Dress Into An Apron–With Photos!

The kids and I went searching for a Goodwill in our area (I know there is one- somewhere) but came across a Salvation Army store first. I found a pretty dress that there was no way I was going to wear. I felt it was too short for my liking and it gathers too much in the front, making my already somewhat pudgy middle look even more pudgy. I love the colors though and like the sash and bow on the front. Here’s a photo of the dress before I hacked it up cut it and ‘redesigned’ it.

I love the colors of this dress! I like pastels anyway but this reminds me of … Beatrix Potter lol. And the sash, although I’m thinking the color does not come through correctly on the screen- is a peach color. I bought this dress for $6.45 (with tax). And since I had no pattern to follow, just what I thought it should look like, it took me many hours to repurpose. I’m thinking that it takes more experienced sewers much less time to do these sorts of things. Eh, perhaps I’ll get there  
So first I cut up the side of the dress to separate the front and back. It had a zipper up one side, so now I have a zipper should I need one for something else. Apparently I took no photos of cutting it apart. I did leave some of the top of the back, so that the apron has a loop to put over the head and rest on the neck while wearing. It was a little low, though, so I shorted the shoulder straps.

The dress has two layers that are separate and I wanted to keep that for the apron but have wondered if I should sew them together after all.

I also had to tuck in the front where it went under the arms. I was trying to get it all straight and even. One side, though, had that zipper and I had to cut farther in than the other side. I’d forgotten that when I was trying to make it straight and trying to make sure to have the same amount on each side. Wasn’t happening. Figured it out eventually.

These pins were just to tuck the sides. Later I cut them closer to the edge and turned them under to sew (hem?). So then the pinning began. It took forever –it seemed. The fabric is thin but somewhat stretchy and apparently cut a certain way, when I tried to line it up and pin it, it kept looking ‘wrong’.

I also had to find cloth for the ties for the sides. I didn’t really have anything that went great with the colors in the fabric but decided on a creamy yellow –pastel and light; goes well enough. I pinned both strips and narrowed them at the end that connects to the apron.

I won’t show you the actual stitching for my apron because well…it’s sad. I used what I had for thread, which is a dark brown. The color isn’t a problem other than it is such a contrast to the fabric of the apron. What is the problem? My sewing is atrocious! Also as you’ll probably be able to see in the photos below, the fabric now has a scallop effect on the sides –probably because of the type of fabric, right? I’m tempted to sew the panels together to keep it from being quite so noticeable but really don’t know if it’ll help.

These photos are almost exactly the same. One is closer than the other. It is terribly staticy (which the computer says isn’t a word) and I am wearing fleece pajama pants. My lounge pants… If I had some little weights to sew in the bottom of at least the inside panel, I think it’d help keep it from sticking.

I did forget to get a photo of the tie in the back. The straps cold have been a tad bit longer. I can make a small bow with them and it works fine but I’d have preferred longer.

All in all, I’m happy with my apron. I still have the back portion of the dress so I could make a second apron –perhaps a half apron –if I wanted to. Lee says it’s so pretty it’s a shame to get it dirty, to use it like an apron. Not me! I want to bake something now!