OK, so maybe I HAVE been watching too much Mad Men this summer.
BUT THOSE DRESSES!!!!
I just can’t get enough!
I want one…….
So…..
I found this little number at the thrift store the other day and made it into this:
Here’s how:
First look in the mirror and pull the dress up until you get the desired hem length. Mark with safety pins where you would like the bottom of the bodice and the top of the skirt.
Stretch some quarter inch elastic around your waist to the desired tension. Cut and sew onto seam allowance, stretching as you sew to create a gathered look.
Now you could walk right into Sterling Cooper with your steno pad and start taking dictation for Don Draper.
And I seriously made it in ten minutes yesterday.
You might also like to check out some other tutorials:
Thanks for visiting!
Beth
The Renegade Seamstress 
What a CUTE dress! I love the fabric! -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
Thank you Marci! I would wear this dress everyday if I could. It’s so comfy and versatile. I can wear it in the summer as is, or in the fall and winter with tights and a jacket or sweater.
I Love it!
Thank you!
Love it! Thanks for sharing your creations…I need to remember your redesigns when I go to a thrift shop.
Thank you Stacey. Happy Thrift Shopping!!!
Very cute dress…..You continue to amaze me, Beth!
Thank you!!!
Great dress. I want one, too, now.
Thank you, I hope you find one to redesign, too. This one happened to be a knit fabric and it’s still holding up even after all of these years. Happy sewing!!
Love this dress and the color is great on you!
Thanks so much! I wear this dress ALL the time. It’s a knit fabric so it’s super comfy.
Great fabric! The new dress is stunning.
Thank you so much for your encouraging words!! You brightened my day. 🙂
Love the pretty paisley fabric and the transformation is so wonderful
Thank you! This is still one of my favorites!
I have a question about sewing the elastic to the seam allowance. Do you sew the elastic down the middle of the elastic? I hope you know what I mean. I have a blouse with an attached peplum on the bottom but I want to hug we at the waist. That is a very cute dress! Thank you.
Yes, if I understand your question correctly, you zig zag down the center of the elastic.
Thank you Dorothy, Please let me know if I can be of more help.
Any way of making the ‘after’ dress look like the ‘before’ version. It was so much nicer before you altered it …..
Unfortunately, the “before” design isn’t very flattering on my body type.