Tutorial: Turning a Button-up Shirt Into a Little Girls Dress

After all the trouble with my sewing machine and having to order a new part for it I finally completed my button-up shirt dress and I am super excited about it!!

Here it is:

First I started out with a woman's button-up shirt (which I purchased from the thrift store for $2) because I liked the colors but you could use a male button up shirt if you wanted. 

I used Simplicity pattern 0351 (on sale for $1.99).  I chose this pattern because I like the bunched up neckline and the sleeves.  If you wanted you could use a different pattern but keep in mind that I only used it as a guide for the top of the dress because I wanted to use the botton hem so using a different pattern will add a step.

Next I cut the shirt at the seams.  Cut off the collar and the cuff of the sleeves.



I proceeded to put the pattern for dress sleeves on the shirt sleeves and cut them out.

Because the pattern for the front and back was made to be cut on a fold I decided it would be easiest if I made the pattern whole and then attached it to the shirt.  I used a brown paper bag, placed the pattern on the fold traced and cut it out.

Next I placed it on the shirt and cut around the top.  I left the botton larger because I did not want them straight seamed at the bottom.



The sleeve was a little tricky because of the elastic.  I used the cord elastic but it was difficult to put together.  I would recommend either a strong fabric glue to put the ends of the fabric together or a very thin (1/4 to 1/2 at the most) ribbon style fabric that can be sewed together more easily. 

First on the sleeve you but the bottom together and sewed down it and pressed the seams outward.  The bottom of the sleeve needs to be folded and pressed twice so the end looks finished, make sure you press it good so when you go to sew the elastic in you have no trouble finding where to sew.  After measuring the elastic (the pattern I used came with a guide) attached the ends of the elastic to make a circle (sewing or strong fabric glue).  Pin the elastic at the seam in the sleeve make sure you put the elastic up in the pressed part so it does not get sewed in accidentely.  It is going to take some work pulling the elastic so you can keep the sleeve where you are sewing from bunching prematurely.  When you are finished the sleeves should look like this:

Once the sleeves are done you have to connect them to the rest of the dress.  Put them right side out like the one on left and put it inside the top of the dress inside-out (make sure right sides are together!)  and pin it together.

Because I did not use the pattern for the sideI pinned it flush with the sleeve and sewed down the side at an angle.  If you feel that it would be better to have a pattern by all means use one.  Once I sewed down the side I pressed the side seam out and sewed the sleeve on around the U shape.

We are almost done!!  Doing the same thing we did with the bottom of the sleeve to the neck.  Attach the elastic at the ends into a circle.  Fold over twice and press the seam so it stays in place.  Pin the elastic in one spot, I chose to start and end in the button that was at the top front of the dress.  Sew the elastic in the same way that you did in the sleeves.

I chose to use the botton of the shirt as the botton of my dress.  You could hem it if you wanted it is a personal preference.

Here is my little model with her new dress she absolutely loved!!  Gotta love those silly faces.

I hope that you enjoyed this tutorial.  Please comment with any questions or comments and PLEASE follow me to find out what our next sewing adventure will be :)