A Modest Princess

 

My best kept Resale shopping trick? Shop in the kids section! This size 16 kids dress was a super find at only 25cents and turned into an awesome adult small skirt with expandable waist in a few simple steps.

All good refashions start with a seam ripper, I first removed the straps and the top trim on the dress.

Second best refashion tool is using what you have. I’m going to reuse the strap to form the top of the skirt waistband (and I’ll save the rest of the pink trim, I’m sure I’ll find some use for it in a later project).

I seam ripped open the straps and sewed them together as one wasn’t quite long enough for the waistband.

I did a pin test to see if my idea would work, folding down the top of the dress and pinning on this new waistband top.

Having determined the plan would work, I cut off the top of the dress (and later made a bow out of this scrap – nothing is wasted!)

I first sewed the inside of the waistband top.

Then folded it over and finished it off with a top stitch.

Finished skirt! I was lucky the dress had smocking at the back as it made for a natural stretchy waist and this extra wide waistband is super comfortable.