Today I am launching a new column dedicated to clothing refashions and hacks: Liberty Refashions. The column is sponsored by SewBox and features a series of three tutorials that show you how to turn a garment you’re not wearing anymore into something you love. I am going to use liberty fabrics in all three tutorials; because they seem to be everywhere right now, from shorts to shoes to jumpers and dresses – and also because they’re so darn pretty.
This month I am showing you how to turn a tank top into a summer dress. Come back here the first week of July and August for more clothes hacking tutorials.
Read the tutorial after the jump
For this project you will need a tank top, a liberty fabric for the skirt and the sash, fabric for the underskirt (optional), thread, scissors, sewing machine (optional).
This fabric was super nice to work with. The print is bright yet delicate and the cotton is super soft yet stiff enough to make a summer dress. For this project you could also use this rose liberty print and make a romantic summer dress or this super cute pink pansy print.
The first thing you need to do is measure up. Get your waist size CD, your center front bust length AB and measure from the hip towards the knee DE, deciding how short you want your dress to be. You will cut your tank top right under point B and your skirt will be a rectangle with a width CD + CD/2 and a height of DE + 2 inches (for the hem).
Cut the tank top first.
You will then stitch loosely the top part of your skirt and skirt lining to create even gathers.
To gather the skirt pull the back threads (the white ones in the image) carefully (if they break you’ll have to start again). The now curly skirt should have the same circumference your waist size + 1 inch.
Now pin the skirt and underskirt to the tank top.
Make sure that the tank top’s good side is facing the good side of the skirt fabric when you pin. The lining should go on top of the two. If your lining is in the middle and your main skirt fabric on the outside – you’re doing it wrong.
Once that part is done hem your skirt. Press your fabric, sew it and knot the ends of the thread.
If you want you can remove the old label and sew the trim back to its place so you don’t end up with holes in your blouse.
And you’re done. Enjoy your new summer dress!
Outfit photos by JP Carrascal.
