15.4.12

Super Simple Fancy Dress



I don't know about you, but I love fancy little dresses that look like it took me forever to make when in fact it didn't take much time at all.  This project is just that. 

This was one of Aiyanna's Easter dresses. She had 3. We have a lot services Easter weekend. 2 Friday, 2 Saturday, and 8 services Sunday. We volunteer at all the services, so there is a need for sooo many Easter dresses. Anyway .......Everyone oohing and ahhing over it.  A lot of the ladies at church know I sew. The first thing they ask is if I made it.  When I say yes they think I'm pretty awesome  (I happily let them think that). If they only knew this how quickly I whipped this dress up and how little it cost me they would probably be shocked. The secret is a lacy skirt. Seriously, you can't get much easier than that!
Pretty, huh?
This is my new favorite dress.  I love that it's very vintage looking, yet is very fashionable.  A lacy maxi dress....what's not to love?!   I fell in love with this dress as I was making it. I'm not a Momma that likes to be all match-y with my daughter, but if I could find  that lace I would make myself an identical dress in heartbeat.

Wanna make one?
Go raid your closet for a lacy skirt. 

  The one I used was tiered, but it doesn't have to be. I just like it because it adds fullness. Aiyanna likes it because it's twirly.

What little girl doesn't love to twirl?

First thing I did was grab my seam ripper. And pull the lace, lining, and elastic apart.

 Then I measured Aiyanna's chest to see how wide it needed to be.
I measured from the middle of the lining and marked where it needed to be cut.

 
Cut and sew.

Repeat with the lace.

Next I cut arm holes just like in the Pillowcase Dress Tutorial.

Next I put the lace and lining back together with wrong sides facing each other. Baste the edges.

Then I pinned the elastic to the top on the lining side.

Stitch.

Fold the elastic down and top stitch close to the bottom edge of the elastic. 
It'll look like this on the front side.

Serge the arm holes.
If you don't have access to a serge you can sew a straight stitch and then zigzag the edges.

Fold the arm hole edge down and stitch close to the serged edge.

 With the extra fabric I cut off earlier I made straps for the dress.
I cut 2 rectangles 4" wide and 6" long.
I didn't take pictures of the rest, but here's what I did.
I sewed the straps to the front of the dress.  Then I had Aiyanna put it on and I pinned the straps to fit correctly.  Then I made some fabric flowers out of a thrift-ed silk curtain and sewed them onto the one shoulder.  On the other shoulder I made a bow with satin ribbon.


We had a fabulous photo shoot with the dress!











 Hope you have a HAPPY DAY!!!


Pin It

25 comments:

  1. Wow! So pretty....your dress and the model! And such a smart idea. This needs to go on my to do list for sure. I'd love for you to stop by Etcetorize to share your awesome tutorial at the Make it Great party going on now. (http://etcetorize.blogspot.com) Hope to see you there!

    ReplyDelete
  2. OH this is just precious! I love how it turned out!

    ReplyDelete
  3. That is beautiful. Shame I only had boys, really.

    ReplyDelete
  4. SOOOO beautiful! and I love a refashion project! thanks for linking up to Make it Monday! I've shared your link on the Brassy Apple FB and twitter pages!

    ReplyDelete
  5. It's beautiful! I love that it was fairly easy, but so fantastic.:)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Nancy, that dress is just STUNNING!!! Great photos too!



    Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
    Hope you have a fabulous week!
    Jill @ Creating my way to Success
    http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  7. So gorgeous! I have a long white skirt I've been thinking of getting rid of but now I'm thinking I could up-cycle it for my girl. Thanks for the inspiration

    ReplyDelete
  8. She looks just like a princess and a very happy one indeed!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Beautiful dress! I came here by way of Too Cute Tuesday. Here is my weekly offering: http://likemamalikedaughter.blogspot.com/2012/04/bell-bottom-baby.html

    ReplyDelete
  10. Just lovely. I made something similar here:

    http://whatsherrymadetoday.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/awesome-op-shop-find-transformation.html

    but I like yours better :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh my goodness! What a fun dress. I wish I had a lace skirt. Maybe I will go raid the good will!

    ReplyDelete
  12. This is amazing!! she's a perfect little model too!

    Shannon@SewSweetCottage

    ReplyDelete
  13. It looks too fancy to be simple to make! :) It's a beautiful dress and she looks so happy to be wearing it.

    ReplyDelete
  14. absolutely gorgeous! great job!!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I have been looking for a dress similar to this for a few months now!! So, this is an awesome find for me :) Thanks so much for the instructions. Now, I just have to find something like that so I can make it!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. so pretty, and she's an adorable model! Thanks for sharing at Handmade Tuesdays.

    ReplyDelete
  17. WOW! Beautiful Dress! Looks like a designer one! Great job.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Just stopped by to let you know that I featured this on my round tuit post this week!

    Thanks again for linking up! Hope you have a great week!
    Jill @ Creating my way to Success

    ReplyDelete
  19. This is just so pretty that I had to feature it at tonight's Make it Great party over at Etcetorize! I hope you'll pop by to grab a featured button from the sidebar and link up again.

    ReplyDelete
  20. amazingly beautiful dress! And the photo shoot pictures look likes ones you'll treasure forever!

    ReplyDelete
  21. This is so adorable. What a great way to upcycle! I adore the rosette cluster! Remember to link back for your chance to be featured on DIY under $5.

    ReplyDelete
  22. LOVE this dress and the pretty photos that accompany it! You've been pinned :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. What a pretty dress,who wouldn't love it!I would love to try something like this.

    www.blissfulsewing.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  24. What a beautiful dress, every fall I make my girls a new outfit for thanksgiving and family pictures, but this year, I just didn't feel inspired,until I found your blog, I'm so excited to start working right away, ( I don't have much time...) Because I'm gonna make all from scratch would you mind telling me what is the length of the last layer? Should I multiply each layer by 1.5? I don't want it to be too full and yours seems just perfect. Thank you so much for sharing and saving my thanksgiving pictures :D

    ReplyDelete
  25. Hello, just found this post, just for curiosity, would you sell me this dress when your daughter has grown out of it? My daughter is 4 and she would LOVE it!!!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to let me know what you think. I love reading your comments!