Thrift Store Makeovers!

I've gotten several emails asking for tutorials for my thrift store makeovers, you didn't think I would make all these great pieces without telling you how to make them too did you? ;-)

When trolling thrift stores for clothing to refashion I find that there are 3 rules one must live by. Rule #1: Look for pretty fabric. Try to ignore the ugly shape of the garments and think of them as fabric on a bolt. Take this for example:

This matronly dress is right out of the 80s (and still had tags on it to prove it!) That collar, the boxy shape, and oh gracious the shoulder pads!
But the fabric is this deep pink, mauvish color with white polka dots, and it's smooth and luxurious. I was originally going to cut the skirt off, sew elastic to it and call it a day, but I decided this fabric would make a fab top, so I decided to branch out a little. Here is the finished product: This thing was too easy to make. Unfortunately I was having technical difficulties while I was making it, but I here is a crude drawing to explain what I did. It was VERY easy and quick. After I cut the skirt off I turned it so the side seams were in the middle. Then I cut it to the width I wanted for my shirt.

Put them rights sides together and sew up the sides up to right above the elastic and sew the shoulder seams up to the neck hole.

Rule #2 is BIGGER is better. A size 8 dress might fit you, but if you're going to refashion the larger dress you buy the more you get out of it. Here is an example:

This dress was quite large. It fit me like a tent. At first I was planning to take it in and rework the neckline, but time constraints took over so I simply cut off the skirt, gathered it and sewed an elastic waist band to it.

One awesome thing about this piece is it can be worn with the buttons on the front or the back. Also it has POCKETS, which I am far too lazy to sew into something from scratch. In fact, I would be too lazy to do the buttons too. When you refashion these impressive-looking, time consuming things are done for you!

Rule #3 is don't be afraid to look through the sheet bins! You might get lucky and find a bolt of fabric, or a super pretty printed sheet. That's a lot of fabric for the money.

This is a dress made from an old ribbed tank and fabric I found in the sheets bin at the thrift store. I measured around my hips and made a circle skirt with an opening big enough to fit around there. Then I gathered it at the top and sewed it to the tank with a zig zag stitch. For more info on circle skirts I highly recommend this one on MADE.
This is basically a pillowcase dress for adults. The top is from an old skirt and the bottom is from a fitted sheet. I love fitted sheets because they are already hemmed and you get the bonus of all that elastic! Score!!!

First I took the elastic out of the fitted sheet first. Then I measured my hips at the widest (yikes!) and added 10 inches. Then cut 2 rectangles for the top and 2 rectangles for the bottom that were hip measurement/2 wide and the length that looked good on me. I sewed the rectangles together in a tube, then cut out "J" shapes for arm holes. Then I folded over the tops and made a casing, added elastic and sewed it in place. Then made bias tape and made straps for the dress. I added some elastic to the waste and a pretty sash and bam! Pretty dress! Pretty easy!

I regret not getting a before picture of the dress these capris came from. But here's how I did it:

If you'd like more detailed tutorials I will try to oblige, but for now these will have to do! Tune in tomorrow when I transform ill-fitting jeans into sexy date night jeans!