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Dandelion Dress: Toddler Dress Tutorial Made From Thrifted Mens Shirts

02/03/2012

I have been sewing for the Project Run and play weekly Flickr group challenge. It’s been fun and has increased my creativity with regards to my kids designing.
I wanted to create a dress from some thrifted men’s shirts. Here is what I came up with!
A little dress perfect for picking dandelions.

looking for fairies,
making wishes,
and cooking up some fun!

Yet comfy enough for climbing,

and with a built in apron for playing house!
Sorry, I don’t have photos for every step, but I will do my best to explain the process of making this dress.

I used the red shirt for the dress bodice front skirt, sleeves, and half of the back ruffles.

I used the striped shirt for the apron, the back under skirt panel,
and the ruffles on the bodice and back skirt.
BODICE 
1. Cut off collar from mens shirt.
2. Lay a shirt that fits onto the shirt and trace it onto the mens shirt. Add seam allowance.
3. Sew up the side seams of your resized bodice.
4. To finish the neck I serged a rolled hem and then shirred around the neckline with elastic neckline to make the neck smaller.
5. From the striped shirt sleeves, I cut some strips of ruffling 2 inches wide and three times the length of the bodice placket. I made two ruffles and sewed them onto the original button placket. Then I sewed on some decorative non functioning buttons.
 SLEEVES
1. For the sleeves cut off the top parts of the sleeves. I made mine about 5 inches wide but I didn’t take a photo. If you cut the sleeves from the original sleeve you will already have the correct sleeve head shape.
2.I used the rolled hem of my serger to avoid hemming the sleeves and gathered the  sleeves  and sewed them into the resized armholes.

SKIRT FRONT:
1. For the skirt cut off the bottom of the main dress shirt. Rounded off the edges of the red shirt front so I could add a panel underneath that peeks out. If you have a serger you can use the rolled hem stitch to finish all the edges of the dress so you don’t have to hem anything.
SKIRT BACK:
1.I cut an under panel the same length as the front skirt to put under the opening of the overskirt.
2. I harvested fabric from what little red fabric I had left and from the sleeves of the striped shirt. I created several 3 inch wide ruffles to attach to the underskirt so they would peek out like a Little Miss Muffett dress.

 SKIRT APRON
1. I created an apron for the front skirt from the leftover striped shirt fabric and sewed a ruffle from the contrasting red cotton around the edge. I sewed it to the front skirt, gathered the whole thing and sewed it to the bodice.
2. To finish off the dress I created a tie for the apron and sewed it directly on the dress with a fell stitch, hiding the waist seam.

So there you have my toddler ruffled back and aproned dress made from two men’s shirts.
If you create one I would love to see a photo!

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Related posts:

A Refashioned Sweater Tutorial: The Gigi Toddler Dress Valentines’ Rafashion:The Love Tunic created from a mens T-shirt Vintage Pillowcase Dress Pattern & Tutorial Too Late For Love Dress: An Easy Knit Tunic Dress Tutorial
-McKenzie

Filed Under: My designs, Refashions, Sewing Tutorial

About Justine

You made it to the end of the post! Please stop by often for a variety of sewing projects, clothes making tips , and stylish handmade living. Feel free to email me at justine @ sewcountrychick.com if you have questions.

Comments

  1. Mongs says

    02/03/2012 at 7:19 am

    So delightfully cute! Very resourceful and skillful refashion.

    mongs
    mythriftycloset.blogspot.com

  2. Victoria says

    02/03/2012 at 7:55 am

    You make the cuties clothes from recycled adult clothes, love it!

  3. Jul, Life Is A Romantic Poem says

    02/03/2012 at 8:35 am

    Awww gosh this dress is so CUTE! I almost wish you made a tutorial for grown-ups too, haha ^^
    Life is a romantic poem

  4. lauradora says

    02/03/2012 at 9:32 am

    adorable

  5. blackenpot says

    02/03/2012 at 10:21 am

    Wonderful recyling!! I love the ruffles, and a sweet little girl.

    Enjoy your weekend, I’m off to a flea market tomorrow!

  6. a Matula ikrek says

    02/03/2012 at 1:31 pm

    Those ruffles at the back!

    Gigi is supercute in this dress also! :o)

  7. Emily says

    02/03/2012 at 8:25 pm

    What a great upcycle! Love the ruffles in the back. 🙂

  8. Debbie's L'Bri says

    02/04/2012 at 5:48 am

    This outfit is so cute. I wish I had little girls again.

  9. Mary says

    02/04/2012 at 6:55 am

    Totally cute Justine-and what a great way to recycle. Have a nice weekend and I’ll post my new Sorbetto or my Minoru progress tomorrow.

  10. Kristy says

    02/04/2012 at 1:48 pm

    Beautiful!!

  11. Caroline says

    02/04/2012 at 10:14 pm

    I love this – I really love the ruffley, bustle back!

  12. Shannon says

    02/06/2012 at 4:21 pm

    I need a little girl now JUST to wear this dress!

  13. Abbi says

    02/06/2012 at 10:23 pm

    Very, very cute! I love the repurposing.

  14. Heather's Blog-o-rama says

    02/07/2012 at 3:31 am

    This is too cute!!! Adorable..and a great way to reuse clothing. I found your blog post via the Homstead Barn Hop this week 🙂 Love and hugs from the ocean shores of California, Heather 🙂

  15. Danielle says

    02/07/2012 at 4:38 am

    I just wanted to let you know I featured your cute dress on Blissful and Domestic tonight. Stop by and grab a button:>

    http://blissfulanddomestic.blogspot.com/2012/02/25-wearable-refashions.html

  16. learningnewtricks says

    02/08/2012 at 7:46 am

    I can always count on major creativity from you. This little girl’s dress is so charming. No one would ever suspect it was first two men’s dress shirts.

  17. learningnewtricks says

    02/08/2012 at 7:47 am

    I can always count on major creativity from you. This little girl’s dress is so charming. No one would ever suspect it was first two men’s dress shirts.

  18. knitandmake.blogspot.com says

    02/08/2012 at 9:23 pm

    wow really pretty 🙂

  19. Fiona Spring Leggett says

    02/13/2012 at 4:05 am

    Really nice dress. You’re so talented!

  20. Fiona Spring Leggett says

    02/13/2012 at 4:05 am

    Really nice dress. You’re so talented!

  21. LeighAnn says

    02/28/2012 at 10:54 pm

    This is wonderful! I love it! I love making something new from something old.

  22. Kathy says

    07/16/2012 at 1:23 am

    I love this little dress and out of 2 men shirts how clever. I would love for you and your friends to join me at http://www.sewcraftykathy.blogspot.com

  23. Kathy says

    07/16/2012 at 1:25 am

    I love this dress!!! Come join me http://www.sewcraftykathy.blogspot.com



I'm Justine! Welcome to my sewing blog! Here you'll find lots of handmade clothing for myself and other lucky folks! I'm a native Los Angeleno who moved to a small farm outside of LA with my family.

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