House on a budget: Repurposed skirt #2!

Check out this cute skirt I found for a couple dollars at the thrift store! Cute, but not really my style. Don't you just love that fabric though?

I've been wanting to try sewing a dress for anastasia, but I had no idea where to start. Of course I could just go buy a pattern, but that's too easy. haahaa I found one of anastasia's dresses that looked pretty simple to make and traced it out on butcher paper.

At first I laid the dress out flat and traced around the whole dress. Then I realized it would be much better to fold it in half, making both sides of the dress even. Duh!! Remember, I'm learning so don't laugh. :) I did this with the front and back of the dress.

I cut the lining off the skirt then pinned the pattern to it, making sure to lay the folded edge of the pattern on the folded edge of the fabric. I also did this with the front and back of the patchwork. I then had 4 pieces of fabric, front and back of the lining, and front and back of the patchwork.

Back of the dress

Front of lining

Next I pinned and sewed the front and back lining together down the side. Then I did the same thing with the patchwork fabric.

Next I ironed the seams open on both the lining and the patchwork.

Then I pinned the right side of the top fabric to the right side of the lining.

I sewed about a 1/4 in. seam all around the arm holes and neck. Then turned it right side out.

I turned the hem of the lining and patchwork under by about 1/4 in. and then top stitched all around.

Almost done!!!

I then picked out buttons so I would know how big to make my button holes.

Then I measured and did my best on the button holes. I think I need more practice in that area! It bothers me that they aren't perfect!

Last of all, I sewed on the buttons on!!

But, wait! The dress needs to have a headband to go with it!

Headband tutorial...

This is pretty much from my own head, so I'm quite sure there are better ways to do it.

I cut the hem off the skirt since it was nicely folded already and was the perfect width. I cut it to 21 1/2 in. because I wanted the fabric to bunch up on the elastic a bit.

I pinned and then stitched a 1/4 in. seam. Then turned it right side out and ironed.

Next I cut the elastic 16 in. long and then attached a safety pin to one end to help feed it through the tube.

Once through the tube, I stitched the elastic and fabric together to hold it in place.

Then I stitched together the elastic from the left side to the one on the right making a circle.

I pulled the extra fabric over the elastic to cover it up, and sewed it in place. Cute headband! But, I wanted a bow on it!

Again, I had no idea how to make a bow, so I played around a bit! I'm sure there are better ways to do this, but this is what I did.

I first cut out 2 square pieces of fabric and pinned right sides together.

Then I sewed all around it, leaving a small little opening to turn it right side out. Be sure to snip the extra fabric in the corners.

Then I top stitched all around it. I had an extra little piece of tubing I had sewed for something else that didn't really work out. I slipped the square into it and it made a cute little bow!!