This project was originally posted to the BERNINA Sewing Republic site

shirt Dress
by Kristy Howard

This project takes a mens dress shirt and transforms it into a dress made just for you! This is a clever project that takes something old and makes it new. Wear it over your bathing suit for a day at the beach or out to lunch with the girls. Try using two different dress shirts for an even more interesting look. Either way, you made it and you made it look good.

 1 mens dress shirt (You may use two if you would like to add interest with different patterns. Larger shirts will make a fuller skirt on your dress.) yard of lining material (If you use a larger shirt, you may not need this.) Matching thread Ruler Pencil

1. Print the dress pattern, cut out the pieces, and tape pieces together at dotted lines.

2. Cut the sleeves off the shirt at the seam lines.

3. Lay the body of the shirt on a flat surface and use a ruler and a pencil to draw a straight line across the chest. Make this line well above the pocket and right below a button. Every shirt is different, so take some time to think about where the ideal place to cut would be. The bottom of this piece will become the skirt of your dress. Cut through both layers of the shirt along this line. Set the bottom/skirt piece aside.

4. Cut the cuffs off the sleeves and then cut along the sleeve seam so that the sleeve can be opened and will lay flat.

5. Lay out the pattern pieces for the dress front and the strap on the sleeves. I chose to use the placket detail on my straps, but you can omit this if you like.

6. Cut the dress back pattern piece out of the top part of the shirt you cut off.

7. Cut the dress front and dress back out of the lining fabric. My shirt was big enough that I had room for the lining to be cut out of the same material as the dress. Sew the darts in all the front pieces, including the lining.

All seam allowances are 5/8" . 8. With right sides together, sew the lining fronts to the front pieces around the front edges and armhole edges. Clip the curved edges. Turn the fronts right side out. Press.

9. With right sides together, sew the back pieces together along the top edge. Turn the back right side out and press.

10. Sew the side seams by opening up the front and back pieces and placing them right sides together, matching the seams. Sew together so the raw edges are all contained between the lining and outside fabric pieces.

11. Sew the strap to the top of the front as shown in the photo.

12. Fold the strap in half, right sides together, and stitch.

13. Turn strap right side out and press. Repeat for the second strap.

14. If there is fabric missing at the upper corners of the skirt, such as where sleeves may have been inserted, you'll need to trim a strip of fabric away from the top edge. Use a ruler and pencil to mark a straight line across the shirt, just under the corner cutouts. Sew two rows of basting stitches along the top edge of the skirt (the lower part of the shirt).

15. Gather the upper edge of the skirt to fit into the waistline of the top. Pin the skirt to the outside of the top only, with right sides together. Stitch.

16. Pull out the basting stitches. Turn the waist of the bodice under and pin in place so that all the raw edges are contained between the lining and outside fabric. Topstitch from the outside of the bodice, from the waistline seam.

17. Make a buttonhole in the dress top in line with the buttonholes on the skirt. Sew a button from the discarded part of the shirt on the opposite side of the top to match this buttonhole.

18. Pin the straps in place on the top back pieces. You may want to try the dress on at this point and have someone help you arrange the straps where you want them. Mine ended up 4 from the side seams. Stitch the straps in place.

Kristy howarD for sewing republic

shirt dress front cut 2 lining cut 2

shirt dress strap cut 2

front

back

shirt dress back cut 1 lining cut1