restyle: spring dress to easter skirt

hello there!

happy easter!!

this easter eve i'd like to share a super quick restyle project. 

little miss was gifted this really cute spring dress last year for easter but it was too big for my petite little girl until well into winter. now the top is a little too tight across the chest, she could probably have worn it this summer but spring in northwest indiana usually requires long sleeves and a tee wasn't fitting underneath. 

the skirt of this dress is so sweet, and i'm a sucker for yellow gingham... so i restyled the dress into a sweet little skirt for little miss to wear to easter mass.

i used my seam ripper to separate the top of the dress from the skirt.

i think it's important to use the original construction as much as possible when restyling a garment like this. when i deconstructed the dress i was careful not to pull the gather line (not sure if that's what it's called? someone who sews more please help me out??) so that i wouldn't have to re-sew the line and potentially harm the fabric which is pretty thin...

unfortunately here in the process i had to stop taking photos... i took on this project the afternoon before we left and while juggling sewing, a shrug i was finishing for little miss, and packing at the same time something had to give a bit. but here's a quick sum up of how i ended up with the skirt...

after separating the skirt from the top i found the center of the back of the skirt and cut it to form a long open piece. i ironed down and pinned an approx. 3/4" hem and sewed it with a straight stitch, and reinforced it with a shell (also called lingerie) stitch. i then threaded the 1/2" elastic strip into the hemmed space and gathered the skirt to it's shape... i folded the skirt inside out and seamed up the back of the skirt reinforcing with several seam lines over the elastic. i trimmed up a bit all done!

i think the skirt is so sweet and i can't wait to see my little miss in her pretty skirt and crocheted shrug tomorrow morning!

i hope everyone has an amazing holiday! now i'm off to help out the easter bunny and fill up some eggs to hide....

love.