Mission: Sewing II - Girls Dresses

Both of these dresses are crafted from 'reclaimed' clothes.  (I recently learned 'reclaimed' is the PC term for clothes you were going to take the thrift store but before you could load those boxes into the back of your van and take them, you stumbled onto some great projects on Pinterest and discovered how to use them to make clothes instead of paying for new fabric.)

This dress started with a lace-sleeved shirt.  I had cut the bottom half off of a tank top (more on that, next project) and sewed that onto the bottom of the dress.  Then I did use some 'new' fabric, creating a ruffle on the bottom, as well as trim where the top and bottom of the dress meet.  I made a fabric flower and used a sparkly 'gem' for its center.  I appliqued leaves and a stem in an alternate fabric.  (I know 'alternate' is the wrong word, but I have no blessed clue what the right word is at the moment.)  The finished product is fairly form fitting, but it's very stretchy and comfortable.  She loves wearing it to school. 

Closeup of flower

This is the second dress.  Remember that shirt I mentioned in the paragraph above?  The top of this dress features the top half of that shirt.  Folding a piece of fabric square, then folding it again, I cut an arc. Then I cut a smaller piece out at the top. (Poor man's circle technique.)  I basted pleats at the top/center of the circle, then sewed a band of the same pink fabric to it.  Hemmed the hem. Then I sewed the other end of the pink waist band to the bottom of the shortened shirt.  I made long straps that I sewed onto the back of the waist band on the hips, which were used to tie around to the front in the big bow.  I took a piece of the same bow fabric to applique across the chest, just under the lace panel. 

Matching Headband

Then I took a plain, deeply boring headband and wrapped it with fabric and sewed the underside to secure it and tighten it.  Then I made a fabric flower and sewed it on.  It was so much fun!