) :)
lovely! i linked you in my blog.
means i have two entries?
thanks! :D
cute~ looks comfy too. love it.
I want this please! :)
Great colors! Thanks so much.
kelliemorgan17@gmail.com
This is too cute! I wish I could go to the thrift store and have this much vision!
I love this dress!
Love love love the colors!
So cute! I just used your tutorial/idea to help me make my own dress! (I credited you) You can see it here:
http://homesweethomebodies.blogspot.com/2010/05/new-dress-for-me-easy-sewing-project.html
Thanks for sharing this! :)
Marissa@ homesweethomebodies.blogspot.com
Gorgeous! You make it look so easy. Such a talent you have!
Cool idea, I've added the page to my bookmarks and linked here: http://pioupioukids.blogspot.com/2010/05/cool-blog-mondays_19.html
Cool idea, I've added the page to my bookmarks and linked here: http://pioupioukids.blogspot.com/2010/05/cool-blog-mondays_19.html
This looks like the perfect summer dress!
So cute! I've been meaning to make myself some darling summertime skirts, this is the perfect project!
etsy.com/shop/sewlopatterns
this is very cute, and makes me want to go check out my local Goodwill for reuse items!
wonderful idea that I just had to try! here's my version: http://www.janssendesigns.com/2010/05/upcycled-dress-for-me.html
thanks!
This is such a pretty dress! I'm going to have to hit up my local sal army and make myself one!
yeay for warmer weather! I'm so looking forward to making new skirts. Love this one!
YAY! I love this dress! I want it! Which is why I linked to your blog from mine! :)
I actually found an old Goodwill skirt I have been meaning to fix up for years and a tank top that matches! I'm pretty sure that it will HAVE to be fixed up into a cute little dress like yours! :)
Just need to pick up some elastic at Joanns.....
I am e-n-t-e-r-i-n-g!!!!
*I hope I win this!*
Allison Elizabeth♥
I made my own today!! First time I've EVER made clothing without a pattern! Love it! I'll post pictures on the Flickr page later tonight!
www.anotherdayforever.blogspot.com
can I win just leave a comment?hopefully yes
Beautiful! Thanks for the inspiration!
I love this dress and the colored elastic is a great simplifying idea! Thanks!!
this looks great... I am totally going to have to try this, I can't find summer dresses I like! THank you
How cute! I love the pattern along the edge of the skirt!
Oh my, I'm so going to make one after work.
Thank you thank you!
I love this, the perfect summer dress!
I've been making dresses very similar to this - I'm about to post a tutorial on it, AND a giveaway - one of my followers will get a cute little summer tank dress :)
Come over and check it out!
http://rufflesandrosescrafts.blogspot.com
This dress is adorable!
- Danielle
other-option AT hotmail DOT com
Thank you so much for this tutorial! I MADE ONE. So easy! So cheap.
For everyone who has been searching in vain for colored elastic, I've finally found some! This ebay shop has 2 inch wide elastic in red, blue, and green. I ordered one of each for projects that do not currently exist....but it's always good to stock up, right? :)
http://stores.ebay.com/Mockingbird-Lane_Elastic-Stretchy-French-Lace_W0QQ_fsubZ12QQ_sidZ73152509QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em14?_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1513&_pgn=1
(LOTS) more colorful elastic at this ebay shop!
http://stores.ebay.com/MFG-Surplus__W0QQ_fsubZ827649015
I will stop flooding your comments with ebay links now. :) I've been searching everywhere for the elastic, so I'm excited about it.
Thanks so much for this post! I've had a pretty (expensive) Victoria's Secret skirt just hanging in my closet for the past 2 years because it's too big. I'm super excited to put a hot pink waistband on it and finally get to wear it! You rock.
Just found this now - SO cute! Where do you get colored elastic? Or did you dye the elastic? Thank you in advance for any response.
Love it! thanks for sharing
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